Hello 2009

I've been doing a bit of reflection on 2008, and planning for 2009. Here's what I've come up with:

Things I'm thankful for:

Vik & Taco - don't know what I'd do without them
My great job and great co-workers
Meeting Joan and forming a new friendship with her
Fellow animal lovers and all they do to help animals
Feeling safe
Being able to live comfortably in a nice home
Health care & Health benefits
Feeling optimistic, confident, and good about myself
Twitter & the new friends I've made online


Things to improve on in 2009:

Lose 20 pounds!
Take Vik & Taco to at least one obedience/agility class each
Quit Starbucks/Tim Hortons (occasionally is ok)
Quit buying lunch (occasionally is ok)
Take more pictures

Holiday Stress Management

The Little Boss (who is my boss, vs. the BIG Boss, who is the Little Boss's Boss) stopped by my office just now with a thoughtful little gift for xmas. Home For The Holidays: A Survival Kit. This dandy little kit contains:

1. A flask (Woo!)
2. Ear Plugs (ear plugs have rescued me from many anger inducing situations)
3. A Survival Guide containing common family holiday 'situations' and how to handle them.
4. 10 flash cards containing excuses to use to leave family holiday gatherings early (I cannot WAIT to read these - hello, Queen of the Excuse!)


Excuses to leave a family function early:

1. I'm under house arrest and need to get back before my parole officer finds out I'm gone.

2. My insurance won't authorize the additional therapy sessions that I'll need after this.

3. I ate Aunt Edna's dessert and now I feel that I may see it again.

4. Oh this? The doctor said it's highly contagious, but the rash only lasts a month or so.

5. I forgot to set the TIVO for the 80's teen flick marathon on TV tonight.

6. I'm leaving the country for unspecifiable reasons.

7. I've been downloading illegal music onyour computer and I have to split before the cops show up.

8. Ellis Island called: you're not my real family.

9. Uncle Fred is on the roof and the neighbors are starting to stare out their windows.

10. I just sobered up and realized where I am.


Speaking of sobering up....after reading the little survival guide, I have decided the top 2 gifts to give are as follows:

1. Alcohol - This is a no-brainer. If you bring alcohol, it will inevitably be opened at the party, and voila, you get to reap the benefits of your own gift.

2. Lottery Tickets - Another no-brainer. Pros: They're cheap, can be found at the local liquor store (where you'll be stopping anyways), and everyone knows the unspoken rule that the giver gets half of whatever the recipient wins. Once again, you get to reap the benefits of your own gift!

This gift from the Little Boss has renewed my faith that I will get through this holiday season unscathed with my new bag of tips and tricks ;-)

Tin Grin

So, I've been lazy and haven't done a big post about my braces. They're not really all that exciting. The tenderness is mostly gone, as are the major canker sores they caused during the first week. I don't have to get the wires replaced again until February. My bite isn't fitting together properly because my teeth are moving, and it's super annoying. I kinda have to tear food a part and swallow some of it basically whole. These pics were taken December 1, which is the day they were 'installed'.

Meme

Bold the ones you've done:

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band (concert and jazz band in school)
4. Visited Hawaii (Maui to be exact)
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity (I give to charity, but not more than I can afford)
7. Been to Disneyland (world?) (Disneyland twice)
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo (haven't sang one, but have played lots of instrumental solos)
11. Bungee Jumped (don't have the guts)
12. Visited Paris (would love to)
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child (no, but I've adopted 4 dogs)
16. Had food poisoning (salmonella, and it was horrific)
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty (would love to)
18. Grown your own vegetables (if I only had the room!)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France (would love to)
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked (I would NEVER hitch hike or pick up one)
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice (would love to)
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person (would love to)
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
41. Sung karaoke (I love singing, but have never done the karoke thing)
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa (would love to)
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight (must do this someday)
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted (not painted, but sketched)
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person (would love to)
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris (would love to)
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater (our drive-in closed down, and I really miss it!)
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China (would love to)
57. Started a business (I was a piano teacher)
58. Taken a martial arts class (1 kickboxing class was more than enough thank you!)
59. Visited Russia (would love to)
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving (no way!)
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp (I don't know if I could handle it)
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter (would love to)
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar (yuck, no way!)
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job (they were idiots)
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London (would love to)
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person (would love to)
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (I could NEVER kill an animal)
88. Had Chickenpox (when I was 18, and it sucked!)
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one (my dad died the day before my 25th birthday)
94. Had a baby (tried and failed, tried and failed, rinse & repeat)
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake trust me, you wouldn't WANT to.
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee (only once)
100. Read an entire book in one day

100 Things About Me

1. I’m a Leo
2. I was born in the year of the Dragon
3. I think the Leo/Dragon combo is super cool
4. I have 2 dogs - Vik and Taco
5. I love them more than anyone or anything in the whole world
6. I have been doing techie computer things my entire career. Right now my focus is security.
7. I’m an introvert, and spend a lot of time processing life.
8. I’m a serious driver. Not aggressive, but when I get behind the wheel, I’m on a mission, and like to get to my destination promptly and efficiently. (Thank you for getting out of my way).
9. I need ample quiet time to recharge my batteries.
10. I hate the telephone.
11. I love going for long walks.
12. I play a hand-held yahtzee game every night in bed before I go to sleep.
13. I love goals, plans, and lists.
14. I like the world to be black or white. All or nothing. Shades of grey and in between make me crazy.
15. I’m a night owl, and hate going to bed at night. However, I would like to take numerous naps throughout the day.
16. My favorite place to go is the off-leash park.
17. The first thing I do every morning is have an intense snuggle session with my dogs.
18. I love dogs much more than humans. They are so real, true and simple. Humans are so complex.
19. My favorite food is Hawaiian pizza, with thick chewy crust.
20. I love warm drinks. I find them very comforting.
21. I treasure my alone time (alone with my dogs).
22. I treasure time spent with friends who I have a real connection and bond with.
23. I love to watch TV shows and movies that make me think (like medical and crime investigations).
24. I have a short attention span, and have a hard time sitting through movies. By the one hour mark I start to twitch.
25. I play the piano, clarinet and saxophone.
26. I taught piano lessons for quite a few years.
27. I love to bathe the dogs, change the bedding, then shower myself and go to bed. The cleanliness and freshness is heavenly.
28. Salty or sweet? Definitely sweet!
29. I go for a massage at least once a month.
30. I have chronic neck pain. I have been told I carry the weight of the world in my shoulders.
31. I would love to quit my job and work in animal rescue full time
32. Both of my dogs are rescues. Rescuing a pet is always the best choice IMHO.
33. I love doing arts and craftsy stuff, and should really do more of it.
34. I love the internet and can’t imagine life without it.
35. I can go for weeks without watching TV.
36. I’m not close with my family. I wish I had a loving and nurturing family, but I don’t. I came to terms with that a long time ago.
37. I’m a very loving and nurturing person. I love to care for people who I hold close to my heart, and I would fight to the death for them.
38. I don’t hold many close to my heart. Many have shown they don’t deserve it.
39. I’m very deep and complex, and have been told I have an old soul.
40. My Psychologist told me I’m a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP).
41. I don’t like crowds or noise.
42. I consider myself to be a wee bit on the boring side.
43. I love the outdoors, and love to go hiking and camping.
44. I hate road trips. Being stuck in a vehicle for more than an hour drives me nutty.
45. I hate flying. I’m not scared of planes; I just can’t stand the whole process involved in getting ON and OFF the plane.
46. I can be extremely impatient.
47. I love meeting new people who I really ‘click’ with.
48. I love it when people ‘get’ me, and I ‘get’ them.
49. I’m kind of an only child. My half brother is 13 years older than me.
50. I love to clean, and get a thrill out of having a clean house. Sad, I know.
51. Big surprise here – I’m on medication because I have anxiety.
52. I hate swimming in the ocean. Can’t stand the salt water.
53. I’m not a good swimmer. I had a bad experience with an awful swimming instructor when I was a kid. I was scared of the diving tanks, but he forced me to jump off the driving board. I got disoriented in the water and didn’t know which way was up. I’ve been scared of deep water ever since.
54. I wear contacts. I first had to get glasses when I was 8.
55. I love to color in coloring books. I find it calming.
56. I love rain storms with thunder and lightening when I’m inside all nice and cozy.
57. I am always cold. Therefore I’d love it if it could be 30 degrees every day of the year.
58. I used to have a house cleaner, but let her go because she didn’t measure up to my standards of cleanliness. I’m happier if I just do it myself.
59. In school, I always did most of the work on group projects. I hated group projects.
60. I enjoy working on a team, but like having my own work to do. I like collaborating.
61. Relying on other people makes me uncomfortable. It has been my experience that 9 times out of 10; the only person I can truly depend on is myself.
62. I have a strong desire to give to those less fortunate.
63. I hate to cook, but love to bake. I don’t bake often though, because I have no will power when it comes to sweet stuff, and I’d eat it all.
64. I don’t have kids. We tried for a few years, tried fertility treatments but stopped. Now we’re just in limbo. After all that has happened, and the fact that I’m in my 30’s now, I question if I want kids anymore.
65. If I did want a child, I think I would like to adopt. The idea of helping a child in need feels like the right choice.
66. I have never broken a bone.
67. I usually only swear if I’m really mad.
68. I rarely drink alcohol. Maybe once a year. I hate the taste of it. If I do drink, you can pretty much rest assured that I plan on really letting loose. (i.e. Get drunk). When this happens, I’ll likely be drinking shooters. Shooters get me to the desired result quicker, and requires me to drink less.
69. I value honesty above all else in relationships.
70. I wouldn’t want to be married to me. I’m way too intense.
71. I would love to be friends with me. I think I make a wonderful friend.
72. My dogs help me appreciate the little things in life, and I love them so much for that.
73. I have never heard my mom tell me she loves me. Ever.
74. My childhood best friend developed cancer in junior high. She had surgeries, chemotherapy and physiotherapy, and was able to beat it. It has never come back and she now has a wonderful family and 2 handsome boys. I’m very proud of her.
75. I’m quite sarcastic with a dry sense of humor.
76. I can’t stand Leslie Nielsen movies, especially any of the Naked Guns.
77. My biggest fear is that I’ll die and be forgotten. I want to make a big difference in the world before I die. That is my life goal.
78. If I became fabulously rich, I wouldn’t buy fancy cars and houses. I would volunteer, travel to 3rd world countries, help children, rescue and aid animals, and do as much ‘good’ with my money as I possibly could.
79. If I had to live on a deserted island, and could bring only 3 things, I would bring my dogs, and my computer (of course the island would have electricity & internet, right?)
80. I love learning about Sociology and Psychology.
81. I plan on making a Life List soon.
82. Until I was 6 years old, I would not answer to anything except ‘Kitty’. I had watched a Christmas movie with a girl named Kitty in it and thought she was so neat, I changed my name right then and there.
83. I often put things in ‘safe’ places where I’ll remember where to find them, but then promptly forget where these places are.
84. My favorite color is blue. I have a blue/green personality.
85. I love to sing.
86. I have never done karaoke.
87. I have never been to a rock/pop type of concert.
88. I have been to MANY choir, band, and orchestral concerts.
89. Symmetry is VERY important to me.
90. I hate shopping. I make an exception for online shopping though. It feels like online shopping was designed especially for me.
91. I have braces and will likely require LeFort jaw surgery.
92. I am very honest and blunt. I can’t stand fake people, people without a backbone, or people who sugar-coat everything.
93. I hate it when people complain continually about the same thing, but do nothing to resolve the cause of the complaint (i.e. My mother)
94. I have massive amounts of thick, course, wavy/curly hair. I go through cycles of growing it very long, then hacking it off out of annoyance and boredom.
95. I didn’t play any sports in school, and have never played any since. I detest team sports. I don’t even like doing fitness classes at the gym. I thrive on doing these things on my own. I like to do things my way and at my own speed.
96. I wasn’t allowed to have pets as a kid, and didn’t get my first dog until I was in my 20’s.
97. I have been in love with dogs ever since.
98. I have a strong dislike for withdrawn and anti-social cats. I only like cats if they have dog-like personalities.
99. I consider myself to have a cat-like personality.
100. I think my love of dogs provides the yin to my yang.

Spacers Are In!

I went into Dr. A's office yesterday to get spacers (8 to be exact) put in between my back teeth. My teeth are SO tight, the girl had a hell of a time getting them in. She ended up calling in back-up help for one of the elastics, and the back-up help ended up jimmying a wire spacer because the elastic spacer would.not.go.in. There was some blood shed (I have very sensitive gums), and it took them twice as long as it was supposed to. Supposed to be done in 10 minutes, but it took 20. Not fun, but not horrendous either. The good thing, is that come Monday when I get my braces on, it will be much easier due to the space the spacers will have created for the ligatures to go around my back teeth.

A couple of hours after the spacers were put in, they were really driving me crazy. A little sore, but overall just really annoying. Ya know when you have a chunk of something stuck in your teeth, and if you can't get it out right away, it drives you nuts? Well imagine that x 8. The elastics stick up a bit, so that when I bite down, the top and bottom elastics meet in a sponging elasticy way. Makes me want to grind my teeth. My teeth are tender today. I could really use a gum massage!

Liquid Advil is my best friend, and I'm betting it will continue to be for the next, oh, 2 years!

Can't Hardly Wait

The newest issue of Modern Dog arrived in my mailbox today. The cover reminded me Marley & Me is finally opening soon! December 25th to be exact. I read the book this past summer and loved it. I laughed and I cried. After watching the movie trailer, it looks like I could be laughing and crying through the movie too. Vik was barking at my monitor while I was watching the trailer. I'm thinking I might have to buy it on DVD down the road when it's released. Vik loves to watch dogs on the tv. He follows them around on the screen and looks for them around the sides of the tv if they disappear. If they bark, he thinks they're in the speakers. He's not a guy who is easily entertained (unlike Taco), so it's entertaining to watch him get so interested and perplexed by something so seemingly simple.

Amazing camera

I'm pretty impressed with the camera on my new BB Curve. I think I'll be more successful keeping my blog up to date now that I can post right from my BB.

One drawback though...it's a work BB, so everytime I email to my blog, there's a company auto signature on everything I send, and I can't turn it off. I'll just have to log into Blogger and delete it after the fact.

SMRT that's me!

Apparently, I'm unbelievably smart :-)

How smart am I.....?

Testing, testing, one, two, three...

Checking to see if I'm smart enough to figure out how to take a pic with my new BB and post right to Blogger.