Forever A Fangirl

Reality can be so rude when it intrudes upon my lofty dreams.

So hi, hello, how is everyone? 
I didn't forget about 'ya. I just wanted to get a few things taken care of before attempting to settle back in to regular posting.

Life has been a bit of a roller coaster--a few more downs than ups, I'm afraid.
I'm trying to keep my little family on the tracks so to speak but everyone seems to have taken their turns "losing it."

I think the youngest is doing okay now. Teenagers. Do I have to say more? 
The oldest has been dealing with the very serious illness of his lady-love. Since the surgery to remove tumours from her neurofibromatosis--Type II, she's still very sick--critical in fact and therefore still is in NYC. It seems they damaged her lower brain and her stomach and breathing haven't come back "on-line" as they anticipated. Breathing is somewhat better but paralysis is a real hardship as well and they will not release her to come home for rehab until she can "process" food. Obviously this is terribly hard on her and her loved ones.
My son has admitted that he has a drinking problem. His dad (my ex) was a rageful alcoholic and boys have a higher probability of having drinking issues if their fathers do. I took my son out of the situation with his fahter at age 1 1/2 and no one here really drinks--so I have to to reason that genetics have come into play (with the environment, of course). I do feel for him but we all know where addictions lead us and what we have to do so no lectures here--but no enabling either. The court stuff should be done by June 15 and regardless of what's happening with "L" he has to move forward with his life. I really struggle being a hardass about this 'cos I feel so bad about "L." Let me just say that I am continually reminded that a parent-child relationship is one of the most complex, tricky-to-navigate endeavors one can embark upon. I love my kids with all my heart but whatever made me think that I was qualified to do this job?!?

On a much lighter note, I've yet again shown that DIY is not something that I'm good at. I'm good at picking out colours. That's about it. My spouse is Captain Perfection so my painting job got repainted. Something about having to stir the can of paint up before using.   Picky, picky.
I thought is was kinda like OJ-you just give the can a good shake and proceed. Ugh, no.  On the upside, OMG, I cannot believe what an improvement a decent coat of paint in a pretty colour can be. And I'm just talking about a door! Seriously, we painted the room next to ours --which will be an office but for now is oldest son's. It's a very fresh ocean beachy colour scheme. We've moved younger son downstairs and bought him a big wardrobe at IKEA as there was no real closet in the room we built down there. I don't shop in "real" stores much and that's a very good thing because I want to either look at or buy every other thing. Fortunately, IKEA had a sale so the damages were minimal and I was satisfied with 3 new pots and a peace lily as well as a foot rest for next to the LR computer. I then went to Home Depot and helped pick out lots of shelving and fancy shelving holders--a Celtic design--both for the boys rooms. I'm staying with the "make more storage" theme that we started in earnest a few months back when we realized that we'd be making the best of rather limited space at least until I have the Mustang paid off. Reality can be so rude when it intrudes upon my lofty dreams.
Speaking of which I have an early call to take oldest son to the court house in the a.m. so I shall sign off.
Wishing everyone well,
--Cyn

Lots of Loss

I haven't posted as some things are not great. I should be thankful that things could be worse or that other folks have it worse but I can't wrap my head around it.

There's been a lot of loss and I just haven't felt like re-hashing it.

I'm a pretty stand-offish person, I suppose shy by nature, with sheer will making it appear that I'm friendly. Bottom line is I don't like most people. Period. They bug me with all their stupid human foibles and pettiness and so they reflect back to me what I know myself to be. Extremely flawed.

If I get close to someone (other than blood family--in a category of their own) it's because the person is someone I look up to--someone better than me, in other words.
But with attachments come worry & pain and that's all it seems to be of late.
So...
Life sucks, with brief interludes of it not. Without the brief interludes...well, I'm not even going to that dark place.

QUOTATION OF THE DAY

QUOTATION OF THE DAY         
    "They don't get the uniqueness of New Orleans, they don't really get what really happened during Katrina — all they saw was those awful images — and they really don't get Ray Nagin. Sometimes I don't get Ray Nagin, so it's all right."
  MAYOR C. RAY NAGIN,   of New Orleans, asked what he would say to those who were surprised at his re-election on Saturday.

People who speak of themselves in the third person, unless they are royalty, scare me.

Seventy-Five Bands

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c38/kpcloud9/75bands.jpg

Bigger pic^^^
Seventy five bands represented in the pic. Can you name one?

John G. Shedd Album

http://cyncity.typepad.com/photos/john_g_shedd_aquarium_050/index.html

(fixed but few titles yet...still in progress)

The Bill Clinton and George HW Bush Show

Former Presidents Bill Clinton, left, and George H. W. Bush smile at each other on the podium at the Tulane University Commencement in New Orleans on Saturday May 13, 2006. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Pool)

Am I the only one, when coming across yet another George HW & Bill C. news photo who begins to wander off mentally to the land where enquiring minds want to know?

Like for instance is this what-appears-to-be-genuine unlikely pairing of US presidents #'s 41 & 42 really as genuinely warm as it looks?

And how does George the younger a/k/a Dubya, react when he sees his dad in a succession of photos from various functions appearing to thoroughly enjoy himself in the company of of Bill Clinton?

There just has to be at least a twinge of jealousy. Dad's not giving special attention to just anyone, but this guy. C'mon.

The story goes that it was through Dubya that George HW and Bill C. originally got together to work as a team in aiding the world's plights (I believe it officially started with the Asian Tsunami).  I can see the logic in keeping "Poppy" out of the loop by hooking him up to some sort of official-like activity that would keep him busy and away from the White House (though still able I'm guessing, to obtain his daily CIA briefing, as do all ex-presidents if they desire).

But Dubya must have a major streak of envy that Poppy never looks at him--the President! with the expression one sees so often in the Clinton-Bush, Sr. photos. Mutual admiration emanates from photographs of these two--usually interspersed with lots of pics of them cracking up about something. One has to guess that Bill C. is in raconteur mode and that George Sr. on several levels, just really digs hanging with him. And Dubya doesn't really have several levels, does he? Just the one basic, pre-programmed, stay-on-topic mode. But look what fun his dad is having hanging with Bill Clinton.

Too funny.

Quote of the Day

 "They say there is a peace, but yesterday they kill us. They always say peace is coming. But we are still waiting."
  AISHA ADAM MOUSSA,   of Darfur, Sudan.

Nickel The Sea Turtle

Nickel no-flippers

To me, this giant sea turtle, "Nickel" is a magnificent animal as she survived being badly injured by a moving propeller blade _and_ had a nickel removed from her esophagus :yikes: .
She is always tipped as her back fins no longer work. She still moves pretty fast, though. I had to take many shots to get one as clear as this. (!) She can really get around well! Good the Shedd found her and gave her a home.
We all know how she would have fared in nature after her unfortunate brush with man (the first time). :(

edit: Gah! I made an album but can't get it linked properly! I'll fix it on Friday... http://cyncity.typepad.com/photos/john_g_shedd_aquarium_050/

Finally A Friday

Today was very close to perfect and boy, was it welcome. Spouse took half the day off and we three went to the John G. Shedd Aquarium right
down there on Lake Michigan. We had free tickets for all the exhibitions and we just took our time and soaked it all in. The trafffic was practically non-exsistant coming home at 6 p.m.--a total surprise. We got back to the suburbs and went to Bennigans for dinner. I had chicken fajitas--very nummy but filling so I gave away lots to my ever-growing teenage son. He seemed to finish his meal in one gulp.
We arrived home just in time for Dr. Who--an excellent epi--which we watched as a family. I truly savour this time as a family as with my first son was pulling away pretty strongly by age 13-14. Younger son doesn't seem to mind his dad and me so much--actually seems to have fun with us sometimes and I really hope it stays that way as I enjoy his company as well (though being real about it--sometimes we all get on one another nerves).
Anyway, I needed a day like today. There are some major stressors right now. "L" is probably my biggest concern. Poor dear is still in the hospital in NYC. We just really want to get her back here but the complications have prohibited it. Also, it's appearing more & more like oldest son will plea bargain and spend perhaps a month back in that gawd-awful rat-infested Cook County Jail. The waiting and worrying both for "L" to come back and for this court case to be over is just wrecking him.

Finally, spouse hasn't been sleeping well--which means I haven't either and I'm about shot. He's stressing about finances again (long story).
Logically of course it makes no sense to stress about things. It doesn't change any of it--just makes you less able to cope with things. So back to today--it was a fun diversion--and we truly needed it.

Tomorrow will be ultra busy with spouse at work all day and youngest in two choral shows. I think we'll only attend the nighttime one as I got left off the volunteer roster (not sure how) and by the time I got the list of who does what they'd filled up all the "helper" spots. It's $6 a pop to be an audience member (no more free tickets for parents) so unless I sneak up through the side doors to the balcony for the daytime performance--I'll just be attending once w/ spouse (but driving a lot in-between).

I'm really pooped so I'm going to sign off and hope to catch up with you all later this weekend.
I hope you all have a peaceful/fun/relaxing/productive (pick one or more) weekend!

Cheers!

Chauffeur day

I'm writing this now, when normally I'd have slept, because the air raid sirens have been going off for at least an hour. (Do they still call them "air raid sirens?")

Today is shaping up to be a chauffeur day with son No. 1 needing emergency dental work and son No. 2 needing to be hustled over to the high school right after he gets home from jr. high to take an advanced advanced maths test. (He's already taken an advanced test--got placed in Geometry for Freshman year and is wanting to try for second level geometry.) Now I'm quite sure that babies were switched at the hospital. I so suck at math.
Then there's the little matter of the women's shelter store's kid's books being hugely overpriced (in error--before I started helping), explaining that while people are thumbing through them, they are not buying them. I said I'd come back today to try to get that fixed up. There's got to be other stuff on my plate today but I'm still a bit foggy.

May Day