Community Pool

Yesterday was Esther's birthday. We celebrated today by going swimming at the community pool. Julia really did enjoy it, even though this is the only picture I have of her where she's even remotely smiley:
















Maybe I would have had more pictures of her smiling, laughing, and splashing in the water, but Amy's camera can take pictures under water and I spent a lot of time trying to get pictures of this:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ESTHER!

I was going to be mean and post a picture like this and suggest you wish for a toothbrush:

But decided to be nice. I'll post this one instead:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Mary got her hair cut the other day. I like it and think she looks really good. She hates it. Louis is taking advantage of this fact, as well as the fact that he just got a digital camera for his birthday.

Last night Amy and I went over to the house for dinner and after we ate we went with Mary and Steve to Kone King for ice cream. When we got back Louis had done this:


















That's a picture of Mary on 4 pieces of 8 X 11 1/2 paper...I laughed so hard I almost had sprinkles come out my nose.

For Katie

Katie,

Maeve and I had a little talk.

She understands that you have to work but she misses you and is a little sad that her godmother lives far far away.

And was only happy when I told her you'd see her next week!

Happy Birthday, Dad

Last night we celebrated Dad's birthday. No lobster this time, just the mussles, smoked salmon, and some of the best steaks I've ever had, then we had some amazing chocolate hazelnut cake (which I came out of retirement to make.)

Since we were all there we took the chance to have my aunt take a quick family picture (I don't have any of the whole family, since I was busy being in the picture, but here are a few of the Mike and Esther's families:)



















We also managed to get a few good ones of Grandma, Mimi, and their great-grandchildren:



















Then Julia had had enough formal pictures and just wanted to walk, like the big kid she is:

no talent

I hate to admit it, but last night I watched "America's Got Talent." And, uh, apparently America DOES NOT have talent. At least not that part of America. The best part? Bobby Badfingers:

And the only way I could watch him was by pretending he was really Ben Stiller and eventually the movie would get funny...

P.S. I'd advise you not to do a yahoo search for "bobby badfingers"...

Sweet Baby James

In 1998 my aunt and uncle had my youngest cousin. It took a few days, but they named him James. They asked me to be his godmother.

I was a senior in high school that year, so we lived in the same town. It was pretty easy for me to spoil him by just driving (well, having someone drive me) down the street. Then I moved to Toronto for college. I didn't get to see James as often, but I started writing him letters and mailing him stuff as a way to spoil him and make sure I was always his favorite. Nothing big, just stickers and stuff like that. He started sending letters back to me. This continued through my four years of college and the year I was in NYC, and even now that I'm back in Buffalo, I still get letters from James.

I've saved every single one of them.

I've been packing all my stuff so I can move on Sunday. Amy's been helping me, and making me throw out all the things I've saved and don't really need (expired coupons, birthday cards I bought and never used, notes I wrote myself, etc.) I've also been finding all of James' letters.

The earliest ones are just scribbles, with the actual letter written by his mom or brother or sister. Then they move onto stick figures with his name (some of the letters witten backwards). I found one that had Lucky Charms marshmallows taped to it. I LOVE Lucky Charms marshmallows. Lately they have real messages written in them, by James, in real sentences. And he's started to send me little presents. I have 2 shrinky-dink hearts, a shrinky-dink 4 leaf clover, and a macaroni necklace on the rearview mirror of my car, all sent to me by James.

So, I may not be the best godmother, in the strictest sense of the word. I haven't actually paid any attention to James' spiritual life since, well, the day he was baptized. But somehow I ended up with the best godson ever.

Friday Night

Friday night we had a Birthday/Bon Voyage/Welcome Baby party at mom and dads. What better way to celebrate Louis being born 23 years ago, Mimi being here even though now she has to go home, and Baby Maeve being almost a week old than lobster, champagne, and fire?

Julia wasn't too sure how she felt about the lobsters, but she did love playing with Nana's butter churn.

Mimi held baby Maeve while we got dinner ready...

And then we burned stuff.

Now is not the time...really.

Since Maeve was born something has been in the back of my mind, nagging me. I've been able to push it away, block it out...until last night. I stopped by to drop off some groceries and Maeve had just eatten. Lisa held her out to me and she was so small and squishy (Maeve, not Lisa) and she smelled so good. I wasn't planning on holding Maeve, I was just going to drop of the groceries and leave so Mike and Lisa could have some time with their baby, so I wasn't prepared and I hadn't really protected myself against the nag in the back of my mind...it came right up to the front and it's been there since. I want a baby.

Now, I know I don't REALLY want a baby. I mean, I like to sleep. And I don't really like to clean up poop. And I'm in school. And I have about 13 3/4 years of school left. And I have a hard time remembering to bathe myself every day. And I live in the ghetto. Where I don't like to let my dog outside alone. Unless, of course, the boys from my block are outside to watch him. But I don't think I could just be like, "Hey, Joey, can you make sure the baby doesn't crawl out of the backyard under the fence while I go inside to write in my blog and watch my stories on TV?" And I've heard Leah and Esther and Lisa talking and childbirth? Not so beautiful. You have to be really ready for that.

So, no, I don't think I really want a baby right now. I'm going to blame this craziness baby-wanting on the fact that all the parents I know (my parents, Leah and Scott, Esther and John, and now Mike and Lisa) who I've actually spent time with close up, make it seem so easy. If they weren't all such good parents, I wouldn't want a baby. I think I'll go be an aunt for a while, since I have the cutest nieces and nephews ever.

Poker, anyone?

We all went over to Maeve's house last night. The girls (read: Mary) made dinner for Lisa and the boys were going to keep Mike up all night playing poker. Dinner was great (Mary makes this great pasta dish that I can never make as good as she does...), and the boys did eventually get to the poker...

















First they had some important lessons for Baby Maeve, though...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LOU!

Shortly after 4...

It's shortly after 4 and definitely time for a Maeve fix. She's home (with her parents...at least they were all home when I left...I'm assuming they wouldn't leave her home alone yet) and was eating like a champ when I left. I didn't have my camera with me, since I was planning on going to class, where I did not need a camera, and somehow ended up at Mike and Lisa's house, where I could use a camera, but Mary took pictures and I'll post them as soon as I get some. Until then, here are some more of her in the hospital:

Baby's Daddy

I went back to the hospital last night to bring Mike and Lisa some sushi. When I and put the newest pictures of Maeve on my computer, I started looking at pictures of Julia. Maybe they do kinda look alike...
















This is Julia.

















This is Maeve. I think, looking at them side by side, Maeve looks more like Mike (as opposed to Esther or John, which is probably a good thing...) This makes me realize, OH MY GOD...MIKEY HAS A BABY! I think he's going to be a great daddy.

Toby graduated from Puppy Obedience on Thursday. I'm so proud of him. And Amy...she had to take him every week while I was in school.

I saw Maeve again this morning. She's so beautiful. Her Papa couldn't be happier than when he's holding her.

And she, of course, missed him terribly when he left.

Maeve

When Julia was born I sat in the waiting room for hours and hours with the entire family, well, waiting for John to come out and say, "It's a girl."

I've been looking forward to the same thing with Mike since I found out Lisa was pregnant in November.

Friday night I cashed in my birthday present and got a room at the Sutton Place in Toronto and an amazing meal at Canoe. In the middle of dinner something made me check my phone (which was silenced.) Esther had called. Amy, jokingly, said, "I hope it isn't Lisa in labor, 'cause I'm too drunk to drive us back to Buffalo" I said it couldn't be about that because the baby wasn't due until the 16th, and they PROMISED us not to have it while we were in Toronto.

Meet Maeve Katherine Garvey, born July 8th around 3:30 am, while I was fast asleep in the Sutton Place.



She's TINY (5 lb 12 oz, 19") but absolutely perfect. I'm on my way to visit her now. I'll post more pics tonight.

Very Big Weekend

I woke up slightly hung over this morning. Why? Because yesterday was my last day of work. I thought I'd be happy about that. It turns out I was a little sad. I liked working with my dad. I liked my job as an assistant and I liked most of the people I worked with. I really enjoyed getting to spend so much time with my dad, though. I loved surgeries in the morning when the patient was sedated and we could talk about whatever. Dinner the night before, hockey, baseball, Baby Julia...I'm going to miss that. But, I'll be back over Christmas break.

So, five years ago I woke up very hung over on this day, too. Why then? Because of John. When Esther met John, well, I wasn't there. In fact, I don't really remember much about John until he took her to a Sabres game against whatever team Gretzky was playing for at the time and got seats RIGHT BEHIND THE VISITORS BENCH. I think that when I decided either she needed to marry him or I would. I think everything worked out well. Five years ago yesterday they got married. From what I remember the wedding was great.

John has yet to get me that close to Wayne Gretzky, but he did have a part in making me an aunt. One year ago today!

And she's still just as beautiful:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIA!

YAY for baby toys

This past weekend we all went to Mike and Lisa's house to help set up the nursery. It's SO CUTE. Dark green and light green stripes, Alphabet Soup bedding from Pottery Barn Baby, and furniture from Lisa's family. Julia's favorite part? The toys...

Annie, Summer, and Chuck

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANNIE!!! And happy summer everyone else!

I was walking across the UB campus today (North). You know the grassy area between Capen and Talbert Halls and the Hochstetter parking lot? I've walked across it to get to and from class at least 3 times a week since January. So I've gotten to know the woodchuck that lives there (at least I think it's a woodchuck...I'm pretty sure it isn't a beaver because I saw Chronicles of Narnia recently and now I know that beavers live under water and can stand up on 2 legs and walk and talk and would help me escape evils like physics and pre-calc...these animals don't do any of that, so they must be woodchucks.) Occationally I won't be paying attention to where I'm walking and I'll almost step right on him (let's call him Chuck) before he runs away. It's kinda scary. So, last night I was walking to my car when Chuck, or at least I thought it was Chuck, saw me and went running to his hole. Then I saw 5 little furballs follow him, and I realized that Chuck was actually Chuck's wife, Chuckette, and the real Chuck was over on the other side of the lawn eatting grass. He didn't run away, but Chuckette had to save her 5 little babies from me. They ran right into a rabbit while trying to escape to their hole, though...I didn't know UB North was such a wildlife preserve. It's crazy. Tonight while walking to my car I almost stepped on Chuck again (I know it was Chuck because Chuckette had already run off with the babies.) It scares me a little bit that he doesn't move away from me. Can woodchucks have rabies? Should I park in another parking lot and stay away from him? If I get bit by a rabid woodchuck on my way to class do I get out of class that night? Do you think that's a valid excuse to get out of taking an exam? Hm...

Wheel Chair for Sale

I was at my parents house today for Father's Day (HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, Dad!) We were all hanging out watching Julia try to walk when I noticed some crayons and a coloring book in one of the baskets under the coffee table. So, I started coloring. My first picture was beautiful, of course. It was of a little angel surrounded by flowers (it was a Precious Moment's coloring book, so every picture was of an angel.) When I flipped the page to color the next picture, I was horrified...the saddest picture in the whole entire world was on the next page!


So of course I colored it. But, really...what's sadder than a handicapped child that's died? AND WHY WOULD YOU PUT A PICTURE OF IT IN A COLORING BOOK???
But am I an amazing colorer or what?

Parking and Dave

So yesterday I was driving home from class. It was around 9:30 and I was STARVING. I hadn't eatten anything since the soup and sandwhich I had for lunch at noon. I cannot go for 9 and a half hours without eating, especially when I'm going through sympathy pregnancy (I think my baby belly has gotten bigger than Lisa's...) So, I pulled onto my street and remembered that I didn't have to get up for work today, so I had to park on the right side of the street. This always confuses me. As someone who has always had a driveway, I HATE HATE HATE! the switching sides of the street thing. I hate the parking on the street thing, but I'm getting better at that. So I read the first sign that I saw that said I couldn't park between 9am and 4 pm Mon., Tues., and Wed. Well, I have no idea what day of the week it is most days, let alone what day of the week the next day will be. So I had to stop, in the middle of the street, and figure it out. Then I did. Tomorrow (today) will be Wednesday, so I had to park on the left side of the street. I try not to park on the left side of the street. For one thing, my house is on the right side of the street. For another, I find it difficult enough to parallel park on the right side, the side I learned to park on. Why torture myself by parking on the left? So I drove up slowly looking for a spot on the left. There weren't any. But I had passed one before I figured out which side I was supposed to be one. Since I'm on a one way street, I had to go ALL THE WAY AROUND THE BLOCK and then PARK ON THE LEFT SIDE! And, tomorrow I have to park on the right side. So I have to move my car at 4. Or whenever I get home. From the Dave Matthew's Band Concert, which is why I'm not working today. Or tomorrow.

I LURVE the Dave Matthew's Band Concert. It's my favorite day of the summer. The first one I went to I went with Esther (which I can say about every band I've ever seen, almost.) That was, by far, the best concert I've ever ever been to. Concerts with Esther in general are always the best. But I've had some good times at the Dave concerts without her, too. After one Dave concert I had to go get drug tested (for my very important job at Target. I passed, but I was a little worried I wouldn't, just from being there.) Last year one of my friends got mad at the line of traffic in front of us when we were leaving and tried to throw her gatorade bottle at the car ahead of us...through my windshield. Luckily she missed (from the front seat) and hit the dashboard. The bottle flew back and hit her in the forehead. I couldn't stop laughing at her. The best part was when she called me from work the next morning and said, "My head is killing me. And not like a hangover hurt, like I got hit." I had to tell her the whole story. She's not that bright.

I saw Annie yesterday and SWORE I'd update more often. So, HI ANNIE!! I'm updating. Unfortunately, I have nothing to write about. Maybe tomorrow will be more exciting.

Do you know what a Meerkat is?

A few weeks ago I had a bunch of days off for some reason. Dad must have been working in the hospital or something. Anyway, I spent them with Julia. One day we went to the zoo. Esther told me that she liked the meerkats, so I should take her into the reptile house to see them. Now, if it were up to me, I'd stay out of the reptile house. I understand snakes are an important part of the earth's ecosystem, but I also think that they're slithery and gross and scary and I like them to stay where they belong...in the rainforests of Africa, far far away from me. But, Julia likes the meerkats, so we went into the reptile house. We had been having a good day up until then. We saw the bears being fed, the otters swam right up to the window she as pushed up against, we watched the sea lions for a long time...it was great. And she laughed and clapped and everyone who passed us loved her (of course.) As soon as we walked into the reptile house, though, she started laughing and pointing at all the cages. The closer we got to the meerkats the louder she laughed. When we finally got to where she could see them, she screamed at the top of her lungs and pointed and then clapped and screamed some more. She really did love them. I pushed her right up against the glass and she pointed out every meerkat that poked its little head out of the ground. We stayed there for over 15 minutes, and I felt bad when we had to leave, but Julia just waved.

Animal Planet has a new show on now. Meerkat Manor. Every time I see the commercial for it, I think of Julia and want to laugh and clap and point...but I don't think it would be as cute if I did it...

Physics Update

I still hate Physics...but I got a B in the class :) Thanks to everyone who helped me!

My Four...

How well do you know me? For instance, did you know...?

Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Busser at the Roycroft
2. Front desk clerk at the Roycroft
3. Pastry Chef
4. Surgical Assistant

Four movies I could watch over and over:
1. Annie
2. Harry Potter (any of them)
3. Lake Placid
4. 10 Thnigs I Hate About You


Places I have lived:
1. Jackson, MS
2. East Aurora, NY
3. Toronto, ON
4. Manhattan, NY


Four TV shows I love to watch:
1. Law and Order (any of them)
2. CSI (any of them)
3. House
4. Monk


FOUR places I have been on vacation:
1. Gulf Shores, AL
2. Napa Valley, CA (when I was Mom and Dad's favorite...)
3. Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales (all one trip...)
4. Orlando, FL

Four websites I visit daily:
1. Leah's Blog
2. Mikey's Blog
3. Esther's Blog
4. Scott's Blog


Four of my favorite foods:
1. Jim's Steak and Cheese Sub
2. Duck Confit
3. Chef Boyardee Mini Beef Ravioli's
4. Edemame


Four places I would rather be right now:
1. asleep on my parent's couch
2. asleep on Esther and John's couch
3. alseep on Amy's couch
4. Chuck E. Cheeses

Four friends who I've tagged that I think will respond:
1. Leah
2. Esther
3. Scott
4. Mike

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMY!

Today is Amy's birthday.
Spongbob Squarepants is coming to visit for her party on Saturday. He is so excited.

Summer Concerts

I've never been that into music. I mean, I like listening to the radio and buying CDs, but there are very few bands I HAVE to see in concert when they're in Buffalo. It seems like they're all coming this summer.

It all started when I found out Melissa Ethridge was playing at Madison Square Garden in NYC. My friends and I got tickets and decided that would be the only concert we'd go to this year, since tickets were expensive, and we'd have to travel to NYC.

Then we got Taste of Country tickets. They were cheap and we found some other way to justify them.

Then Dave Matthew's tickets went on sale. We said no at first. We've seen him a million times, and as great as his concerts are, we can't afford the tickets. But, they're cheaper this year than last year (by $2), so we bought tickets to that concert too.

Gina e-mailed me about the Hip. I wasn't going to go, but someone got me tickets for my birthday. I can't say no to free tickets to the Hip.

Then, one night recently, I was driving Mary home and she told me that if Kelly Clarkson ever comes to Buffalo I have to get her tickets. 2 days later Kelly Clarkson went on sale for Darien Lake. So, I'm going to that, too.

Now I just need BNL to announce they'll be here in August, and my summer will be complete.

Oh, and speaking of good music, Dennis emailed me this. It's Amelia singing Fever in the Geneseo Acapello group. She's pretty amazing.

BIrthday Season

When I was little I loved every day from right after Easter until the end of May. That, I considered, was my birthday season. Now, though, it's EVERYONE's birthday season! Really, I don't mind sharing (I"m #3 of 5 kids...I know how to share), but this is a little crazy. I share with Leah, Sam, Aidan, Noah, Amy, Sue, Grace, Char, Jess, people graduating. So, I started early. Meet Toby, my first birthday present of the year:



He's a cockapoo puppy who's coming on Wednesday. He's only 2 months old! I'm sure I'll be posting new pictures as soon as I get him.

RADIOACTIVE GIRL

Have you ever wanted to be a superhero? Maybe MermaidMan, like on SpongeBob? Or Mr. Incredible (the Incredibles?) Or even Superman? Or maybe you just wanted a specific superhero characteristic, like being able to fly, or disappear, or stretch to amazing lengths. How about being radioactive? Well, let me tell you, it's not that great.

I had some medical test done so last Wednesday I was injected with something that makes me radioactive. The doctors said I'd be this way for about a month. It, apparently, doesn't hurt me at all, but they warned me to stay away from anyone pregnant or any babies for at least a week. So, no Julia, no Lisa...of course, I was planning on spending Wednesday and Thusday with Julia, but I didn't. I did see Julia on Thursday, but I stayed away from her, which is almost impossible when she looks up and smiles at you.

The doctor also warned me that if I crossed the border into Canada I'd set off some alarm that picks bombs and most likely get pulled over and searched. His advice was just to stay in the US for a month, but I already had plans to meet Amy's parents in Niagara-on-the-Lake for dinner Saturday. So he gave me a letter saying I was radioactive and was not carrying a bomb, but told me it probably wouldn't help much at the border.

So yesterday afternoon Amy and I drove up to Niagara-on-the-Lake. As we crossed the bridge I got a little scared, but the Canadian Customs guy just asked where we lived, where we were going, and told us to have a nice day. We did have a nice day. It included a lot of wine tasting and some good food. So by the time we were driving home I wasn't really thinking about the border, but more about sleeping. We crossed the bridge and waited to get to the customs guy and when we got there, everything got crazy. He asked us where we were from, where we had been all day, and then if either of us had had any medical testing recently. I said yes and handed him the letter and he yelled," I found the source, it's the blue SUV in lane 4." We got pulled over. So did the car behind us, because I am SO radioactive that there was "spillover" into their car. They took me out of the car and into the building where they held this sensor thingy toward me forever while Amy had to drive her car through this big machine. After about 8 hours (maybe really 5 minutes) the agent testing my radioactivity left me alone in the building (not really aolne...I was sitting in a room full of people.) One of the guys in the room looked at me and said, "Hey, is this normal? Do they, like, pull over a random number of people and search their cars?" I asked him what lane he had been in. He said lane 4. He was the spillover car. I apologized. The agent came back a few minutes later and said, "Ok, miss, you can go. You're going to be radioactive for the next 6 weeks or so, though, so this is going to happen anytime you cross the border during those 6 weeks."

I think I might move to Canada.

My Very Good Day.

Today I drove into the parking lot at school and got a spot in the first row. And it was raining. I knew then that it was going to be a very good day.

While I was driving home after my 1/2 day at work (really 1/3 day, since I got there around 9:30 after school and left around noon), I was hungry and wanted to stop at Mighty Taco. A little voice in my head, though, said, "It's Friday! You can't eat meat!" I was going to ignore it, like I try to do with all the voices in my head, but it kept talking. I started listening when it said, "you got a spot in the first row today." So, I knew God wanted me to really not eat meat (don't ask how I connected those two...they're just connected in my head.) So I skipped Might Taco, but I started to think about why we don't eat meat on Fridays durning Lent. And how we replace it.

From what I remember from my first trip to college, not eating meat on Fridays during Lent is to remind us that Jesus carried the cross and died. It seems like a small price to pay. I don't have to carry a cross around the desert, I don't have to be nailed to it, I don't have to die and come back (although, really, that's what I'm hoping for).) I just have to not eat meat. And think of all the other food I can have. Bread and water...I'm kidding. There's lots of good not-meat food. Mac and Cheese. Cheese Ravioli's. Gnocci with Pesto. French fries. But what do the majority of people choose? Fried fish (I did no actual research on this, by the way...this is just judging by the lines to get a table at any place that has fish frys, and the fact that the 3 out of 3 siblings I spoke to today were having fried fish, as was I, for dinner). I like fried fish. In fact, given the choice, I'll often choose fried fish, or fried seafood of some sort (shrimp, oysters, crab claws...mmmm...) over any type of meat. So, really, is this a sacrafice? No. Not really. Yes, I had to pass Mighty Taco up for lunch, but Filet-O-Fish value meal is pretty good too. And just as healthy.

So, all in all, today was a very good day. A great parking spot, friend fish for 2 meals (if you consider filet-o-fish "fried fish") and no heavy cross to carry through the desert.

I was there when...

I was in NYC this past weekend for a wedding. The wedding was fun. I didn't know the bride (her name was My) or the groom (his name was Mo), but Amy did, so we went. It was a very interesting mix of Asian and Arabic traditions (including belly dancers and no actual ceremony to sit through.) It was nice.

One night while we were there, we were having dinner with Dawn, my godmother, and we started playing the 'I Was There When' game. You know, 'I was there when Gretzky and Messier were both playing on the Rangers at the same time and played against Dominik Hasek.' (I really was there, by the way, at the Gardens. The game ended in a 1-1 tie and proved, to me, that Hasek was just as great as Gretzky.) Dawn had a lot more "I was there's," but then she brought up game 7 between the Yankees and the Red Sox in 2003. I was there.

I had just moved in with Dawn in NYC. There was a lot going on behind the scenes with the Yankees and Red Sox that year...a lot more drama than normal. There had been that fight where Pedro Martinez showed what a jerk he is. Dawn decided to take me to the game, even though she took me to the one the night before (the Yankees lost that one) and she had all her friends calling and offering her tons of money for this ticket. Through most of the game the Sox were up, and I had to convince myself that it was OK if the Yankees lost. It meant that they would't go to the World Series, and Boston would, but the Cubs still had a chance to make it to the World Series, and if they made it, I wanted them to win (yes, even over the Yankees), so I thought maybe God was letting the Sox win so the Cubs could eventually win the World Series. The other die hard Yankees fans with season tickets around me didn't really see it that way. Around the 8th inning they were doing everything they could to get the Yankees to win. Dawn had eaten the peanuts she had to eat at every game. The guy in front of her, Gino, was rocking back and forth so hard I thought he'd fall out of his seat and end up right on home plate. The game was tied 5-5 going into the 9th. And all through the 9th. Then going into the 10th. And the 11th. I was tired. (Yes, this is about me. I'm sure the players were tired, too, but they could have ended the game a million times before the 11th inning). And hungry and thirsty, but I couldn't leave my seat. And I had to go to the bathroom. And I had been on my feet since the 8th inning. Aaron Boone, who hadn't done anything all year except miss grounders, drop pop-ups, and strike out, came up. I was about to sit down, when all the sudden I saw the ball fly up to about our level (Dawn's seats are in the 2nd tier). The next few minutes are kinda a blur, but I remember screaming, and jumping (how safe is that, really? All those people jumping up and down in a stadium that's falling apart to begin with?) and hugging Gino and Dawn and everyone else around me. And then Todd, Dawn's friend with seats 4 rows down and 1 section over, was in front of us, screaming and jumping. I have no idea how he got there. He must have climbed over people, or under people, I guess. I missed Boone running around the bases, but I saw the whole team run out and jump on him when he got back to home plate. It was so cool. And I can say, "I was there when Aaron Boone hit a home run to beat the Red Sox in game 7."

I hate Physics...even more

Each week my professor posts an assignment on our class website. Each problem comes with a hint link, a link to the text, and then a place to put the answer. You have 4 tries to answer the question right, and then you're done. I normally get them right on the first or second try, thanks to Amy's help.

This week, I had Amy help me (read "do my") physics homework. She's a dentist and had to pass physics to get into dental school. We tried the first question and couldn't get it, so went on and finished the assinment.

I read the book, the hint, the links to the text, and counldn't get the 1st problem, so I blogged it.

Lisa tried to do it. She's a nurse. She's (i'm assuming) taken physics and is pretty smart.

Scott (an engineer, a.k.a. physics geek) came up with 2 different answers. Neither one worked, although he's positive the 2nd one was right.

My professor couldn't answer the question in class, because "that's a question for office hours" which are conveniently held AFTER THE ASSIGNMENT IS DUE!

I hate physics.

I HATE PHYSICS!

Can anyone figure out this problem? I'll give you free passes to the circus if you can...


A rocket is fired at a speed of 94.0 m/s from ground level, at an angle of 43.0 degrees above the horizontal. The rocket is fired toward an 31.8-m high wall, which is located 40.0 m away. By how much does the rocket clear the top of the wall?

THE CIRCUS IS COMING!

One of the supply reps came by the office today and dropped off about 100 passes to the circus. I think we were supposed to give them to patients, but we give our patients much better stuff (narcotic prescriptions and stuff like that), so I took them all. I have a bunch of buy one get one free adult passes and free kids under 12 passes. The only thing is, you have to use the passes on April 2 at either noon or 5 pm, and you have to show up an hour before the show at HSBC Arena and buy your tickets, so you get whatever's leftover. But, I think I might go. If anyone else wants to go let me know. We can make a day of it. And you can protect me from the clowns...they're creepy.

Wow...

Can anyone figure out how this works? I remember seeing it a few years ago and spending time figuring it out, but I'm at work (on lunch with some Mighty to eat), so I don't have the time to spend on it right now...Let me know what you come up with. I don't like that my computer seems smarter than I am.

http://http://trunks.secondfoundation.org/files/psychic.swf

Phoeby

Esther has a blog now. If she can have a blog, and update it regularly, with her amazingly busy life, why don't I update mine? Well, the reality is, I'm lazy. No, seriously. Plus, Esther has a job where she works at a desk with a computer that has internet access so she can update her blog at work. I work at a job where I don't have a desk. I don't even have a chair, unless I ask a patient to stand up for a few minutes because my feet hurt and it's my turn to sit down. Dad hates it when I do that, though, so I've tried to stop.

Anyway, read Esther's blog. It's frequently updated with great pictures of Julia.

I'M #1!

Maybe I was born on the wrong day...besides bossing people around, I don't think "Originator" explains me very well. What are you?

Birth Test


Your birth date describes who we are, what
we are good at and what our inborn abilities are. It also points to what we have
to learn and the challenges we are facing.

To figure out your
Birth Number, add all the numbers in the birth Date together, like in the
example, until there is only one digit. A Birth Number does not prevent you from
being anything you want to be, it will just color your choice differently and
give you a little insight.

Example March 20, 1950 3 + 20 + 1950 =
1973 1 + 9 + 7 + 3 = 20 2 + 0 = 2

Keep going until you end up with
a single digit number. 2 is the Birth Number to read for the birth date in the
example. _________________________________________________________________

#1 THE ORIGINATOR

#2 THE PEACEMAKER

#3
THE LIFE OF THE PARTY

#4 THE CONSERVATIVE

#5 THE
NONCONFORMIST

#6 THE ROMANTIC

#7 THE INTELLECTUAL

#8 THE BIG SHOT

#9 THE PERFORMER

===========================================================

#
1 - THE ORIGINATOR 1's are originals. Coming up with new ideas and executing
them is natural. Having things their own way is another trait that gets them as
being stubborn and arrogant. 1's are extremely honest and do well to learn some
diplomacy skills. They like to take the initiative and are often leaders or
bosses, as they like to be the best. Being self-employed is definitely helpful
for them. Lesson to learn: Others' ideas might be just as good or better and to
stay open minded.

Famous 1's: Tom Hanks, Robert Redford, Hulk
Hogan, Carol Burnett, Wynona Judd, Nancy Reagan, Raque l Welch.

#2
- THE PEACEMAKER 2's are the born diplomats. They are aware of others' needs and
moods and often think of others before themselves. Naturally analytical and very
intuitive they don't like to be alone. Fri! endship and companionship is very
important and can lead them to be successful in life, but on the other hand
they'd rather be alone than in an uncomfortable relationship. Being ! naturally
shy they should learn to boost their self-esteem and express themselves freely
and seize the moment and not put things off.

Famous 2's: President
Bill Clinton, Madonna, Whoopee Goldberg, Thomas Edison, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

# 3 - THE LIFE OF THE PARTY 3's are idealists. They are very
creative, social, charming, romantic, and easygoing. They start many things, but
don't always see them through. They like others to be happy and go to great
lengths to achieve it. They are very popular and idealistic. They should learn
to see the world from a more realistic point of view.

Famous 3's:
Alan Alder, Ann Landers, Bill Cosby, Melanie Griffith, Karen Roundbutt, Salvador
Dali, Jodi Foster.

# 4 - THE CONSERVATIVE 4's are sensible and
traditional. They like order and routine. They only act when they fully
understand what they are expected to do. They like getting their hands dirty and
working hard. They are attracted to the outdoors and feel an affinity with
nature. They are prepared to wait and can be stubborn and persistent. They
should learn to be more flexible and to be nice to themselves.

Famous 4's: Neil Diamond, Margaret Thatcher, Arnold
Schwarzenegger, Tina Turner, Paul Hogan, Oprah Winfrey.

# 5 - THE
NONCONFORMIST 5's are the explorers. Their natural curiosity, risk taking, and
enthusiasm often land them in hot water. They need diversity, and don't l! ike
to be stuck in a rut. The whole world is their school and they see a learning
possibility in every situation. The questions never stop. They are well advised
to look before they take action and make sure they have all the facts before
jumping to conclusions.

Famous 5's: Abraham Lincoln, Charlotte
Bronte, Jessica Walter, Vincent Van Gogh, Bette Midler, Helen Keller and Mark
Hail.

# 6 - THE ROMANTIC 6's are idealistic and need to feel
useful to be happy. A strong family connection is important to them. Their
actions influence their decisions. They have a strong urge to take care of
others and to help. They are very loyal and make great teachers. They like art
or music. They make loyal friends who take the friendship seriously. 6's should
learn to differentiate between what they can change and what they cannot.

Famous 6's: Albert Einstein, Jane Seymour, John Denver, Meryl
Streep,Christopher Columbus, Goldie Hawn.

#7 - THE INTELLECTUAL 7
's are the searchers. Always probing for hidden information, they find it di!
fficult to accept things at face value. Emotions don't sway their decisions.
Questioning everything in life, they don't like to be questioned themselves.
They're never off to a fast start, and their motto is slow and steady wins the
race. They come across as philosophers and being very knowledgeable, and
sometimes as loners. They are technically inclined and make great researchers
uncovering information. They like secrets. They live in their own world and
should learn what is acceptable and what is not in the world at large.

Famous 7's: William Shakespeare, Lucille Ball, Michael Jackson,
Joan Baez, Princess Diana.

# 8 ! - THE BIG SHOT 8's are the
problem solvers. They are professional, blunt and to the point, have good
judgment and are decisive. They have grand plans and like to live the good life.
They take charge of people They view people objectively. They let you know in no
uncertain terms that they are the boss! They should learn to exude their
decisions on their own needs rather than on what others want.

Famous 8's: Edgar Cayce, Barbara Streisand, George Harrison, Jane
Fonda, Pablo Picasso, Aretha Franklin, Nostrodamus.

#9 - THE
PERFORMER 9's are natural entertainers. They are very caring and generous,
giving away their last dollar to help. With their charm, they have no problem
making friends and nobody is a stranger to them. They have so many different
personalities that people around them have a hard time understanding them. They
are like chameleons, ever changing and blending in. They have tremendous luck,
but also can suffer from extremes in fortune and mood. To be successful, they
need to build a loving foundation.

Famous 9's: Albert Schweitzer,
Shirley MacLaine, Harrison Ford, Jimmy Carter, Elvis Presley.

now that I'm a student I feel that it's my duty to waste as much time as possible by searching the internet looking for pointless but entertaining sites, then sharing them with everyone. Check this out:


We Like the Moon

Also check out the rest of the songs on rathergood.com. Some of them are pretty funny. Becareful if you don't work for yourself or your dad...you might not want to listen to them at work.

I Need...

Scott and Leah have already done this on their blogs, so check theirs out...it's a fun game. First, go to Google.com. Then type in your name followed by the word "needs." Write down and share the first ten results.

Here are the top ten Google results for "Cecilia Needs:"
1. ":: escapism :: » I Don’t Need A DivaCecilia needs to be around more members of the male species. - Cecilia needs ismore social interaction with boys her age. - Cecilia needs you. ..." Well, I guess Google knows what they're talking about.

2. "The Virgin Suicides (1999): James Woods, Kathleen Turner, Kirsten ...... perhaps what Cecilia needs is more social interaction with boys her age.Just so, Mr. and Mrs. Lisbon organize a boy-girl party for the daughters. ..." Hm...

3. "Friends of Strays IncCecilia needs a loving home: yours! View Cecilia's Listing FRIENDS OF STRAYS POBOX 541302 FLUSHING, NY 11354 Tel: 718-969-6688 www.FriendsOfStraysNY.org ..." I do love strays, but I have a loving home...

4. "Cleveland Ohio Real Estate - Buying/Selling A Home - Homes for ...Cecilia Sherrard - Realty One - All your Real Estate needs. 216-227-3545 ----Buying -Selling - Relocation - Investments - Community information ..." No, I have a home, and no money to buy a house.

5. "Cecilia's Blurty -- EntriesCecilia's Blurty Entries, [entriesfriendscalendar] ... Well I can't stop burpingso I need some water. Gio went to the movies too so I'm gonna wait for ..." HAHAHA...I am pretty gassy sometimes.

6. "Homeowners Associations: Bending the Truth to Fit the NeedAn Article. Bending the Truth to Fit the Need. Intimidation by UnscrupulousAttorneys. February 12, 2004 By Cecilia Taylor Copyright AHRC News Services ..." I'll read this if I buy a house.

7. "Address to the First Cecilia Makiwane Nursing AwardsCecilia Makiwane, despite her old fashioned Victorian appearance, ... In countriessuch as ours, we need somehow, to fuse the application of sound ..."

8. "Saint Cecilia Catholic SchoolThe philosophy of Saint Cecilia Catholic School is to support the unique educationalneeds of our inner city population in a spirit of respectful service. ..." Ah, St. Cecilia...I am so great.

9. "The boxer by simon and garfunkelsimon and garfunkel america lyric - simon and garfunkel cecilia needs simon andgarfunkel song lyric, scarborough fair simon garfunkel (simon and garfunkel ..." "OH CECILIA"

10. "Cecilia Scribe Services Serving the needs of writersCecilia Scribe Services Serving the needs of writers . . . so what you writewon't be wrong! Editing * Proofreading * Fact checking * Marketing ..." I should call them to write in my blog sometimes...

Today's Lesson

Here's what I learned at school today:
1. if you lock your car doors and close them before getting your keys out of the ignition, you cannot get back into your car without
a. breaking a window
b. waiting for your mom to bring your spare key
2. if your cell phone is also in the car, it make everything more difficult.
3. UB's North campus is the coldest, windiest place on earth.
4. Your bladder shrinks in the cold.
5. If you plan on standing outside for an hour or more waiting for a key because you locked your keys in your car, it's a bad idea to drink a travel mug of coffee on the way to class, a can of diet coke in class, and a Venti latte while waiting for the key. Especially If you're waiting at UB, the coldest place on earth, since your bladder just keeps shrinking.
6. I'd rather be standing outside in the cold at UB waiting for my key holding myself than sitting in a classroom at ECC listening to a chem lecture.

I had school again today. I remembered how to get to UB (I didn't have to call anyone for directions), I remembered where to park and where my class was. I felt so grown up! And then I answered questions in class! I knew that pi and the square root of 2 and 3 are all irrational numbers. I can even tell you why. Because they all have numbers after the decimal point that don't repeat a pattern or end. I am SO SMRT! I can do algebra on a 10th grade level!

Then I went to work and took an x-ray that somehow came out upside-down and backwards...I hope my assistans are better than I am when I take over the office.

Alge-what?

Today I started school. I had algebra and physics. Not only did I feel kinda stupid (adding big numbers like 7 and 8 is hard! and so is getting around UB, but that's another story for another time), I felt very immature. Here's why:
When I was in 5th or 6th grade I took algebra with everyone else in my grade. One of my friends, either Julie or Maggie, once called it "alge-boobie-holder." Now everytime I hear someone say "algebra" I giggle a little bit.
Physics isn't as funny.

So, one day last week I woke up early. At 4 am. I had to be at Sister's Hospital at 6 am, therefore I had to be up at 4. I got dressed and walked out to my car, expecting it to be in one piece and everything that I had left in it to still be there, because that's what normally happens. Well, I opened the drivers door and there were papers all over the seat. I thought to myself, "Hm...I know my car was messy, but I thought I at least kept the drivers seat cleaned off." Then I realized that my boots were gone. And the stereo. And the back window was smashed. On the way to the hospital I realized that my datebook was also gone, and my checkbook was in it. Not good.

Well, I made it to the hospital, and had my galbladder and appendex removed. It was actually a very enjoyable process. I enjoy anesthesia, and really like demerol. I also am slightly addicted to apple juice, which is about the only injestable food item that was offered to me during my 28-hour stay. Since I got home I'm recovering nicely. I've been in some pain, but, really, I expected it. I mean, I had 2 organs removed. And 4 holes cut in my stomach, through skin and muscle and and other stuff that's in there. I'm still a little sore and can't lift some heavy stuff but otherwise I"m fine.

So, back to my car story. I was mostly upset because my favorite cd was in the stereo. The person who broke into my car didn't steal any of my other cds, so I know he didn't really want the Melissa Ethridge cd in the stereo, it was just a mistake. He didn't mean to take it. Well, a few days later I was walking out the door and flipped through my cd book to find something to listen to on the way to work. Imagine my surprise when I found my favorite Melissa Ethridge cd put away nicely in one of my cd books. I though, "what a nice thief," took the cd and went to work. The next day I went to the bank to close my account (since he had stolen my checks) and open a new one. THe teller gave me a list of the recent activity on the account I was closing and there was and $80 deposit made with one of my deposit slips that I didn't make. I said to the teller, "I didn't make that deposit" and he said, "well someone with your deposit slips must have. Do you want me to take the money out?" I, of course, said, "well, no." The dumbest (or nicest maybe...) thief in the world broke into my car.

Hold My Hand

I loved the University of Toronto. One of my favorite things about it was how big it was and how a person could get totally lost. I had to do everything myself. I had to pick my classes and remember to register and figure out whether or not I got all my requirements in before graduation. If I didn't, it was pretty much my fault. I never had an advisor. If I needed help I had to go find it myself from a professor or a TA or someone else...there was no hand-holding. I felt very grown-up.

When I decided to go to UB I wasn't worried about how big it was or how unpersonal it would be. College, for me, isn't a personal experience in that sense. I don't expect to have a guidence counselor like I did in high school. So, why is it that when I walked into the advisors office at UB I lost all my common sense? I felt like a 2-year-old and I just wanted someone to tell me exactly what classes I need to take, get me into them, get me loans and financial aide, buy my books, show me where to park every day and where my classes would be. Pam, my advisor, was looking for a little more in-put from me. I miss Canada...

Buttercup Apple-Kisser

Little Deb at the office emailed this to me and said I should put it in my Blog. Even though she thinks blogs are stupid, I'll put it in here.

The following in an excerpt from a children's book, "Captain Underpants Andthe Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants" by Dave Pilkey. The evilProfessor forces everyone to assume new names . . .

Use the third letter of your first name to determine your new first name:
a = poopsie
b = lumpy
c = buttercup
d = gadget
e =crusty
f = greasy
g = fluffy
h = cheeseball
i = chim-chim
j = stinky
k =flunky
l = bootie
m = pinky
n = zippy
o = goober
p = doofus
q =slimy
r = loopy
s = snotty
t = tootie
u = dorkey
v = squeezit
w = oprah
x = skipper
y = dinky
z = zsa-zsa

Now, use the second letter of your last name to determine the first half ofyour new last name:
a = apple
b = toilet
c = giggle
d = burger
e = girdle
f = barf
g = lizard
h = waffle
i = cootie
j = monkey
k = potty
l = liver
m = banana
n = rhino
o = bubble
p = hamster
q = toad
r = gizzard
s = pizza
t = gerbil
u = chicken
v = pickle
w = chuckle
x = tofu
y = gorilla
z = stinker

Finally, use the fourth letter of your last name to determine the second
half of your new last name:
a = head
b = mouth
c = face
d = nose
e = tush
f = breath
g = pants
h = shorts
i = lips
j = honker
k = butt
l = brain
m = tushie
n = biscuits
o = hiney
p = chunks
q = toes
r = buns
s = fanny
t = sniffer
u = sprinkles
v = kisser
w = squirt
x = humperdinck
y = brains
z = juice

Leave me a comment and let me know what YOUR name is.

I'm Back!

So, sorry I haven't blogged in a while. I could say I was busy, but, you all know me. You know I wasn't really busy. I was watching TV and sleeping. My life isn't that exciting. I did try to write a blog about something exciting that happened last week, or the week before maybe, but I forgot my password and by the time blogger emailed it to me I was asleep.

I've decided that since Mikey isn't blogging anymore (something about a baby and exams), I'd pick up the slack and start again. I have a lot of stories to tell you, too. But I can't right now. I'm at work, and even when you work for your dad you can only spend so much time updating your blog before people realize you haven't seen one patient all day... :)