Do You Want Fries With That?

Eating out has become more of a chore since I have changed my diet, due to the diabetes. I can not just run down to Wendy's and grab a double cheeseburger and fries. I have to actually put some thought into what I want to consume. So Today I decided that a nice broiled fish dinner from Long John Silvers sounded good. So off to LJS I went.

I ordered my food and was given a cup to go to the self serve isle to get my diet drink. In front of me was a very very elderly old man. He had to be at least 80-85. I stood there patiently while he continued to fill his cup with water. As he turned around to go to his table, he tripped on his feet and somewhat stumbled. By doing this, his drink, which had no lid on it yet came splattering down across my shirt and face. Thank goodness it was just water. As he was profusely apologizing he bent over to pick up his cup and as he came up he then proceeded to eject what water and ice was left on me as well.

Again he began apologizing, wanting to buy me a new shirt, buy my lunch, etc. I told him no, that was fine, it was just an accident and I would be fine. I asked the clerk to hold my food on the warmer and I would be right back. Luckily there was a KMart right next to this LJS. Yes, I know, Kmart, God forbid, but when you are soaking wet, does it matter where you shop?

I went in and grabbed a deal, two polo shirts at 2.99 a piece, went out to my auto and changed shirts. Realized that the shirt tails were WAY TOO long, so now I needed to go back in and buy a belt to be able to tuck in my shirt, as I could not wear that long of a shirt back to work. So I got the belt. (actually two of them for $9.99). I went back out to my auto put on the white shirt, tucked it in and realized my breast were exposed through the thin material. Not that I am a full breasted man, but it looked really bad, so I proceeded BACK into Kmart and bought a package of white t-shirts for $6.79.

Once back to work, it was amazing how many people realized I had changed shirts! I didn't think they really noticed what I wore. Anyway, a lunch that would normally cost me $5.49 was a total of $28.25!! Good thing I didn't get fries with that.

Thursday Thirteen #1

I found a great new blog, Jannverse. I love this blogger!! Witty, funny, outright hilarious at times. A joy to read every time I log on. On Thursdays she has what is called Thursday Thirteen. Each week a list of thirteen things are listed. Random thoughts, current pet peeves, Book titles, you never know what your going to get and every Thursday I get a good laugh reading the posts, so I thought to brighten my blog I would do the same thing on Thursdays, as well as link to her site. So today is my first and here are my Thursday Thirteen, First Edition!

THIRTEEN THINGS I WISH I'D NEVER DONE
1. Ironed my dad's guitar pick

2. Ran outside, around the house in my underwear in the middle of a snow storm

3. Tried jumping off a high porch when it was raining

4. Hit the reply all button on an e-mail I should not have

5. Had that 15th rum and coke

6. Dye my hair blonde

7. Ate a chocolate covered jalapeno

8. Ate a chocolate covered earthworm

9. Bought a fish tank

10. Watched Lost in Translation

11. Kissed that guy in the bar, when I was really drunk

12. Rolled through a stop sign

13. Quit my job, without having another one already lined up

Jannaverse's 13

Being Nosey

I'm being NOSEY

Taking an idea from my blog friend Steve

I want to learn more about those who visit my blog. This is what I’d like to know:

What’s your job?
Do you have any kids?
Are you attached?
Do you have pets?
Your parents still alive?
Do you have siblings?
What’s your dream job?
You believe in angels?
If you answered any of these questions, I’d be very happy.

Working on a New Me.

I knew there was some reason why I hadn't been to the doctor for a check-up. As most of you know if you read my blog, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes on August 4. Since then things have been going pretty well. I got my drugs, and watching my diet and I have been able to maintain my blood sugars pretty good. It is amazing how much better I feel and even my vision is getting some better.

Then today the doctor's office called to give me my blood work results that I had done on Friday. My LDL was 137, which should be about 110. My HDL which should be around 60 was only 31, which in itself the doctor said wasn't real bad, but was high borderline, but my Triglycerides were 204, which was not good at all. My total cholesterol was 214, which should be below 200. So it looks as though I get to start taking some more drugs!

He is also putting me on Chantix. A new non-smoking drug. With my diabetes and the cholesterol I definitely need to throw away the cigarettes, but I've been smoking since I was 17, that is 30 years!! So I definitely will need help. The drug is somewhat expensive, but compared to the cost of cigarettes and the toll it has apparently taken on my body, I think I will opt for the drugs.

So over the next few weeks, while moving into a new home, I will be working on a new me. Hey, I'm even go to start an exercise program! The only exercise I really get now is my hand...no, not what you think, it's from moving my computer mouse over the mouse pad!

It could be worse. My son's father-in-law died Sunday of a massive coronary and he was only 42 years old. So luckily I caught this early and I can get it under control. I plan on being around to see my grandchildren marry and have babies of their own.

Moving On Up

YEAH!! We signed a lease today! We are moving. Out of the basement and back into the real world of renting. I am so excited. Can you tell?

We will be living in the same apartment complex where we were before, only this time we a moving into one of the deluxe one bedrooms. One less bedroom, but actually it looks like we will have more space in the living room and dinning area.

October 15th is the big day. I am sure I will have more interesting details upcoming...

Another Birthday, I'm Getting Old!

Today marks the 26 anniversary of my oldest sons birth. Yep, 1981 little J1 was born on a rainy, muggy September evening. What a day that was! I took his mother to the doctor that day early in the morning as she was late, very late, like 14 days late. He decided to induce her. Of course we had no idea what that was, but we headed to the hospital in a downfall of one of the worst days of rain that year. As we drove along at a slow pace, because I couldn't see to drive, her window falls down! She gets soaked. I stop several times on the way to the hospital to stop the car and pull her window up only for it to fall before we reached the next red light.

So we get to the hospital and we think, cool this will be over soon. Boy we were wrong! We checked in the hospital about 9:00 a.m. and still by 3:00 p.m. no baby. We chose not to find out the sex of the baby, so my family were in the waiting room placing bets. 6:00 p.m still no baby. 7:00, 8:00, 8:30 then finally after almost 12 hours he came into the world screaming bloody murder.

This being my first experience in seeing a birth I was shaking like all get out. I couldn't even hold him I was shaking so bad. Now that I look back on it I'm not sure if it was nerves, the cold delivery room or the lack of food.

Yes, 26 years ago I became a father for the first time.

I love good memories like that.

Thanks Son, and Happy Birthday

Remember

Illegal Pedestrians

Do you know what this is? I am sure you do. Most people do. It's a crosswalk. At most intersections they are posted very clearly, some even have walk lights to inform pedestrians that it is safe for them to use the crosswalk.

Unfortunately most of the people in downtown Cincinnati, and the surrounding areas have no clue what these lines painted across the road mean. As a majority of the pedestrians insist on crossing the street wherever they feel like it and across several lanes of busy traffic if they so choose. I have blogged about this before, but it has seemed no one has paid attention to my rantings!! Instead they are choosing to cross in the middle of the street avoiding at all costs the crosswalk, which in many cases is only a few more steps away from where they are crossing. And they don't even run across the street when they are illegally trying to cross. They just walk non-chalantly across, taking their time and then giving you dirty looks or vulgar finger signs when you blow your horn at them.

I think the cities can save loads of money if they just remove the walk signs, and no longer paint the crosswalk lines. As it seems no one pays attention to them anyway. Who knows if they remove all the crosswalks maybe it will decrease the over population of the major metropolitan cities!!

Another Boring Blog Post

I am finding less and less to blog about. Is it because my life is so boring? Well it could be, as my life is not all that exciting,but blogging isn't about that. I started the blog to help me break the writing bloc I was having. Now three and half years later, I'm still blogging, but not writing.

It would be different if my life was a little more interesting. Like some of my friends and co-workers for instance. But I am not divorced (well I am but...) and still in love with my ex. Seeing him every chance I can, hoping to be with him knowing he is involved with someone else. That sounds so "General Hospital" doesn't it? But if that was what was going on in my life, I'm sure I'd have loads to write about. I am also not a single young women looking for love in all the wrong places. Finding a guy who I think is great, only to find out he'd sell his soul to the devil for another fix or drink. But what scintillating blogging that would make. Or what if I was in a relationship, but not really happy with it so I pick up other men from the Internet for a "good time" and not having to worry about making a commitment or really get involved. Talk about some good blogging material!! Or I'm not in the middle of buying a home and dealing with mortgage companies, mold, electrical inspections and interest rates. Now that would some wild posts!

Now I'm not judging my friends, not at all. It's their life, just as it is. They call the shots and make those decisions, and they all seem very happy and in control of their situations. I care about each one of them deeply. But to be honest, I like my somewhat boring life. I don't think I could handle all that drama going on all the time. I suppose I'm just settled. Comfortable and happy with who I am and where I am in my life. Either that or I am just good at convincing myself of that.

So I suppose I will continue to write about me and DJ, my kids and grandkids, my MS and my diabetes, my job, my lack of money and all the other things that go on in my daily life. Boring or not, it's my blog and I'm sticking to it!

End of Summer 2007

Today marks the biggest celebration of Cincinnati, the end of the Summer and the WEBN Labor Day Fireworks. It's the largest fireworks display in the Midwest, and it's held every year the Sunday before Labor Day. Last year's attendance was more than 400,000, and that was with poor weather. While competing with nearly half a million people, finding a desirable seat can be difficult. WEBN will celebrate its 40th birthday the same way it has for the last 30 years - shooting off fireworks for a few hundred thousand of its closest friends.

When the station first staged a fireworks display on Aug. 30, 1977, to celebrate its tenth anniversary, Riverfest was born. I was there that night with my best friend at the time as we watched the fireworks from the Roebling Bridge.

The initial event, publicized only on the station, caught city officials and police off guard when 50,000 people showed up. There was so little organization that a freight train pulled along the Cincinnati riverfront and stopped, blocking the exit for thousands after the show.

Cincinnati's recreation department quickly picked up organizing the day-long Riverfest and WEBN was content to produce the pyrotechnics. What started as a little birthday blow-out quickly became an end-of-the-summer tradition, now attracting almost two dozen corporate sponsors. The event is heavily touted as a tourist attraction.

This year's Cincinnati Bell WEBN Fireworks (9:05 p.m. Sunday) will shoot off some 5,200 shells, with 40 percent of them packed into the finale. Many of the shells are custom-made by the award-winning Rozzi's Famous Fireworks of Loveland. The fireworks family has staged every Riverfest show since 1977.

Wireless technology allows a musical soundtrack to be synched with the booms to the millisecond by embedding computer chips in many of the shells. They trigger those shells' explosions by detecting a signal placed at key points in the soundtrack.

This year's soundtrack is more thematic than in past years, said WEBN production director Joel Moss. He says it will include more audio bites than usual, as it is designed to be a pop-culture history lesson, from LBJ to George Bush, from Sgt. Pepper to Korn.

For the first time, the fireworks will be seen around the world, as the show will be streamed at Cincinnati Bell's Zoomtown.com. Also, the Pentagon's Military Channel will carry the show on the cable channel seen in bases around the world.

Personally, I stay close to home on this particular Sunday as I really don't want to fight the crowds. It is actually more enjoyable to watch from the comfort of my living room. Yes, I am getting old.

Playing Grandpa

I kept my grand-daughter overnight last night. Yes, I played grandpa. My daughter and her husbands had tickets to see the Bengals last pre-season game and called to ask me if I could watch Lana. Of course i jumped at the chance. She is such a good baby, and seems to content.

But that's when she has her mommy! For the ride to grandpa's she was fine, she even fell asleep for about 20 minutes. Once we arrived home she was fine, a little sleepy as the only nap she had was the one in the car. But then one of DJ's mom's barked, and she became terrified and began crying. It took me a few minutes but she calmed down. But for the entire stay she didn't want to get down on the floor. Would you with barking dogs bigger than you?

She played and she talked and she became DJ's little sisters best friend. Overall the night was good. She went down for the night about 9:30 or so and she slept until 5:30, I gave her another bottle and she slept until almost 10. Not bad for a 13 month old.

I had a good time with her, and I hope she will not relate grandpa to the place with the scary barking dogs!