I Shouldn't Write On Nights Like This...
But putting the proverbial pen to paper always makes me feel better. I really have no idea what it was, no one thing stands out in my mind, but today has not been one of my better days. From time to time, I'm just overcome with this incredible sense of sadness and grief, today is one of those times. Anyways, as day turned to night, my mood remained somber and thoughts of drifting off to sleep fill my head. Unfortunately, on days like today, I simply want that sleep to be it, to never wake again.
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With God As My WItness, I Thought Turkeys Could Fly
Happy Thanksgiving...now watch out for flying turkeys...
Cause I Got Nothing Else To Say
From Kona, comes the Other Names Meme! Just what I needed after an 11 hour workday.
1. WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names): Jean Williams
2. NASCAR NAME: (first name of your mother’s dad, father’s dad): Jim Fred
3. STAR WARS NAME: (the first 2 letters of your last name, first 4 letters of your first name): Arkell
4. DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal): Purple Dog
5. SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you live): Joann Louisville
6. SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd favorite color, favorite alcoholic drink, optionally add “THE” to the beginning): The Blue Jaegermeister
7. FLY NAME: (first 2 letters of 1st name, last 2 letters of your last name): Keam
8. GANGSTA NAME: (favorite ice cream flavor, favorite cookie): Rasberry Chip Oreo
9. ROCK STAR NAME: (current pet’s name, current street name): Sammy Wendell
10. PORN NAME: (1st pet, street you grew up on): Teddy Barclay
1. WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names): Jean Williams
2. NASCAR NAME: (first name of your mother’s dad, father’s dad): Jim Fred
3. STAR WARS NAME: (the first 2 letters of your last name, first 4 letters of your first name): Arkell
4. DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal): Purple Dog
5. SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you live): Joann Louisville
6. SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd favorite color, favorite alcoholic drink, optionally add “THE” to the beginning): The Blue Jaegermeister
7. FLY NAME: (first 2 letters of 1st name, last 2 letters of your last name): Keam
8. GANGSTA NAME: (favorite ice cream flavor, favorite cookie): Rasberry Chip Oreo
9. ROCK STAR NAME: (current pet’s name, current street name): Sammy Wendell
10. PORN NAME: (1st pet, street you grew up on): Teddy Barclay
For Erin
I think I've done this one before, but what the hell, I'll do it again. This is from and for Erin.
1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Depends on which name you are talking about. My boy name was Gregory William and the William was my Dad's middle name. The Greg was just a name they liked. My new name, well, Kelly was what they had picked out and Joann is named for my aunt, my Mom's sister.
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? It happens so frequently that it's hard to keep track.
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? God no!
4 WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Turkey
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Only if by kids you mean the four legged variety. Dogs rule the world!
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I would hope so.
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Only around stupid people.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Not for a long time.
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Hell yeah!
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Don't eat cereal as I don't drink milk. Hate mik, hate milk!
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Yes, except for my tennis shoes.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? No but I'm good in a real crisis.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Chocolate.
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Their eyes and shoes.
15. RED OR PINK? Pink but only because Red is the color of the University of Louisville Cardinals.
16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? Should I start at the top or bottom?
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My Aunt Katie and all my previious dogs.
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? If they want.
19. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Black boots.
20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Steak and Shake steakburger and fries.
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The television and furnace.
22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Plum.
23. FAVORITE SMELLS? The way it smells after a spring thunderstorm and the wildflowers in my garden.
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My Mom.
25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? I simply adore her but wish she lived closer to me as I think we would be the best of friends.
26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? College football, Indy Car Racing and Formula One.
27. HAIR COLOR? Blonde
28. EYE COLOR? Green.
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Nope, perfect vision after all these years.
30. FAVORITE FOOD? Mom's fried chicken.
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings, see Imagine Me and You.
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Aliens.
33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Purple.
34. SUMMER OR WINTER? I'm torn as I love both though I hate the humid weather we have here. I guess I would have to say winter, especially if it's a cold and snowy one.
35. HUGS OR KISSES? Why choose just one.
36. FAVORITE DESSERT? Chocolate sheet cake.
37. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Sadly, I've got three or four books going and can't get in to any of them.
38. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Border Collies of course.
39. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? I didn't watch TV last night, I had a fire in my outdoor fire pit.
40. FAVORITE SOUND? When my Aunt Maggie was still living, she had a tin roof and when we would go up to Ashland to visit her, we always hoped it would rain. I love that sound, no other sound is quite the same.
41. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? The Beatles though I've been listening to a lot of Stones lately.
42. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME??? Tough to say, either London or when I lived in Anchorage for a year.
43. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I'm a wonderful elementary school teacher. Being around kids makes me happy though I'm thankful that none of them are mine as I never wanted any.
44. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Savannah, Georgia. Little known fact, I was the first baby born in Savannah during the year 1970.
1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Depends on which name you are talking about. My boy name was Gregory William and the William was my Dad's middle name. The Greg was just a name they liked. My new name, well, Kelly was what they had picked out and Joann is named for my aunt, my Mom's sister.
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? It happens so frequently that it's hard to keep track.
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? God no!
4 WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Turkey
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Only if by kids you mean the four legged variety. Dogs rule the world!
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I would hope so.
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Only around stupid people.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Not for a long time.
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Hell yeah!
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Don't eat cereal as I don't drink milk. Hate mik, hate milk!
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Yes, except for my tennis shoes.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? No but I'm good in a real crisis.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Chocolate.
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Their eyes and shoes.
15. RED OR PINK? Pink but only because Red is the color of the University of Louisville Cardinals.
16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? Should I start at the top or bottom?
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My Aunt Katie and all my previious dogs.
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? If they want.
19. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Black boots.
20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Steak and Shake steakburger and fries.
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The television and furnace.
22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Plum.
23. FAVORITE SMELLS? The way it smells after a spring thunderstorm and the wildflowers in my garden.
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My Mom.
25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? I simply adore her but wish she lived closer to me as I think we would be the best of friends.
26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? College football, Indy Car Racing and Formula One.
27. HAIR COLOR? Blonde
28. EYE COLOR? Green.
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Nope, perfect vision after all these years.
30. FAVORITE FOOD? Mom's fried chicken.
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings, see Imagine Me and You.
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Aliens.
33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Purple.
34. SUMMER OR WINTER? I'm torn as I love both though I hate the humid weather we have here. I guess I would have to say winter, especially if it's a cold and snowy one.
35. HUGS OR KISSES? Why choose just one.
36. FAVORITE DESSERT? Chocolate sheet cake.
37. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Sadly, I've got three or four books going and can't get in to any of them.
38. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Border Collies of course.
39. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? I didn't watch TV last night, I had a fire in my outdoor fire pit.
40. FAVORITE SOUND? When my Aunt Maggie was still living, she had a tin roof and when we would go up to Ashland to visit her, we always hoped it would rain. I love that sound, no other sound is quite the same.
41. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? The Beatles though I've been listening to a lot of Stones lately.
42. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME??? Tough to say, either London or when I lived in Anchorage for a year.
43. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I'm a wonderful elementary school teacher. Being around kids makes me happy though I'm thankful that none of them are mine as I never wanted any.
44. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Savannah, Georgia. Little known fact, I was the first baby born in Savannah during the year 1970.
Tired
My FFS surgeon put me on a new medication and coupled with the Effexor XR I take for my depression, it's making me so sleepy. Both drugs are known to cause drowsiness and I guess I haven't had enough time to adjust to the new medication, thus it's all I can do to stay awake. I slept till noon today, got up for a couple of hours and went back to bed and slept two or three more hours. One would think that would have done the trick but one would be wrong. It's only 6:30 and I could go right to bed and sleep till morning. Add in the fact that it's getting dark now about 5:30 and it gets even worse. I need a nap.
Are You Kidding Me?
Damit Kona, when I said I was good at these things, I didn't mean this kind. Picking my 7 favorite albums of all time is about like picking my 7 favorite movies of all time, damn near impossible.
THE RULES:
1. Post your list of the seven best albums, the seven booogers bloggers you will tag, a copy of these rules, and a link back to this page.
2. Each person tagged will put a URL to their Blogger Album Project post along with a list of the seven best albums in the comment section HERE at Hill's Country. Rules, rules, fucking rules!! Enough already!
3. Feel free to post the “I Contributed to the Blogger Album Project” Award Graphic on your sidebar (even though I couldn't find it), along with a link back to this page.
4. Post a link back to the blogger who tagged you.
I won't do it I tell you, I won't.
Well, I guess I will, but just this one time...In no particular order...
1. R.E.M- Murmur
2. R.E.M.- Fables of the Reconstruction
3. The Beatles- The White Album
4. Nirvana- Nevermind
5. Public Enemy- It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
6. Iris DeMent- Infamous Angel
7. Dave Brubeck- Time Out (Has the honor of having my all time favorite song, Take Five)
I tag:
Kara, Donna, Erin, Amy, NexyJo, Missi and Ray Ray
THE RULES:
1. Post your list of the seven best albums, the seven booogers bloggers you will tag, a copy of these rules, and a link back to this page.
2. Each person tagged will put a URL to their Blogger Album Project post along with a list of the seven best albums in the comment section HERE at Hill's Country. Rules, rules, fucking rules!! Enough already!
3. Feel free to post the “I Contributed to the Blogger Album Project” Award Graphic on your sidebar (even though I couldn't find it), along with a link back to this page.
4. Post a link back to the blogger who tagged you.
I won't do it I tell you, I won't.
Well, I guess I will, but just this one time...In no particular order...
1. R.E.M- Murmur
2. R.E.M.- Fables of the Reconstruction
3. The Beatles- The White Album
4. Nirvana- Nevermind
5. Public Enemy- It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
6. Iris DeMent- Infamous Angel
7. Dave Brubeck- Time Out (Has the honor of having my all time favorite song, Take Five)
I tag:
Kara, Donna, Erin, Amy, NexyJo, Missi and Ray Ray
Wish I Was There
It's been over 9 years since I lived in Snowshoe, West Virginia but not a day goes by that I don't think about it. Without a doubt, it was the best place I've ever lived and if there is such thing as Heaven on Earth, well, it's located on Cheat Mountain in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Anyways, ski season got an early season gift this week when the Great Lakes opened up and sent 29" of white fluffy powder. I used to love those lake enhanced storms that would last for days on end. Whenever a cold front would come storming across the Great Lakes, moisture would get carried southeast where it would collide with Cheat Mountain, one of the highest peaks in the east. The moisture would undergo serious lift resulting in epic dumps. We would often end up with 2 or 3 feet of snow while Charleston, a few hours west would get nothing but sunshine. Just 20 miles east of us and downslope from the mountain, they'd be lucky to get an inch or two. So, here's a pic or two to help you appreciate what happened yesterday.
Who Will Be The First To Go?
Will it be General Motors or Citigroup?
My guess is that neither will be allowed to fail, though the reality of the situation is that any bailout by the Feds will do only one thing, prevent the inevitable collapse of both. Sure, it's going to be painful, but both companies deserve to fail and no amount of taxpayer money is going to suddenly change things. I have little sympathy for Detroit, they made their bed, and even less sympathy for banks, but I'm also mindful that there are real men and women working at those places and so maybe we should start figuring out how to help them once GM and Citi, among many others, go belly up.
Detroit, A City Of Ruins
Here's a great site that documents a once proud city and it's descent into ruin.
My guess is that neither will be allowed to fail, though the reality of the situation is that any bailout by the Feds will do only one thing, prevent the inevitable collapse of both. Sure, it's going to be painful, but both companies deserve to fail and no amount of taxpayer money is going to suddenly change things. I have little sympathy for Detroit, they made their bed, and even less sympathy for banks, but I'm also mindful that there are real men and women working at those places and so maybe we should start figuring out how to help them once GM and Citi, among many others, go belly up.
Detroit, A City Of Ruins
Here's a great site that documents a once proud city and it's descent into ruin.
Things I Just Read
What did the digital clock say to it's Mother?
Look Ma, no hands!
Written on the popsickle stick of the popscickle I just ate.
Look Ma, no hands!
Written on the popsickle stick of the popscickle I just ate.
Five Things (Possibly Interesting, Possibly Not) About Me
Though I didn't get tagged on this one, thanks a lot Kona, I thought I would contribute my two cents worth:
1. I hate telephones. Actually, hate isn't a strong enough word for me, so much do I loathe the machines. People find it strange, but if it isn't my Mom or Dad calling, I very seldom answer the phone. If the person calling really has a reason for calling me, they'll leave a message and eventually I'll get around to listening to it. If I"m motivated enough, I might even call them back. Now don't take this as a sign that I don't want to talk to you or even that I don't like you, it's just that I've never enjoyed talking on a telephone, not now and not ever.
2. I like my bed pushed up against a wall and when I'm in it, I like to be on the inside, as close to said wall as possible. It's perhaps the one thing in the world that I dislike about hotels. If I could move my hotel bed to a wall, I'd live there forever. I'm not sure when this happened, but a bed without boundaries just freaks me out. It's not that I'm scared of falling out, I can't remember ever doing that, it's just that being closed in like that, a wall on one side and dogs on the other, is very comforting to me.
3. I'm 38 years old, about to hit 39 in less than two months, and I still suck my thumb from time to time. Go ahead, make fun of me all you want, but if it's lasted this long I'll probably do it till the day I die. It's weird, I can go weeks without doing it, right now I can't remember the last time I did it, but then one day the urge will hit and not even knowing what is happening, I'll find myself sitting on the sofa, thumb in mouth. It also has to be the thumb on my right hand.
Growing up, I had a blanket that we called "Cootie" and I couldn't go anywhere without it. I would hold it in my hand and bring it up to my face as I sucked my thumb. When I started school, Mom had to cut off a piece and pin it to my shirt, otherwise I wouldn't go. By the time I was 7 or so, "Cootie" was a sad image of it's former self. Too many trips to the washing machine had taken it's toll but it didn't matter to me, my "Cootie" could not be taken away. So attatched to "Cootie" was I, that Mom said I used to sit in front of the washer and dryer and wait for it to get cleaned. Alas, one year when visiting my Grandma in Dayton, "Cootie" got stuck in a escalator and was never seen nor heard from again. I cried for days on end but eventually got over it. No so with the thumb sucking.
4. I have no fear of dying. There was a time in my life when the mere thought of dying would send me into such a panic, that I became convinced that I would never be able to simply enjoy life and not worry about what happens next. As I've gotten older, I worry less and less about it, and it's all kind of reassuring. I guess a lot of it has to do with the fact that as we get older, we tend to get a bit more tired and personally, if I'm this tired and worn down at 38, what's it going to be like at 78? Nope, the only way to live is by the following motto: The past has already happened, the future isn't written yet and so why not enjoy the precious present. Afterall, this second in time is the only one you'll ever have, so make the most of it.
5. I refuse to use a PC. All teachers in Jefferson County were given brand new HP tablet laptops for use in the classroom. Mine sits unused in a computer bag, looking sad as my 4 year old Apple iBook laptop goes in and out of said bag. At the start of this school year, I was able to scrounge up five Apple eMacs for use in my classroom, so much better are they than the brand new HP desktops they want us to use. Yes, I'm a computer snob, I admit it. But the thing is, I never have any kind of problems with my Macs, and to this day, I have no idea what people are talking about when they mention a "virus" or "frozen computer" or "reboot" or any other arcane words that must mean something to some people.
1. I hate telephones. Actually, hate isn't a strong enough word for me, so much do I loathe the machines. People find it strange, but if it isn't my Mom or Dad calling, I very seldom answer the phone. If the person calling really has a reason for calling me, they'll leave a message and eventually I'll get around to listening to it. If I"m motivated enough, I might even call them back. Now don't take this as a sign that I don't want to talk to you or even that I don't like you, it's just that I've never enjoyed talking on a telephone, not now and not ever.
2. I like my bed pushed up against a wall and when I'm in it, I like to be on the inside, as close to said wall as possible. It's perhaps the one thing in the world that I dislike about hotels. If I could move my hotel bed to a wall, I'd live there forever. I'm not sure when this happened, but a bed without boundaries just freaks me out. It's not that I'm scared of falling out, I can't remember ever doing that, it's just that being closed in like that, a wall on one side and dogs on the other, is very comforting to me.
3. I'm 38 years old, about to hit 39 in less than two months, and I still suck my thumb from time to time. Go ahead, make fun of me all you want, but if it's lasted this long I'll probably do it till the day I die. It's weird, I can go weeks without doing it, right now I can't remember the last time I did it, but then one day the urge will hit and not even knowing what is happening, I'll find myself sitting on the sofa, thumb in mouth. It also has to be the thumb on my right hand.
Growing up, I had a blanket that we called "Cootie" and I couldn't go anywhere without it. I would hold it in my hand and bring it up to my face as I sucked my thumb. When I started school, Mom had to cut off a piece and pin it to my shirt, otherwise I wouldn't go. By the time I was 7 or so, "Cootie" was a sad image of it's former self. Too many trips to the washing machine had taken it's toll but it didn't matter to me, my "Cootie" could not be taken away. So attatched to "Cootie" was I, that Mom said I used to sit in front of the washer and dryer and wait for it to get cleaned. Alas, one year when visiting my Grandma in Dayton, "Cootie" got stuck in a escalator and was never seen nor heard from again. I cried for days on end but eventually got over it. No so with the thumb sucking.
4. I have no fear of dying. There was a time in my life when the mere thought of dying would send me into such a panic, that I became convinced that I would never be able to simply enjoy life and not worry about what happens next. As I've gotten older, I worry less and less about it, and it's all kind of reassuring. I guess a lot of it has to do with the fact that as we get older, we tend to get a bit more tired and personally, if I'm this tired and worn down at 38, what's it going to be like at 78? Nope, the only way to live is by the following motto: The past has already happened, the future isn't written yet and so why not enjoy the precious present. Afterall, this second in time is the only one you'll ever have, so make the most of it.
5. I refuse to use a PC. All teachers in Jefferson County were given brand new HP tablet laptops for use in the classroom. Mine sits unused in a computer bag, looking sad as my 4 year old Apple iBook laptop goes in and out of said bag. At the start of this school year, I was able to scrounge up five Apple eMacs for use in my classroom, so much better are they than the brand new HP desktops they want us to use. Yes, I'm a computer snob, I admit it. But the thing is, I never have any kind of problems with my Macs, and to this day, I have no idea what people are talking about when they mention a "virus" or "frozen computer" or "reboot" or any other arcane words that must mean something to some people.
Strep
Very sick, very sick indeed. The doctor said it was the nastiest throat she had seen all season. Always nice to know.
Things I Love
Time for another edition of Things I Love...
1. Dogs- If there aren't dogs in Heaven, I don't want to go. I honestly cannot imagine a world without our four legged friends. They bring such joy to life and make the world a much better place. I love them all, especially the ones I've had and the ones I currently have.
2. Animals of all kinds- I've been long on record of saying that we humans have had our chance and that it's time for us to go away for good. The animals of this world didn't ask to share this world with us and it's time to let some other creature have a go at things. We've screwed up enough, lets go before it's too late for the rest of life.
3. Mom- My Mom is the rock I need and if she should go before me, I honestly don't know how I'll survive.
4. Dad- Though he's far away and I don't get to see him nearly enough, I think about him everyday and keep him in my prayers.
5. Warm beds on cold nights- One of the great joys of winter is snuggling up in a warm bed with 2 or 3 dogs.
6. Rainy nights- I've always loved the rain and everything that it symbolizes. When I was younger, we used to go up to Ashland, Kentucky to visit my Aunt Maggie. She lived way back in a holler and one of the charms of her house was the tin roof she had. I always hoped that it would rain when we were up there so I could hear it patter on the roof.
7. Darkness- I love the night, always have. One of the things I miss most about living in West Virginia is the dark nighttime sky. I lived an hour away from the closest town of any size and on a clear, moon free night, you could see millions of stars dancing across the black sky. On those kind of nights, I would turn off every light in the house, go sit out on the deck take in a sight that most people never get to see. I've seen the Milky Way in all it's glory and it is a sight to behold.
8. Camping- When I lived in West Virginia, I made a point of doing lots of camping. There were so many great places to go that it was often times hard to choose. I lived right on the doorsteps of a one million acre national forest. I've climbed mountains that I didn't know the names of, crossed streams that probably didn't have a name and heard the howl of coyotes, the rustling of deer and the snorts of black bears. Curling up in a sleeping bag in the cool mountain air is one of my favorite things.
9. West Virginia- I know it's often the butt of jokes and in some cases it deserves to be, but of all the places I've been and lived, it's by far my favorite. Get away from the ugliness of Charleston and the stark moonscape of the coalfields and West Virginia is one of the most beautiful places. I love the mountains that seem to go on forever. I love the winding roads, the quaint small towns, the fun filled resorts and the warmth of the people. I love charming little mountain towns that places like Breckinridge and Telluride wish they could be like. I love the snow that piles up deep in the winter and the warm days and cool nights of summer.
10. Legendary snowstorms- We don't get many big snowstorms in this part of the country, though we did have a nice 15 inch dump last winter. But when I lived up in the mountains of West Virginia, anything less than a foot was considered nothing more than a a little snow. My first winter at Snowshoe, we only ended up with about 120 inches of snow for the winter, not much to talk about. My third winter however more than made up for it. It started snowing that year around Halloween and it wasn't till Memorial Day that the last of the snow began to melt. To say that it snowed a lot would be an understatement of epic proportions. Like clockwork, each week brought at least one major snowstorm, often dumping up to 2 feet or more. By February of that season, we had probably received somewhere around 200 inches of snow, but when it was all said and done, it was really just starting.
The forecast called for a storm that would be measured in feet, not inches. With over 3 feet of snow already on the ground, the snow began falling late in the afternoon and would continue for the next 20 hours or so. By the time I got off work that night, a foot had already fallen and much more was on the way. We were able to dig my car out but Valarie's was another story. Before going home that night, I set about digging her car out as much as I could and felt confident that by morning I would be able to get it out. We made it home okay that night and as we laid in bed, we could hear the wind roaring and felt the chill of winter. When we awoke the next morning, what I saw simply stunned me. Dumbfounded is really the only way to describe, so surreal was what I was seeing.
In about 18 hours, we had received 58 inches of snow, with what would end up being another 12 to go. It took me hours to shovel a path down the driveway and another to dig my car out. When I finally finished our path down the driveway, the snow was above my head. I had never seen before and have never seen since, so much snow. By the time March rolled around, I swore that if I never saw snow again it would be too soon. I remember that it was still possible to ski in May that year, so deep was the snow on Cheat Mountain.
1. Dogs- If there aren't dogs in Heaven, I don't want to go. I honestly cannot imagine a world without our four legged friends. They bring such joy to life and make the world a much better place. I love them all, especially the ones I've had and the ones I currently have.
2. Animals of all kinds- I've been long on record of saying that we humans have had our chance and that it's time for us to go away for good. The animals of this world didn't ask to share this world with us and it's time to let some other creature have a go at things. We've screwed up enough, lets go before it's too late for the rest of life.
3. Mom- My Mom is the rock I need and if she should go before me, I honestly don't know how I'll survive.
4. Dad- Though he's far away and I don't get to see him nearly enough, I think about him everyday and keep him in my prayers.
5. Warm beds on cold nights- One of the great joys of winter is snuggling up in a warm bed with 2 or 3 dogs.
6. Rainy nights- I've always loved the rain and everything that it symbolizes. When I was younger, we used to go up to Ashland, Kentucky to visit my Aunt Maggie. She lived way back in a holler and one of the charms of her house was the tin roof she had. I always hoped that it would rain when we were up there so I could hear it patter on the roof.
7. Darkness- I love the night, always have. One of the things I miss most about living in West Virginia is the dark nighttime sky. I lived an hour away from the closest town of any size and on a clear, moon free night, you could see millions of stars dancing across the black sky. On those kind of nights, I would turn off every light in the house, go sit out on the deck take in a sight that most people never get to see. I've seen the Milky Way in all it's glory and it is a sight to behold.
8. Camping- When I lived in West Virginia, I made a point of doing lots of camping. There were so many great places to go that it was often times hard to choose. I lived right on the doorsteps of a one million acre national forest. I've climbed mountains that I didn't know the names of, crossed streams that probably didn't have a name and heard the howl of coyotes, the rustling of deer and the snorts of black bears. Curling up in a sleeping bag in the cool mountain air is one of my favorite things.
9. West Virginia- I know it's often the butt of jokes and in some cases it deserves to be, but of all the places I've been and lived, it's by far my favorite. Get away from the ugliness of Charleston and the stark moonscape of the coalfields and West Virginia is one of the most beautiful places. I love the mountains that seem to go on forever. I love the winding roads, the quaint small towns, the fun filled resorts and the warmth of the people. I love charming little mountain towns that places like Breckinridge and Telluride wish they could be like. I love the snow that piles up deep in the winter and the warm days and cool nights of summer.
10. Legendary snowstorms- We don't get many big snowstorms in this part of the country, though we did have a nice 15 inch dump last winter. But when I lived up in the mountains of West Virginia, anything less than a foot was considered nothing more than a a little snow. My first winter at Snowshoe, we only ended up with about 120 inches of snow for the winter, not much to talk about. My third winter however more than made up for it. It started snowing that year around Halloween and it wasn't till Memorial Day that the last of the snow began to melt. To say that it snowed a lot would be an understatement of epic proportions. Like clockwork, each week brought at least one major snowstorm, often dumping up to 2 feet or more. By February of that season, we had probably received somewhere around 200 inches of snow, but when it was all said and done, it was really just starting.
The forecast called for a storm that would be measured in feet, not inches. With over 3 feet of snow already on the ground, the snow began falling late in the afternoon and would continue for the next 20 hours or so. By the time I got off work that night, a foot had already fallen and much more was on the way. We were able to dig my car out but Valarie's was another story. Before going home that night, I set about digging her car out as much as I could and felt confident that by morning I would be able to get it out. We made it home okay that night and as we laid in bed, we could hear the wind roaring and felt the chill of winter. When we awoke the next morning, what I saw simply stunned me. Dumbfounded is really the only way to describe, so surreal was what I was seeing.
In about 18 hours, we had received 58 inches of snow, with what would end up being another 12 to go. It took me hours to shovel a path down the driveway and another to dig my car out. When I finally finished our path down the driveway, the snow was above my head. I had never seen before and have never seen since, so much snow. By the time March rolled around, I swore that if I never saw snow again it would be too soon. I remember that it was still possible to ski in May that year, so deep was the snow on Cheat Mountain.
Too Hard On Myself, But...
I'm way too hard on myself in so many respects, always doubting myself in nearly everything I do. These past few years, as I've tried hard to successfully transition, I've beaten myself up at every step of the way. That continues today as I am constantly berating myself for everything from the clothes I wear to the way my hair looks. In my eyes, everything looks horrible and I am a horrible person. There are many days that I find myself having hating everything about me, wishing that I had never been born or contemplating suicide. If truth be told, I do have a lot of self-shame and more than enough anger over how things have turned out. There was a time in my life where I really did think that I had a lot of potential, that my life would turn out better than deserved and really make a mark on this world. I don't feel that way anymore.
Right now, I'm just hoping to somehow salvage things and make the most of it.
But when I really stop and look at things, it becomes clear that I shouldn't feel that way at all. I have a family that really loves me, friends who would do anything for me, a home that I am proud of, an education that is pretty amazing, a job that I simply love, a school that has been better to me than I ever deserve and three dogs that love me no matter what. I'm making more money than I ever have in my life, I have a nice and reliable car, I have a lot of free time, I've been all over this country and done some incredible things. I really have nothing to complain about, but still I do.
And that's what irritates me beyond belief. I want to love life, look in the mirror and see a happy person that is living life to the fullest. I want to be happy with who I am and go forward confident in the person I've become. This life, being trapped in a body that doesn't match my mind, is an incredibly tough way to live. I've done the best I can and the truth is, I don't look that bad and I've been pretty damn successful making a go as Kelly. So, I'm going to do the very best I can as I move forward from this day on. In the scheme of things, none of us have a very long time on this Earth, and as a result, we kind of need to make the most of us. There is no second chance, though I kind of believe in re-incarnation, so it's up to all of us to make this brief moment in time, the best it possibly can be.
Right now, I'm just hoping to somehow salvage things and make the most of it.
But when I really stop and look at things, it becomes clear that I shouldn't feel that way at all. I have a family that really loves me, friends who would do anything for me, a home that I am proud of, an education that is pretty amazing, a job that I simply love, a school that has been better to me than I ever deserve and three dogs that love me no matter what. I'm making more money than I ever have in my life, I have a nice and reliable car, I have a lot of free time, I've been all over this country and done some incredible things. I really have nothing to complain about, but still I do.
And that's what irritates me beyond belief. I want to love life, look in the mirror and see a happy person that is living life to the fullest. I want to be happy with who I am and go forward confident in the person I've become. This life, being trapped in a body that doesn't match my mind, is an incredibly tough way to live. I've done the best I can and the truth is, I don't look that bad and I've been pretty damn successful making a go as Kelly. So, I'm going to do the very best I can as I move forward from this day on. In the scheme of things, none of us have a very long time on this Earth, and as a result, we kind of need to make the most of us. There is no second chance, though I kind of believe in re-incarnation, so it's up to all of us to make this brief moment in time, the best it possibly can be.
Just Asking
Why do women shave their legs? I could care less as I have a real phobia of body hair.
Why do women's pants have such pathetic pockets? I do miss the pockets that mens pants have.
Why do some women go bare down there? I was once with a girl who was totally bare. It freaked me out in so many ways. I need a bit of hair down there.
Why do women paint their nails and men don't? As a guy, I used to paint my toenails quite a bit.
Why do women wear makeup? I'm a firm believer in the less is more approach and always prefered girls who didn't wear any.
Why do women find men so attractive? Having been one, I pretty much don't see what the fuss is all about.
Why do women like to give other women small gifts in fancy gift bags, usually over a lunch of soup and salad? Having once been a waiter, I can tell you that servers hate waiting on women more than you could ever imagine.
Why is being a girl so much more high maintanence than being a guy? Ugh!
Why couldn't I make it as a guy? Because I never really was one.
Why do women's pants have such pathetic pockets? I do miss the pockets that mens pants have.
Why do some women go bare down there? I was once with a girl who was totally bare. It freaked me out in so many ways. I need a bit of hair down there.
Why do women paint their nails and men don't? As a guy, I used to paint my toenails quite a bit.
Why do women wear makeup? I'm a firm believer in the less is more approach and always prefered girls who didn't wear any.
Why do women find men so attractive? Having been one, I pretty much don't see what the fuss is all about.
Why do women like to give other women small gifts in fancy gift bags, usually over a lunch of soup and salad? Having once been a waiter, I can tell you that servers hate waiting on women more than you could ever imagine.
Why is being a girl so much more high maintanence than being a guy? Ugh!
Why couldn't I make it as a guy? Because I never really was one.
Urban is Blue, Rural is Red
Were it not for the fact that the electoral college determines the winner of the Presidential race, we wouldn't be talking about Red States and Blue States. On it's face, it makes sense, but dig a little deeper and it becomes clear that Blue States aren't always so blue and Red States aren't always so red. No, what really stands out is that America is clearly divided along party lines based on where they live, specifically an urban area or a rural area. Pouring over the interactive maps that the New York Times has posted on it's website, it becomes very clear that urban areas in America are predominately blue and rural areas equally as red. Here in Kentucky, one look at the map and it's clear that it's a conservative state with one very liberal county, one mildly blue county and and 118 very conservative counties.
The above picture shows all 120 Kentucky counties. Of those, Obama carried 8 of them. Two of those counties, making up a very large part of the electorate, are home to the two largest cities in Kentucky, Louisville (1.2 million) and Lexington (500,000). The other 6 are traditional Democratic strongholds.
The above photo shows the impact that areas around the state had in the election. Only one county stands out and that's Jefferson (Louisville).
The final photo above shows the change in how people voted from 2004. Most of the counties that voted more Democratic are located near the major metropolitan areas of the state.
The same thing plays out all across the county though there are a couple of exceptions. Every county in Oklahoma voted for McCain and Utah, with it's heavy Mormon population, also went overwhelmingly for McCain. In the heavily urbanized northeast, most counties went for Obama.
Some examples of urban is blue and rural is red....
McCain won Tennessee but Memphis and Nashville voted strong for Obama.
McCain won Georgia but Atlanta voted heavily for Obama while it's suburbs went for McCain.
McCain won Texas but Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin all went for Obama.
McCain won Louisiana easily but New Orleans went for Obama.
McCain won Arkansas but Little Rock went for McCain.
McCain won Montana but Great Falls went for Obama.
McCain won Idaho but Boise went for Obama.
Conversely, a lot of blue states aren't really all that blue when you look at them.
Obama won California but outside of the coastal big cities, the rest of the state went for McCain.
Obama won Oregon but leave Portland and it's clearly McCain country.
Obama won Washington but outside of Seattle, it's pretty damn red.
Obama won New York but outside of the Big Apple, well, it's also pretty red.
Obama won Ohio but leave Cleavland and Columbus and it's a red state.
Obama won Indiana but outside of Indy, Gary and Bloomington, it's still red.
Obama won Pennsylvania but leave Philly and Pittsburgh and it's red as can be.
Illinois would normally be a good example but with Obama being the local kid, it doesn't show up as much this year. Still, without Chicago and greater Cook County, Illinois is red.
The above picture shows all 120 Kentucky counties. Of those, Obama carried 8 of them. Two of those counties, making up a very large part of the electorate, are home to the two largest cities in Kentucky, Louisville (1.2 million) and Lexington (500,000). The other 6 are traditional Democratic strongholds.
The above photo shows the impact that areas around the state had in the election. Only one county stands out and that's Jefferson (Louisville).
The final photo above shows the change in how people voted from 2004. Most of the counties that voted more Democratic are located near the major metropolitan areas of the state.
The same thing plays out all across the county though there are a couple of exceptions. Every county in Oklahoma voted for McCain and Utah, with it's heavy Mormon population, also went overwhelmingly for McCain. In the heavily urbanized northeast, most counties went for Obama.
Some examples of urban is blue and rural is red....
McCain won Tennessee but Memphis and Nashville voted strong for Obama.
McCain won Georgia but Atlanta voted heavily for Obama while it's suburbs went for McCain.
McCain won Texas but Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin all went for Obama.
McCain won Louisiana easily but New Orleans went for Obama.
McCain won Arkansas but Little Rock went for McCain.
McCain won Montana but Great Falls went for Obama.
McCain won Idaho but Boise went for Obama.
Conversely, a lot of blue states aren't really all that blue when you look at them.
Obama won California but outside of the coastal big cities, the rest of the state went for McCain.
Obama won Oregon but leave Portland and it's clearly McCain country.
Obama won Washington but outside of Seattle, it's pretty damn red.
Obama won New York but outside of the Big Apple, well, it's also pretty red.
Obama won Ohio but leave Cleavland and Columbus and it's a red state.
Obama won Indiana but outside of Indy, Gary and Bloomington, it's still red.
Obama won Pennsylvania but leave Philly and Pittsburgh and it's red as can be.
Illinois would normally be a good example but with Obama being the local kid, it doesn't show up as much this year. Still, without Chicago and greater Cook County, Illinois is red.
Liveblogging the Results-Cause I Got Nothing Else To Do
9:24 PM- Ohio to Obama, it's now over, pop open the bubbly my friends.
Kentucky Senate- Looks like Mitch is going to sneak one out. Bastard.
8:05 PM- The route is on. The networks have already called Pennsylvania and New Hampshire for Obama. Still watching Indiana as it's way too close. The thing to watch are results from Monroe County (Bloomington and home of Indiana University), Lake County (Gary and Hammond) and Marion (Indianapolis). Those areas should propel him to victory.
In local news, Anne Northup has given her concession speech- now go away bitch!
7:20 PM- Yarmuth is putting an ass whipping on Anne. I hope she gets this message this time. This seat will now be Yarmuth's for as long as he wants it. It's a Democratic city and he has broad support.
Indiana is still too close to call. Vermont to Obama. Virginia and South Carolina too close too call as well. That's not a good sign for McCain.
Looking at the local election results, it appears that the senate race might be the only one in which my candidate doesn't win.
7:00 PM- Sadly, the networks have called Kentucky for McCain though the vote right now is close. Lunsford and Mitch are close, too early too call. In the 3rd district, John Yarmuth is cruising to victory and that's an awesome thing, totally awesome.
6:30 PM- I got nothing. No results yet from any precints in Jefferson County. I did see that if Lunsford is to win, he will need to win Jefferson (Louisville) and Fayette (Lexington) counties by a net of 120,000 votes. That's going to be tough to do since both McConnell and Lunsford live here in Louisville.
The polls here in the Eastern Time Zone of Kentucky are getting ready to close in about 15 minutes. There's no big suspense in the Presidential race, the networks will call Kentucky for McCain as soon as the polls close, but the local races are pretty big news. The big race around here, in fact it's probably the second most watched race in the country, is the Senate race between the scumbag Mitch McConnell, primed to become the most powerful Republican around, and Louisville businessman and multi-millionaire Bruce Lunsford. I'm also anxious to see the results of the local school board race. My board member, Steve Imhoff, is up for re-election and I'm hoping he wins big. More to come soon...
Kentucky Senate- Looks like Mitch is going to sneak one out. Bastard.
8:05 PM- The route is on. The networks have already called Pennsylvania and New Hampshire for Obama. Still watching Indiana as it's way too close. The thing to watch are results from Monroe County (Bloomington and home of Indiana University), Lake County (Gary and Hammond) and Marion (Indianapolis). Those areas should propel him to victory.
In local news, Anne Northup has given her concession speech- now go away bitch!
7:20 PM- Yarmuth is putting an ass whipping on Anne. I hope she gets this message this time. This seat will now be Yarmuth's for as long as he wants it. It's a Democratic city and he has broad support.
Indiana is still too close to call. Vermont to Obama. Virginia and South Carolina too close too call as well. That's not a good sign for McCain.
Looking at the local election results, it appears that the senate race might be the only one in which my candidate doesn't win.
7:00 PM- Sadly, the networks have called Kentucky for McCain though the vote right now is close. Lunsford and Mitch are close, too early too call. In the 3rd district, John Yarmuth is cruising to victory and that's an awesome thing, totally awesome.
6:30 PM- I got nothing. No results yet from any precints in Jefferson County. I did see that if Lunsford is to win, he will need to win Jefferson (Louisville) and Fayette (Lexington) counties by a net of 120,000 votes. That's going to be tough to do since both McConnell and Lunsford live here in Louisville.
The polls here in the Eastern Time Zone of Kentucky are getting ready to close in about 15 minutes. There's no big suspense in the Presidential race, the networks will call Kentucky for McCain as soon as the polls close, but the local races are pretty big news. The big race around here, in fact it's probably the second most watched race in the country, is the Senate race between the scumbag Mitch McConnell, primed to become the most powerful Republican around, and Louisville businessman and multi-millionaire Bruce Lunsford. I'm also anxious to see the results of the local school board race. My board member, Steve Imhoff, is up for re-election and I'm hoping he wins big. More to come soon...
Vote Early and Often
UPDATE: I voted at a little past noon today. In my precinct, I was voter number 289. On a typical election, I'm usually around voter 80 or so. I live in a heavily Democratic area so I would assume this is good news.
As they say in Chicago, be sure to vote early and often. My choices for today's big races...
President of The United States of America....Democrat Barrack Obama
United States Senator from Kentucky....Democrat Bruce Lunsford
United States House of Representatives, Kentucky 3rd District....Democrat John Yarmuth
Kentucky General Assembly, State Senator....Democrat Tim Shaugnessey
Kentucky General Asembly, State Representative....Democrat Mary Lou Marzian
As they say in Chicago, be sure to vote early and often. My choices for today's big races...
President of The United States of America....Democrat Barrack Obama
United States Senator from Kentucky....Democrat Bruce Lunsford
United States House of Representatives, Kentucky 3rd District....Democrat John Yarmuth
Kentucky General Assembly, State Senator....Democrat Tim Shaugnessey
Kentucky General Asembly, State Representative....Democrat Mary Lou Marzian
Let's Do This
In 7 and a half hours, the polls will open here in Kentucky. Barrack Obama isn't going to win this state, it won't even be close, but he will carry my hometown Louisville. Kentucky has 120 counties and I'll go out on a limb and say that Obama will only win two of them, Fayette (Lexington) and Jefferson (Louisville). Jefferson County has a bit over 700,000 people while Fayette is around 250,000 , so both will deliver some substantial votes to Obama but alas, it just won't be enough. He'll do well here and the large African-American turnout will help Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford in his quest to unseat the horrible Mitch McConnell. It will also send my local representative, John Yarmuth, to a comfortable win over Anne Northup.
Anyways, most people have made up their minds, if they haven't, they have no right to vote. Never in my lifetime have we had two candidates so polar opposite of the other. If you can't make up your mind about this race, well, you are an idiot and I hereby revoke your right to vote. With that being said, here are my final predictions for the election:
President
Obama wins the national vote: 53%-47%
Obama wins the electoral college: 356-182
Obama wins the following states: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Mass., Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, District of Columbia, Rhode Island, Delaware, Virginia, Florida, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Colorado, New Mexico, Montana, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii.
McCain wins the rest.
Senate: Democrats will have 57 seats, Republicans will have 40 seats, 2 Independents and the 1 runoff.
The following races are in play: Alaska, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon and Virginia.
Democrats win the following: Alaska (Begich), Colorado (Udall), Minnesota (Franken), New Hampshire (Shaheen), New Mexico (Udall) North Carolina (Hagan), Oregon (Merkley) and Virginia (Warner). We'll lose Georgia but it will be close and as a result, we'll have a runoff.
House
Democrats 269, Republicans 166
Kentucky 03- Democrat John Yarmuth 57%- Republican Anne Northup 43%.
Anyways, most people have made up their minds, if they haven't, they have no right to vote. Never in my lifetime have we had two candidates so polar opposite of the other. If you can't make up your mind about this race, well, you are an idiot and I hereby revoke your right to vote. With that being said, here are my final predictions for the election:
President
Obama wins the national vote: 53%-47%
Obama wins the electoral college: 356-182
Obama wins the following states: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Mass., Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, District of Columbia, Rhode Island, Delaware, Virginia, Florida, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Colorado, New Mexico, Montana, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii.
McCain wins the rest.
Senate: Democrats will have 57 seats, Republicans will have 40 seats, 2 Independents and the 1 runoff.
The following races are in play: Alaska, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon and Virginia.
Democrats win the following: Alaska (Begich), Colorado (Udall), Minnesota (Franken), New Hampshire (Shaheen), New Mexico (Udall) North Carolina (Hagan), Oregon (Merkley) and Virginia (Warner). We'll lose Georgia but it will be close and as a result, we'll have a runoff.
House
Democrats 269, Republicans 166
Kentucky 03- Democrat John Yarmuth 57%- Republican Anne Northup 43%.
Goodnight Opus
One of my most beloved friends in the world said goodbye today. I'll miss him dearly, oh so dearly. Thank you to Berkeley Breathed for sharing him with all of us. Opus will live on in my imagination for all my years to come.
This and That
1. With just two days to go, I feel very optimistic about things. I still think that the national vote will be closer than the polls but that Obama will win the electoral college by a landslide. The electoral college of course is what matters, though I would love to get rid of it. Living in a blue city in a red state, my vote and the votes of most of Jefferson County (Louisville) won't really matter. Kentucky is going to go for McCain and no matter how high the turnout is in Jefferson County, it won't be enough to flip this to Obama. That being said, the large African-American population in Louisville will turn out in droves to vote for Obama, as will most of the white population in the urban service boundry, and that will give our incumbent representative, Democrat John Yarmuth, more than enough votes to cruise to re-election. Yarmuth is one of the good guys, a real liberal, and has been a wonderful congressman. He should win by aroudn 15% in this district which only includes Jefferson County.
2. I'll have my final election predictions tomorrow night.
3. The time change really bites ass. While I love the weather in fall and winter, I hate the fact that the fall back in clocks makes it get dark so early. The sun set shortly after 6 today, a good 4 hours later than it did in June. As much as I hate the summer weather around here, hot and humid, I do love that it doesn't get dark till 10 or so. We'll continue to lose daylight till the winter solstice and then slowly recover as winter turns to spring.
4. Speaking of winter, I really hope we get a lot of snow this year. We had two big storms last winter, one 10 inches and the other 15, and I'd love to see a repeat. Things just look so much prettier with snow on the ground.
5. It looks like I'll be heading up to Chicago next weekend. Dr. Z, after learning about how pissed off I am, wants to see me face to face. I really didn't want to go but he's paying my way so it's the least I can do. At this point, nearly a year and a half post-op, I really could care less about the astethetics. The fact that I am still experiencing pain this far out just pisses me off and I want it fixed. No one that I have talked to experienced anything like this, which doesn't surprise me one bit. I've had nothing but bad luck and I'd give anything in the world to go back in time and undo things.
6. Speaking of undoing things, I've been hesitant to talk about the whole Christine Daniels saga. For those who don't know, Christine was the Los Angeles Times sportswriter who transitioned last year. Well, without explanation, Christine is now back to being Mike Penner, her old self. Despite being very public about her transition from Mike to Christine, the Times and Mike have been very quiet about the reasons for de-transitioning. I really could care less as to why he did what he did, it's his business and I support him 100%, but it did get me thinking about my own transition and the always there possibility of going back to Greg.
It's no secret that things haven't exactly turned out that great and going back to being Greg is never far from my mind. I've spent all weekend doing just that and it's been pretty cool. I actually kind of dread having to go back to girl this week but it's something I have to do. Truth is, I miss a lot about being Greg. I miss hanging out with the guys, talking sports, the weather and just doing guy things. I miss the camping trips we used to take, the poker games I'm never invited to and the ease in which I'm able to walk through the world. I miss little things like not having to shave my legs, peeing standing up and not worrying about what I'm going to wear. I miss being in the dating scene and I'd just love to have a girlfriend again.
When I transitioned, I knew that things would never be the same and that once I announced my intentions to the world, there was no really going back. Sure, I could go back to Greg but it wouldn't be the same. It would always be in the back of peoples minds and they would always wonder if I would change my mind again. If I were to actually go through with it, I suppose I would have to move and start fresh someplace else. It's tempting, very tempting, but right now, I'm just not sure if going back is quite the right thing to do. So, I keep bouncing back and forth, doing Kelly during the week and Greg on the weekend. I've though about getting off the hormones but so far I've stuck with them. We'll see what happens.
7. I've found a new television show that I just love. Thursday nights have become my favorite night of TV. At 8 we have Ugly Betty and 9 brings me Dr. McDreamy. Following the goings on at Seattle Grace Hospital, I now get to watch Life on Mars, a delightful new show about a NYC police detective who gets hit by a car and wakes up in 1973. I know it's far fetched, but so is Lost and I love that. If you haven't seen it yet, check it out on Thursday nights at 10 on ABC.
8. Speaking of TV, I thought I would share the shows I watch:
Sunday: Sunday night football, The Dirty Housewives.
Monday: Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles (Just love my Lena), CSI Miami and I DVR Boston Legal.
Tuesday: Countdown with Keith Olbermann.
Wednesday: Pushing Daisies, Private Practice and Dirty Sexy Money (Just love it)
Thursday: Ugly Betty, Grey's Anatomy, Life on Mars
Friday: College Football and Numbers
Saturday: College Football and SNL
Once Lost comes back, well, that will be my favorite. Can't wait for the new season to start.
2. I'll have my final election predictions tomorrow night.
3. The time change really bites ass. While I love the weather in fall and winter, I hate the fact that the fall back in clocks makes it get dark so early. The sun set shortly after 6 today, a good 4 hours later than it did in June. As much as I hate the summer weather around here, hot and humid, I do love that it doesn't get dark till 10 or so. We'll continue to lose daylight till the winter solstice and then slowly recover as winter turns to spring.
4. Speaking of winter, I really hope we get a lot of snow this year. We had two big storms last winter, one 10 inches and the other 15, and I'd love to see a repeat. Things just look so much prettier with snow on the ground.
5. It looks like I'll be heading up to Chicago next weekend. Dr. Z, after learning about how pissed off I am, wants to see me face to face. I really didn't want to go but he's paying my way so it's the least I can do. At this point, nearly a year and a half post-op, I really could care less about the astethetics. The fact that I am still experiencing pain this far out just pisses me off and I want it fixed. No one that I have talked to experienced anything like this, which doesn't surprise me one bit. I've had nothing but bad luck and I'd give anything in the world to go back in time and undo things.
6. Speaking of undoing things, I've been hesitant to talk about the whole Christine Daniels saga. For those who don't know, Christine was the Los Angeles Times sportswriter who transitioned last year. Well, without explanation, Christine is now back to being Mike Penner, her old self. Despite being very public about her transition from Mike to Christine, the Times and Mike have been very quiet about the reasons for de-transitioning. I really could care less as to why he did what he did, it's his business and I support him 100%, but it did get me thinking about my own transition and the always there possibility of going back to Greg.
It's no secret that things haven't exactly turned out that great and going back to being Greg is never far from my mind. I've spent all weekend doing just that and it's been pretty cool. I actually kind of dread having to go back to girl this week but it's something I have to do. Truth is, I miss a lot about being Greg. I miss hanging out with the guys, talking sports, the weather and just doing guy things. I miss the camping trips we used to take, the poker games I'm never invited to and the ease in which I'm able to walk through the world. I miss little things like not having to shave my legs, peeing standing up and not worrying about what I'm going to wear. I miss being in the dating scene and I'd just love to have a girlfriend again.
When I transitioned, I knew that things would never be the same and that once I announced my intentions to the world, there was no really going back. Sure, I could go back to Greg but it wouldn't be the same. It would always be in the back of peoples minds and they would always wonder if I would change my mind again. If I were to actually go through with it, I suppose I would have to move and start fresh someplace else. It's tempting, very tempting, but right now, I'm just not sure if going back is quite the right thing to do. So, I keep bouncing back and forth, doing Kelly during the week and Greg on the weekend. I've though about getting off the hormones but so far I've stuck with them. We'll see what happens.
7. I've found a new television show that I just love. Thursday nights have become my favorite night of TV. At 8 we have Ugly Betty and 9 brings me Dr. McDreamy. Following the goings on at Seattle Grace Hospital, I now get to watch Life on Mars, a delightful new show about a NYC police detective who gets hit by a car and wakes up in 1973. I know it's far fetched, but so is Lost and I love that. If you haven't seen it yet, check it out on Thursday nights at 10 on ABC.
8. Speaking of TV, I thought I would share the shows I watch:
Sunday: Sunday night football, The Dirty Housewives.
Monday: Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles (Just love my Lena), CSI Miami and I DVR Boston Legal.
Tuesday: Countdown with Keith Olbermann.
Wednesday: Pushing Daisies, Private Practice and Dirty Sexy Money (Just love it)
Thursday: Ugly Betty, Grey's Anatomy, Life on Mars
Friday: College Football and Numbers
Saturday: College Football and SNL
Once Lost comes back, well, that will be my favorite. Can't wait for the new season to start.
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