Things to do

Ok.. so many things have changed since I last posted. 2 kids have graduated high school, got jobs and started college. My sister and her family moved here. I have removed 2 crazy bitches from my life, both for the betterment of my sanity and health. I quit smoking, started smoking and now, quit smoking again. I have become addicted to Pinterest and hardly ever Facebook anymore. I cook more things from scratch and try to cut processed foods out of what I make. I also finally got the camera I've wanted for about 5 years now. It is beautiful and I am going to learn how to take awesome pictures if it kills me. Photoshop here I come!

My sister and my daughter are now blogging and since they asked me about it and I had to pull up mine (oh, i have a couple) and show them how to get stared, I figured I might as well give it a go since i have my camera and all the things I want to be doing. I would like to think that this can be a documentary of the things I attempt off Pinterest and my foray into photography. We shall see how all this goes.

I think the hardest part for me is that I am not a picture taker. Never have been. I need to learn to carry my camera everywhere i go. Here is one of the pictures from our May. We got a great snow on May 1 and it was mostly melted on May 2. I need spring to be here. I have so many outdoor things I want to go do with my new camera.

We also have acquired yet another dog. This makes 5 in the house. That is way too many. Unfortunately, our oldest chocolate lab, Mojo is going to have to be put to sleep soon. He is 14 years old and between the tumors and arthritis, he is just not himself anymore. I love the puppies but its a houseful!

I will post more pictures soon. And hopefully write more here too.

So much time has passed..

It seems like forever since I was back here and lots of things have changed!!

I was officially released from my dr. for all my accident injuries. I got the "you're as good as you're going to get" schpeel. This was fine, except that the letters to the attorneys were "shes fine", which is DEFINATELY not the case, but it is all doctors and attorneys and insurance agencies, so not sure that i have any say in whatever their bullshit is about. Truthfully, i could really really use a huge settlement, but the biggest thing is to not have any outstanding medical bills. I am up to my eyeballs in collection agencies, but fuck it, i don't have $10k laying around.

The kids have been back in school, started sports, started not doing homework, had homecoming. We've had our first snow of the year, in the middle of September, which was odd for me, but its been gorgeous since then.

I am trying to scrape together $2k for plane tickets for christmas to go to arizona to visit family and make plans for the princess moving there for college. I am so excited for her, but sad she will be leaving.

Been working alot, took vacation to Iowa for Honey's family reunion. That was fun and a good break.

Exwife#2 is almost ready to have her baby and I am sooo excited for that. Princess is her birthing coach and ex still doesn't know she is in town.

The boy celebrated his 16th birthday. It was sadly uneventful. He got a tattoo from his dad. It looks really nice, though i wish he wouldn't have gotten it. Hopefully it means something to him.

Been working out pretty close to every day since July 1. I have lost 13lbs, which isn't much considering i have been busting my ass, but i just keep plugging along at it. Have totally quit playing my game and have been hanging out with friends. What a great change and a fun time.

My baby sister's husband committed suicide in late July. This was horrible and I flew out there and was with her and the kids for a week while things got settled and services happened. It was so horribly tragic and unexpected, but honestly, i'm so glad that neither she nor the kids were home when it happened. She is getting along, day by day, and the kids are too. I cannot fathom all of the hurt she has inside her. I had great friends and family that helped me be able to be with her and we are still struggling financially to recover from my trip, but the support for me doing that was huge. My mom and dad showed up and i was grateful that my dad came, but my mom just made more uncessary, narcissistic drama happen. It was sad. She didn't speak to me so i was fine with that. She looks horrible too. Fortunately, my dad made an effort with the kids and I had a great time with the kids.

I guess thats all to catch up on. Birthday is coming up, but shouldn't be eventful, at all.

The end is nigh....

So, because of statute of limitations, my car accident case has to be filed by the end of june. UGH. I am busy tying up loose ends, trying to get my own ducks in a row, while my attorney has to ask me who i am every time i call. I am soo beyond frustrated. I feel like everything is out of control and there isn't anything that i can do about it. I had my "final" dr visit and got the dreaded 'you're about as good as you're going to get". I knew/felt that it was coming, but it was totally different to hear it. I have 2 more visits of physical therapy. I guess it just took hope away. The situation with the attorney doesn't help any optimism either.

Oh well.. life keeps on keepin on, i suppose. Kids are out of school. Trying to coordinate their summer vacation in arizona with family. I have left it up to them and their dad, so ultimately, i am having to help Princess figure it all out because their dad is completely unhelpful.

I have a work trip for a week that i am kinda looking forward to. Not vacation or anything, but it should be fun.

See you later alligator

Well.. Since i last updated this LOTS of things have been going on.

Thanksgiving- went to Honey's parents house for a week. This was a nice vacation and enjoyed it. Honey and I flew to cut down on the amount of travel pain i would experience. This was pretty good, though the travel anxiety was still there kept me moderately crazy.

Christmas - stayed home. Ended up going over to the Ex's house w/his 3rd wife and the kids. We had a great dinner and the kids opened their gifts. It was disappointing for them to say the least. Once we got home, we gave them each their big gifts, which they were stoked about. The delusions of grandeur of their dad are coming to an end...sad, but ultimately it will be best for them.. not for him.

New Years - went to Flogging Molly concert on new years eve. Honey and I went and had a nice dinner downtown and generally just enjoyed the evening. Flogging Molly was AWESOME! Roommate had his daughter in town. He hadn't seen her since she was like 10 and her mother blocked all communication. She is a little punk ass bitch with a huge sense of entitlement. Spent her time bashing the Boy on her facebook page, while he was bending over backward to make sure she didn't want for anything while she was here. I was pissed and gave her a talking to. Since then, she had used her dad for money. If she doesn't want money, then there isn't really a reason to talk to him. Surprise there.

In March, I had neck surgery #5. In April, I had neck surgery #6. Both showed progress as far as relieving some of the chronic pain. Just prior to #5, I had an MRI that showed a growth on my thyroid. Got an ultrasound and had to see the dr. about this. I am overweight (Duh), I have virtually zero Vitamin D in my body, my liver is not functioning properly, and i have a thyroid tumor. So..yeah.. i am done w/the dr. Honey and I went on the South Beach Diet. Lost like 5 lbs in the first 2, very strict weeks. 3 weeks off and I think i have put on a few that I lost, but I will get back on it.

Lawsuit is wrapping up and so i have been attempting to get my ducks in a row as far as doctors, etc. information to the attorney. It is good, but scary to be wrapping it up, especially since i am still in treatment. I don't know how that will go.

I am travelling to Dallas this week. First travel since the last 2 surgeries. Hoping for the best and none of the standard stiffness and pain.

The boy broke his hand. He also got his learner's permit for driving. He can't drive at the moment with a cast on.

The princess is struggling in school. Still hates it. Her boyfriend is nice and she's had him for over a month now.

Work is work. still there and still hoping neither honey nor I get laid off. They have had some re-structuring and eliminating of positions. This has resulted in about 5 people losing their jobs.

Honey and I got blackberry storms. They are nifty and i like them alot. Not iphones though. Still him-hawing about an iphone. Maybe when they price drops. We'll see. iPhones are cool.

Ex-wife #2 is moving to town. This week. The kids are stoked.

Want in one hand.....

So, a few years ago, i broke down and bought a nice digital camera. It wasn't FAB-U-LOUS or anything, but it was a few hundred bucks and i loved it. I loved taking pictures with it and had delusions of grandeur about being able to take nice photos. About a month after the extended warranty expired, I turned it on and got "System Error". Turns out, this is a major malfunction of the camera and a $250 fix by the manufacturer. Uh.. i could buy a new one that is better for that or equal. So thus started my hunt for a new camera.

Now, I am really wanting a camera. Have had serious urges/inclinations for about 6-8 months now. I looked and researched and turns out, I'm a gadget nerd and still have the same delusions of grandeur that I had about being able to take some fabulous shots of stuff. I live in Colorado for shit's sake -- there is beauty all around right? Surely even "I" could take a picture.

Which ultimately led me to the decision: I will not buy a piece of crap point and shoot camera. I want a real deal Digital SLR camera with some lenses and options and you know, another hole to throw money down. So, for about the last 6 months, i have been completely committed to buying a decent, entry-level DLSR. I have been researching and comparing and still have it narrowed down to 2 different models. But every time i look at them, and read photography websites and look at pictures I want it even more. But, in contrast to that, i always have the nagging "thats a lot of money to spend on shitty pictures"

It is my hope that WHEN i get my camera that it will be a motivator to get out and walk around and just take some pictures. To do things, to go places. To drag the honey and kids and dogs with me. It has been so hard the last couple years, being physically unable to actually do anything, that i am bored to tears and think that I can take a decent picture and the beauty will motivate me to get off my ass.

I guess, until i get my camera, i will keep living in my pretty picture world and keep my hopes up that not everything i point the camera at (when the time comes) will look like a colorful turd on paper.