11.18.2008

i'm a walking disaster...

I didn’t realize until a couple days ago, what a walking disaster I’ve been for the past couple of months. Since I have so many other important things to take care of, I tend to brush off my “scrapes and bruisies.” It wasn’t until one of my friends pointed out the reoccurrences of my scrapes and bruises.

Back in August, I got hit by a baseball at a minor league game. I don’t like baseball. I only went because the tickets were free and I got an all-you-can-eat pass. Well, I was near the concession stand when the baseball ricocheted off the stadium and hit me on the head. I ducked and tried to try to miss it, but it hit me anyway. It was so embarrassing. I felt like everyone was looking at me. The medic came over to examine me. Then I immediately left the game. No biggie – there just happened to be several co-workers at the game since we all got free tickets.

In September, I got stung by a swarm of wasps in the backyard. I had no idea wasps could sting you through your clothes until that night. I was stung all down the side of my back and right arm. It really was no big deal to me until I started webbing and stinging didn’t go away after 30 minutes. Several hours later after medicating the wound and drugging myself up I was fine.

In October, I burned myself while cooking. I accidentally touched the small part of the skillet that isn’t cool-to-touch. I really didn’t think it was that big of a deal until my wrist continued to burn 30 minutes afterwards.

I suppose this month’s injury could have been prevented had I not been drinking. So I don’t want to get into the details of how it happened, but I severely injured my knee. I really didn’t think it was a big deal until I started bleeding. But I have to say this one was totally worth it since it was a sex injury.

11.16.2008

my soap opera...

Sometime between now and the end of this year I was supposed to be tested to see if I’m a match to be a kidney donor for my dad. It was going to be perfect timing because I take a lot of vacation days in November and December, so I would have plenty of time to do the full work up. Then if I was a match, we can go ahead and do the surgery next year.

Of course that plan is now halted. Nothing ever goes the way it’s planned. Before my dad can become a kidney recipient, he has to pass all of these test and get approval from several doctors. So I wasn’t surprised when I was told my dad has to go in for an angiogram to get approval from the heart doctor. Unfortunately, there is something abnormal with his heart so they have to find out what it is. That could result from doctors doing nothing to putting in a stint or opening up his chest for heart surgery.

The good news is everything is done at once. So dad has to have the angiogram. If doctors see nothing he goes home. If doctors see he just needs a stint, they will do it right there and then. That also means he’ll have a longer hospital stay. If doctors see he needs something more, then they wait for our approval; do the surgery and a longer hospital stay.

The bad news is I have to plan for all three scenarios which has kept me pretty busy lately. For those who don’t know my dad is the worst patient ever. So about 20% of my time is spent on health-related issues. If it isn’t one thing it’s another. Sometimes I feel like my life is a soap opera between family, men and work…I just hope I’ll be able to make some money off of it.

11.10.2008

there's something in the water.

There are a lot of people at my job popping up pregnant. So either something is in the water, or this theory my co-worker (we'll call her M) and I have, must be true. There are about six people M and I know who are pregnant (one is including her).

We truly believe it is due to the recession we are in. People don’t have the money to go out, so they stay in and make some nookie. Think about it, why else is everyone getting pregnant?

11.02.2008

silver lining of a recession

Everyday I watch the news when I come home and I tell you it has never been this depressing. Everyday when I watch the world news they give a run down of what companies are laying off and how many people they are laying off. Each day it’s a new set of companies. Twenty minutes of the 30-minute newscast is about the economy, its effects and of course the election (which also eludes to the current economic state).

It has never been this bad in majority of Americans lifetime and the outlook even looks bleaker. I can’t help but think that maybe all of this means something a little deeper. Maybe perhaps we as a whole are not living the way God intended us to live. We have gotten all caught up in the material things of life – clothes, electronics, cars – that we’ve taken for granted the necessities.

Whatever happened to the days where you only buy something when you had the money? It has become a regular thing for us to get loans (or put on credit) things that are not a true necessities. I was watching 20/20 one night and they quoted an older man in his 80’s saying when they didn’t have the money to buy something they just didn’t.

Now isn’t that a concept? I hate this recession as much as anyone else, but maybe…just maybe we can all learn something from this. Maybe we will learn how to manage our cash a little better. Maybe we will learn not to spend all of our money or so much of our money on frivolous items. Maybe we will learn its not all about keeping with the Joneses, but more of living out your dreams and goals. Maybe we will learn to appreciate people, experiences and moments more than material things. But more importantly maybe we can learn to be a little more grateful for every thing we do have. So next time the economy is doing well and money is "overflowing" our pockets we won't go out on a shopping spree but instead cherish the important things.