Oh, now what?

On Monday morning, the traffic signal went out on the street corner next to my house. At work, I filed most of the day. Hundreds of files. In a vault that holds almost 400,000 of them.

I woke up on Tuesday to the worst pain in my legs I've had in a long time. My co-worker called in sick. Then when I got to work, I found that some of the office lights were out. I toggled the switch and then even more lights went out. I had to make a call for service to get a commercial electrical contractor to come to the office and check the problem out. The lights are still not fixed. The office was 67 degrees and I wore a sweater all day. Outside it was 92.

My thighs still hurt so bad from filing on Monday its to the point where I am having a hard time getting up and sitting down or even walking. Shit, I am out of shape. Damn sedentary job. I weighed myself for the first time in awhile and the scale said 123. I got to loose 15 pounds. I typically gain some extra weight during summer, but this is ridiculous.

I got a blister on my heel from wearing my nice brown leather shoes.

At work, I had to fill out a compliance questionnaire for the new agency I will be contracting through. The base screen told me I was attached to the Los Angeles office. I live almost an hour away from it. I'm not happy about that.

Now I have a damn cat hair in my right eye that I cannot seem to get out.

I recognize these are all minor annoyances, but it's weird. No shit storms, please or I'm going to begin to talk about judgment day and the second coming.

About Last Night

I went to Long Beach for a few hours last night to get some air and clear my head. The only time I left the house over the weekend was to buy more groceries on Saturday night. How boring. I barely made it out into the patio to harass the cats. I did however remember to water the tomato plant. I think I have to move it to another location because it's not getting enough sun where it is now. Sunday was entirely too hot which reminded me I really should buy an A/C unit this year and install it. Maybe the whole ordeal would be easier if I just had it shipped to my house. If I could get free shipping that would be good. Anyway, developing 'The Pike' has changed the face of this area so much, it doesn't match to the faint memories of my childhood anymore. There are parking structures, a million restaurants, hotels, bars and clubs now. I walked around Shoreline Village to the end where the Parker's Lighthouse Restaurant is. Walked on Pine Street pier. Walked around the Ferris wheel that made strange groaning noises. My friend decided he wanted to explore what that BBQ smell was, so we walked over to Famous Dave's and he ordered - fish. It's a rubbed pork rib BBQ joint and he orders grilled fish. Whatever. I ordered a strawberry margarita because I was still full from lunch (a half of a homemade pepperoni pizza and a banana shake) but it was more like a slushie than anything and had no taste of alcohol. $6.95 for strawberry flavored ice in a goblet. I got home late and quickly found myself asleep.

So Not "The One"

Sadomasochistic. I dated a man recently who exhibited this trait but was in denial it was what it was and I had to stop because his style of sexual talk creeped me out to the point where it left me feeling paranoid instead of an object of his love and affection. I thought that there wasn't enough trust and too much risk involved to my personal safety that I could bear and I couldn't allow that line to be crossed. After numerous sessions of hours of verbal foreplay and continual miscommunication about meeting up over a two month period, my hope for any type of healthy relationship with him died. His choice of verbiage was frequently repulsive and violent.

The three dates we had in the beginning were normal, nice and fine. But after that, I felt an increasing amount of pressure from him to hide the fact that we were involved and I won't be put into that situation. I'm a 43 year old grown woman and I see no need to "sneak around." I just don't feel the need to be devious. Life is too short. But now knowing what he has to hide, if I were him, I wouldn't want my kids to know either. Treating women like he wants to is not a lesson I'd be proud to pass down from father to son.

I feel sorry for any woman who gets into a dominating relationship such as he desires. Sadly, I wouldn't be surprised to hear his name on the evening news one day as a rape suspect. And he picked 'me' from am online dating website. Knowing that these kinds of men would maybe target me has shaken my confidence in dating....and he called *me* quirky.

Immigration Reform

Read: Obama wants immigration reform passed by this Congress

I read today that President Obama wants legislation to deal with immigration reform by the end of this year or early next year. I say one thing at a time. I say universal health care comes first. I can't afford it and I need, so something positive has got to be done. I'm a NIMBY when it comes to immigration, but if it can do something to alleviate the parking situation in my neighborhood, I'll be all for it.

Immigration reform can start by defining what an immigrant is. An immigrant is someone who is living and working in a country where they are not a citizen. They have civil rights but most of all, they pay taxes. After a predetermined period of time, you have to become a citizen or you have to be a registered alien worker. Either of these choices will come with the requirement of paying taxes. If you choose neither of these options, you will have to leave. There is no such thing as anchor babies. Only a citizens can bare citizens. One citizen and one illegal cannot bare a citizen. Two illegals cannot bare a citizen. This has got to stop. If I so happen to have a baby in a foreign country, I shouldn't have rights to stay there because of it. Babies have no ability to choose where they are born; they are babies. Adults make these decisions. And adults need to fix the illegal immigration problem.

And that's my 2 cents on the matter.

Germs

I started to write about the deaths of Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson, but it just depresses me to think about all the turmoil that will ensue after the deaths of these people, so I decided not to.

Instead, I'm going to write about germs. I don't consider myself to be a germaphobe, but I do pay attention to them sometimes. Like in public restrooms. I try not to touch the doors of public restrooms, if I can help it. I will ball my hand up into a fist and open the door by pushing on it's middle instead of using the rectangle stainless steel push trim on the door. I think the door to the restroom is the #3 germiest thing you can touch. #1 is the handle on the inside of the restroom stall. #2 is the handle on the sink. But I only really freak out on the door. Some people use toilet seat covers as if their very lives depended on it. Not me. My ass is covered and the only thing it touches is the clothes I wear and the seat, so I'm not worried about that sort of thing. And I don't hover either if that's what you're thinking.

I think washing machines and dryers need to be revised for the 21st century. I don't think they should be appliances that sit in their own room for you to clean your clothes. I think they should be an integrated part of your closet. I think the closet should come with a washer and dryer installed. A built-in similar to what the kitchen has. I think you should be able to put your dirty clothes into one machine and have them wash and dried and then you can put them away immediately and not haul them through the house to do so. I think this because I don't think I've washed my clothes in over two weeks and the dirty ones are now becoming a mountain in my room. With smell comes germs and I don't like germs. I shouldn't have to live so close to all those germs. Incentive to wash my clothes more often.

They already make those types of machines and they used them in Europe. They are usually located in the kitchen so that people can use thier dining room table to fluff and fold. it's practical and I like that.

And yet, I'm not one to use hand sanitizer. I don't care how nice it smells. I don't feel that rubbing gellated alcohol onto my skin washes away the germs like warm water and soap can. I think it's a bad habit to use that kind of stuff. Like ChapStik. You use it once and you're hooked because it seems like your hands keep on getting dirty just like your lips continue to become chapped.

U.S. Health Care My Way: 3-2-1

Since the Senate is working on a health care plan, I thought I'd develop a plan, too. Why not. I can't screw it up any worse than it already is.

Universal Premise: Everyone deserves a healthy life.
Problem: Nothing worth anything in life is free.
Solution: Instead of taxing everyone in order to provide health care, stop the insurance system entirely and make everyone pay fees as described in my 3-2-1 system.

Babies: We hope babies start out healthy. Some do not. Some do not because of the actions or neglect of their parents, while others do not because of genetics. If you are a baby, you parents pick up the fees for your health care in my 3-2-1 system.

Anyone giving birth pays $3. Medication utilized for the mothers comfort during the birth is $1. Any other equipment used is $2. C-Section is $3. circumcision is an outpatient surgical event and is $2.

New Mothers: Prior to birth, new mothers are required to take nutrition and parenting classes. They are taught how to manage stress, encouraged and taught how to breastfeed. New mother's are encouraged to breastfeed for at least 6 months. After that, the baby starts to eat solid foods. New mothers are then required to take nutrition classes in regards to infants and children.

Children: All will take P.E. in school without exception. All teens will pick a sport after school for participation. All will have nutrition classes every year they are in school and health classes focusing on hygiene, grooming, and sex.

Immunizations are required and $1 each.

If you're lucky enough to get through childhood without a health incident, you become an adult with the ability to pay.

Adults: here is how my 3-2-1 health care system works. The most important health events happen to you are those that are in the hospital or take you to one for emergency care. Anytime you go to the hospital for a planned health care event or a life threatening emergency, you pay $3.

Anytime you have an urgent care situation, a non-life threatening emergency, you go to see any doctor you choose, general or speciality doctor or an urgent care facility and you pay $2.

When you are prescribed medications, however they are delivered, each 30 day prescription is $1. It doesn't matter if you're getting aspirin to thin your blood or the most expensive cutting edge treatments while you are laid up in a hospital bed. It's 30 days = $1.

So let's take, for example, when I had my three wisdom teeth taken out. I planned this event $2 for the consultation and $2 for the day of surgery (special dr visit = oral surgeon) and it was an out patent surgery = $2. Medication was administered to put me into a twilight sleep = $1. I had pain killers prescribed to me = $1. My oral surgery would of cost how much? $8.

Now think of how many people put off health care because they can't pay for it or can't pay for the insurance alone. If oral surgery was as cheap as a fast food meal, which, by the way, you would be discouraged from eating because they are unhealthy and you'd learn that in your health education classes for 13 years, do you think American's would have healthier teeth, mouths, better digestion, a better overall health?

Or here's another example. Say, I'm not feeling so good today. I think I'm coming down with a cold. I go to the urgent health $2, they give me fever reducer $1,
and send me home with a note to go back to work when I'm well. I much rather be monitored by a health care professional than suffer in silence and alone while I'm feeling icky. Not only that, but I'm tired of people dragging their sickly selves to work and infecting the rest of the workforce. It's disrespectful and it's disgusting.

On top of it all: smoking would be discouraged... packs would be $10 each. Alcohol would only come in small qualities because no one needs a magnum bottle or a 40 oz, please. Illegal drugs would be legalized, regulated, and expensive as hell to discourage their use, too. Habitual users would have mandatory treatment.

And the mental health profession would play an active role in health care and not just when things go awry.

Seniors would be on my 3-2-1 plan, too.

The only people who wouldn't have to pay in my 3-2-1 plan are the permanently disabled, the mentally ill, and anyone on unemployment or welfare. These people got it bad enough, so hey need a break. But if you're able bodied? Pay up. And anyone who makes $1M or more can pay market rate full price and not 3-2-1.

This is all I've got so far. It's not supposed to be a solution, but just an idea.

The Handbag Fiasco

Why can't I find a handbag that I like? One that's all leather, black, spacious, but also has pockets inside to keep my things organized and tidy? A zipper on top and a shoulder strap that is, again, leather? I'm really starting to hate all of these cheap 'made in china' bags constructed of materials that wear out so quickly, you are almost forced to replace them year after year. I don't have an annual budget for a $100+ bag. I hate the idea. And if I'm going to spend anymore on a handbag, it better last. I'm not into designer names, I'm in to function and quality. I'm scouring over http://www.ebags.com today since they have a "Wild Wednesdays" sale with selected items 20% off with the hopes of finding something I like.

Where's Sam?

I am in the process of researching my family tree. I started this project for my son who is an only child and doesn't have much contact with family since many live elsewhere. I wanted him to have a sense of connection to family even though he may not see them or know them personally.

During this journey of discovery, I found out my son related to George Washington. Yep, THAT George Washington, the father of our country. That was a big shocker. George's mom was a Ball and somewhere in the line a Ball married into the family who eventually migrated South during the Civil War and then West and because of the Crenshaw's and the Haas', my son has a whole slew of family specifically located in Texas.

But now, I'm looking at my father's side of the family. It seems many of the men in the family were transient and left for whatever reason or were lost track of which I find sad. I never knew my grandfather on my dad's side of the family who died in 1971 when I was 5 years old. My dad didn't know his father either. My grandfather was a lifer in the Army until his lack of hearing got in the way of him doing his job and then he was rejected during reenlisting. He was admitted to the U.S. National Homes for Disabled Volunteered Soldiers twice, in 1933 and 1935. And in reading the intake documents carefully, it seems my grandfather had a brother named Sam who lived in Cicero, Illinois.

So how do you find a man who doesn't want to be found? Like a puzzle, you find the pieces and put them back together paying attention to the clues that this type of research gives you.

The first thing I did when I found Sam's address was Google it. I wanted to see where this man lived or even if the house existed anymore. Unfortunately, the address doesn't not exists anymore. It's now a parking lot for a bankrupt grocery store called Delray Farms.

I then matched the address given as a contact, Sam's address, to the 1930's U.S. Census Records. This took some doing because I'm not familiar with the area nor working with census records all that much. I was able to track down an enumeration districts description page on the web which pointed me to the correct block. The address was found to be located in District 2038. The street address was 2308 South Cicero. There were two tenement houses filled with boarders that either worked for the electric works or the railroad which was right near by. Almost the whole neighborhood consisted of these types of housing in 1930. But as luck would have it, Sam didn't live in that specific house in 1930 and probably not for another three years...

Or, there is an alternate idea. I found a Sam Stutz in California. In San Diego County. This Sam Stutz was born in Illinois like my grandfather. This Sam Stutz gained a U.S. patented for a machine that sorted gold from slew. If he were an engineer, that would make sense since many of the Stutz's are big thinking people with highly technical jobs. I'm thinking that maybe my grandfather lost track of his brother and that the address he put down was old and Sam moved on a while ago. That would mean I may have undiscovered blood relatives as close as a two hour drive away I have never met before. It's exciting to think about if you're into genealogy to make a discovery like that. But one step at a time.

Potty Humor... literally

I am the solitary shitter. It's all I really want in life. I would like to shit in peace with no noise, no one around me and no interruptions. I don't think that's a lot to for ask, really. Whether it be in my own bathroom at home, in a semi-private stall like at work or in a public place... I wish people would just leave me he hell alone when I sit down to take a crap.

At home, my cat thinks that when it's my time for me to take a shit, that is the perfect time to get her pet on. She will come into the bathroom and dance around at my feet and rub on me until I relent and pet her until she's content, then go upon her merry way. Now she's even got her sister doing it, too. But it would be too much to ask for if both of them could be in my tiny bathroom at the same time, oh no, they have to come in one at a time - single file please, and perform this silly ' I want attention now because you're sitting down taking a shit' dance. What's funny is they won't stick around until I'm finished. When the shit drops and they get a whiff of it, their nose wrinkles up, the ears go back and they are out of there! quickly running the other way.

In a public toilet, I don't want to be sitting there trying to do my thing and have to listen to your keys jingling, your cell phone conversation with your whiny ass brat or your the mad fuck that you're planning on in the evening. I don't care. Why you have to come into the toilet with three of your closest friends and continue the same inane conversation about some other woman you hardly know, bitching and moaning, whining and complaining is beyond me. I'm there to leave a deposit and go on about my business. I don't need to know yours.

If people had to show their ass to other people more often, maybe if the concept of vanity and privacy were stripped away from the communal toilet experience making it a real public toilet; no walls, no stalls, just isles of porcelain for all to see, then maybe I could shit in peace. These irritating a-holes would then hopefully become the fastest shitters in the West. Speed shite. No time to dilly dally and make cell phone calls to your mother nor the free world. You'd have to actually pay attention to what you're body is doing and get going.

Maybe the Chinese got it right - squat toilets for all!

Now if we could only do something about the germs...

He pushed me aside before he pushed me aside.

I went on a date Thursday night right after work with a man who, in hindsight, if I knew the details of his life, such as his impending divorce (red flag) and difficult child custody schedule (red flag) or health issues, I would of never went out with him in the first place. Bad move #1 was he manhandled me to order his smoothie (red flag). No, I take that back. It was when he sent me a text me saying, "If you still want to meet with me, let me know." (red flag). More shocking to my senses was that he was a highly educated man too ashamed to admit his own reality unless I questioned him on it (red flag) and then I got an earful for two hours (red flag). I emailed him telling him, "I think you're looking for someone to talk to" I mean, especially since he said he wasn't looking for sex immediately and then he replies back he's not looking for someone to talk to (red flag). Whatever. Seems to me he doesn't know what he wants but it surely wasn't me. Next...