Sarah Plymale is engaged! much congratulations to her and Aaron!

i love hearing about big news in the lives of my friends. but it's so difficult not tell anyone about it! hopefully in a few days i'll have the go-ahead. :)

so today after work i got an oil change and they were giving out free car fresheners. i really like the smell of it...but it's waaaaay too strong. i cracked my car windows in the garage and now all i have to do is approach the door from the house to the garage and i can smell it. talk about a powerful little freshener. tonight when i came home from my sisters', the garage still smelled like it. so...i put it in my dumpster because it smells like an animal died in there. after my garage and car air out, i'll only be overwhelmed with the smell once or twice a week when i take out the garbage...

Francis is in his 50's and works in the assessor's office in the courthouse. i typically talk with him a few minutes everyday as he stops at my office on the way to the pop and vending machines. we've discussed all kinds of stuff -- the best stores for me to buy furniture, our weekend plans, computing, his daughter's surgery a few weeks ago, etc. yesterday morning he waved me over as i walked by the assessor's office and told me his grandson was in the hospital after having a 2-hr long grand-mal seizure. in this kid's 15 yrs of life, he has had 164 grand-mal seizures with 86 of them lasting over 2 hrs. he weighs over 300 lbs because some of his medications significantly increase his appetite. but none of the meds he's been on have helped at all. he has had one brain surgery and will have another within a few months. he doesn't do well in school, but can read and play catch.

i more i hear about those who have it this difficult, the more ashamed i feel for complaining about my life. i have my health, i have wonderful people at my side, and i have a great job. i just need to remember all of this when life gets rough...

i actually said what needed to be said, but it still blew up in my face. lovely how that happens...

i need to confront someone that's been creating/enhancing lots of problems for my siblings and i. when i've confronted individuals in the past, it has either blown up in my face because my anger/hurt overcomes me or it doesn't happen at all because i don't have the courage to say what needs to be said. this time it's more important than ever that neither of these happen. if i don't communicate the issues effectively, things will get worse for my siblings. so if you could be thinking of me as i figure out what to say and as i confront this person, it would be much appreciated.

i watched tommy lee goes to college last night, mainly because it's filmed at the university of nebraska at lincoln. a guy i went to high school with was on the show a bunch of times because he's in the unl band drum line, which tommy tried out for. his name is ben c (he's the guy to the right of tommy lee).

i don't know ben very well. during my junior and senior yr of high school, i stood in the line behind him in marching band and it was obvious that music was his life. but the most obvious thing about him was that he didn't care what anyone thought. he wasn't showey at all, but he was never afraid to show off his passion. he was big into music, mainly drums, but also anything that could be used as an instrument. a few of us were at his house once and he played a bunch of his stuff at our request. it was mostly songs that he imitated from the radio. they each had several layers and sounded like the real thing -- it was amazing! when he decided on majoring in percussion performance at unl, lots of people snickered. but he didn't care because it was what he was passionate about. and everyone knew it. not many people did that in high school.

i have no idea what ben c is up to by now. he was a year behind me, so he graduated in 2004 or 2005. i have no doubt that he is doing quite well. he had his head on straight in high school, so i'm sure he's even more mature now. i have the utmost respect for him and wish him the best!


after i watched tommy lee, i changed channels to cnn where they were talking about the latest worm to attack windows 2k/xp and how if IT departments had blocked certain ports to the open world (which is a no-brainer), this worm wouldn't be an issue. here's hoping the guy i replaced and the guys that set up our network used common sense.

On a Septic Tank Truck in Oregon:
Yesterday's Meals on Wheels

Sign over a Gynecologist's Office:
"Dr. Jones, at your cervix."

On a Plumber's truck:
"We repair what your husband fixed."

On a Plumber's truck:
"Don't sleep with a drip. Call your plumber.."

Pizza Shop Slogan:
"7 days without pizza makes one weak."

At a Tire Shop in Milwaukee!
"Invite us to your next blowout."

On a Plastic Surgeon's Office door
"Hello. Can we pick your nose?"

At a Towing company:
"We don't charge an arm and a leg. We want tows."

On an Electrician's truck:
"Let us remove your shorts"

In a Non-smoking Area:
"If we see smoke, we will assume you are on fire and take appropriate action."

On a Maternity Room door:
"Push. Push. Push"

At an Optometrist's Office
"If you don't see what you're looking for, you've come to the right place."

On a Taxidermist's window:
"We really know our stuff."

In a Podiatrist's office:
"Time wounds all heels."

On a Fence:
"Salesmen welcome! Dog food is expensive."

At a Car Dealership:
"The best way to get back on your feet -- miss a car payment."

Outside a Muffler Shop:
"No appointment necessary. We hear you coming."

In a Veterinarian's waiting room:
"Be back in 5 minutes.. Sit! Stay!"

At the Electric Company:
"We would be delighted if you send in your payment.
However, if you don't, you will be."

In a Restaurant window:
"Don't stand there and be hungry, Come on in and get fed up."

In the front yard of a Funeral Home:
"Drive carefully. We'll wait."

At a Propane Filling Station,
"Thank heaven for little grills."

And don't forget the sign at a Chicago Radiator Shop:
"Best place in town to take a leak."

  --brought to my attention by mom

bet you all didn't know about this...




thx to Trina for documenting this hidden talent of mine

so i spent a bit of money today...





(if you want my new number, IM or email me)

i also paid my rentor's insurance for the year and paid my electric bill.

hopefully i don't spend this much tomorrow... :)