2008: July - December

08
Jul
Second Year…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Anxiety, journey
Today our two year anniversary.  Today is also the day I made our first marriage counseling appointment.

No one puts on their wedding dress and thinks, ‘In two years from today, I am going to be making an appointment for counseling.’
No one expects the “Happy Anniversary” email to be followed up with an email for a therapists.

I know, I’m suppose to be happy today.  This day is suppose to mean something, be an accomplishment. It just feels sort of hollow.  And this is where I pep

talk myself into saying, “this is a journey and it’s a rough one and you have to work for it and life is hard…’ and all the other stereotypical expressions that

have stuck to the wall all these years.

Thinking back to my first marriage and the final days of excepting the fact that it wasn’t going to work was the same phrase running over and over, “I’m going

to be ‘divorced’. My kids are going to come from a ‘broken home’. My kids were going to say, “our parents are divorced.” and all those words felt so dirty and

the thought of them saying them broke my heart into a billion pieces.
When I finally excepted the fact that I was going to ‘re-marry’, another ‘bad word’ in my vocabulary, I guess I figured it was going to be ‘right’.  I mean, if I

screwed up the first one so badly, maybe it wasn’t meant to be and the grand plan, big picture of things this one was my do-over and because I had walked

through the fire and survived it, this one was going to be easy and right.

God, I am so young and naive.  I figured people that got married the second time around really had all the answers and that marriage would last forever.  Then

of course you hear about second marriage ending and you rationalize those; ‘got married to soon.’, ‘got married for the wrong reason.’, ‘too much baggage’…

they are damaged and should stay single then.
Yes, again…young, naive and let’s add stupid to the mix.

Are there people out there that don’t live in their head all the time? Do people not sit and get so twisted in the responsibility of being themselves that they

want to vomit?
You know those commercials for like, Tide or Bounce when they have the white sheets hanging on the line and the wind is blowing through them and there is

that woman standing in the middle?  She’s probably wearing white capri’s and a bright yellow shirt. She’s a perfect size 10 and she’s holding up her arms and

spinning around in circles with a big smile on her face?
To understand what it’s like to be in my head take that scene, make the woman not so svelte, hair in a pony tail, voices of children yelling at dogs and each

other and instead of standing there spinning with a smile on her face, she’s caught in the sheets and thrashing around.  She knows in order to be able to get

out she’s going to have to slowly unwind from the sheets, but the more she turns and pulls, the more one sheet overlaps with another.   At the end of the day,

when the sun has gone down and instead of the sheets nicely folded in a wicker basket by the door… The backyard is a cold mess of sheets, dog prints and a

very exhausted woman still caught in there somewhere…sobbing.

And why did I stop taking medication?

I’ve now got to call my ex-husband and tell him to quit telling the children about our finances because Shea came in and informed me that Dad should get a

break on child support because he has them more than when the court ordered. SHE IS TEN.

“No one said it would be easy, but no one said it would be this hard “- Sheryl Crow

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06
Jul
on to July…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


I hope everyone had a great 4th of July.
Shaun and I got two free nights at the Atlantis Hotel in Reno.  It’s always fun to get free stuff, but then you stick us in a city were everything focuses on putting

all the money you saved into slot machines.
In order to avoid that trap, I planned a trip to Virginia City.

We had planned it out quite well.  Shaun would take a half day at work and while he was working, I would get the oil changed in the car and fill’r up.
Things didn’t work out as planned.
He woke up with a sinus headache and I was still battling the bladder.  The 20 dollar oil changed turned into a “Ma’am when was the last time you changed the

oil?” trip.  Note to readers; Change Your Damn Oil More Than Once A Year.

After hours and hours of getting things ready to go, we started  our drive up through the mountains, without any cell coverage to our destination.  The car

overheated.  The 40 dollars in coolant the oil change people swore they put in wasn’t put in.  The GPS system we just bought paid for itself in spades as we

located a nearby mini-mart and fixed the problem.
We drove home and got the gas guzzling truck and began our adventure again.  Instead of getting there at 5pm, we got there at 10pm.  BUT WE MADE IT.

The next morning we plugged in “Virginia City” in the GPS and headed out to the old town.  It was awesome.   I hadn’t been there since I was a little kid.  It’s

weird going back as an adult.  I think my mom’s attitude towards Virginia City when I was younger is what made the place so magical.
I kept telling Shaun, “I need to find the candy store!”  When we finally found the store that had barrels of candy, I wanted to squeal with delight.  No, it wasn’t

the candy, it was the memory of the awe I had as a child when my mother brought me in that store and allowed me to pick out an assortment of whatever

candy I wanted.  It was ALL mine, I didn’t have to share it with anyone.  What heaven, a store of barrels of candy.

We spent the majority of the time at the old cemetery on the outskirts of town to avoid the huge parade they were having for the fourth of July.  We could hear

everyone hooting and hollering and I stood at the top of the hill overlooking the town I tried to remember how old I was the last time I was there and tried so

very hard to remember everything from when I was a kid.
The only thing I could remember holding my mom’s hand as we walked through places and looked at the old relics.

I wonder what places my kids will remember when they get older and revisit all the places we went…and what they will remember.

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03
Jul
New Kristine Record
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Shaun
I was joking with Shaun earlier that I had peed 15 times in one hour.  After he fell asleep and I was half way through the massive bottle of water he bought me

at the store when I realized, “Crap, i’m going to be up all night peeing.”

Yes, I counted. 18.5 times in ONE hour.  Now you might be saying to yourself, “Hope she has the soft toilet paper.”  No, I don’t.  Yesterday I went to the store

and decided to let my 11 year old and her friend pick out what were going to eat for dinner, including having to pick out what brand.
They started out pretty frugal.  They picked the thinly sliced bread, the smallest bundle of bananas anddddd the cheapest bulk wrapped toilet paper.
Six bucks bought like 24 rolls of toilet paper.  By the time we got to the frozen food section all thoughts of saving money went out the window when they saw

the ice cream.  They got the keg of chocolate chip ice cream, the waffle bowls, waffle cones, the chocolate that hardens when it hits the ice cream (Thanks

Kathy for showing that to my daughter!) They also picked out a 4 dollar bottle of  Cool Whip in the can.  Next time, I shop alone.

The toilet paper is like wiping with the Sunday paper inserts.  I think I have a paper cut.

Shaun didn’t find my joke about peeing 15 times in an hour.  Remember he’s not big on talking about things like that.  Just to make him even more

uncomfortable I said, “Hey honey, I’m peeing bright orange! It’s like I’m peeing Tang!”

Honeymoon’s over, folks.

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02
Jul
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


I swear, I am falling apart!
Last week I had a raging bladder infection.  It’s a problem that runs in our family. If the wind changes too fast, I get a bladder infection.
Usually I rush off to the doctor to get the pills that make my pee bright orange and some antibotics.
THIS time, I decided I was going to fight this the cheap man’s way…with Cranberry pills, Cranberry juice and an obscene amount of water.  It worked!  Yay for

me.

This morning I woke up and the infection is back with a vengeance. I called the doctor after I crawled whimpering and crying from the bathroom.

I called my mom whimpering and crying all the way to the pharmacy and she asked, “Don’t you get those from nasty, kinky sex?”

*blink*
*blink*
*blink*

No. I get them because I made plans to go somewhere.  It never fails.

I am now in possession of some bad-ass antibiotics…which will OF COURSE cause me to get a yeast infection.

My mom said, “Well, if you wear your sweats with the hole in the crotch, you won’t even have to pull your pants down to pee.”

That’s my mom, always the bright side of every situation.

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28
Jul
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


Habbo has taken over our children’s lives so we are now forced to play with the neighborhood kids.  Shaun can play with a cardboard plane for 3 hours with

Jeremiah and his new friend.  It’s funny how much he’s just a big ol’ kid.

I had a big post planned, but I have to go get the crumbs out from my bra from my grilled cheese sammich. I’m chaffing.

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25
Jul
Yay! oh Yay!
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
They are home. HOURS AND HOURS of blissful no-barking.  I was actually going to go leave a note on the door AGAIN asking them to PLEASE bring the dogs

in at night if they were going to be gone any longer.
I’ve left notes for the person taking care of the dogs, with my name and phone number for them to call, but they never do.
They don’t even acknowledge the notes. *shrug* oh well, at least everything is status quo and I haven’t had a cop at my door to tell me that I walked too fast to

the mail box on Thursday or something stupid.

So last night I said goodbye to a friend moving to Florida.  It was happy and not sad.  He needs to go and do things and go places.  Being stuck somewhere

with not options is sort of scary and I know he is not the type of person to be placed in a box.

My dog, seriously, just body slammed himself into the back door.  ( I know, random, but DAMN it was loud)

Okay, so SPF…it will be updated this week. I had oodles of totally unimportant things going on and I couldn’t even think straight.

alrighty then, I think this is pretty friggin’ random enough.

Have a great fucking weekend.

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24
Jul
The Places We Shall Go…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


In a couple of weeks Shaun and I head out for our furthest destination wedding.  With the gas prices dropping a whole penny or so, we might be able to afford

a bag of Jerky and a slurpie for the ride there.

The Boobies On Her Lap Therapist called the other day to see when we will be scheduling our next appointment.  I came up with a lame excuse as to why we

won’t make it.
I’m still keeping up my diligent half reading of the self help books and spending about 15 minutes a day writing my book on how not to read a self help book.
It’s clear that Shaun has stopped reading R&O because in a conversation I had mentioned the book I was writing.

“Writing?”
“Yes, writing.”
“What’s it called?”
“How to Not Read a Self Help Book”
“Doesn’t that sound like a self help book?”
“No. kinda.”
Then he suggested how to use index cards to plot out the book.
“There is no plot. You know how in books there is conflict and resolution?  Mine is conflict and I don’t know the resolution.”

I think it was at that point that I realized I had no right to write a book.

We then started talking about a possible job solution.  I insist that I want to work where people are happy to see me, like being a locksmith.  Everyone is

happy about seeing a locksmith. “My boyfriend broke into my house and stole all my panties, I am SO happy you’re here to change the locks!” “OMG, I

locked my keys in….SO glad you’re here!”
A florist too.
There a jobs where people are happy to see people. That is the job I want.  Prostitute. Everyone is happy to see one of those.

How about a locksmithing florist prostitute?

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23
Jul
Fuck.
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
The neighbor’s dogs have been barking for 4 solid hours.
Non-stop.
It’s the weirdest thing.
They are barking at nothing. Both of them. Bark. Bark. Yip. Bark.

Do dogs ever loose their voices..er..barkers?

UPDATE: 7 SOLID hours.
I’ve decided to just leave the TV on while I sleep so I don’t hear them  barking.

If you break your barker, how does one go about fixing it? do dogs drink herbal tea and mint?

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22
Jul
Blah, Bleck, Buhck.
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


I’ve been researching for the book I am desperately trying to write.  Since I am not a professional, my first plan of action is watching movies. Good movies,

lame movies, independent movies and foreign movies.  I figure if I can get a handle on this ‘love’ thing and how other people go about dealing with the ups

and downs of it, this book will write itself.

So far this is meat of my book:  You Stay or You Leave.  If you stay, stay hard and hang on. If you leave, leave for good and don’t come back hoping to get

back what you had.

It’s pretty much all that bullshit in between the meat that needs to be worked out.  Like, the shit that comes with staying and shit that comes with going.  I

mean, who would guess that staying and going would be SO MUCH WORK.   Who would guess that being caught in the in between would be work too.

So far the majority of this mess I have learned to always ask, ‘We okay?’ and hope that what comes out his mouth is the same that I am saying my head.

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19
Jul
because you asked…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Dashababy, The Fonz
On occasion I get an email saying how much people love the relationship that my mom, sister and I have.   Sometimes people say, “I wish I could hang out

with you guys…I bet it would be fun.”

I have been trying to locate CD’s that I have misplaced (kids stole) and I ran across 2  (ones I stole from my sister) the title is my mother’s handwriting that

says; ‘Copy of Kathy’s funky CD’.
If my sister made a CD it’s going to be rockin’ so I grabbed it as I headed out of the house.  The first song, “Bad Mama Jamma” (of course) and I instantly was

in a good mood.  After flipping through the tracks I said to myself, “Now where is ‘the floor’? It’s gotta be on here.” and low and behold it was the next song.

Insta-grin.

The floor is OUR song.  If there is a time we are together and we are groovin’ to music, that song has to be played.  In fact, I would go as far to say that at each

of our funerals that it will probably be played and the remaining two will be groovin’.

I thought I would share it with you. Pretend you’re hanging out…but get up and dance, because you can’t just listen to it:

Johnny Gill – The Floor

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16
Jul
Therapist Part 1
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
When I called I knew the woman worked from her home. No big deal. Remember Mike Keaton’s Dad on Growing Pains worked from home?

After we got to the house we had a clip board waiting for us on a bench in front yard.  *blink* Okay, lets sit in the heat and fill out a form.

We get in this little green room and it was so hard to take the woman seriously because she wasn’t wearing a bra.  I know that sounds really odd and normally,

I’m all about odd, but her boobs were just sitting there on her lap.

Every time she looked away, Shaun would look at me and give me this ‘look’. The, “What the fuck?” look.  I just had to scrunch my eyebrows and give him

the, “I dunno” look.

She had copies of papers she had from a book (one I have already read) that talks about what you’re feeling.  She encouraged us to use this paper that says,

“I feel…I think…”  She had this cute little survey that tells us what type of personality we are.  She said, “It will help you figure out how to communicate with

each other if you know what kind of personality you’re dealing with.”  *blink*  Really? Cause I hadn’t figured out his personality in the last 5 years.  Well how

do you do! it’s THAT easy?

As we were walking out Shaun said, “God, if you want me to start packing and move out, I’ll do it…as long as we never have to go back.”

This was part of the therapy right? Find the worst one and be forced to sit through it together without bursting into laughter and making up crazy scenarios

just to freak the therapist out?

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15
Jul
She makes me laugh…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: The Fonz


My mom left a note on this picture:  “It looks like what I carry in my pocket”

Sad, but true.

You know how when you’re sick you pick up on things that you would normally dismiss?  I had a moment on the phone and I had to scribble it down on the

back of the Tums bottle for when I felt better.

My mother pronounces each day of the week like this; Monday. Tuesday. Wednesday. THURS-DEE. Friday. Saturday. Sunday.

Thurs-dee.

Hmm.

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14
Jul
Bladder infection gone wrong.
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random

Holy hell, I thought I was dieing.  Friday Shaun and I left to go to Reno (again) because we had a wedding right out outside of there on Saturday and to make

sure that we were going to be there on time we always leave a day early.
I checked in, got to the elevator and the way Shaun explains it, I was hit by a germ water balloon.  By the time I climbed on the elevator I was about to barf.

In between 10pm and 6am I had snapped. The fever got to high and I was certain that the end of my life was nearing and I was going to die in a hotel room in

Reno.  Shaun did a good job trying to bring the fever down, but I was resistant to have cold rags put on my freezing body.  Why that happens, I don’t

understand. Make someone who has a fever be freezing cold.

Some other things that made me believe that I am on the top of God’s shit list;  I had formed ANOTHER bladder infection, started my period, AND then got a

fever on top of it.
I’m laying in bed freezing to death, burning up, Shaun is convincing me to put cold rags on my forehead. By the time I finally get comfortable I have to get

out of the bed, out into the freezing air AND GO PEE.    Then after all that I have to get back into bed and start over again.  ALL NIGHT LONG.

At 8am I finally caved and called my friends to come and get me. I think it came out more of a high pitched whine begging them to come sit with me while

Shaun goes and shoots the wedding because If I am left alone, I would die.
They drove all the way up there and got me and brought me  home.

That whole night I threw up and most of Sunday.

Monday came rolling around and who would have guessed that MONDAY would be my favorite day of the week??

I must have said, “I want my mommy” 300 times this weekend. I called about 10 times just to hear her voice.   She IMed me today, “Guess you’re feeling

better.”

Maybe I should call her more than when I am just sick.

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10
Jul
McLovin has NOTHING over Robin Meade
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
Halo’s been obsessed with TV and the mirror lately.  This was an obsession she had gotten over after months of therapy and shock therapy.

In the last week she’s been spending way too much time in front of this mirror we have the living room. I told Tyler, “Perhaps it’s not OCD over her reflection,

maybe she’s just a really vain dog.”

Like every single day in our house, I have on CNN on in the bedroom.  Halo doesn’t get up early enough to watch Morning Express with Robin Meade so she

doesn’t know what every man and woman on the planet knows; ROBIN MEADE IS SO HOT.  She carries on banter on the show that is so adorable you want to

eat her with side of chocolate cake.  I have found her only flaw is this lame segment she does on Nascar, but you’re allowed to have one flaw…hers just leaves

no room for anything else.

The past few days Morning Express has been on with this other woman who has the most dramatic facial expressions when she is switching between stories,

almost like she’s scared.  It’s just not the same starting my morning (at 3am) without Robin.
I found out why she hasn’t been hosting the morning news, she’s been interviewing the 3 captives they rescued.

Halo came in mid-morning and licked the bottom of the screen.  She got her normal, “HALO NO!” and so she started to walk out the door…then she heard

Robin’s singsongy voice and turned around.  The rescued captives began talking and all be damned the dog sat down and started watching the news.  This

went on through out the day, but only the segments where Robin Meade was on.
Now when I say, “Robin Meade is on!” Halo comes running in looking at the TV.

Shaun said we are going to teach her to bark and growl madly whenever Nancy Grace comes on.

to view the dog watching CNN: click here

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19
Aug
The Every Year Tradition…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: My Brats


Our first year as a blended family. 2003-2004. Tyler was a Freshman. The older girls were big, bad 6th graders and Alyx was going into 2nd grade and Shea

into First.



Tyler was Sophmore. The girls had moved on to a new school and were ‘Sevies’. Alyx was a 3rd grader and Shea moved into 2nd.





Tyler now a Junior; The girls 8th graders and Alyx and Shea in 4th and 3rd grade.




Last year: Tyler’s last year in high school. The girls first year in high school as freshmans.  Alyx in 5th and Shea in 4th grade.



This year. Lawn dead.  Grandma’s here.
Tyler starts college and I don’t think he’s going to allow me to keep taking pictures of him standing outside before he leaves.
Kara and Marina now Sophmore. Alyx is now the big kid on campus as a 6th grader and Shea will run the 5th grade (and probably the 6th graders too).
How the time flies.

Comments NEEDED. This is always the hardest day for me.

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16
Aug
Satan lives in Redding, California
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


It’s hot enough for this to be his vacation home.  112 was yesterday’s expected high.  If you’re in a air conditioned home, that wouldn’t be so bad, but OUR

AIR CONDITIONER BROKE!  My sister called in and had it fixed, but for 2 hours I felt my internal organs get to the point of boiling.

Today we are going to Shingletown, where I was  raised.   Later on I am going to try to set up the shot I was trying to get last night with the Sundial bridge.  

I’m the worst; I decide to go get some sunset shots, 3 minutes before the sun goes down. LAME.

Anyway, my mom is laying next to me and says, “Tell the internet Hello from the Fonz, and now hurry up and get up so we can go and get out of here.”

Can’t we just cuddle?

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12
Aug
Home…sweeeet home…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


The wedding went well.  The drive back wasn’t as hairy as it was getting there. I guess we knew to expect hair pin turns and roads without markings.  The town

is so small.  Emily (our GPS) couldn’t even find it.  It has 2 stores, but one is slightly of town and if you blinked, you missed it.  Every thing closed down

around 8pm.  My first thought driving around was, “Where does one go if the wireless router goes down?”  NO WHERE! There is no where to go. Not even the

closest town had anything but hippie clothing.  I would be lost without my electronic stores and Shaun would likely throw himself off a cliff if he went 3 days

without fast food.
It’s probably a good thing I didn’t get sick when I was there, I would have had to been life flighted out of the place.

My last day of antibotics is today and I’m a little worried that once I go off of them, I’m going to get sick again. I’m trying to stay positive and I am counting

the days down until I go back to the doctor to get my kidney’s drained. guh.

Marina got home from Seattle today. I had forgotten what it’s like when Kara and Marina have been separated for more than a few days.  All the way home they

had to catch up on every detail of each others moments they were apart.  At the grocery store they were running around giggling like they were 5.  Holding

hands and laughing so loud I had to pretend that I wasn’t with them.

The new Jonas Brother’s CD came out today. My daughter and her friend were the first in line to get it.  On the way back from the airport I had to put my foot

down, “NO MORE JONAS BROTHERS!”  They turned it off and that stupid song, “I kissed a girl and I liked it…” came one.  I swear, that song makes me want

to barf a little.  Not that I have a problem with girls kissing other girls. Guilty. BUT HELLO…I don’t want to hear about the taste of her cherry lip balm on the

radio…EVERY.THIRTY.MINUTES.

Alyx started soccer yesterday. That officially makes me a soccer mom. It also makes me the idiot that forgot her soccer mom chair. Her soccer mom water

bottle. Her soccer mom squirt bottle. Her soccer mom sun block. Her soccer mom sun visor.
I was melting sitting in a tiny patch of grass on the car’s sun reflector…MELTING.  Poor kids though, they were all red and sweaty by the end of the hour long

practice.  Alyx took a cold shower when she got home.  She has soccer and karate back to back on Thursdays.   She’s little, but she’s got guts.

That’s about the catch up on me and mine.  Hope all is well with you and yours.

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08
Aug
A world away..
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
Shaun and I are in Shelter Cove shooting a wedding.  The ride was scary as hell, but we have a room…and right out the door is the Pacific Ocean.

Just what my kidney’s needed.

Feeling 75% better. I could feel the prayers. Thank you.

Keep an eye on my Flickr for the totally awesome pictures from this wedding.  It’s the high school teacher of my daughters. I have blackmail pictures. They

will have A’s.

:)

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06
Aug
No. no. and no.
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
I have an infection in my kidney. I have a cyst on the other kidney. I have gallbladder stones.

None of them are going to kill me today, but they got me to thinking about my body very slowly shutting down.  There will be a doctor that is going to drain

my kidney.
I’m kinda weird about my insides. I know they are there, I know people get operated on all the time…but the thought of someone actually being able to go in

and find MY kidney and ‘drain’ it, just creeps me out.

Heebie Jeebie.

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03
Aug
Reno Hotel Death revisited…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
On Tuesday I started feeling sorta ‘weberly’ (a word I use to describe just not right)
I felt a bladder infection coming on AGAIN.   This would be the third in a month.  Like I’ve mentioned before, Mom, It’s not from crazy monkey sex.  I called

the doctor and they had me run to the lab to get a test done.
They prescribed me ANOTHER bottle of antibiotics, but I wasn’t able to pick it up until Friday after Shaun got off work.  By Friday I was in full blown sick and I

actually greeted Shaun in the drive way and grabbed the bottle of pills and ran for a glass of water.
About an hour of taking the pill I was right back to being as sick as I was in Reno.  I had the chills and my back was shooting pains all the way down my legs

to knees.
This whole thing was EXACTLY the same as when I was in Reno and I knew the next step would involve me puking non-stop for hours.

I called the doctor to see if they could prescribe me so ‘non-throwy-uppy’ pills.  After talking to the advise nurse she talked to the doctor and she said the

dreaded words, “Get to the emergency room…now.”
I freaked out a little bit. I managed to piece my thoughts into one rambled sentence, “I don’t wanna go to the emergency because I am hot and cold and I’m

going to throw up in the emergency room and oh god, I don’t wanna throw up in the emergency room. Please don’t make me go because they are going to

make me sit there and I beeee soooo hooooot.”
I sounded much like a four year old having a temper tantrum.

‘Cita and Shaun got me up and into the emergency room.  They took my blood pressure and the machine was beeping like a fire alarm.  She made me stand

up to take it again and I swear they had that sucker set to ‘squeeze the hell out of you’ and I nearly almost passed out in the time for them to finish.  They were

a little concerned that my blood pressure was low.  I told the lady that it was always a little low. “How low is that?” “I don’t know, just low enough that my ex-

husband said, ‘I knew you didn’t have a heart!’”

By the time they admitted me into a room, I was at the point of passing out.

The nice nurse came cruising in with a bag of fluids so I knew that meant I was going to have to get a needle.  “Oh god, no. That is going to bruise!”  She

assured me that she was really good and It wouldn’t bruise.  Guess what? bruised the size of  silver dollar.

I told her, “I’m good, just get me the no-throwy-uppy’ stuff and I’ll be fine.  Well, they decided instead of giving me stuff, they were just going to take every

ounce of blood in my body.

After an hour I was begging for the no-throwy-uppy stuff and pain medicine to make the pain in my back and legs to stop.   When they finally got around to

doing that, heaaavvven sweet heaven.  I passed out.

Did I mention I had a photo shoot of a huge family reunion scheduled the next day?  I decided I had to get out of the hospital so I could get better.

In retrospect, I probably shouldn’t have left against doctors orders.  I managed to get redressed while being hooked up to an IV bag. I was staggering down

the hallway, white as a ghost with blood shot eyes and my IV bag in my hand saying, ‘Get it out. I have to go!”
Damn, I am stubborn.

The next day is a complete blur except a few things. ‘Cita coming in saying, ‘Drink this’ every few minutes. Shaun looking at me as if I was nearly dead.

‘Cita’s husband coming in and talking Japanese. (That wasn’t real, just a hallucination.) Lisa making me soup and not being able to eat it.
Whatever had a grip on me let go around 10 pm and I was able to sit up for a couple of minutes and focus on stuff.

This morning I woke up my eyes were swollen, but I was able to walk around for 20 minutes before I had to lay down and rest.

I go in tomorrow to find out what the hell all the blood tests they took said.

Everything I have heard and read, it’s probably kidney stones. The one lady said, “might be blood poisoning.”  Didn’t sound good, so I won’t be googling

that.

Thank you all for your well wishes…I am hoping that everything turns out good and fixable.

For my friends that took care of me yesterday, “I love you! I don’t know how I would have survived without you.”

Happy Birthday, Shaun.  Sorry I managed to screw up another year for you. Next year, the big four-oh, we are having a full blown bash for you! –promise!!

Comments (19)  //  Add Comment
02
Aug
Worried.
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
Hey everyone, Shaun here.  Kristine is pretty sick right now, so you might have to somehow live without her for a few days.  The poor thing spent a solid 7

hours in the emergency room last night and didn’t even have a good looking male doctor helping her out.  After a bunch of tests and fluids being pumped

into her IV, she got sent home with a goodie bag of various pills that have had her comatose for all of today.

I’m sure she’ll be better soon and will find a way to blog about it better than I can.  Just keep her in your prayers in the meantime.  Thanks!!!

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31
Jul
Well that just sucks…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
Last night I didn’t sleep. In fact, I didn’t fall asleep until around 8 am and only slept for about 2 hours.
While not sleeping I watched 5 episodes of “Cold Case” and came to the conclusion, BEST MUSIC ON A TV SHOW. ever. period. no really.
On one of the episodes they played some old 70′s music and since I grew up in the 70′s it brought back awesome memories.  I decided to write down all the

songs on that episode and check them out when I had some sleep.

Anne Murray, 10cc and Dr. Hook.  Someone in my house as a kid loved some Dr. Hook, because strangely I know nearly all the lyrics to most of their songs.  I

don’t know how I know, I just do.  Kinda like learning the alphabet or something.

I have come to realize I am one of those people that live in music that is familiar to me.   I am happier when the first beats to a song like, Anne Murray’s

Broken Hearted Me come on and I’m brought to this weird place were there is a memory, but I can’t pin it to anything…but that familiarity of it makes me

comfortable.
America’s Tin Man….  Who in my house listened to this song on repeat because whenever I hear that one I’m like, “Whoa…I know every word of this song, but

have no idea who sang it or what the name of the song was.”
There is all this music locked in my brain that I know, but have no idea who it belongs to.  So begins my mission.  Last night I was reunited with Leo Sayer.

Did you know that he is a HE and not a she? Cause the songs he sings, sounds like a woman.

There is one band I know and I love.  Dr. Hook.  I didn’t want to put them on the CD I was making because I have over listened to Dr. Hook in the last 30ish

years.  The song I picked though, would fit into this CD perfectly.  Somehow I ended up looking up something about the band and for the last 5 hours have

been engrossed in the history.  I found songs I had never heard before.  Then I got on YouTube because on the forums there was talk of a video of them

singing with Shel Silverstein on his houseboat with Shel playing the harmonica. Very home movieish.

And then…and then…I found the most sickening thing EVER: Bon Jovi murdering “Silvia’s Mother”.

*holding back vomit*

The man who sings Silvia’s Mother is Dennis Locorriere.  This was written about him and can be found on his website; “the underlying turmoil, which I always

hear in Dennis’ voice and the underlying sub-text that his intensity presents…”
YEAH…what he said!

His voice is haunting to me.  Even watching hours upon hours of YouTube video and seeing them in all states of mental capicity, I was always drawn to this

small part of Dennis’ voice…I want to believe it was the real part of him that the drugs couldn’t hide.  It’s painful, haunting and raw.

Bon Jovi (and don’t get me wrong, I loves me some Richie) had no right even thinking they were in that league.  MAYBE they could have done something like,

‘Cover of Rolling Stone’, but no…they jumped into the deep end and thought they could pull that off.
Don’t believe me, google them and listen to the gap of emotion between the two singers.

The first time I watched, “Almost Famous” I thought it was about Dr. Hook.  In the movie they sing a few bars of their song and I was freaking out because,

“MAYBE I AM RIGHT??” probably not.  Either way, if I wasn’t like a year old when they were playing the music I love in a forum I would have loved, I would

SO have been a Dr. Hook Groupie. True words. I might have had a mad crush on the lead singer.

In the process of looking up crap, I found Limp Bizkit doing a remake of “Behind Blue Eyes”…it was really good.  See there? I am not one of those people

that believe in ‘originals only’…

There has to be a song out there that was covered by someone else and you almost tossed your breakfast after hearing them slaughter it…right?

right?  *tapping monitor*  maybe a good cover?

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30
Jul
Conversation going on in my room RIGHT NOW.
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: alyx, marina
Marina: When I start driving, I will drive you where ever you want! Because I am such a nice sister.
Alyx: So when I say, “Marina, I want beef jerky, take me to the store, you’ll say yes!?”
Marina: Yes Alyx, because I will be like, you’re my sister and I am a good sister and I know there will be a time when were not all here.

Me: Hold on, I am blogging this.
Alyx: I’m going to go write that down…and make her sign it.

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29
Jul
As far as I can remember…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: photography

When I was very little my mom and dad were given a book from a friend called, “Kinship with the Stars – A Photographic Celebration of Life”

I somehow ended up with it in my room. I can only remember a few books from when I was a kid; a dinosaur book & sleeping beauty. This was a grown up

book and I was gifted it from my mom because it wasn’t ‘her thing’. It wasn’t really my thing either, but the pictures in the book always made me make up

stories in my head.
As I got older and the words from the book began to make sense to me, I found myself still relating to the pictures, even if they didn’t match the words written

on the page. The pictures could be anything, I could close my eyes and imagine what was going on all around the focused part of the picture.

When I moved out and took all my albums, pen collection, and random cut outs from teen magazines…I also grabbed that book. Right now, it’s in a box in my

garage and I hadn’t thought of it for a million years until someone asked me, “What was it that got you into photography?”

That book. A book of pictures and abstract words that made things sound so cool. A book. How friggin’ cool is that?

Email me the link to one of YOUR pictures that you would submit to a book called “Kinship with the Internet – A photographic celebration”
If you’re better at writing, write something really bad ass that makes random stuff sound cool.

Links people…links.

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04
Sep
sick and tired of sick and tired…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
I took pictures of the rash this morning.  I shared the pictures with my family and a friend. I actually thought about posting the pictures, but decided against

it. Just looking at them, make me gag a little bit.

The doctors said, “Well, just stay on the Benedryl until it goes away…two or three days.”

Have you ever tried to function on 2 Benedryl every couple of hours?  the first day I slept as soon as it hit my system, which I though was horrible.  I don’t

mind being groggy and sleepy if I have a good reason, but when it’s because your body is covered in itchy spots,  it takes the fun out of the day long nap.
Today, because I complained about sleeping all day yesterday, God decided to let me know who’s running the place and whining isn’t an option.  I didn’t

sleep at all today, even though I was juked up on 6 Benedryl.  I took 2 at 8am, 2 at noon, 2 at two…and none of it worked.  It kept the itching at bay, but the

rash is still there.   At 5 I took two more.  I’m not even drowsy, just feel like I drank a pint of Vodka.

Did I mention the rashy itchy shit keeps moving?  Yeah.  Currently it’s on the bottom of my feet, under my left boob and on my right hip.  In an hour it will

probably have found it’s way to my eyeballs, between my fingers and some where on my ass.  Just when you get use to the itching in that certain spot, it

moves.  And when I say, it moves…it MOVES. It gets up and boogies to the next spot, leaving red irritated skin patches and then swells up another part of my

body.

I want to write this to see if I can find SOME humor in the situation.  So far, I just want to cry.  It’s not the fact that there is no part of my body that doesn’t

burn from the itch, it’s the mental shit it’s doing to my head.
I wanna scream, “It’s NOT FAIR!”
“Take this, it will make it better.”  and that is exactly what I have been doing and it’s not working, and not only does it NOT work, it makes it worse.

Okay, I just realized why I needed to write this…to understand why it’s me this is happening to. Because if this was one of my kids, I would say, “God, take it

from them and give it to me.”  Maybe this batch of stuff was meant for one of the kids and God just knew I would already ask for it, so he’s doing me a favor.

Those little shits owe me big time. BIG TIME.

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03
Sep
Really? COME ON!!
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
I woke up this morning with itchy ankles. It looks like I was bit a few times on my ankles. I figured that the million dollar flea control didn’t work. When I got

out of bed, I noticed a few more bites on my arms. After I pulled down my pants I nearly fainted. My thighs were just a huge red welt. My whole arms were

blood red and you could see where the rash/welt was spreading.

Guess what it was? Allergic reaction to the antibiotics.

Do I really need a bladder?

*UPDATE*
After a whole day full of Benedryl, I am still popping up with patches.  I thought it was gone, but it has just moved around.

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02
Sep
Angels and Brats…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


The last couple of weeks was spent with my mom and sister.  It was nice catching up with them and giving them a glimpse into my life, outside of the blog.

It’s been a few years since they had been with me for more than a few days and on their ground.

I think they might have left my home mentally wrecked and with a whole new appreciation for their quiet house and comfortable beds.

Each had suggestions on how to get a neck hold on the problems of my household.  As they sat and talked, I would flashback into my head of when I had

tried what they were suggesting. “Yeah, that worked for a second, tried that about a year ago…see how well that one went?”
“Well, how about…”
“Yeah, tried that too.”
“Did you try…?”
“Yep.”
Then my sister came to the realization that I did about a year ago, “You stop being a bitch for a second and they see that weakness and they just jump on it.”
“Bingo.”
Don’t get me wrong, it was sweet that they wanted to help, but I have gotten to where I am because of the roads & forks I have taken.  I’ve tried nice, I’ve tried

bitch, I’ve tried friend, I’ve tried warden.  I’ve come to the realization…I just have to be the mom I have to be or I will end up in a padded room, and there is

still a good chance that might happen anyway.

All I can hold on to is that I love my children and step-children and they love me. They aren’t in jail. They aren’t in rehab. They haven’t stole a car or held up a

store clerk at gunpoint.  I haven’t gotten a phone call because they were involved in any violent acts or drunk driving.  The little ones haven’t been sent the

principle or punched anyone in the face.

I believe they are that way because of how I have raised them thus far.  The successful things and the things I failed at have made them who they are and how

they behave.

Do I ask too much of them? Not enough? I’m too easy on them? Way too hard them?  Who the hell knows…it’s up for debate.

I’ll know when I am older and my kids fight over who gets me to live with them,  when they drive 6 hours so they can spend a week with me.
Or who knows, they may smother me while I sleep.

Time will tell.

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31
Aug
OMG!
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
For some of you, this will mean nothing, to those of you that know me, REALLY know me, you’ll be freaking out for me.

On my way home from seeing Tropic Thunder (which wasn’t as good at House Bunny) we got off the freeway and in front of us was a Mercedes that said: Jim

00.

“Shaunnnnnnn, that’s JIM OTTO!!!”

We pulled up past him and very slowly as in a motion picture scene, Jim Otto turned and looked at me looking at him, lowered his sunglasses and winked!  I

threw him the ROCK ON sign and he smiled.

Okay, that part didn’t happen…but we did pull up next to him and I was plastered to my passenger side window like a teenage girl seeing the tour bus for The

Jonas Brothers.  “Oh.My.GOD. Jim Otto.”  I then had the presences of mind to pull out the little Nikon out of my purse and try to snap a photo.  No luck.

But today I can mark in my little diary, “Saw Hall of Famer, Jim Otto.” and it means more to me then the time I saw Jerry Rice at the golf store and he asked

me if I wanted his autograph and I said, “Naw, you’re not wearing the right colors” ( he was a Niner then and well, EWW. )

*dreamy sigh*

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30
Aug
He had to repeat the conversation so I could blog it.
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Shaun
Shaun: “Don’t you love it when you go to the store and you buy Chili Cheese Fritos and put them in the cupboard, but forget you put the Chili Cheese Fritos

in there. Then you go to the cupboard later and you have Chili Cheese Fritos you forgot you had. There’s nothing better than that.”

Me: “Yeah, Shaun…there is NOTHING better than that.”

Shaun: “I’m picking up on some sarcasm.”

Me: “You detected sarcasm?”

Shaun: “I detect DEADLY levels of sarcasm”

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28
Aug
sick again…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
I’m on my 6th round of antibiotics in 2 months.  Yeah, “You’re fine.” MY ASS I AM FINE!  Next time the damn doctor better not just look at a damn xray and

say everything is okay.

Going back to the urologist to tell him to run every single test they have. I am sick of being sick.

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28
Aug
Shaun calls them African American Berries. He’s about being correct.
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Dashababy


If you haven’t been Blackberry picking in your lifetime, you are missing out.

As a kid we would pick the wild ones that grew everywhere around town. They were thorny and you could cut an artery trying to reach in to get the big ones,

but they were worth it.

Yesterday we went up to a farm that has pretty much grows everything.   We were let lose with baskets to put our bounty in.  THEM SUCKERS WERE HUGE! I

was picking like a kid afraid that if I didn’t pick them all they would be gone forever!

It didn’t take long for our basket to be full of blackberries the size of my thumb.

Tyler ate his weight in berries as he was picking.  The sign said, “Testing is alright, but please do not eat handfuls.”  His theory was, “I am eating them one at

a time, not a handful.”

We went to the store to pick up dinner and I stopped and priced the blackberries. For a tiny little container holding about 12 berries was $5.99.  That means,

sitting in my kitchen right now is a $60.00 cobbler Kathy made and $140.00 with left over berries.

If you have a farm where you live where you can hand pick your own, go do it.  Soooo worth it.

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25
Aug
The Long Awaited Picture!
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: tyler


As we were walking out the door for me to get Tyler to college I glanced back at him.
Three guesses on what shirt he WAS wearing before I fell to the floor cracking up, the first two don’t count.

He ran back to his room and changed his shirt out of the red one he wore the first day of his junior and senior year of high school into the classic black one

he’s sporting in the picture.

Funny thing is, it didn’t even phase him as we were walking out to the car and I insisted he stand there so I can get a picture.  The children have been properly

trained.

Later in the day my sister, Shaun and I went to see “The House Bunny”.  OMG. Hysterically funny. We all sort of thought it was going to be like “Legally

Blonde”, but it wasn’t.  I laughed so hard and it was the type of funny that on the way home I was still cracking up.  Even Horror Movie Freak Shaun liked it.

It’s one of those, ‘see it twice’ funny movies.

Maybe I was just due for a long, hard, belly hurting laugh.

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24
Aug
Trying to kill my family — Take 2
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


Last week I kidnapped my mother and her come stay with me.  The first two days were pretty mellow, but once I got my car running again (fucking water

pump) we were running around, catching up on all the stuff we had to do that didn’t get done the first two days.

On Wednesday I went to the doctors. I’m going to live. I also do not have to have anything put in me for stuff to be removed.   The first doctor said, “And

you’re here why?”  *blink* “Because I was told I had to have a stint put in my kidney and have it drained because it was swollen so bad.  Also there is a cyst

on my kidney that my doctor said was HUGE.”
He pulls up my chart, “Nope. It’s pretty small. Everyone has them. You’re fine.”
My next appointment was about the very serious MULTIPLE gal stones that MUST be removed.  The handsome doctor said, “Soooooooo…what do you think

we should do?”  I felt like saying something really obnoxious like “Well, we could name them and throw them birthday parties.”  but because my mom was

there, I said, “Do they need to be removed?” He informed me, “Nearly everyone has them. You’re fine…for now.”

So internet, you all have cysts on your kidneys and gall stones floating around.  Just so you know.   Feel free to name them and buy party hats.

After dropping off my mom, I decided to kidnap my sister for a week.  Friday good. Saturday good. Sunday…air conditioner broke.  Tomorrow morning I will

find a puddle where my sister fell asleep.  If she does manage to live she will wake up drenched in sweat saying, “It’s okay…I’ll be fine.  I must finish the

laundry.”  And around noon I will have to drag her dead carcass out into the back yard and bury her.

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19
Aug
Gambling runs in the family I guess…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: photography


When I was up visiting my mom, we dropped in on my auntie Shirley.

I had forgotten how funny she is. It’s been a long time since I had seen her in person and I the last time I saw her, it made me a little sad because she was

recovering from being very sick.
This time was totally different. She was back to being silly, funny and witty.

I had convinced my cousin, Jimmy to take me to the attic, because I had never been up there because my other cousin, Benny told me there was a really

mean ghost that lived up there. So from the time I could remember up until now, I had never even asked.
It wasn’t as big as I thought I was, but the spider webs were so big you could throw them on the bed and use them as a comforter.

The attic had boxes that had pictures. Precious, sweet, old pictures I had never seen before. Heaven. My aunt and mom told me the stories behind the pictures

they could remember. We found pictures of family members we have no idea who they are. I asked if I could keep those pictures so I could stare at them and

make up a story. I promised to write the stories for her and send them to her.

These pictures are awesome. I would love it if you want to help me write the story.

The picture above is of uncle Milt. He was a runner for a bookie. Isn’t this the greatest picture with all the elements of it? It’s neverending the stories in this

one shot. I want to know the story of the person that took the picture. He, or she had to be a friend of his…maybe they yelled, “Hey Milt…” and time stopped

for a split second while he captured this black and white. Why did he have his camera? What kind was it? Where was it taken? *sigh*

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21
Sep
I’m pretty sure this is the year that sucks more than any other year so far.
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


Yesterday we were sposta do a photo shoot in Pacifica, California.  The woman who set it up, broke her foot the night before and was in a cast from toe to

knee.  We decided that we would spend the day in Pacifica anyway since I had hid 80 bucks for gas to go.
We grabbed the older girls and Jeremiah and headed for the beach.

I started to feel sorta erfy (anther word for ‘not so good’) but by the time we made it down to the beach set up and all that, I realized I had now gone from erfy

to oh-shit-i’m-going-to-pass-out.  It’s a long ride from Sacramento to Pacifica and I didn’t want to ruin anyone’s fun so I sat there and just dealt with it.  When

it got to the point of not being able to handle the pain any longer, I told Shaun we had to go.

The long walk back UP to the car, I was counting the steps and making promises with God that if I didn’t die, I would be a better person.

When we got back up to the car we realized it had been broken into. They stole my phone and wallet.  I was not only in the most pain I have been in since this

whole bullshit started at the end of June, but we had NO money to get home.
Shaun held us together long enough to figure out the damage.  They stole my phone and wallet with my ID and everything, but missed the GPS system that

was wrapped up in the baby blanket. They missed Kara’s t-mobile side kick that was under Jeremiah’s car seat and Avery’s phone that was wrapped in her

underwear.
Luckily there was a Wells Fargo down the street and was still open.
I can’t imagine how I managed to sit there through all the pain. I drank 3 bottles of water and since I couldn’t pee it out, I had to throw up.

The CT scan that I had done on Thursday should show what the problem is. *crossing fingers*
What I don’t understand is how I can get another infection when I am on antibiotics…unless they aren’t working.  I’m allergic to the ones that would work

though.

I swear, this year sucks donkey balls.

Comments (7)  //  Add Comment
19
Sep
WTF?
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


Comments (8)  //  Add Comment
18
Sep
How to annoy my husband:
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


No, not just annoy him, but send him into a full fledged freak out, screaming in madness rage:  Turn on Nancy Grace.

Comments (7)  //  Add Comment
15
Sep
stupid conversations:
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


11-Pm
Me: “When does the new season of Chuck start? oh, i’ll look it up. September 22nd! *does Chuck theme tune*”
Shaun: “You didn’t just try to do the Chuck theme song, did you?”
Me: “Yes!”
Shaun: “That sounded like the Barney Miller theme song.”

9-Pm
Tyler in the kitchen playing Rock Band, but with his guitar is broke, he’s resorting to karaoke (which is just him yelping)
Shaun: “This must be what the Hicks family household sounded like. We will now call him Tyler Hicks!”

7-Pm
Standing outside of Round Table Pizza:
Tyler: “That guy looked just like David Hasselhoff!”
Me: “HE DID! I can find out if it was him…DAVID!!!!”
Shaun: “Don’t hassle the Hoff!”
Tyler and Me: ROLLING EYES DRAMATICALLY NOT LAUGHING
Her: BURSTS into laughter.
Us: Laughing that Tabitha thought that was SO funny.
Her: Laughing harder that she thought it was funny too.

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15
Sep
I’m STILL alive.
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
Believe it or not, I haven’t died.

The medicine is working…i’m working on getting better.

Send cookies.

Comments (6)  //  Add Comment
11
Sep
It’s the Itchy and Scratchy Shooooowwww…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


And this is what I was doing at 4 am when my body rejected the new antibiotics.

I broke out again in welts and the itching was 10 times worse than the last time. It felt like my skin was going to catch fire.

I finally lost it.  Being scared, frustrated and itching…I couldn’t handle it anymore. I cried like a sissy-la-la until the 3 Benedryl kicked in and I finally passed

out.
My sympathy level for those people who are chronically sick has hit the roof.  I am SOOOO sorry for the pain you’re in. I’m sorry for those of you, especially

my friend Susie, who has battled with the WTF (they don’t know what’s wrong so she named it) I’m going through this for a reason, I know…I’m not 100% why,

I’m sure it’s not for the kids though. This is for me.

Today is 9/11 and I am suppose to ‘remember’ and honestly I wouldn’t have today if I hadn’t gotten an email to remind me with all the horrific pictures.  It’s

not because I’m heartless or not American enough.  Tomorrow is Tyler’s 18th birthday and every single year it’s rained on a little bit by the news, by sad

reminders of people jumping out of windows and burning buildings.  The loss of life on this day was staggering, not just the ones who died, but the ones who

survived and now have to keep moving on with that loss of a friend, co-worker, mom, dad, brother or sister…and the list continues.
I want to celebrate life, Tyler’s birthday and the way we have healed since that day.    Today, my television stays off and I refuse to open the emails.

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11
Sep
because I complained…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


I had to go back to the doctors today.  The pain and everything came back, and always feeling worse than the time before.

This time I made it clear that I didn’t care if they took my kidneys and bladder out and played hack sack with them, as long as when they put them back, they

didn’t feel like they do now.  Made them promise that the toilet would again be my friend.  He agreed.  I go in for a CT scan sometime soon.
Until then…I’m on 100 days of antibiotics.  Hopefully these kind won’t make me break out in hives from head to toe.  The pharmacist said, “You’ll throw up on

these the first few days until your system gets use to them. So, yeah. Take them at night.”
Because night time hurling is so much more fun than day time hurling.

100 days of antibiotics. What the hell do I have inside of me that I need to be on pills until nearly Christmas?

He checked my gall bladder.  My doctor defined my stones as ‘multiple’. The urologist zoomed in on what looked to be three large stones. He found one a half

an inch big and then zoomed in on the other and counted 13 little ones.  Shaun said, “Damn, you have a quarry in there!”
At this rate, we will not need to worry about landscaping the backyard.  If I can figure out how to grow a sprinkler system out of my ass, I am in business!

Yes, I joke, because it’s better than the alternative and that is bursting into tears and trying to gouge my kidney out with a spoon.

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09
Sep
Most searched for…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
I check my sitemeter ever so often and I am amazed at how people find Random and Odd.

The top 3 I am always searched for:

1. random odd
2. letter to your big sister (i swear, like EVERY day someone finds me through that)
3. Lenny Kravitz is gay

and then sometimes I find I am found by odder means:

1. Why Sheryl Crows Big Time
2. Biggest Ass
3. Itchy feet
4. Hot feet
5.  what does BAMF mean?
6. Shirtless Mr. Rogers
7. Sex with the president.

Why I am targeted for these searches, I do not know.  Why I would have a picture of Mr. Rogers without a shirt on, I don’t know.

And if you find THIS page through any of those search criteria, here you go:
1. Yes, I wrote a letter to my sister on her birthday, it was good, but really not worth copying.
2. I don’t know if Lenny is gay, ask him.
3. Yes, I am Random and Odd, some days I am both.
4. BAMF Means Bas Ass Mother Fucker. (from Pulp Fiction)
5. I have a hot, itchy feet right below my fattest ass.
6. I must have deleted the picture of a naked Mr. Rogers having sex with the president.
There, now move along you freaks.

:)

one of these days I want to be found because someone was looking for ‘the nicest person they know’.

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06
Sep
The two boxes of Random and Odd
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
The real life categories of blogging:

“Nope, can’t write about that.” -self.

“Please, Honey, no.”  -Shaun.

I know if I’m saying, “you know i’m going to blog this, right?”  that there is damn good chance of getting it put in box 2.

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05
Sep
Hope…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
Marina has signed up for Relay for Life. It supports the American Cancer Society.

I have been  blessed without having to have a close member of my family or best friend go through cancer.  I do know people and I admire them more than

any words I can write.   I’m scared with a bladder/kidney infection, I can’t imagine hearing someone say, “You’re going to have to have chemotherapy.”
I would like to say I am strong enough to fight it, but I think those days when I am mentally beat up and physically beat up, I would probably give up hope…

and you know what that word means to me.

Please, if you can help, do so. If you can’t, that’s alright too.  If anything, leave a nice comment for her, she’d love that.

Marina’s Team: The LIFEsavers

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14
Oct
You’re totally not going to believe this!
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


I don’t want to jinx it by saying it…but i’m going to because you all need good news…well, from me, because I’ve been Debbie Downer lately.

*crossing fingers that it doesn’t jinx*  I kinda feel better!

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10
Oct
I did it…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
This is me: I hear about something that is OMG and then I forget about it.

I had heard a few years (?) ago about O.J. Simpson coming out with a book. It was being pitched as a ‘how to’ book or something. I was so sickened by it.

What an ass.

Then I heard it got pulled.

Then I forgot about it.

Megan, my neighbor said, “I just finished reading the book that O.J. wrote.”

“huh?”

She told me that the Goldman’s had gotten the rights to it and they released it.  Eww. Why would they do that?
She gave me the book and I read the cover and it said that the ghost writer, the lawyers and they all had a part in the book. I brought it home and read what

the Goldman’s had gone through to fight to not have it published and then the fight to get it from him (OJ is a fucking itchy asshole) and the decision they

had come to, to publish it.  It was heartbreaking.
I read the ghostwriter’s intro to the book as well, his story of getting the story from O.J. (who is a fucking itchy asshole) and his thoughts on it. It was eye

opening.
Then I read O.J.’s itchy fucking asshole words.  I knew he did it. I thought it was because he found out his wife was boinking Marcus Allen, his friend.  No.  I

was so wrong. He went out of his way to make sure HIS words were heard because ‘we’ had it all wrong. From him being abusive to what happened that day

and the days following. He wanted his story told.  AND BOY DID HE.
After his part of the book was over, I continued on to read the part from the man who sat in the court room every day and the attorneys that have fought for the

Goldman’s to FINALLY beat O.J. at his game.
I knew he was a killer. I knew he was an ass. I had no idea to the extent of an asshole someone can be with lawyers behind you and in your pocket.  He wrote

the book believing it was going to get HIS side of what happened out, shine him a light that was more favorable…and it might have…but in the end, it was his

confession.

If you ever wondered what happened, I would read this book. Go buy it.  The proceeds go to the Goldman’s and after you read what they went through to get

the book from him and all your misconceptions of ‘it will hurt the kids if the book gets published’ will be pushed aside.  They all knew about it, they all stood

to proceed from their father writing it.

I read it in 8 hours, the whole thing.  Such an awesome and enthralling story.  If you’ve already read it, comment and tell me what you thought of it.

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10
Oct
Because I’m in the market…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
It’s come to my attention that due to cut backs and global warming, I have mis-placed a best friend.

I’m not going to go into it…that’s not the purpose of this post.  Oh, for a second it almost sounded like my posts actually have points…yeah, sorry about that.

Well, now I am on the market.

I’m thinking I can come up a list of people that would so friggin’ cool to be friends with.

1. Ellen. I mean, she’s not the top of the list, even though I put her at number one. It’s just a number people, it’s not like I have even added her on MySpace.

yet.   She just seems like she would be fun to hang out with.

2. Snoopy. Just throwing that out there.

3. Anyone from “Who’s Line Is It Anyway?” except Drew, he creeps me out.

I’m sure there is a many other people that can make my top 10 list, but I can’t think of anyone else …

So R & O readers;  who can we add to this list?

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08
Oct
I wanna say i’m better, but i’m not…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


I’m just so tired of being sick that I am sick and tired of being sick. You get me. I know you do.

I want to write a post that does not revolve around a part of my body that is burning, itching or feeling like I am being used as some sort of funky voo-doo doll

ritual.   That would require me not feeling that way and well, not quite there.  Everyone says, “Well you look better…getting around.”  I’ve found out how my

beautiful friend, Lisa does it. She fakes it.  She’s so sick and tired of being sick and tired and talking about being sick and tired that it’s just better to fake

feeling better.  So I am taking a chapter from her novel and doing the same thing…just dealing with it and learning to live with it.   Some people fake being

sick…i’m faking being better.  Maybe my body will forget and we can move on with the peeing problem.

Today my friend Ruka called and said, “What are you doing?”  For most that’s just an opening line to a conversation. Ruka is more to the point…she really

wants to know what you’re doing because soon you will be doing something totally different because that’s just how she is…some may say, ‘how she rolls’.
I hopped on her train and said, “Well, I was just about to jump in the shower, put on make-up, do my hair and get dressed because it sounds like I have

plans.”
“Good, meet me at Chevy’s at 11:30.”
She gave me like 45 minutes to get done what now takes round about 2 hours to accomplish.  Between the peeing and the pill taking, the hot then cold and

might vomit…it takes longer to pull myself together.  BUT I DID IT.

It was nice getting out of the house and doing something other than paying a bill or buying food.

I’ve been out twice this week with friends and it feels SO DAMN GOOD.

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04
Oct
He might find it humorous….
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


After talking to a Random and Odd reader tonight, I realized that it’s not just my phone that was lost, but all the numbers that are important to me.  Yes, it

takes me 2 weeks to realize this.

Some of you were in my phone, but not as your normal name, because what part of my friends and life is normal?  There is also numbers from people from

my past, going all the way to birth (hi mom! hi sis!) that are lost.
Alright, so imagine being a punk ass kid going through my phone numbers:

Recovering Straight Girl.
Hooker Ass Bitch.
Bic
Sisserween
The Fonz
Dumb Ass
Dumb Ass 2
Too Tall
Z-diggity
Roo
Bear
Cat
BayliehBunz
Goose
Girl Goose
Don’t Answer
Wrong Number
YOU OWE THEM MONEY!
Utah
Bridezilla
MonkeyGirl

and so many other various numbers that I am going to grab my new phone (when I get one) and go to call them and go, “Oh yeah, some mutherfucker stole

them!”

I think mutherfucker was one of the numbers in there too.

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03
Oct
Going Back…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


This picture sums up the walk I took a couple days ago.
We have these wet lands, very small ones, but they are always on the side of people’s homes and I always feel strange about going to look at them. That day,

much like the last week, I have been in a ‘fuck it’ mood. I decided to scale down someone’s fence to the wetlands and see what I could find. I found quiet,

shade, tiny bits of sunlight hitting this blanket of small brown leaves. This green sheet of eww was covering what underneath probably was the home of many

different types of bugs. I even told a huge dog, ‘please be quiet’ in a soft tone so I could enjoy the quiet. I guess I said it just right, because he laid down and

watched me as I clicked away.

I checked my sitemeter yesterday and my visitor level is at an all time low.  It was actually comforting. Things around Random and Odd have been just that.

My health has been declining and no matter how many appointments, calls to the doctor or the emails I send to them, they have nothing for me.  I finished the

one bottle of antibiotics I was on and now I am just back to one.  I will be on it for 3 months before they can say, “Well, we tried that and it didn’t work so

now…” I’ve never known the frustration of not knowing what is wrong with me.  My anxiety level has been through the roof and I feel like every morning when I

wake up all I can think is, “Oh God, another day of the same ol’ bullshit.”   I’m not hoping for sunshine and butterflies to fly out of my ass and everything to

be better, but just some ray of sunshine would be nice. My ass could use a ray of sunshine.

It’s sposta rain today. First time in what seems like forever.  I’m not a big fan of rain, but I keep looking out the window hoping to see drops falling from the

sky.  You can smell it, it’s just not here yet.

The ex came over yesterday and we had a good, long talk.  I’m not sure what words were used to trigger his response, but he decided that even though he had

no money either, that we needed to get keys to the truck that were stolen replaced.  It seemed stupid to be paying for a truck that had no keys.  He never drives

it, but I think he saw that the final straw of my mental status had broke and he called a locksmith.  $200 later we had 2 keys to the truck.
This morning I drove Marina to school and it had felt like I had not driven in years. If I wasn’t running on 3 hours sleep and a quarter tank of gas, I would have

driven to Ohio.

It’s Friday. I use to do Stuff Portrait Friday, but the whole business of being in photography has robbed me of the joy of photography.  Funny how that

happens.   I did get an email from a client that made me happy and reminded me of why I love doing what I do.

I’m not watching CNN lately.  It’s depressing.  The econony is crashing, we are in a downward spiral. Gas prices. War. I could have told you that just living my

life.  We could just broadcast from my house and it would cover ALL of that.
My neice lost her husband to the war last week.  She wrote something on her MySpace that broke my heart.  It’s not fair.

I’m giving Wellbutrin another shot at getting me to quit smoking.  I’ve been smoking like a house on fire and I don’t even want to smoke. It’s just stupid. I’m

smoking just to smoke now.  Before I did it because I was surrounded by smokers. Now i’m THAT smoker that people are around.

Hmmmm…I think I see drops of rain.  Nope, just wishful thinking.

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30
Sep
the one where i bore you all to death
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


I’m waiting for something so totally exciting to write before I hit, “Write Post”.
So far, i’ve got nothing.

My car got broken into when I went to the beach last weekend.  I was just starting to feel better and I couldn’t be more excited about getting the hell out of the

house.   When the dumb-asses stole my wallet, they took other stupid things, like my ex-husband’s car keys.
You’re asking yourself, “Why does she have her ex-husband’s car keys?”  I’ve been driving his truck for about 2 months since we got rid of our car that was

about to fall asleep and go where all cars go when they go to la-la land.

The thing is, neither one of us have an extra set of keys.  So now, I’m making his truck payment on a truck I can’t drive because it’s going to cost me 400

bucks to have it re-keyed. (Some lame chip in it that starts the car that is in the key…how lame is that?)

Also, I have no keys to my house or my mailbox.

Exciting things are not afoot in the Random and Odd house.

Other than that, I think I’m losing my mind.  *shrug*

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27
Sep
The one where I die from the paindom of it all….
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
After I posted the last blog about the cyst, I got a 9pm phone call from my urologist.  Now, when you get a call that late from your doctor, especially one that

deals with what my sister calls it, ‘the filtration system’, it can’t be good.

He was afraid the cyst was pushing against my bladder and causing the problem, but he also said it might not be a cyst, but a tumor that was attaching to the

bladder.  Either way, I needed to see my gynecologist to get a sonogram to check it out.

To catch you up.  In the beginning of July I got a bladder infection. I have been on 5 different types of antibiotics, 1 trip to the ER, 2 allergic reactions, a CT

scan, an ultrasound, my car broken into, my phone and wallet stolen and have lost the will to live.   That’s just a recap.

I had to get an emergency appointment for the gynecologist and she said, “It’s a cyst. You’re fine. No sonogram needed, the CT scan shows it’s big, but it’s

fine.”  I got felt up for nothing. I spent 15 dollars for nothing.  BUT, she did put me on ANOTHER type of antibiotic…just in case.
On Friday I went in for the urology appointment where, “Have you ever had to have a catheter? it’s like that, but with a little flashlight and camera on it, not too

painful, just uncomfortable” appointment.
My sister insisted on coming even though I tried to reassure her that with the amount of pain I have been in the past 3 months, THIS wasn’t going to do me in,

THIS was going to be the answer.  I mean, come on…the guy has a flashlight AND A CAMERA, you can solve cold case murder mystery with a flashlight and

camera!

Oh how wrong I was.

I now will never trust a man with a flashlight and camera attached to a fishing rod EVER again.

It wasn’t the size of what was going where no one has ever gone before, but the blade they had to use to get there.  I was fine until the doctor and nurse got

‘that  look’ and they pulled out some sharp objects and even though they tried to do whatever it was they were doing, really fast, it felt like they had ripped

open my pee hole. Oh wait, THEY DID.  Kathy was holding my hand and when the pain got so bad that I burst into tears and began sobbing, she stayed there

and kept saying it was almost over.   Just typing that made me feel the pain all over again.  I felt violated and tricked.  They could have said, “We are going to

have to make this bigger and in order to do that, we are going to need to remove a bunch of stuff to get there and it’s going to hurt like a son of bitch.”, but

they didn’t. They just went there and i’m still trying to get over the shock and trauma of it.

You could be saying, “Dramatic much?”  but for those of you that have had whatever it was that was done, will understand what I am talking about, for those

of you that have never had it…go to the bathroom right now and pee.  Don’t take that little pleasure for granted anymore.  You can pee knowing you’re not

peeing over  an open wound.   Go on, and pee like the wind!!  And when you’re done and you’re not screaming in pain or throwing up from it, put a big smile

on your face.

They said the second day (today) would be worse. Shit, they were not kidding.

At the end of the appointment, I was certain I would hear the words, “Well, we figured it out and we fixed it.”…but I didn’t. They said, (once they could get to

the bladder after drilling a new hole and spelunking around a bit) that my bladder actually looked fine.

So what’s the problem?  *shrug*  They still don’t know.  Until then, I’m now on 2 antibiotics and bed rest until the bleeding stops.

*thank you Maria for the cookies.
*thank you sister for being there.

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23
Sep
I HAVE A CYST!
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
The advise nurse I called BEGGING for an appointment to “fix this damn problem or I am going to explode!” went over my CT scan results and said, “Well,

you have a cyst on your ovary the size of a golf ball.”

I have an emergency appointment today (hopefully) and they will fix the problem…or I will explode.

I was chatting with my friend Matthew when she told me and I told him about the golf ball sized cyst. His response, “FORE!” and then asked if they will use a

nine iron to remove it.  I love assholes sometimes.

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22
Sep
I’ve lost hope
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


Since the beginning of July I have been suffering from bladder infections.
They believed the bladder infection had gone to my kidneys. They did a CT scan and didn’t find anything unusual.
I’ve been on 3 different meds to fix the problem, and none of them have worked. I’ve spent over 400 bucks in visits to specialists and medication and the only

answer I get is, ‘here, try this doctor.’ and none of them have worked.
The mental drain from this is killing me. I feel like I am being pulled out into a sea of wrong answers.

People keep saying, “Just keep going on…you’re strong.”  I’m not strong.

I’m tired of trying to be strong. I’m tired of being strong and then losing it.  I’m tired of my husband wanting to try to make it better, but he can’t.

I thought THIS doctor would be able to keep digging until he found the problem, but he has pawned me off on an OBGYN.  I’ve done this, I’ve seen these

doctors. She’ll send me to a specialist, and he will send me to the next specialist and then back to the OBGYN.

I am not strong enough to handle this. I’m tired of my kids seeing me do nothing but lay here in pain.

I’ve lost hope. Yeah, me. Lost hope.

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03
Nov
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


It’s Monday and I should be posting, but I am really feeling like hell. I’m pretty sure my body is now rejecting the antibiotics I have been on for over 2

months.  I still have 5 weeks left of that antibiotic before I am done.
I’m not sure how all this works, but I have an appointment for tomorrow and will have to tell them, “No more, please.”

About a week ago I had thought out loud, “You know, i’m tired of taking these pills. Maybe I should go off of them.”  My kidney must have over heard me and

it decided to let me know that wasn’t a good idea.  I stayed on the pills, but now I am feeling like I did when I was on the other antibiotics that made my body

break out in a rash. So far, no rash…just that sickening feeling, hot/cold, and wishing I just had my sister here with me to hold my hand.

Halloween went well.  Dan got home in time to make sure the girls had their partner in candy nabbing crime.  It was raining. but it didn’t slow them down.

After it was in a full downpour I called him to see if I should go hunting for them.  Good thing I did! They would have had to swim home!

Here’s your reminder (copied) because tomorrow is the big day!

VOTE!
On Tuesday, November 4th, 2008 — GO VOTE!  When you do, take a picture of something that represents this freedom.  The pen you used. The road you took

to get there. SOMETHING.
If you voted early or by mail in…on November 4th , 2008…go take a picture of something you will no longer take for granted, something that shows us you

have a voice and it matters!

I don’t do this very often, but I am doing it today..and everyday until November 4th, 2008 –>If you have to; copy and paste this whole thing into your blog and

blog it!  Send them here to www.randomandodd.com on November 4th 2008 and tell them to give me a link to their website and I promise to visit EVERY

SINGLE BLOG that leaves a comment that says, “I voted, here’s my picture!” and I promise to leave a comment.  (I’m asking for it huh?)
It doesn’t matter if their vote doesn’t match mine. That is what makes this country so friggin’ wonderful!

So go on, Spread the word, Stuff Portrait Friday will be here on TUESDAY NOVEMBER THE FOURTH!

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30
Oct
Time for a Change
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


Wow. Posting every day until November 4th, 2008.  What shall we talk about today?
Well, let’s start with the main reason I am posting: VOTING.

On Tuesday, November 4th, 2008 if you live in the united states…you can go vote. Some of you have voted early and some by mail in ballot.
Everyday until Tuesday I am going to remind you that you should go vote. When you do, bring a camera. I’m not saying ‘sneak the camera in your ballot box

and get a picture’, but I am asking you…in those moments of “Wow, I’m an American and I have this most awesome right.” feeling, capture a picture.  When

you get home, download it, upload it to Flickr or the website of your choice and then come back here and post a link on my blog.
Tuesday’s Blog will be entitled “LET FREEDOM RING!” Leave your comment in that post on November 4th with a link to the picture you took so we can all

share in your moment.
If you have readers, ask them to do the same thing. Ask them to grab their camera and capture this historical day from where they stand.
I have many readers not in the US, but you still have a camera and a November 4th…so go on, take a picture! Play along with those of us that are.

I have a follow up OBGYN appointment on the 4th too.  Lucky me, I am getting felt up AND I get to vote. Hopefully they will tell me, “You’re fine, you can go

off the antibiotics.”  and I am going to remain optimistic and keep hope.
No antibiotics, no more kidney problems…it’s time for a positive change.  Don’t you agree?

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29
Oct
A Stuff Portrait Tuesday? WTH?
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
As you probably noticed, I took Stuff Portrait Friday out of the line up. Yeah, I know, BAD KRISTINE!

This upcoming Tuesday is a BIG upcoming Tuesday. It’s a pee-pee tingling Tuesday! It’s a Tuesday that might change our lives forever.  In honor of this

super special Tuesday, I’m bringing Stuff Portrait Friday back, but on Tuesday.  It’s like Saturday Night Live, but on Thursdays.

So what’s the theme? Puh-leaze, like you don’t know!

VOTE!
On Tuesday, November 4th, 2008 — GO VOTE!  When you do, take a picture of something that represents this freedom.  The pen you used. The road you took

to get there. SOMETHING.
If you voted early or by mail in…on November 4th , 2008…go take a picture of something you will no longer take for granted, something that shows us you

have a voice and it matters!

I don’t do this very often, but I am doing it today..and everyday until November 4th, 2008 –>If you have to; copy and paste this whole thing into your blog and

blog it!  Send them here to www.randomandodd.com on November 4th 2008 and tell them to give me a link to their website and I promise to visit EVERY

SINGLE BLOG that leaves a comment that says, “I voted, here’s my picture!” and I promise to leave a comment.  (I’m asking for it huh?)
It doesn’t matter if their vote doesn’t match mine. That is what makes this country so friggin’ wonderful!

So go on, Spread the word, Stuff Portrait Friday will be here on TUESDAY NOVEMBER THE FOURTH!

If you decide to blog this blog, comment me so I can come by and shout HOO-RAW on your site!

I can’t wait to see all the pictures. I hope we hit 143.

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29
Oct
The crystal ball.
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


I began the password protect for my site. I wrote a couple of posts. I couldn’t do it anymore. It just didn’t feel right.

Dan is out of town this week so I am not only ‘soccer mom’, i’m now ‘karate mom’ too.
They go twice a week with their dad who also attends the adult classes.  In the beginning they would show me their kata. It use to look like a cutsie little dance.
Now they are brown belts and their kata is choreographed movements that represent all that they have learned and trained for.  It’s amazing to watch them as

they use their mind and body together.
I can only remember once dance and it’s the electric slide. I know they don’t get that sort of mind and body discipline from me.

Each girl is different in karate class.  Alyx is very precise with her movements. You can see in her eyes that she is thinking of the next move while she is

effentially preforming the one at hand. Each movement is exact.
Shea is much the same, but the look in her eye is different.  She is determined to not only have the movements exact, she is working on executing the

movement with power.  To her her, it’s not just movements.

I always wonder what activities I have my kids in now, they will take into their adulthood and use them.  I raced BMX bikes and use to shoot guns every

weekend.   As you can see, I use none of those talents.  I’m not saying I was the most talented BMX racer. I was always afraid of ‘catching air’. It use to give

me butterflies when I started going too fast.
Now target shooting, THAT I liked. THAT I was good at.
I sort of wish my dad would have told me, “Hey, you’re pretty good at this…you could do this…” and gave me some sort of direction.   It was just a hobby

though.

Alyx loves crime shows and figuring things out. Shea loves animals and has plans on saving the animal world.
I’m doing my best to try to help them find direction.  Pointing out their strong points. Showing them how to use their passions in their future.

Ever wonder what your kids are going to turn out to be?
If I had to guess; Kara will be a reporter.  She will take her passion for fairness and try to help people and will always have this desire to have her words heard.
Alyx will work for the FBI.  I can’t go into anymore than that because the FBI might actually be scouting her right now and I don’t want to blow her cover.
Shea will travel to some far off land and learn many things about animals and the care of those animals. She may chose to stay local and work at a zoo.  In

some way she will work towards saving animals.

Or they might start a band and we will travel around in a bus.  Not sure yet. I’ll let you know.

Comments (14)  //  Add Comment
24
Oct
“That’s what she said.”
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
I’ve thrown around the idea of taking down Random and Odd in January when my yearly update is due.

It’s been awhile since I’ve really had anything worthy of writing anyway. Honestly, it’s not that I haven’t had anything to say, but when I do write, I hit the

backspace button because I know whatever I say, will hurt someone’s feelings.  My last post wasn’t directed towards anyone.  It was a post from a mother

who’s children made her proud.  It doesn’t matter if the post was written for me, my children or the universe as a whole…there is always someone who

believes that was written for them.
In counseling many years ago during a session, my therapist said, “He’s drinking AT you.”  My ex knew that drinking and his actions were getting a reaction

out of me, it was working. So the next time he brought a case of beer in the house, I grabbed the whole box and chucked it out the front door.  I told him, If he

want to drink, do it outside.
Now I realize, Yeah, he was drinking AT me…but maybe sometimes, he was just drinking to drink.
He never drank more than a six pack of beer before I ripped the rug out under our lives, so if drinking was how he wanted to deal with the end of the marriage,

so be it.

My point. I’m not writing AT anyone, I’m just writing to write.

I’ve decided instead of taking away my outlet, that for now on, all my posts will be password protected.   Why do all of them have to be password protected?
Because it doesn’t matter if I am just sitting down to have a beer to have a beer or if I am having a beer to piss someone off…it’s always going to get twisted

and that beer has now gotten bitter.

This is the strangest way to end Random and Odd…with bitter beer face…and I don’t even drink beer.

Comments (78)  //  Add Comment
23
Oct
Sacramento Horror Film Festival
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


The challenge was to only come up with the LAST 6 minutes of a horror film.
Kyle’s film tied for 1st place in the audience choice.

Old MacDonald’s Farm

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18
Oct
Oh the restraint…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


Driving Alyx to her soccer game this morning we encountered many people on the corners with a YES ON 8 signs.
The kids, not me, freaked out.
They can’t stand the fact that even though they are doing everything right, being politically correct and doing what it takes to change…people are still ….being

people.

I just look at the attack ads and people standing out there and I wonder if in 20 years people will shake their heads in disbelief and say, “Whoa, we might as

well have let the dogs attack the gay people and spray them with hoses for being different!”
I mean, don’t you look at the footage from the civil rights movement and aren’t you discussed by the actions of people with such hatred to something

different?  The things people said and did makes me physically ill.  And here we are, doing it again.
The girls have decided to make their own signs that say NO ON PROP 8 and join the others.   I’m supporting them because I love them, but I am going to hurt

inside when they see how many people driving by do not believe that people have the right to marry whomever they want.  The ignorance. The anger.  I want

to protect them from that.

I’m proud of the fact that I have the freedom to write this. The freedom to vote. The freedom to friends with a black person without the fear of my house being

burnt to the ground. I will be proud of the fact that at some point people will look back and say, “I can’t believe we tried to take away the right for two people to

marry each other.” and feel SICK about it too.

So as I was driving home and I saw the people on the corner with the signs trying to ban that right, I made sure that I didn’t run over them, because I do want

to go to heaven someday…but then again, I was told by a christian once that said, if I support the gays and their sins, I shall too go to hell.

I’ll let God decide that when it’s my time. If I was wrong…I’ll be in good company in hell.

*Update*

Omg. What an experience. I was brought to tears by the support. I’ll write more later.

Comments (41)  //  Add Comment
17
Oct
Now I am MORE pissed than I was before!
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
I was contacted by someone from guidespot.com about the post I wrote and she made sure it would be handled, that MY picture would be taken down.  No

worries there because I blocked all my family pictures, including the ones of me and Shaun. Which sucks, because I enjoyed letting you all watch my children

grow…along with my hips and ass.

Anyway, the more I looked at the ‘articles’ she wrote, the more annoyed I got.  Nearly EVERY article has pictures she took from other people on Flickr.

What she wrote in conjunction to the picture she stole from me was out of line, but then I read some other ones of hers and taking someone’s pictures and

then just trashing them personally…wrong. Not just the article my stolen picture was featured in, but the others.  My feelings are hurt for the things that were

said about people.

I mean come on, if we are going to pick on anyone, it’s going to be my ex-husband.  How did the picture of Dan’s ass crack or him dressed up as a freaky

clown not make it into someone’s freaky file online?

Hmmm, probably has.  And I hope when someone stumbles upon one of my pictures where it doesn’t belong, you’d all email me and let me know…because

stealing is not right.  Coming from someone who has had her wallet stolen TWICE in six months.
I’m contacting guidespot’s main offices on Monday. I’ve found at least 15 ‘users’ that are doing exactly that, USING someone else’s pictures from Flickr. They

seem to think that pictures on Flickr are free to use just as long as they link back. Not the case, read OUR terms of use.  This woman broke Guidespot’s terms

of use and has not been deleted and probably won’t for personal reasons.  I’m tired of being ripped off.

Shouldn’t I be getting like retro-active good Karma or something?

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16
Oct
If I wasn’t voting before, I am now…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
And I was voting, so don’t freak out.

Dan’s out of town this weekend for his birthday so I had to take the little one’s to karate.  On the way home, out of no where, got into this heated conversation

about Prop 8.

The girls each had their point of view and each expressed their feelings on the matter with such passion.  Keep in mind, my daughters are 10, 11 and 15.  

Most of the emotional commentary came from the younger ones who were SO pissed to even think that it’s even up for debate.  I’ve expressed my feelings on

the matter, but I don’t push politics down their throats, because the school has been doing a pretty good job of doing that.  I had no idea how much they

really knew until a McCain/Palin yard sign went up.  You would think that someone was burning a cross on the lawn. My kids freaked.
“Mom, please, promise me you’re not voting for McCain!” one begged.
I’m shocked they even know enough about the candidates to even form an opinion.  One went intoMcCain’s stand on this, the other attacked that.  I was

starting to wonder if the Obama fairy was coming to their house and sprinkling magic dust in their cereal.

During the conversation, I started throwing things out there to contradict their views, just to see how they would respond. They stood up to me with vigor! I

was so proud of them. How in the hell did they get so smart? Are these really my children? Yes, these very well informed children are my kids. I am floored.

Then. and only then. I hear Shea from the backseat say, “Mom, please don’t let them take the gayness away. If they take the gayness away then Ellen will be

sad. I watch her show everyday and she’s happy being gay and if they take that away from her, she will be sad…and we will have to watch a SAD SHOW!”

Now, there…that’s MY child.

Vote no prop 8, because we don’t want Ellen to be sad.

http://www.noonprop8.com/

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16
Oct
New Flickr..
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
Hated it until I found the feature where I can where people are using my pictures WITHOUT PERMISSION!

I tried emailing this site, but that option isn’t allowed (??WTF??)

http://www.guidespot.com/guides/bad_pants_avoid_these

Comments (9)  //  Add Comment

14
Nov
Something I don’t normally do…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


I don’t usually talk too much about other bloggers, because honestly I have lost contact with the blogs that I use to stalk on a daily basis. It saddens me and I

had hoped that using a RSS feeder that it would solve the problem, but it didn’t.

There is a blog that I read about 2 times a week to catch up.  Her writing actually allowed me to be able to openly say, “Oh yeah, me too…I’m not fucking

crazy.”  because for so many years I hid my anxiety because I always thought I was a freak of nature. The only other person I didn’t feel like a a freak around

was my mom and sister, because they had it too. I thought it was some strange Seguin thing.  My sister doesn’t drive over bridges, my mom doesn’t drive at

night. I don’t make a good passenger in a car because I’m like a cat trying to claw my way out. If I’ve ever ridden with you and I didn’t repsond that way it was

because inside I was freaking out and not letting you see it.
There is a few people that I have NEVER had a problem riding with. I don’t know why those people are lucky enough to have a sain person in the car with

them, but they are.  I personally like to be the driver. I am in control and if a the car in front of me decides it’s going to slam on it’s brakes, instead of trying to

scratch my way through the back window, I am using all that energy to focus on the impact or cat like skills to avoid it.

Yesterday I got a call from the most awesome Kimmy who sent me the Ipod. Did I forget to mention the Ipod I got? You didn’t hear about the Ipod? Hmmm.

You must not being paying attention, because the said Ipod will be mentioned for probably the next month. You will sicken of hearing about the Ipod.
So in the conversation she was talking about blogs we run the same circles in. Pissy and Recovering Straight Girl and another blogger named Susie (I have

“Freaktard Suzie” and “Rats Ass Susie”, she has, “WAY COOL SUSIE.” –her names are not as orignial as mine!)
I asked her if she read Dooce and she said no.
It was one of those moments where you stop and go,  “Are you fucking serious?” It would be like finding out that someone didn’t know what Google was.
In the time we were on the phone I tried to give her a short synopsis of why I read Dooce and her story.  I realized, I have been reading her for so long that it

would take too long to give her all the details.  In the beginning she was the woman who was fired for her blog, but now she’s so much more than that.  I

mean, she wore cabbage on her boobs. These are stories you have to read to fully understand.
Her husband Jon, on two different occasions, has given me advice that he probably just thought was a just an email, but it really helped me through a rough

time.
Don’t even get me started on how much I adore the true, raw, honest of her cousin, George.  I swear, If I could adopt someone, it would be George. I mean,

what’s another person on my couch playing video games?
I know she needs no advertising, and I usually never even talk about bloggers, but I have met SO MANY totally cool people through her comment section (like

3 years ago?) and I am very grateful for those internet friends.

Then today I was thinking to my self, “How would someone describe me to someone that has never read Random and Odd from the beginning of this

madness?”

I then realized, I picked the PERFECT name for my blog.  It’s all just Random and Odd.
How would you decribe yourself?
(if you’re looking for guy readers, throw in the words — big hooters — it works every time!)

Comments (26)  //  Add Comment
14
Nov
STUFF PORTRAIT FRIDAY –Shoes Issue
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random

It’s always about the shoes.   These are currently my favorite.  Actually these are my second favorite shoes.
I bought a pair of knock off Ugg shoes (Emu brand) over the summer when they were ridiculously cheap.  I guess I better clarify what ‘cheap’ is for me,

because people have a certain standard of what they will pay for a pair of shoes. If the shoe is over 25 dollars, I won’t buy them.   So ridiculously cheap was

$13.00.   For the record, my former favorite shoes were $4.00.   Anyway, the ridiculously cheap Ugg wanna-be shoes were ‘borrowed’ by Kara today.  That

means, they are somewhere in her room under a pile of clothes, wet towels and backback.

I so want to talk about the coolness of these shoes, because they are REALLY cool, but i’m going to make it quick because there is something SO much

cooler that I am FUH-REAKING out about.  The shoes, they slide on, they look like slippers, but have shoe like quality. I started buying them a few years ago

at Target and if you rush out right now, you can probably get yourself some, but once it gets cold..they are gone.

Okay, screw the shoes. I GOT AN IPOD TODAY! Kimmy decided out of the kindness of her heart to donate me an old one. I am FUH-REAKING out.  When I say

FUH-REAKING out, I mean that in a more serious term than just straight freaking out. FUH-REAKING out involved about 2 hours of me just repeating the

words, “OH MY GOD!”

When I opened the box and there was a friggin’ IPOD in there (the old school big ones that can now be used as a weapon) I hit the ceiling. “A FUCKING IPOD!”
Tyler was currently giving me instructions on how to play some Xbox game and the proper way to kill someone and actually paused the game to comment.

“Who sent you a Ipod?”
“Kimmy, my blog reader. OH MY GOD!”
That’s when Alyx looked me and said, “I want to start blogging.”
One of Tyler’s friends who has no idea about Random and Odd said, “What the hell do you blog about that people would send you an Ipod?”
“Well, today I posted a picture of Halo kissing Tyler.  So uh, Random and Odd stuff.”

Did I mention the freaking out part? FUH-REAKING OUT.

Kara and Marina came in awhile later and they are both pros when comes to the use of an Ipod and had to show me how to put my music on it. They left their

music in there too, just in case I remove the earbuds from my ears and they want to sneak it off to their room.  Kara and Alyx already have Ipods, but if the

battery is dead, anyone that has musical devices are fair game.  Marina’s MP3 player got busted so she is next on the list to get one. (Marina reads R&O and

she when she reads this is she is going to be squealing, so if you hear someone screaming…you know she just read that last line)

So being a complete Apple/Ipod/Mac moron,  after the girls went to bed I was left to fend for myself.

Text between Kara and I:

Kristine: Kara?
Kara: What did I do?
Kristine: The ipod says, ‘do not disconnect’ and i’ve been sitting here for hours to get to stop saying that, what do I do?
Kara: Unplug it, it’s fine.

After unplugging it, I found the menu button, but couldn’t figure out how to scroll around in it.  I’m a pretty smart girl so I could figure it out. I just need to

scroll my finger over the white button in the middle.  Nope.  Fuck it, I’ll figure it out later. Then after awhile I realized something really important. I had no idea

how turn the thing off.
Mustering up enough courage to admit my moronic situation I went into the living room where there are three teenage boys. One texting at the speed of light,

the other mastering Guitar Hero and the other one with large ear protection gear on his head like Mickey Mouse ears. I plopped down between the two that

didn’t have a guitar and intense look of ‘i’ve got a chance at the high score’ look on his face.
“Alrighty, I have a few questions.  How do I scroll up and down on this thing.”
Texting Almighty leaned over and used his finger to scroll in a circle around the mysterious white button. “This is up, this is down.”  He was too nice to say,

“Duh.” but it didn’t stop Mickey Head, “You’ve never used a Ipod before?”  I wanted to come up with some witty response, but I knew I was going to have to

ask them how to turn it off.

Thank you so much, Kimmy!  I’m currently sitting here with my ipod playing in my ears.  You totally made my day, week, month.

I’ve had this big, ass dorky smile on my face all day and I have you to thank for that. SEE, I AM STILL GRINNING! You can’t see me grinning, but I am.
Today was a super fantastic day.  Everyday is better than the last one. You guys were all right, it can only get better and you know what…your prayers, kind

words and possitive vibes have turned a corner in my life. Even though things aren’t perfect, I’m not even phased. I’m stronger than I thought I was. In fact

tonight I had one of those rare moments where you laugh so hard you cry.  I was laughing so hard that I actually snorted!
Somedays are harder than others, but you know what? I am happy, really fucking happy…and now I have a soundtrack to go with the grinning and laughing!

THANK YOU RANDOM AND ODDERS!

(not checking for errors, I’ve gotta watch my show ‘Life on Mars’)

Alright, here’s the words you’ve been waiting for: Did you play?


Comments (18)  //  Add Comment
13
Nov
You taste like pizza!
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


Gross huh?
I can’t believe I actually caught this picture.

Whenever Tyler is gone for more than 4 minutes, when he walks back into the room Halo freaks out like she hasn’t seen him in weeks.  She’s learned little

tricks being the dog of a teenage boy; When he’s sitting there playing video games, if she puts her head in his lap, he will sometimes pause the game and pet

her.  If she stays there after the game is un-paused he might accidentally put his hand on his lap and if she maneuvers her head near it, she will get attention.

I wanted to get some updated pictures of the dogs and unlike some dogs, my dogs don’t like the camera. In fact, they sometimes will plow over me to get into

another room to avoid it.  Tyler sat on the ground to help me and according to dog handbook, if the person is at your level, you have every right to knock him

to the ground and lick him until he cries.

Seems fair.

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10
Nov
Fantabulous Weekend!
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: stuff portrait friday


Did everyone have a great weekend?

Shaun and I had a rough week. This was a working weekend, but it turned out to be a great, quiet weekend. It was exactly what we needed.

Things are looking up and we are just watching our steps.

SPF for Friday the 14th:  Favorite Shoes
As always, I’m inspired by some of my favorite photographers. This week it was GreenThumb.  Click Here to see my muse.

Link me to someone that inspires you so I can get some SPF idears!

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06
Nov
SPF :) Welcome back!
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: stuff portrait friday


SPF: Your Spatula…that flat thing you use to flip grilled cheese sammiches.

I decided to try that whole balance the shit on your dogs head. Guess what? Heather might actually be a dog whisperer because my dogs, did not like it so

much.

Now, I balanced shit on my dogs head, you can leave me a comment to get me to your site. Naked pictures of George Clooney might work.

Alright, did you play?

Comments (20)  //  Add Comment
06
Nov
Happy Birthday to Mom the Fonz….
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: The Fonz


I wanted to spend the day with her.  To be able to get one of her most awesomest hugs. To see her blow out her candles.

There are things going on at Random and Odd that will not allow me to be there, and I know she understands and hopes she can forgive me for not being

there.
If anyone knows anything about cleaning out the proverbial house, it’s my mom.  She is an example of how people can go from good to bad to good to bad to

good to bad to good again.  She is the finest example of people who have come so far with so little.  She is the epitome of how to do something wrong, then

make it right again.  She is an example that I live by, for both the bad and the good.
She has taught me so much by example the woman I want to be.

Happy Birthday, you old hag!

Love,

Your  Obama voting, gay supporting, gun controlled and HOPE FILLED daughter,
or AKA…your favorite,

Kristine :)

(also, much love from her husband…FIVE kids (you were right mom, I had 5!) and TWO obnoxiously adorable dogs!)

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05
Nov
Fuck it, It’s back!!
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
You heard it right, I’m bringing it back!
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 5th 2008 — YOUR SPATULA! Yes, that thing you flip shit with. You know, the melted thing in your drawer with the flat surface? Yeah, that

thing. Take a picture of it. Get artsy, dress it up, make it dance. I don’t care!!

Post your picture on your blog, facebook, myspace, flickr (wherever it is that you post stuff) and then come let me know ON FRIDAY and we can come check

you out.

The new rule: no more, “I played” comments. CONVINCE us to come to your site and see what you have.  SELL US.  Tell me you’re handing out free ipods or

Oprah is guest starring. I don’t care.

Do you have a weekly meme? (what the hell does that mean anyway?) Tell me about it, I might want to play. *shrug*

Comments (13)  //  Add Comment
05
Nov
History is still yet to be made…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
It’s 1:04 am and I have been waiting for all the votes for our state to come in before I wrote what I wanted to write, but just sitting here talking to my most

wonderfully, well spoken friend, Bryan, I realize there is something to be said without a victory in a stand my children made.

I’ve been reading the MySpace, Facebook and Twittering from all my children and their friends and I am blown away by their words, their passion and what

they believe in.  I couldn’t be more proud of my children and the people they chose to surround themselves with.   Each one of them should be VERY proud

of themselves for being smarter, stronger and more tolerant than I was or probably ever will be.  Each one of them should be proud for making it clear to me

that they aren’t going to let hope die.  All of my children, celebrate today and everyday, not because something you stood up for didn’t pass, but because you

are smarter than all of us. You’ve shown me you’ll make a change in this world.

Most people are celebrating because we won the vote for change.  Guess what America? We haven’t seen anything yet.  Our children are being raised knowing

that equality is right. They are being raised so differently than we were.  When OUR children are voting…then we are going to see what our country is really

made of!  I am one of the most luckiest parents in the whole world to know that my children have huge hearts, open minds and voice that will not silenced.

This is a great start though.

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04
Nov
GO VOTE TODAY! & take a picture!
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random




DID YOU VOTE?

UPDATE:  I voted! Sorry Dad, Sorry Mom…your little girl went the other way! I know you still love me…well, I know my mom does.
Tyler, Marina, Shaun, The girls and I went into the polling place (no line) and I had just dropped Kara off so she could do her last day of standing up for what

she believes in:


kara’s sidekick picture

I had the girls hang out with me as I filled in the little bubbles with the black pen.  They felt like they were sneaking into Santa’s workshop and getting a sneak

peek.
I’m not going to tell you what happened and why I needed to go back and get another ballot because I screwed up on my first one, but if you don’t believe in

the power of signs in your face 24/7 then you’re nuts.

After I loaded it into the machine I asked the guy if I could keep the pen.  The men and women seemed a little hesitant, but I said, “This is the pen I voted

with. THIS means something to me. Please.” and they said yes and they were rewarded with a hug.

Send me the link to your voting picture! If you already voted and didn’t get a picture…that’s okay, it’s November 4th, 2008…step outside and take a picture,

because today history is going to be made.

If you leave me a comment with your link to your blog, I’ll come comment and encourage others to see your ‘I voted’ picture!

It’s okay if you didn’t take a picture during the voting (you can’t..it’s against the law!), go take a picture of something you love…today is a day in history, have

a picture to remember it by, even if it has nothing to do with voting!

ARE YOU VOTING PEOPLE? COME ON!! SEND ME YOUR LINKS!!

Comments (34)  //  Add Comment
04
Nov
he votes tomorrow. how friggin’ exciting is THAT?
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random



We are currently less than one half hour away from November 4th.
This is the first year that Tyler gets to vote.
This is also the first year I am voting on what I believe in and not what my father has convinced me was the right thing to do with his endless chatter.

Last week I got to visit my brother. I was certain we would spend 20 minutes together and then I would rush out the door. How wrong I was. I spent FIVE

HOURS with my brother.  Only one hour of that was staring at him as if my dad had possessed his body.  I wanted to debate with him, but it was clear that he

had his mind made up.
I asked him, “What if I was a lesbian, you wouldn’t want me to get married?”
He stopped for a second and laughed and said, “I don’t want to see you kissing another chick.”
He might be the only man alive that have ever muttered those words.
He insisted that I should listen to Rush Limbaugh and then decide. That was all I needed to hear. I said, “I think you should listen to everyone else and then

decide.” That was all he needed to hear.

He did say, if Obama gets elected that in ten years we will be paying 10 for a gallon of gas. I might need to write those words down because it was from my

other brother that insisted that the whole ‘gayness’ came from two satanist having sex. He totally denies that, but who can forget something that absurd?

We decided it was best to talk about our past and oddly enough, reminiscing about those horrors were better than talking politics.

I’m so excited about tomorrow that I am not even concerned that there is a doctor that is going to shove more stuff inside of me, take my urine and run more

blood tests.  The odds that I will be put on yet another antibiotic isn’t either bothering me.
No, that’s not true. I am concerned. I’m scared shitless. I’m learning though that I am doing this on my own. I am stronger than I have ever given myself

credit for.
I can walk this walk. I’ve been here before and I can do anything I put my mind to.

….and tomorrow…we either dance a little dance of victory or we keep fighting for the truth and for what is right.  That goes for this country and for my damned

kidney!

Comments (10)  //  Add Comment

01
Dec
NO F*ing WAY!
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


I have been wanting to say, “Fuck this shit” all day long. I’m not sure why, part of the cursing regime I am on.

Unfortunately, Alyx has been laying next to me all day and I have had to curb my nightly cursing to, “no, i love you more darn it.”
I figured since she was looming so closely, I wasn’t going to be able to do anything fun like play poker, leave anonymous hate mail or surf for porn…so the

next best thing was going to read dooce.  With the new baby on the way, perhaps, JUST perhaps…I could read it quickly with hope of only an innuendo that

Alyx wouldn’t understand.  Nope. Right there in all caps. HANDJOB.  *cringe* *scroll down, scroll down* *tilt screen away from Alyx*.

Alyx says, “Hmm, mom?”
and I have to quickly change her direction of thinking and I click on the picture of Chuck, “LOOK, he has cheetos on his nose!”

I should have just surfed for porn!

So, with all that said.  It’s fucking December already?  WHO THE HELL FORGOT TO SEND ME THE MEMO?  Finding out it’s December 1st through Twitter is

never a way to be introduced to the month of hell.
This means for one whole year, (after this month) I will have made one of those magazine covers every month.  I stuck with something for one whole year.
I managed to stay on antibiotics for 6 months straight. Stilllll on ‘em.  Yes. STILL. Someone tell me that is NOT right.

Hmmm, what does next year hold for me? What can I stick to next year?  MAYBE next year will be the year that I can actually do something with the back yard?

MAYBE it will be the year I catch up on all my bills? MAYBE it will be the year I donate all my organs for lab testing….oh wait, doing that already. MAYBE,

maybe this upcoming year will be better than this year was. Because hands down, this year fucking sucked.  Can I get an AMEN?

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28
Nov
SPF: Yeah, it’s noon.
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


Sweet huh?  this is what happens when you hand the camera to the kids and hope they get some good ones of Thanksgiving.

Our Turkey Day was quiet.  It didn’t feel the same as usual.

Now on to Christmas.

Which one of you crazy people went out and actually shopped?  I would rather chop off my right arm then do that Black Friday shopping thing.  What’s the

draw? I see the deals, but then I think, “it will be GONE before I even got there.”

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27
Nov
Thanksgiving Day!
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Kara here! I’m almost shaking knowing that I am writing on R&O! ME!! I know my mom will assasinate me if I say ‘like’ or if I spell something wrong, so I’m

going to spell check the crap out of this thing! Good thing my mom leaves herself pre-logged in. hehe. She has no idea I’m writing this, and i’m just

squeeling with excitement for the minuite she opens this and see’s that I did this for her.

This Thanksgiving, I have to say, hand’s down, goes to my mom. She has gone through more than you could ever read on this blog. I’ve been there through

all of it, and I have to say, for a woman who’s never been in a war, she is the biggest hero. She has been nothing less than the best mom anyone could ask

for. She’s always been up there for the best mom, and that’s how she’s always been. But the last couple month’s she has really shown me how amazing she

really is.

When we were coming home from Ally’s soccer game, and we saw all those people that had those ‘yes on 8′ signs out, my little sisters and I looked at my

mom and said “Can we make our own signs and stand out there mom?” she said yes.  She took us home and stood there pointing out thing’s we should do

to make it better. I kept looking up in admiration, just thinking, ‘this, is my mom.’. While the weeks past, I saw the effect of the parent’s that DIDN’T approve of

their kid’s views. Watching parent’s scold their kids because they felt strongly about something, made me cherish my mom giving me that option. When she

said to me, “you have made me the proudest mom.” she didn’t know that she made me the proudest child. My mom didn’t put me off because I was young, or

couldn’t vote. My mom she listened to everything I had to say, and she never sugarcoated anything because of how old I am. Treating me like an adult made

me feel even closer to my mom.

So mom, this one’s for you. I love you more than you could ever know, or ever read. You will get better because you are strong, and by you being so strong,

you have made me strong. Thank you for being my mom.

xoxo,Kara

What are you giving thanks for?

[also, since I don't wanna mess this thing up, this was suppost to go with a video, you can see that video here.]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPt8_agGa8E

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26
Nov
HAPPY GOBBLE GOOBLE!!
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


Getting this out there before the big day and the chaos begins. I will have my camera on lock and load all day tomorrow in hopes of catching something

wonderful to share.

Thank you so much every one for all the wonderful Thanksgiving messages and well wishes.

Right now it’s the place if, ‘it’s not one thing, it’s another’.   I’m trying SO hard to get myself off of every single pill they have me on so I can start getting my

life back on a healthy track!

Have a great day!  Send hope, if you have some to spare!

Love,
Kristine :)

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25
Nov
Workin’ Workin’ Workin’
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


It seems like as soon as the batteries for the cameras are charged it times to rush out and do another shoot. Me complaining? NO WAY!

My back has been on the fritz lately.  Normally I would say ‘out’, but I can walk and when it’s ‘out-out’, then I crawl. I can walk and after 4 or 5 days on the

heating pad, I can stand somewhat upright…meaning normal for me.

Yesterday I woke up and I felt EXACTLY like I did a couple months ago. The full-on train wreck I was.  My kidney hurt, the bladder was screaming and I felt hot

and cold and woozy.
Keep in mind I am STILL on antibiotics. People seem to think that I have ‘finished’ them. I have to finish 100 pills and then I get to go back to the doctor and

see how well those antibiotics did. I think I have a little over a week left.

So yesterday,  I doubled my dose and popped cranberry pills like tic-tacs.   Today, I feel a bit better. Enough to want to be able to leave the house and get

some damn food. Woman can not survive on coffee and chocolate donuts alone! I was more than willing to try and be the human test subject.

I got some fantastic news yesterday, and for those of you that pay attention just know– I think this one might actually wear a bra!! I’ve been calling for weeks

and weeks and NO ONE calls me back. I was too excited to ask her for too many details on her practice & besides how do you start that conversation?
“Hi, I totally need help! I will take the first appointment you have, do you wear a bra and copy stuff out of a therapy book?”
Hmm, now that I re-read that, maybe I would have gotten an earlier appointment if I had.
Anyway, PLEASE pray this is the one.
If you have any other prayer left in there, throw one in for the stupid kidney too.

Things are actually, despite how it looks; sick, broke, broken…I’m doing pretty darn good.  I’m relaxed and not on edge. I’m going to be alright after all.

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21
Nov
Strange memory…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random

dan’s laptop in his truck.

My back has been out for a week. It might be the medication I’m on, but I had a thought that actually made me giggle.

I use to work for this woman. We shall call her ‘nut job’.  She had the best legal secretary working for her at the time, but it wouldn’t be long before she was

leaving to take the bar and needed a replacement.
I ended up becoming her replacement.
When she gave me all the instructions, she would make a point of letting me know the ‘really’ important things I had to remember by doing this ‘she’s a nut-

job’ eye roll.  The majority of my job consisted of answering the phone, logging the time I was on the phone, putting together the cases, filing out people’s

divorce papers, filing the papers, issuing the papers, hiring the detectives (yes, people would go that far) and basically doing everything, but go to court to

plead the case.

My boss had some strange requirements of me, but the ones I found most amusing were the computer related ones.
“Kristine, I need you to change the icons on the computer.”  She didn’t like certain icons because they ‘freaked her out’.  Like most people, she didn’t like the

paper clip that would come out and try to help her. She was certain it was evil and she would ‘pay me extra’ if I could make him go away and never come back!

One morning I came into work and she met me in my office, looking very serious.  “Go in the conference room, we need to talk privately.”  There was no one

in either one of our offices, but she seemed serious so I followed her.
In a whisper she said, “I need you to go into my office and very carefully turn on my computer. It wants the password, you know what it is.  Enter it and when

everything comes up, let me know…but whisper to me when you’re ready for me to come back.”

I took note of the distress on her face and it made me wonder if some disgruntled ex-husband had rigged her computer to explode if she started it up.

Her computer was already on, but she shook her head violently and gave me the hand movements to restart it. I did and the password cue came up. I looked

at her for permission and she shook her head to enter it.  After I entered the password and everything started opening she whispered, ‘Open Office Word’.  I

did so and the document she was working on popped open.
She crept up to the desk and asked me to slowly move my hands and she placed her hands where mine once were.
“Thank you.”
“Sure.”

That not being one of the crazier things she has asked me to do, I didn’t even question it.  She came out about an hour later and said, “Shit, it’s on to me! can

you come back in here for a minute and do me a favor?”  I got up from my desk and made my way back to her and she asked me to start typing what she was

saying.   After I finished it and hit the save button, she shared her problem with me.
“You see, this computer it knows when I am using it and it won’t work right. It only works when you or the other secretary start with it.  It’s because it knows

the pressure of the keyboard when I use it.  Sometimes I just have to trick it into not knowing it’s me that using it.”

When I left her office to work for the court house, I didn’t have the opportunity to talk to the person replacing me. I did have to call a few times about some

papers that were filed by her office and when I did, the poor guy sounded like he too had lost his mind.
She went out of business within a year of me leaving the office.  She probably just left the computer there.

It WAS out to get her, you know.

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20
Nov
STUFF PORTRAIT FRIDAY — Ice Cream
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random

I’m still working on my ‘ice cream’ picture. I don’t have any ice cream. I am more apt to putting a picture of me that represents ‘I SCREAM’ because that is

what this month has pretty much turned into. 20 something odd days of me just wanting to scream.  Some days I laughed so hard I nearly peed my pants.

Some days, I sat quietly and screamed inside.
I’m not a big screamer. I’m certain if you were to ask my ex-husband, he would beg to differ, but he’s an idiot so don’t listen to him.

Alyx is juked up on sugar and that means I can’t concentrate.  Maybe tomorrow I will have the picture up.

Did you play? (that’s for all you that have been waiting for me to say that.)

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20
Nov
I updated it like days ago!
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
I did! I did update SPF.  Seeee. I made it Ice Cream.  I’m going to do a twist on it to “I scream” because I don’t think I can take much more of this smiling.

Who knows, tomorrow might be a better day and I’ll post ‘Ice Cream’.  Maybe I will make myself into an ice princess. I don’t know, but I am going to twist this

SPF around a bit because I can’t afford ice cream!!

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18
Nov
Stupid Morgage Company!
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


It took them over a week to process my payment.

Trying to find the positives in this:

1. I will remember what Top Ramien tastes like.
2. I will have to quit smoking and eating. (healthier lifestyle)
3. Won’t have to put gas in my car. (saving time at the pump)
4. The phone won’t be ringing all the time. (Peaceful, quiet time)
5. Will be grateful for what do have right now.

Suh-weet! Whoever thought poverty didn’t have it’s upside  hasn’t been screwed by their mortgage company for 2 straight years in a row…every single month.

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17
Nov
it’s all good!
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


*hold on, I hear puppies*
Do you know how hard it is to do anything when someone sends you a link to a live feed of puppies?
They sleep a lot, but I keep it on in another tab and all the sudden I’ll hear a whimper and tab over to it to see one of them awake and chewing on another

puppy. I wish my monitor had smell so when they yawn I can smell the puppy breath!

I need suggestions for SPF for this Friday. Any suggestions?

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12
Dec
Rocking this party 8 days a week!
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
So it’s been a few days of absolutely NO pills in my body.  Like I mentioned, If none of them are working, I’m not taking any of them. I also stopped all soda,

coffee and sugar…just in case!
A couple of days it seemed alright. My insides still hurt, but I could manage it with 800 mg of Ibuprofen.
This morning I woke up and nearly passed out with the pain.

I called the doctor at 8am and told the nurse, “I’m coming in to take ANOTHER urine test.”
Kaiser’s lab has seen more of my urine than a men’s bathroom at Yankee stadium.
When I got there, it had gotten worse.
I took the test and decided, “Fuck it, I’m going to sit in the office until he sees me.”
Getting an appointment with this certain urologist is harder than getting Jonas Brother concert tickets.
I went to the receptionist and said, “Hi, my name is Kristine, I called this morning….”
“Oh yeah, I have a little post-it to remind me to call you later today…”
“I’m peeing blood.”
“Alrighty then, we are going to need  you to give us a urine sample.”
I told her that I just gave them one at the lab and she said, “He’s going to want me to run it and look at it.”
When you have bladder infection, it doesn’t take long to have to pee so I took her little cup and made a dash to the bathroom.
After I was done, the nurse came out a few minutes later with eyes wide and said, “STAY HERE. He will see you soon!”
I guess when your pee looks like strawberry lemonade they start taking you serious.

The doctor came in and said, “You have an infection!”
The next words should have been, “NO DUH.” but I said, “THANK YOU!” who thanks their doctor for an infection?
He put down my pee cup and said, “This is a BAD infection.”
“Let’s fix this!” I said half happy, half trying not to pee myself. (It had been 4 minutes since the last trip the bathroom)
He was in between appointment with people had sold their kidney to see him so he had to give me the news and run back out. This went on for a good hour.
During this hour I had ran to the bathroom SIX times.
His last visit I asked him, “What’s our next step?”
and then he said that word that made me cringe.
“Antibiotics.”
We went over all the antibiotics that I couldn’t take anymore and he was very discouraged about the outcome.

I’m big on ‘personal space’ and try to make sure that people don’t get into mine and I stay out of theirs. I got all into his personal space and I asked him, “Be

honest with me…brutally honest…what do you think the problem is?”
He has known that I’m frustrated by all of this because I have seen him so many times and every time he tells me he doesn’t know what it is, I nearly break

down and have a crying fit on his floor.
He avoided this question and talked about what we could do.
“No, tell me. At this point, you can’t tell me anything that is going to make my life worse, unless you told me that all my kids were in a car accident with my

sister and mom and they are all dead.  If it’s cancer, let’s start some chemotherapy.”
He hesitated, but told me what he thinks it is.
“I think it’s E Coli.” He waited for the break down.
“Okay, how do we get rid of it?” I had a name. Merry Christmas, I have a name!
“The thing is, you’ve been on so many antibiotics and it’s compromised your immune system and your ability to take anything will get rid of it.”
“Alright, worst case?”
“It could be fatal.  The best case is we get the results back and we put you in the hospital for a couple days and have you take the antibiotics through a IV.”

I find out on Monday.

The doctor gave me shot in the ass with antibiotics and put me on some serious oral antibiotics.  I go back on Friday for a follow up appointment.

Pros:
I MIGHT have the name to what is wrong.
I MIGHT be able to fix this!

Cons:
This antibiotic is making me want to hurl.
I might be spending my holidays in the hospital.
Another weekend spent in bed fighting this stupid thing.
I will never, ever, ever eat meat again if this is the problem.

Anyone else know anyone who’d had this problem?  I know just a little bit more than zero (thanks wikipedia) about this.

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11
Dec
SPF: SOMETHING RED
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: stuff portrait friday


Well, you were all expecting something all red huh? Naw. Not me. Today was a super busy day.
I decided to use this picture because I’ve been thinking about my Grandma a lot lately.

It’s been 14 years since she passed away, but sometimes I swear I can still hear her talking to me. Telling me little secrets about how to handle something.

She was a smart one.
I miss her. She would say right now, “Well, Krissy, you just need to just need to [secret] and [secret]” and damn that woman would be spot on!

DID YOU PLAY?

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11
Dec
Protected: PP. lol, how fitting!
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below:

Password:

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10
Dec
going..going…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
It’s been six months of pain, pill and frustration.
I started the antibiotics; allergic reaction.
I started different antibiotics; allergic reaction.
2 MRI’s
2 Ultrasounds
3 different urologists.
2 doctors.
2 OBGYN docs.
1 snazzy trip to the ER.
HUNDREDS of dollars on pills/visits
So many ‘second opinions’.

The last bit of pills — It’s all I can take anymore.

I’m stopping all the pills.  I’m not sure what that will do, but it can’t be any worse than the pain I am in now.

This upcoming year, I can only say there HAS to be changes.

**updated SPF**see above.

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07
Dec
Damn it!
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
Well, I thought yesterday those pills were it. I went all day without the ‘episode’, and I actually thought to myself, ‘you know what? I can handle the ringing in

my ears and the dizzyness, and maybe I will get use to it and drive again soon!” I had hope yesterday.

Hope was lost this morning.   The infection-like feeling is back.

Pros:
I am not  80 year old man with prostate problems.
I tried it, it didn’t work, one less thing to test in the future.
I will be able to drive.
I wasn’t allergic to the medication and didn’t have to go through the hives like the last time.
Spent the weekend with a spinning head, ringing ears, hangover feeling without all the crazy stories of, “OH MY GOD, do you remember what you did last

night?” and reenactments of me dancing on the bar.

Cons:
It didn’t work.
More antibiotics.

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06
Dec
I did not pass out!
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
It’s looking like my inability to sleep is so stubborn that even a pill that will drop my blood pressure so low that it causes blacking out, will not work on me.

Who would have guessed I would be happy for the stubborn no-sleep gene?

I took the pill last night and then realized I didn’t ask the doctor, “If I pass out, do I have someone wake me?”
GOOGLE.
Yes, someone was going to need to wake me, prop my feet up, get the blood going back to my hear and such.  I figured within 20 minutes the pill would be in

my system and the tunnel vision would happen. It didn’t. Something even more fun happened.

Imagine if you will that feeling you get right after you get off the Gravitron at the fair.  I wasn’t spinning, it just felt like had been spinning for 5 solid minutes

with Metalica playing at volume 11 for two hours.  The sicky-spinny-going-to-hurl-my-funnel-cake feeling along with this ringing so loud I can’t hear anything

else.

So far, I haven’t had an ‘episode’. I can stand up and walk, but I look drunk doing it.  I have decided that if the ringing in my ears don’t stop, I will take a q-tip

and jab my ear drums out.

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05
Dec
“how did the doctor’s visit go?”
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
Yesterday sucked, so how could today get any worse? I can go visit my doctor.

“So what happened?” he asks.
I tell him about how after Thanksgiving I forgot to take an antibiotic and how within 24 hours of not taking the pill, I am right back to where I was before. With a

bladder infection.
“No, it’s not an infection.”
*sigh* That’s right. I had ‘that thing that feels EXACTLY like a bladder infection.’
“So you took one antibiotic a night for around 90 days and you missed one and had an ‘episode’?”
I confirm that it was like I was right back to July when this whole thing started.
“Well, I guess that procedure we did…didn’t work.”
*duh*
This is where I start crying about just wanting to know what it is and for him to just tell me.
“Honestly, we don’t know.  But you can’t be on those antibiotics forever, so let’s put you on this NEW pill. It’s usually only prescribed to older men with

prostate problems, but it might work for you.”
*blink* thinking to myself, ‘oh my god…i am an 80 year old man…you must get over this and ask him side effects.’
“What are the side effects?”
And this is where I get the shocking news.
“Well, you have really low blood pressure normally and this drug will actually drop your blood pressure even lower. So the first 3 or so pills, you’re going to

pass out….”
“Whoa, wait…like, tunnel vision pass out?”
“Yeah. But that will go away after about the 3rd pill. After that for the next three weeks, you’re going to be REALLY dizzy all the time so be careful getting up

too fast.”
*blink* What.the.fuck? *blink*
“Can I drive?”
“Well, with your blood pressure the way it is, I wouldn’t advise it.”
—–i can’t drive for THREE weeks? CUT OUT THE FUCKING BLADDER AND KIDNEY THEN!—-
More tears.
“Oh, and just to be sure we have gotten everything, I am doing a full exam on you. So that procedure we did on you, we are going to try that one more time

and be more thorough.”
OH MY GOD.  “You’re doing that AGAIN?”
“Yes, this time we are going to test everything and try to onset your condition so we can see what is going on in there when you’re having an ‘episode’. ”
And so I ask…”Anything else?” tears. tears. tears.
“Blood work. I’m running EVERY test we have on you.”

I walked away with pills that will cause me to pass out due to low blood pressure going lower and ELEVEN viles of blood now missing from my body.

ELEVEN.

Yes, as a matter of fact my life is a made for television show. It’s called — HOUSE.

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04
Dec
SPF: A gift you have been given…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


Kimmy, who I can’t say enough about, is totally awesome and gave me her old Ipod. She will never in a million years know how much this means to me. I

know I have said that before, but really…it means the world to me.  She knew it was something I have always wanted…and when she got a new one, she gifted

me with her old one.

It meant so much to me, I made a set on flickr for it. I hope to update it with different pictures, in different places. Maybe that will be next years mission along

with the magazine covers.

I have finally learned how to make playlists and I have a friend I have been asking, “Hey, music dork [he says, music daddy, i disagree.] give me musical

suggestions!” and he has so I think it’s almost creepy that he has his own ‘playlist’ on my ipod. I figure this way, if I am playing music and I say, “Whoa,

where did this lame/great song come from?” I can check where it’s coming from and say, “Ohhh, I see!”.   God forbid I download (legally, of course, Ruka) a

lame song and not be able to blame it on someone else.
He has me hooked on Ray LaMontagne right now.

I got flowers today too!

Did you play?

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04
Dec
Why does all the spam mail come in around midnight?
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: stuff portrait friday


It seems like I get all those weird spam mails after midnight. I wonder if those people work from home or if they are dragging themselves into the office at 3

am to start mass emailing. Maybe it’s a machine that send them out? I don’t know, spam is like magic, best if I don’t know how it gets there, just that it does.

So, it totally felt like Tuesday all day today.  Now it’s Thursday and I feel like I missed a whole day. What did I accomplish in that lost day? A trip to the store

and some minor anxiety attacks about…oh, everything.

I did get to visit with my friend Ruka tonight for a little while.  I’m pretty sure I have a sickness, I mean, other than the one that is eating away at my

kidney/bladder.  She had an ipod. It looks like mine. (every time I say I have an ipod it makes me tingly) anyway, hers has colors.  So my new mission is to

convince her to buy a BIGGER ipod and give me her old one. AND THIS WILL START MY COLLECTION OBSESSION WITH IPODS!   I have mentioned in past

posts (that I refuse to go find for your reading pleasure) that if I have one of something, I need 2. then three. then four.  You all know how many digital

cameras are in my house right? WAY TOO MANY. Some big, some small, some that are nearly 10 years old. I can’t stop.  Before that it was watches.  I have

one watch I wear and it’s the kind you have to wind up…but a drawer full of watches.
THANK GOD I don’t have an obsession with like diamonds or something, cause that would get pricey. No one just sends people diamonds. But then again,

who sends people ipods either? Kimmy does. She might be one of those non-obsessive-collection people.  I’m rambling.

So it’s Thursday and you have your SPF (look up to the right, see, I do update it!) and it’s A GIFT YOU HAVE RECEIVED. This month is all about giving.

Anyone need a watch?
I’m actually going to put some effort into this one. Like work hard at making it just right. Capture the beauty of a gift.
I love my red stapler that The Merry Widow sent me back in 2005. When I use it as my default picture, people think i’m holding a dildo.

Didn’t think we were going to make it out of this blog without something totally offensive did you?

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02
Dec
postcard from the 2001 kristine
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
I’m trying to locate the bedroom floor again.  It’s weird how many times I do that in a month huh?

I stumbled on about 7 old check books.  Not that anyone could actually get anything if they stole my identity, but I do take some precautions and destroying

checkbooks from accounts that are not active is one of them.  I found the carbon copy from some checks I had written years ago and decided to look at them

before I began my destruction ripping.

It’s was like the past-me came up to now-me and slapped me right in the face. HARD.
I spent money on real hair care products. I spent money on books from the old book store from the town over. I had a lunch with a friend. I spent Monday

night at a place to watch football with others around me and I bought a drink. I took my car in for oil changes.   I enrolled in college.

I know just going through an old check book register does not really reveal the person I was and what I was going through at that time, because only I know

where I was in my head…it just looked pretty good on paper for a minute.

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31
Dec
I’m not usually one for doing this, but…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


This year I am making actual resolutions.  Normally what happens is about 10 minutes before midnight I come up with something stupid that I have to do one

year solid.
A couple of examples was while at the old folks bar I use to hang out with, I decided that I would have to have a green olive every time I was there.  I hate

green olives with a passion, so this would be hard to stick to.
It was so hard when the bartenders there were my witness, so the moment I would walk into the place they would push an olive on a tooth pick for me and

make me eat it before they would put my Captain and Coke together for me.
Another year, Tyler and I decided at the last minute that we would go a whole year without listening to Fall Out Boys. It was more of a self preservation act

because it was during the time that the girls were obsessed with them and we were going to either Thelma and Louise it off a cliff or beat them to death with

their Ipods.

This last year goes down as the worst year of my life.  I was stupid enough to keep saying, “How much worse can it get?” and Karma/God/Higher Spirit would

then release a swarm of locust to invade my life or a rash that would take over my whole body.  I am still learning to veer away from ever asking that question.

In this year, though…I have learned so very much about myself, my friends, my body and how much I can take before I bend so far I snap.   2008 was going to

be the best year because I had convinced myself that it was.  The first half wasn’t so bad, but then again, It was THAT good either.  This last month has been

like someone finally handed me a flash light and said, “Take a peek.”  and the dark corners of my life scared me.  There was also some other things I saw that

brought back some wonderful feelings.  There use to be this one girl who had the world in her hands and was not afraid of it.  The last six months have scared

me to death.

This month is just a nice, gentle segue into my new life.   I may never be that girl who ran head first into any situation and never feared the outcome. I may

never be able to stray to far from the life I have now because of the limitations my health has put on me, but damn it if I am not going to try.  Some people

have said, “Die trying.” and I always thought that was a stupid thing to say…now I get it.   I’m going to fall in love with the new life I have ahead of me…or die

trying.

“Get busy living, or get busy dying.” Andy Dufresne The Shawshank Redemption.

For those for of you that are at peace. I hope 2009 leaves you with more of that.  For those of you ready to step off and take more than you think you can

handle…grab my hand, I’m jumping with you.  For everyone of you, I hope 2009 is full of Hope and beauty.

Love,
Kristine :)

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28
Dec
this sums it up.
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


This pretty much sums up our whole Christmas break. It was spent reading the Twilight Series.
Dan brought the girls to see Twilight at the movies and Kara decided she needed to read the book.  She finished the book pretty fast, which is unlike her

normal reading habits.  She became, shall we say, obsessed with it.
When she finished reading it, she nudged it towards me and I was pretty dead set AGAINST reading it for the simple fact that she was obsessed with it and me

not reading it would drive her absolutely, stark raving mad.

She put the book on my bed and since I was bored I decided I would read the first chapter and then I could say, “I tried.”
Damn it if I didn’t finish the book in 5 hours.  I knew she finished the second book that day and was going to give it to her friend at school so she could read

it over break.  So, I crept into her room and fished it out of her book bag.  I finished the book shortly after she left for school.  Now I would have to wait for her

to finish the 3rd book before I could start it.  Damn it.  I had remembered that I bought her the 3rd book, but it was a Christmas gift.  I ended up opening it up

and letting her read it so I could get my hands on it.
She finished it pretty fast and I started on it before we left for Redding.  It took me longer to read this one because I was stalling for Kara to make her way

through the fourth book.
Now I finished the last chapter today and since Kara wasn’t reading her book, I decided to pick it up and get a head start. MAJOR MISTAKE.  She is almost

half way through it and I am close on her heels.  She came into my room and said, “Mom, can I have the book back.”
I wanted to say, “If you can pry it out of my cold, dead hands!” (pardon the pun) but decided it was best if I let my daughter have her book back.  It’s a good

thing she’s reading. Right?  So yeah.  Now I’m bored. WAITING to figure out what happens next.
Unlike her mother, she has to sleep. :)

I had no plans on reading the stupid books. Now I am wondering if I can scrounge up some money to go see the stupid movie.

Oh, and for those of you that have read them. I’m Team Jacob.

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26
Dec
You have officially seen it all now!
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


Spending Christmas eve with my family was so beyond awesome.
When I have a few minutes I will have to tell you stories about my crazy family, but right now…I’m getting ready for a photo shoot.

As you can see, I dyed my hair brown.  Shaun doesn’t know what to think of it.  In fact, my whole family said NOTHING about it.  There was a new topic not to

bring up at dinner.  Don’t talk about religion, politics OR Kristine’s hair color.
12 years ago I dyed my hair magenta. It was so dark, but in the sunlight it was a purple color.  When I walked into the house, Dan looked at me said, “That

better be a wig.”  It took awhile for that color to come out.  For a year, I saw purple every time I took a shower.
This isn’t nearly as drastic, but for those around me…I can tell they are having a problem getting use to seeing me with it so dark.  They never say anything

and probably won’t.  Polite people…gotta love em.
In Shaun’s head though I can hear him screaming, “I HATE IT! I WANT THE BLOND BACK!”
Ahhh, he’ll get use to it…and by that time, I will be ready for another new color! :)

I also chose to add that I had smoke in my hand.  I’m hoping it’s one of those pictures that I will look at later in life and say, “Eww, I smoked. gross.”  Who

knows, I might be that old lady with the voice box.

I have today and tomorrow left of the last of the antibiotics.  YAY! for the ending of the horrible ringing in my ears! Whoo hooo!! I will never again take for

granted the silence in my head. I thought there was noise always going on, but it’s not until you have tinnitus, that you realize how quiet things were BEFORE.

 It’s one of the side effects of this pill. Reading all the other ones I COULD have had, I guess this isn’t SO bad.  I mean, other than the constant rave I have

going on in there.

I hope you all had a GREAT Christmas/holiday.  I did! :)

So what did you get for Christmas??? Show me some pictures!!

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23
Dec
Protected: Just in Case my Computer Crashes
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
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21
Dec
He’s Perfect for me!
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
It’s been awhile since I have been able to get my favorite part of Christmas, an ugly Christmas Tree!
As mentioned on my blog, this year was sort of one of those ‘iffy years.
We weren’t really even sure we would send out Christmas cards.
Avoiding all the stores before Christmas, we snuck out around closing time to find a present for his office party. That’s when I saw they had Christmas trees

for $9.99.
Our normal Christmas tree usually cost between 40-60 bucks.
My logical way of thinking was, “Since I hadn’t planed on getting a tree and since I’m spending so little to get a tree…it’s okay to get the tree I have been

missing!”
I asked the guy to give me the ugliest tree they had!
The guy looked at me like I was nuts, which he had every right to. “We have these really nice ones over here.” He steered me towards the large Noble Fir trees.
“No, I want the ugliest one. I want the tree that no one else will buy.”
He laughed, but realized I was being serious. I would have to just show how dedicated I was, “Show me the tree that people have been making fun of and

calling it the ‘Charlie Brown Tree.’ ”
He turned around and by this one pillar was this 6 footer that was missing nearly half of it’s branches on one side.  The gaps between the branches were

ridiculous.
“That’s the one I want!  Now when my husband comes up he’s going to raise his eyebrows and convince me this is not a good idea.  Don’t let me cave in!”
As soon as Shaun came over to look at the tree I had picked and saw the enthusiasm I had for the ugly tree, he shook his head.  I instantly told the guy, “Bad

idea, show me a nice tree.”
The guy would never make a good sponsor for an alcoholic, he let me cave in within second. “There is this big one right here!” he started cutting the twine off

of it so he could show it’s magnificently perfect branches.
I kept staring back at the ugly tree.  I envisioned him with my big ugly bulbs that Shaun hate with all my dorky ornaments on it.  It would have truly made an

ugly sight!
“Get the tree you want, Kristine.” Shaun said.
“I WANT THE UGLY ONE!!” I told the guy to stop cutting and put my ugly tree in the back of the truck.

With everything going on, we decided that we would have to decorate it this weekend. On Saturday I decided to do something I use to do all the time, years

ago. I would ‘theme’ my tree.  This year, it was blue and silver.  Still my favorite was the year I had the tree done in plaids and reds, but this is pretty darn

cute.

So 20 bucks in decorations, 40 ornaments, 250 plain white lights,and 36 feet of garland…we have our tree that will end our 2008 year.

My Great Ugly tree was a sport as he was layered with blues and silvers and he only once reminded me, ‘You know, those are sort of Dallas Cowboy colors.”

and it only took threatening to not water him for him to never mention that little fact again.

Internet, this is Leo…my perfectly imperfect Christmas tree!



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18
Dec
Another Random and Odd Christmas!
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random


We neglected to decorate for Christmas.  I mean, I put out a new door mat and there is a undecorated tree waiting at the front door to come in from the cold,

but it hasn’t been decorated.
We decided last minute to send Christmas cards.  We got the smallest amount possible because money is tight and it was going to be a ro-sham-bo on who

filled them out and sent them.  I lost.
They finally got to their destinations today and I felt it was time to share with all my OTHER family (that’s you guys).

By the way, you all rock!  I’ve gotten more Christmas cards from readers than from anyone else. I feel guilty I didn’t send any out to anyone but family, but

next year, I promise I will not only get the Christmas cards done early, I will rub each one on my lucky left boob before I put it in the envelope!  Deal?

Since I will be at the doctors all day tomorrow (spf) doing sonograms, mri’s and general probing the crotch and internal organs I won’t be able to play SPF.

SPF: Your Christmas Cards; Your favorite card. For those of you that don’t celebrate the Holly Jolly Day: A plant
(yes, I know I’m reaching…)
And BTW; for those you that suck at keeping track of the days, TOMORROW is FRIDAY!

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17
Dec
Updated…
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
My doctor called me last night. He said, “Stay on the antibiotics. Then we can put you on some more antibiotics. When that is done, we can put you on

suppressant antibiotics.”

What part of, “I AM SICK OF BEING ON ANTIBIOTICS!” did he not understand last Friday?

If this is the bad boy of all antibiotics and the E Coli isn’t ‘high grade’ as I was told earlier, then why do I need to stay on antibiotics after this round of the shit

that will kill anthrax and small pox?  Shouldn’t that be enough? Isn’t SIX months of antibiotics enough to kill this stuff?

When is this going to be over?

UPDATED…update:
In addition to the main problem…I should add the back ache I’ve had for about 2 weeks. They don’t normally last that long and within the last two days it’s

come down to just a pinched nerve in my low-low back…but I have two of my toes numb on my right foot because of it.  So I decided to do a search on all my

symptoms and this is what I found.
The first response is seriously the funniest and I had to laugh:

CLICK HERE.

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17
Dec
Yeeee!
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
I’m still so freaking excited I can go home for Christmas!
I’ve been checking the forecast of the weather.. :::high pitch squeal::: CHANCES OF SNOW!

Found out something; When you’re searching for ‘street webcams’ for the area on cal-trans websites, you might need to make sure that the town you’re going

to, HAS STREETS.  And also, if you’re looking at 11:30 at night, the web cams will be black. Just so you know.

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16
Dec
Chicken noodle soup.
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random
My mom, with her sensitive nose, use to refer to BO as, “Eww, that man smells like Chicken Noodle Soup!” so now whenever I make it, the image of my

mother’s crinkled up nose at some nasty old man with bad, bad, bad, BO comes to mind.

Kara called this morning and said she needed a ride to Target to take pictures for the yearbook.  I peeked out the window and saw that it was cold.  I put on my

long sleeve sweater, jeans, uggs, and a big long sweater over that and a wool hat.  The rush to pick her up and the lollygagging around Target made me heat

up quickly.   I realized I was actually sweating and I took off a layer of the clothing when I smelled it….chicken noodle soup.  “Oh God. I have become that

stinky, old man in line!”
It was about then when I ran into this nice couple looking at the same thing I was. They had obviously done something I am horrible at, ‘price compairing’.
“It’s cheaper at Best Buy.” they told me.  I informed them I would have to go over there and pick it up.
First I would run home and shower though.

30 minutes later, no shower, but change of clothes and an absurd amount of perfume, I headed over to Best Buy.
The odds of running into those people should be rare, but of course, they were there.
“Hey, it’s you!”
I was so embarrassed that I had completely changed my whole outfit and felt the need to explain. “I was so warm, I had to change.”  They looked at me like I

was retard. Like, did they really care?

The couple were so proud they had gone to Sears and found the gift for even less and Best Buy would price match.  So I had to stand in line with them with

our gifts so we could get the same price.

I prayed they wouldn’t get in their car and say something about the crazy amount of perfume I had on.  I would say, “Ahh, no big deal…I’ll never see those

people again!”  but knowing my luck, I probably will.

Christmas shopping…DONE.  Shower…NEXT.

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15
Dec
Clusterfucked Royale
Posted By: randomandodd  //  Category: Random

I’ve mentioned before how much I hate Kaiser Health right?  With that said, I got back my test results. I have E Coli. The doctor sent me the test results and I

don’t know why, but didn’t give a damn explaination with them. Just says, more than 100,000 col/ml of the long name.

In order to figure if my body was going to break out in a flesh eating e coli nightmare or if I can go frolic in the fallen leaves, I had to call the doctor to get

some explanation on what the hell all that stuff meant.

I gotta whole lotta Nadda.

With that said…I’m going to see my family for Christmas!  I’m so freaking excited! My sister had emailed me the other day saying that her son was going to

have Christmas Eve dinner at his place. His place HAS SNOW!
SNOW! that stuff I would cuss at as I had to walk to school in moon boots. The stuff that made me curse living in the mountains and swear once I moved away

I would never, ever spend another day in the snow unless it involved a pair of a skis or hot chocolate spiked with peppermint schnapps.
Now I am digging out my boots and big-girl jacket and counting the days down before I get to leave to see my family.
I’m COUNTING THE DAYS DOWN like a kid for Christmas!

I would like to celebrate this moment in song and share it with you all, but Shaun said you all would stop coming here because all of your suspicions of me

being a little on the crazy side would be confirmed.

Family, Snow and my sister’s cranberry bread…life is good. Actually, it will be perfect!

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