Mystery Solved

Ever since last Thursday, I've been plagued by a extremely sore side. Lord knows I haven't done any strenuous exercises to warrant the soreness, and I knew that I hadn't fallen down on my side. I was clueless. It only hurt when I laughed, sneezed or coughed. All weekend long I tried to figure out when and where I caused the problem. Like I said - I knew I hadn't fall down and cracked a rib, and I knew I hadn't been doing anything strenuous.

It seemed to be a little better this weekend. Until this morning. As I got in the Blazer to head to work, it hurt like nobody's business, and then it suddenly dawned on me what had caused the soreness: carrying around my 87 pound briefcase bag with all of my school stuff in it for the past 8 weeks. Yep, I'm 99.9% sure that's what caused it. Event though this is the last week of class in my Master's program, I don't want to make the muscle strain any worse than it is. So I remembered that somewhere down in the basement, I have a cool briefcase/laptop bag on wheels, that would be perfect for all of the crap I've been lugging around for my thesis and final exam. If only this had dawned on me months ago.

Link of the Week

I don't watch a lot of videos on You Tube, unless someone recommends something that they know will make me laugh. And you know from experience that I only give you links to videos that are just the funniest thing I've seen. Well this week's Link is another funny one. I've watched it a dozen times and I laugh like an idiot each time. I hope you find it as funny as I do.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cds7lSHawAw&feature=feedf.

Bumper Sticker Of The Month

Angst-Filled Friday

We interrupt our normally scheduled Flashback Friday to bring you Angst-Filled Friday. In the middle of finishing up my big thesis project, I decided to take a few hours break from working on it and instead work on our final exam for the class. But as my luck would have it, I can't get past question #1 on the test. And there's 51 multiple choice questions. Plus a bunch of essay questions. And the computer and school website won't let me get past question #1. I've even tried to get to the site through another browser and on the laptop to no avail. I'll just have to wait till Monday and attempt to talk to someone at the school's help desk in hopes that they can help me. If not, I'm screwed bigtime.

What To Do?

Needless to say, I am stressed to the max right now while I am trying to finish my Master's Thesis that is due in a week and two days, and am just about as wound as tight as one could be wound. But i just found out some things an hour ago that could get someone fired and in some legal trouble if the information got out. I'm keeping my nose clean and am keeping my mouth shut about it just because I sure do not need any more drama in my life right now. I just hope and pray that the person involved will have a moral and ethical epiphany and do the right thing.

Keep It Away

For the past two weeks, the three guys in my department (aka the Jonas Brothers) have all had the cold/flu/sinus infection crud that has been running rampant here in the Ohio Valley. They all get it and keep passing it back and forth. I'm thankful that I'm down the hall from them so I'm not exposed to the germs as much as they are. They spray Lysol and use hand sanitizer faithfully, but they are all still sick in some form. I'm just thankful I haven't gotten it. I've been taking my AirBorne everyday faithfully and have been spraying Lysol in my office and hallway as a precaution.

I'm Frustrated

There's a million thing going through my my mind right now and I'm frustrated, faithful readers. Very frustrated. First of all, the the past two weeks I haven't been able to keep a wi-fi connection with my iTouch iPod. And that bothers me to no end. Add to that frustrations with work, home, friends, etc, and you've got one frustrated Puddin tonight.

I had a couple rocky points today with my big Master's Thesis project, but all is well and I'm very thankful that I'm almost finished with it. I've got just a few more pages to go.

The things that are going through my head right now are all over the map. I'm starting to think of very crazy things I've never thought before. And I need to stop.

I just hope and pray that I will get back on track after supper and finish the pages that I need to write tonight.

Spring Cleaning At The Compound

I am very, very happy to report that as of an hour ago, the two tallest and biggest trees at The Compound are cut down, cut up, and hauled off. All that remains are two stumps and a tiny bit of sawdust. We also had them trim off any limb from the neighbor's trees that were hanging over on our property and over our house, garage or carport. And it wasn't a moment too soon. About 15 minutes after the tree people left, we had a pretty decent thunderstorm with quite a bit of wind. But for the first time in years we had no worries about limbs falling on the ground or impailing the house, garage or carport. It sure changed the look of the backyard.

I'm not sentimental over the trees, even though they were planted the spring that we moved here 45 years ago. I'm just happy to see them go because The Compound buildings will not longer have to worry about a tree or giant limb falling on them. That makes me happy.

Here's A Tip

I stopped at a local restaurant yesteday afternoon to get supper for the 'Rents, and chose this particular restaurant because I knew a friend would be working there as a server in the afternoon. The restaurant was fairly busy for early Saturday afternoon, but my friend and I managed to squeeze in a conversation in between her trips to check on her tables. During the conversation she pointed out a table with a ten people. She said that their came to $120, and that they would probably only tip her $4 or $5. At first I thought she was joking but then she went on to explain how that table was what they call "high maintenance" - wanting extra this, extra that, more of of this, more of that, etc. You get the picture. She said that high maintenance people like that never tip well. You'd think it would be the opposite

We talked some more until my food was ready, and when she handed me the bill, I noticed that she had used her employee discount of 50%. I felt very generous, and tipped her a healthy 20% of what the bill would have been before her discount, plus a little more to make up for what I was sure the high maintenance people would not tip her. I had no sooner gotten home when I got a text from her saying that the table in deed tipped her a five dollar bill. She sure called that one.

Final Project Update

I'm very happy to report that I am one week ahead of schedule on one half of my Final Project -- a 30-minute Powerpoint Presentation (with narration) on the final project. The presentation has to be given to the organization that is the focus of our projects. The assignment isn't due until next Sunday but I'm completely finished with mine and am going to submit it early just so I can be done with this phase. This leaves me with writing the "Recommendations" section of my project report and then fine tuning the entire thing to be ready to submit in two weeks.

For the first time in probably five weeks, I'm not stressed out. I hope it continues for the next two weeks.

As always, thanks for the well wishes and support, and I'll keep you posted.

Flashback Friday

Over a year ago, I featured the Olivia Newton John album "Totally Hot" on a Flashback Friday. Today, I listened to the CD on my way home from work as I was running a bunch of errands. All I can say is if you don't have it in your collection, get on eBay or Amazon tonight and order it.

Link Of The Week

We interrupt your regularly scheduled TWIT post to bring you an early Link of the Week.

The great folks at the Audobon Society and other organizations are sponsoring something very cool this weekend - The Great Backyard Bird Count. They're asking people all over the country to take the time this weekend to observe and keep track of all of the different birds that they see in their backyards. As soon as I heard about this I knew that I had to be involved. Visit http://gbbc.birdsource.org/gbbcApps/checklist and enter your zip code and you can print out a list of the birds that are native to your area. Check off the ones you see from Friday February 18 till Monday February 21 and then send the form in. I've already printed out the form for here at The Compound and the 'Rents will be on full alert tomorrow, looking for any and all birds.

This is a pretty cool thing going on all across the country. Please take the time this weekend to notice the birds around you.

Update From The Compound

After weeks, no, months, of agonizing over the trees and limbs here at The Compound, we are finally taking measures. On Monday, a crew will be here at The Compound and will cut down and haul off two very huge and tall oak trees that have been menacing us for a long time. And while the crew is here, they will also trim back every (emphasis on "every") limb from trees that are hanging over on our house and garage.

Hopefully when the spring storms come we will be able to rest easier knowing there are no trees that can come crashing down on the garage or house. There will be Peace In The Valley.

Joke Of The Week

How do you make Lady Gaga mad?

Poke her face!!

Get it? Poke her face --- Poker Face? (One of her biggest hits so far)

Yeah, I know it's pretty bad, but I thought it was funny. And since this is my blog, I guess that's all that matters.

Happy Valentines Day

TWIT would like to wish all of you, faithful readers, a very happy Valentine's Day. And in honor of love and all that that entails, I'd like to share the lyrics to one of my all-time favorite love songs, correction -- one of my all time favorite songs, period -- written by two of the best songwriters in the world, Pam Rose and Mary Ann Kennedy. The song is called "Love Like This."

A king would trade his finest crown
For love, love like this
And warriors have laid weapons down
For love, love like this
Hearts will break a thousand times
For love, love like this
And arms will wait a thousand nights
for Love Love like this

Chorus
Love may come and love may go
But here inside your arms I know
That only you will ever show me
Love like this

You and I have finally found
Love, love like this
A place to lay our burdens down
love, love like this
Hearts can speak without a sound
In love, love like this
What makes the world keep turning 'round
Is love, love like this

Chorus

The moon has never shown before
On love, a love like this
And I have never wanted more
than love, love like this
Love, love like this
Love, love like this

Link Of The Week

If you are even remotely close to me, then you already know that I have an obsession with bags - purses, briefcases, messenger bags, etc. . . . And you also know that I buy them all the time, regardless of the fact that I could start selling them from my collection. But that's not the point. The point is, is you need a bag -whether it's a laptop bag, a purse, a suitcase, a briefcase, a travel bag - I've got the site for you. It's simply eBags.com. You can find any type of bag you want, and they always have great deals. Check them out at http://www.ebags.com. Happy Shopping.

Final Project Update

I've been working like a fiend all morning long on the project and I'm taking a break to run to the grocery store. As of right now, I have almost 14 typed pages - almost half of the 30 pages I need. The instructor keeps stressing that 30 is the minimum. You can best bet there won't be too many projects that are over 30 pages, given the difficulty we've had with this instructor. As of yesterday, we're up to a total of 4 classmates that have dropped the class within the past two weeks, all because of the instructor.

I'm off to run my quick errand then will get back to my writing and typing. Wish me luck.

Flashback Friday

Just last week, the Smithsonean Institute added Farrah Fawcet's infamous red bathing suit to its vast collection. Yep, it's in there with Henry Ford's first automobile and the Wright Brothers' airplane. And rightfully so.

Back in the mid-70's, just about every house in the country had a copy of this poster on a wall somewhere - be it a bedroom, basement or garage.

I'm still hacked off that Farrah didn't receive the farewell tributes that she deserved, since she died at the same time that Michael Jackson did.

I'm proud to say that I have this poster, still in its original plastic wrapping, safely down in the basement in the archives, along with another old poster of Paul McCartney and his wife Linda, and a poster of Janis Joplin sitting on a chopper, both still in their original plastic wrapping.

Thursday Updates

I'm happy to report that at about 9:00 last night, the missing folder was located.

As for the Final Project Update, I've gotten a couple of pages written today, and as soon as I post this I'm going to completely shut down the computer and start a writing frenzy. My goal before I go to bed tonight is to write 4 pages. It can be done. And giving a head's up, I will probably be scarce on here for the next few weeks as my deadline for the thesis is drawing closer and closer. But I will post when I am able. And as always, I'll keep you posted.

Frantic Wednesday

As I type this, I am frantic because I can't find a computer paper box full of reports and research on church security that I stored somewhere six months ago and can't find tonight. I know it's here at The Compound somewhere but I just can't find it. It's not a big box- it's in a smallish 8x10 box, but just not being able to find it is driving me crazy. I know that none of us threw it away, so it's just a matter of me slowing down and searching methodically. I'd love to type more but I'm not going to have a moment's peace until I find the box. As always, I'll keep you posted.

TWIT Status Update

Is tired.

If Blogspot had a status update like Facebook, this is how mine would be right now.

Favorite Super Bowl Commercials

It pains me to say, faithful readers, that this year's Super Bowl sucked. Even the commercials. In my personal opinion, I've never seen the commercials so lame or horrible in all of my years of watching the Super Bowl. But I can't break tradition, so I will give you my Favorite Super Bowl Commercials. Unfortunately I couldn't come up with a Top Ten so I'll list the ones I liked, in no particular order.

1. Chevrolet -- the "Reply all" email. This was priceless. And I couldn't help but think how many times this has actually happened to someone.

2. Go Daddy with Danica Patrick, Jillian Michaels and Joan Rivers. Once again, it was priceless. I tip my hat to Joan Rivers, one of my all time favorite comedians.

3. Volkswagon Beetle - "Old Black Betty". For what it is worth, "Old Black Betty" is one of my all time favorite rock songs. And I was overjoyed to see they used it in a VW commercial.

4. CareerBuilder.com -- the monkeys in cars in the parking lot. What can I say -- monkeys are always funny in commercials.

Unfortunately, those were just about all of the commercials that I liked. Better luck next year.

Link Of The Week

The three guys in my department are pretty obssessed when it comes to videos. Whenever I hear hysterical laughter coming from the cubicle, it can mean two things: my checkbook fell out of my purse and they're having a good laugh at the balance, or they're watching a video that someone emailed them.

This week, I found a website that is made for those three -- it's called Channel.Com and it's a website that has all of the cool and current funny and popular videos from all over the web - CNN, CBS, MTV, and ESPAN, just to name a few. Check it out at http://www.channel.com .

Final Project Update

Faithful readers, there was a major breakthrough in the final project this afternoon. I had hit a concrete wall earlier today and had to scrap a page and a half that I had written, but it was a blessing in disguise. I was stalled, and not sure where to go next, but after reading the professor's instructions for the 76th time and going over my outline again, I realized I had to scrap those pages and start over on that section. But in doing so, it opened the doors to creativity and the pages are starting to flow again. I had plans to go out this evening but cancelled them so I could stay home and write while my creative juices were flowing. As always, thanks for your support and well wishes, and I'll keep you posted.

Flashback Friday

Hearing about all of the snow days that the school kids have had this winter reminded me of the snow days that we had when I was a kid. They were extra special to me. When we had a snow day, Grandma would let me sleep in, and when I finally got up, I would get all bundled up and walk down to the Greenwood Market and buy Chef-Boy-Ar-Dee frozen pizzas. Once home, Grandma would have a little glass dessert bowl full of thinly sliced onion and green pepper to doctor up the frozen pizzas. Our neighbor Alice would get bundled up and trudge down to the house and she would have pizza with us. This was our snow day ritual.

Back in the day, Chef Boyardee frozen pizzas were the only frozen pizzas - there was no Tony's, Totino's, nor Red Baron. The pepparoni was my favorite - the pepparoni was diced into tiny little cubes, and they didn't skimp on the portions, like the frozen pizza makers do today. Chef Boyardee frozen pizzas have long since gone, but they still make the make-it-yourself pizza kits.

Final Project Update

I'm at the half-way point, faithful readers, and it's just a hair over four weeks until the final project is due. I'm right on target where I expected to be at the half-way point. I'm taking a few minutes break to type this while the 'Rents, aka my research assistants, are waiting for me to come back to the kitchen table so they can finish their work today. They've been helping me tally and catagorize the surveys for my project.

I'll ask once again that if you are a praying person, to please say a prayer for me and this project. Thank you for all of the prayers and well wishes so far.

I'd love to write more but my research assistants are antsy and need to be finished in time to watch their beloved "CSI" later tonight. As always, I'll keep you posted.

Happy Ground Hog Day

TWIT hopes that everyone had a great Ground Hog Day, and regardless of whether or not the ground hogs saw their shadows, I think we all wish that winter will be over soon.

The 'Rents kept a close watch today, and did not see the ground hog here at The Compound. But then again they were happy that they did not see any type of critters, especially raccoons.

Critters At The Compound

Sunday morning when I got the car out of the garage as we were heading to church, I noticed what looked like dozens of tiny little hand prints on the windshield. I knew that could only mean one thing: raccoons in the garage again. It had been a couple of years since we caught a few of them, so I guess we were due. Later that evening, we backed both vehicles out of the garage and Dad set the cage trap in hopes of catching the little pest. He carefully checked the trap and used a stick to test it and it set it of with ease. Now all we had to do was wait.

Monday morning, Mom and I couldn't wait to get out and see if we'd caught the raccoon. We opened the garage door, only to find that the raccoon had gotten the bread (sprinkled with vanilla) that we had in the trap without setting off the trap. He/she had also gone on a rampage because our garage looked like a war zone. Cans and buckets were knocked over, a tube of caulk had been torn open and had oozed out on the garage floor, and the most aggrivating of them all, the little #$%&er had broken two antique Coke bottles, leaving glass all over the floor. This meant war.

It took Dad almost an hour yesterday to clean up the garage, and then he carefully set the trap again, after testing a few times. Last night just as we were ready to go to bed, Mom jumped up from her recliner and wanted to go out and see if we'd caught the raccoon. We all three bundled up and walked out to the garage, and lo and behold as the garage door opened, we saw two shiny eyes looking back at us from the trap. He wasn't such a badass in the cage, now, was he?

A friend at work who raises coon dogs and who coon hunts (note: they just hunt the coons with the dogs, they don't shoot the coons) came out this afternoon and hauled off the raccoon down to Spencer County where he will join many other raccoons. Let's hope he stays there. And even moreso, let's hope he doesn't have any relatives left in the garage. I guess we'll know tomorrow morning.