Good Life

Overheard a conversation today between two women. One was asking the other if she missed her kids. More than anything the mom replied.

I noticed a wistful look in her eye as she gazed at Kai. I was pushing Kai around in his stroller while Troi was in watching a movie with my friend Kristi. Kai was fussing in the movie so I wanted to take him out...so I did. But it was early on in the move and I wasn't about to sit in the lobby and wait...so we walked out and about. We were taking advantage in the lull in the weather. It was raining hard throughout the day. We went to the movies to escape.

Anyway, while walking around....I bought some hair bands from the $1 store downtown, bought some CDs and stopped at Starbucks (aka 3-bucks cuz you can't leave without spending at least that much!) and while walking back, these women were walking about too.

It really got me thinking about being a mom and how good my life is. Despite the mediocre things I call issues...which really aren't. I have made some good decisions as well as bad. None of course have led me to losing my husband or my kids. I can however, imagine being in those situations. I have an addictive personality and would consider myself borderline if not over the line OCD in many instances...but none of which would ever have me wishing for my kids...or hoping to have my life "more together" to help me get them back.

I was sad for that mom. I know that love she feels for her kids. I know that bond she has with her kids...I do hope she gets her life together to get them back.

For me, I thank God that I have them, that I have my husband and that I have the many blessings I tend to take for granted. I shouldn't do that I know...I need to slow down and truly appreciate all that I have.

Techno Love!

When I think about all the gadgets I have owned throughout my life and the ones that I cannot live without to this day and I am just awestruck by the length of time I have lived without one of these.....

That is, until now. Thanks to American Express and their delightful rewards program, I was able to get the new 5.5G iPod Video - that is 80GB of space for my music, videos, movies and more....all in the space of the palm of my hand!

Ask me why I need something so big? Actually I don't. I just had so many points available and was closing my account so I wanted to use them up quick. Well, this isn't the Digital Rebel XtI I wanted but it is really floating my boat!

I cannot believe I have steered clear of these babies for so long. Never ever saw the importance of having one.

I have over 10-days worth of songs on this things now, and it's only 1/4 full. I have all my favorite music loaded on play lists and the abstract stuff is just there if ever I want it.

I love my iPod. I can't believe I have been without one for so long. I am thrilled to have one now though!!

Welcome me to the new techno generation.

USANA Super Saturday - WOW

I had the opportunity today to hear some amazing speakers today. Dr. Strand, Jennifer Azzi, Richelle Lund, Mark Wilson, Daniel Song, and so many more I cannot even begin to tell you.

I cannot say who moved me the most because each speaker gave a little bit of themselves to the presentation and I took a little bit of something from each and every one of them.

Jennifer was quite motivational with regards to health and fitness. Attaining our goals was key. What I pulled from her though was that no one should put limitations on themselves with expectations. Expectations are so self limiting. If you look at any situation with the eyes of POSSIBILITY...well that is limitless. You have to have your vision first, then the possibilities. It made me think about Herbie Hancock and his recent album Possibilities. He made a list of the all the artists he would love to work with. He just made that list based on the possibility that some of his list would agree and work with him on this album. Amazingly so many responded and his album is amazing.

Dr. Wolfe spoke abuot the secrets to her success in USANA. I cannot recall all of them but one of her topics was FEAR. False Evidence Appearing Real. Another speaker - Ms. Thong spoke about fear too...but she had a twist to hers... Forget Everything And Run and Finding Excuses And Rejection. I haven'e been pursuing USANA as a second business as I would like too. For fear of rejection.

Daniel Song had so many great tidbits of information about overcoming objections. He made me realize that I have been letting my fear of rejection overpower what I know is good. USANA products are the best out there. Tht is not just me "talking the talk" because I want to "sell" vitamins...they are proven to be the best...(ask me how).

Today - it was at USANA Super Saturday. For a few dollars I listened to speakers share their information about topics including health and wellness, wealth and just overcoming fear and succeeding in business.

A few months ago, I became a distributor for USANA. Using their RESET program - I feel healthier and as a result have lost 14 pounds. I haven't been focusing on losing weight...but more on the nourishment piece. Funny how when you fuel you body properly it does the rest.
All this coming from a woman who had surgical staples put in her ears to lose weight...shuh...I learned there are no magic pills...OR STAPLES for that matter.

I heard a great deal of excellent information but was particularly touched by Dr. Wolfe's translation of a song from beautiful lyrics to mesmerizing sign language. It was just beautiful. You could really feel the message better than any lyricist could ever have you listen to.
Here's where I was today. I was able to meet just about everyone on the list except for Collette Larsen. He lovely daughter Sharlie went into labor a few weeks early TODAY so she had to be absent. Sharlie is very special. She has cystic fibrosis just like Kai. :)
That is pretty much how I got involved in USANA via Kai's pediatrician Dr. Christine Wood. When she knew he needed extra calories in his diet and she found out I was using butter and various oils...she suggested a USANA product. I then learned more about the oppotunities and signed up myself.


I would share more with you but I am so exhausted and the couple of glasses of wine I have consumed have gone straight to my head.

In Sickness and In Health - not for weak stomachs

I know dear reader, you are automatically thinking that I am referring to marriage. In some ways I am. But at this moment I am referring to the unspoken vows of family life.

This past week has been pretty full. A week ago today, we had to run both boys to the pediatrician because both had spiked rather high fevers. One was 102 and the other was nearly to 103. One was coughing and the other was having diarrhea.

Jerome and I both ventured over to the doctors office and were told that Troi had bronchitis and Kai had rotavirus.

Bronchitis - check
That ones easy, cough meds, decongestant, and Z-pak. Cool. Troi took antibiotics for 5 days and by day 2 was already back to his normal self.

rotavirus - hmm...WTF?
This one is not so easy. After the mom here decided to stop beating herself up for not keeping things "clean enough" for the little CFer, I decided to look into this further.

This virus attacks the gi system causing vomiting and diarrhea. At that point we had only witness the diarrhea and fever. On the way home, we experienced the other part. Quite unexpectedly Kai had deposited his stomach contents all over himself, the car seat, and the accompanying seat in which everything was fastened. I had no idea that he could even hold so much inside him considered he had already been excreting it out the other end. Poor guy. He did this twice over the 30 minute ride home, which seemed much longer to this smell-sensitive mother.

Once we arrived home, things got worse. Kai was unable to keep anything down so we stopped feeding him. Mind you, 99% of his calories still come from high-calorie, special-order, super-expensive formula. When advised that we couldn't give him milk, I quickly asked the doc - well, what do I do for him to get him his calories. She recommended a daily supplement of acidophilus and keep him hydrated at all costs.

That we did. He finally started eating again on Sunday in small amounts. When I say eating...I really mean drinking. He is still in OT for that.

Were it not for my darling husband through all this, I think I would have lost my mind completely. He was so good at getting up with me to sponge Kai down and he cleans up those nasty spills that I just cannot. So, marriage is not for those for the weak in stomach and neither is having kids.

I am realizing now in my ripening age, that family is a marriage not only between two people but any offspring too. So, in sickness and in health, I have an excellent partner. Thank God for his iron-clad stomach and his ability to breathe through his mouth. I for one refuse to be a mouth breather when there is something pungent lingering in the air. Why you ask dear reader? Well think about it. All odors are particulate even if in microscopic amounts. So if I can SMELL it...then I can....you get the idea.

Casualty of Christmas (2006)

IMG_3144
Originally uploaded by cf.sucks.

Every year there is at least one ornament that suffers a tragic death. This year was to be no different.

Troi was helping me take down the tree and was trying to take several down at the same time. His little arms were full and this one had to be sacrificed. One to save the many.

He thought it was my favorite. So he was upset that he broke it. I had to remind myself not to over react. I was upset only that there was broken glass all over the carpet - still not a biggie...but we three (Troi, Kai and myself) were barefooted.

*sigh*

So, my dear reader, this beautiful, handcrafted bulb, not one of my favorites, but one of the more expensive ($6) has drifted off to bulb heaven where it will once again be made whole. It lived a very good life. The best a bulb could live.

I wonder which one will have it's number called next year.

Merry Christmas - Happy New Year

Been a while since my last post. Things are great here. Christmas came and went without too much drama to speak of...none actually.

As usual I spent too much money on, well, everything and sadly I participated the the consumer orgy that everyone else was participating in as well at this time of year.

I plan on being ready for the heart attack my husband has when he sees the AM EX bill. Once he recovers from that, he will kill me for sure. *sigh*

I am on a shopping moratorium for the next 90 days to compensate for the sickening over consumption of anything that could be bought with plastic.

Otherwise, on the home front- thankfully the kids still believe in Santa! Yippee! Santa managed to come and go without a hitch and left some wonderful gifts for the kids this year. His gifts are easily distinguishable from all others because they are the only ones that remain unwrapped....

How is it at your house? Do you still believe? I still believe in the magic.

Hugs,
Michellene

Coolness...Check the Cool Wax

I came across this blog...and I thrilled I did...

Click the title and you will see why...

I recall a trip to the record store as a kid and my Dad purchasing a record for me. I believe he bought my brother and I 2 or 3 of them...

I remember this because while growing up...we were taught to never ask for anything when we were out shopping with mom and dad. I am not sure if that was just because it was wrong or because my parents didn't want to be reminded that they were flat broke.

I think it was the latter. But what do I know...I was just a freaking kid.

As for my kids, they have more CDs combined that I can shake a stick at...perhaps I am making up for that which I couldn't have or do when I was a kid.

Anyway, this guy has a ton of great vinyl and he's ripped it just for your enjoyment. Much of it is older than I am but it still reminds me of that trip to the record store. It also reminds me of the vast collection of albums that my Dad had...I loved some of those records...some were clear...some were crazy colors...not just plain black.

Anyway, check this guy out...he ROCKS.

M

Showtime - Showing Dexter Love!

You have to check out this blog! My dear friend Reylynda is so amazing. Her writing is definitely some of the best out there.

One of my favorite shows of late...besides the The Wire...is pretty much Dexter. There's nothing like a serial killer that fiends for spilling the blood of other serial killers.

His name is Dexter.

Click the link above to read the best review I have ever read about this show. The writers at Showtime have even taken note and had the post up on their website.

Whiskey Tango White Trash

This is to the woman at Domino's running her mouth at the employees there ESPECIALLY at Diana. What in the world did she ever do to you?

Are you a hater because she has more character than you do in your little finger? Your misconception must be that you are more beautiful than she because you have your token hottie on your arm...who was also running his mouth.

Dear miss blondie-

You started ranting about your credit card being charged twice for pizza you hadn't received yet. Ok...VALID complaint but the way you went about it is all wrong. I understand that you are frustrated with the situation but that doesn't warrant name calling...didn't your mother ever teach you that?

Regardless of the situation you should remain courteous and gracious...you get more bees with honey than you do fecal matter. By your tone and your use of slang words proved possitive you are quite familiar with fecal matter because you were spewing it all over the place...your slang terms such as "Whiskey Tango White Trash" at Diana was really poor form on your part.

For one, it's you that looked bad.

For another, Whiskey Tango IS white trash. So you really called her White Trash White Trash...how stupid is that?

Also, considering we are all from daughters of Eve (no lie...your mitochondrial DNA can be traced back to the 7 daughters of Eve...) then you are related to her...so that makes you...Whiskey Tango Whiskey Tango.

Next time, check yourself before you wreck yourself...

You never know why people are where they are...you never know where they have been and you don't know where people are going...you may run into Diana again someday...She could be your kids Dr when you need some answers...she may be your accountant when you want to know where all your money went...hmm..

It's called Karma.

I would like ring-side seats for the nex time you see Diana or the next time someone is on your ass about a screw up that you made... maybe I will be lucky and it will be on PPV or even UFC! I am betting Diana will clean your clock.

HOT SHOTS!

You know, I giggle at the name only because when I first met my husband he had to jump someone's dead battery. He's from Baltimore. They call that a HOT SHOT.

Well, that's not what this place is about...but I will never forget the name!

They repair eyeware. ANY eyeware it seems.

I needed a repair in a bad way.

I took Kai and Troi with me to a Parent Teacher conference today and Kai got into someone's desk. He took their little glasses and MANGLED them. Of course, being the responsible parent I am....I knew I had to repair them.

So, I too them to HOT SHOTS! They fixed them in about 10 minutes! NO LIE.

Thank you HOT SHOTS! You ROCK! I appreciate it so very much. I just cannot tell you how you have saved the day! Beat the teachers suggestion all to pieces...she was actually going to just tape them! I couldn't have that.

Thank you again!


Michellene

Too Close To Home!

There was a shooting the other day in the "unincorporated" area of San Marcos. Little did I know just how close this is to us. Olive St is the street I take to take Troi to school.

Just off Olive is a private road where there are 30+ acres for sale. Within these 30+ acres is Marilyn. Marilyn is the private road that is unincorporated.

Evidently people were shot here.

I do recall seeing Sheriff's flying down Mulberry that evening...and that alone is very very unusual in this neighborhood. It's very quiet and I did make a mental note. Wouldn't you know- this is where it occurred....

Just down the road.

What the hell is wrong with these people?

Wynton, Wynton, Wynton....Marsalis that is!

All I can say is..."Wow".

Jerome took me to dinner on Saturday 10/28/2006. Dinner and a show.

What a show it was!

Wynton Marsalis Quintet was simply amazing. Every note, every riff...every single piece they played was simply amazing.

Everytime I see Wynton play his horn, I am smitten.

Not only is he an amazing musician, but everyone that played with him has some amazing talent.

Dear God - I believe...I really do...

Dear God, hope you got the letter, and...

I pray you can make it better down here.

I don't mean a big reduction in the price of beer

but all the people that you made in your image

see them starving on their feet

'cause they don't get enough to eat from God

I can't believe in you Dear God

sorry to disturb you

but... I feel that I should be heardloud and clear.

We all need a big reduction in amount of tears

and all the people that you made in your image

see them fightingin the street

'cause they can't make opinions meet about God

I can't believe in you

Did you make disease

and the diamond blue?

Did you make mankind

after we made you?

And the devil too!

- XTC, Dear God

I for one, believe in God. These lyrics always appealed to me because I am able to think abstractly. I know there are many moments in our lives that cause us to cry out to God...for help...for praise...for thanks...in anger.

It's that anger that has struck me today. My best friend Jenn called me yesterday. She shared with me something that was on her mind...she received a call from her mom about her Aunt L. Aunt L has been battling breast cancer, and was for a while thought to have kicked it's ass...but now...she has lesions on her brain that are causing a rapid decline in her health...the prognosis is grave...and it's my understanding that Aunt L...is dying.

Yes yes I know we are all standing with one foot in the grave...but why Aunt L? She's a light in the lives of so many...why must this light be snuffed out too early?

So, this brings me to think about the song above...Dear God...why Aunt L?

I love God and think that everything that occurs has a divine purpose. The purpose may often be a mysery to those fulfilling that purpose...but it is a purpose all the same.

Yard Birds

Lately I have noticed an icreasing number of bird visitors to our yard. It's not uncommon since we do, afterall, love sort of in the country...sub-urban is more like...but we have a 1 acre lot. There is grass missing in some spots....

These birds...are just crazy!

They fly from spot to spot in the same yard they fly away...

I thought the sheer number in the bald spots in the yard to be cool enough to take pictures...of course I am insane and will take photos of just about anything...

Brianne Shelton

I never had the opportunity to meet this young woman. She worked for the medical organization that I contract for.

I read about her in the health system newsletter...and was saddened about the loss of life.

Her plane crashed en route to do charity work...fulfilling what I believe to be a very noble cause...providing medical care to those in need.

My most sincere condolences to Brianne's family...immediate and extended.

Just reading about her in the newletter...and again online...she will be missed.

Her website is down right now. I hope it will be back up soon...I would love to read more about her...not morbid curiosity...I never got to meet her...perhaps I can meet her this way.

Visit:
http://www.brianneshelton.com

Click the title for the local news clipping.

Florida's Sadness

I am so disgusted by this crime. A suspect is on the loose out there...after killing four people...2 of them children. It just makes me sick to think that this person is still on the loose.

Can you imagine?

The mother was clutching her children tightly under her...as she herself died in the fetal position...doing what every mother would do...protecting her children.

WTF

Is there a book of manners out there regarding photo taking?

If there is, hook a sista up!

Once I read it and master it...I will surely school everyone else on it.

When I got married, my photographer had no qualms about telling you to get out of her picture...she pissed off a lot of people that day...

I was just thinking about her today...while at the beach with my boys...a woman was in my photos...I would have never told her to get out...it's a freaking public beach...but if I knew I was in someones picture...I surely would be inclined to get my fat ass out of it.

5 Minute Monsoon

Alright now, that's a bit of an exaggeration...to say the least...but one minute it was sunny and then the next it was pouring!! Before the downpour...Kai and I spotted a rainbow...

:)

My Anutie Linda in Hawaii says that the islands is home of many rainbows and in each rainbow, we see Nana (her mom) smiling down on us.

So, I had to take a photo...or 2....

Hi Nana!!

Feel Like Whining About Life? Think Again

Nick is amazing. Jenn gave me a DVD of Nick's sometime ago that I have never watched. Not because I didn't want to...but to be honest I was afraid of being moved.

Does that make sense?

Read Nick's story.

I am off to watch his DVD.

He's speaking tonight at Point Loma Nazarene. It's free to the public...and I just know it's going to be hell trying to get in.

I heard about it on KOGO today on my home from Kai's OT appt.

Check him out. He's in Cali all week...

In Memory - We Will Not Forget

Scientists and engineers simulate jet colliding with World Trade Center from PhysOrg.com

Researchers at Purdue University have created a simulation that uses scientific principles to study in detail what likely happened when a commercial airliner crashed into the World Trade Center's North Tower on Sept. 11, 2001.

[...]

Scientists today recreate the collapse of the WTC twin towers...replicating a jet crashing into the buildings. Full Text article above.


Also visit the attached link for Jersey photos.

To all those families directly affected by this senseless act of terrorism...I send you my condolences.