Goodbye Earl (i.e., 2011)!!

Hi world and happy after Christmas!!!

There is something about this time of year that makes me a little nuts. Not in the 'tres excited about Christmas' way, but in the 'why the **** can't we be nice like this all year' way.  Plus this was the time of year that my late father was at his most cruel.

He wasn't exactly in a position to help himself, being undiagnosed (and anti-psychiatry) bipolar. Although he was the brightest of his family and definitely the best, he (and thus we) suffered a lot throughout his lifetime from the unpredictable but highly visible highs and lows (Rage was a common feature of both).

Anyway enough of that.

Good news, world. He who shall not be named has moved out of the country to live with the other criminals and other colorful folk in Las Vegas (apologies to all the rest of you who live there). They (he has a 'better half') also bought a trailer (ugh) somewhere in the country where they plan to stay I guess in the summer. The good news is that any verbal abuse and attempted thefts will have to take place long distance now, and so are less likely to occur.

There was drama over the holidays though, still inspired by His Nastiness, to wit, his progeny, who seem to have inherited some personality aspects from their unfortunate male protogenitor. So there was a messy Christmas scene and for once I had nothing to do with it. Suffice it to say that the two involved are going to play a very  much reduced role in the lives of our family. I sent them both presents anyway, both ignored but not returned (heh they were edible) because I thought it was the right thing to do. Notice the use of the past tense?

Didn't disturb our celebrating though.

I ran out of vacation days looking after Mom (who is tremendous now) this year, so I have to go back to work tomorrow. Just think, world, a year ago Mom was recuperating from a hip replacement. The funding has been cut back so deeply in Ottawa hospitals that they don't provide physiotherapy (or not as much as doctors order, at least in Mom's case). If it weren't for Sis and I going in there three times per day and doing it with her, she would have had none at all. Then everyone on Mom's floor came down with the same superbug on the same day. We got Mom out of there asap to a rehab place and since we had to go back to work (this was November-December-January 2010), we hired a physiotherapist to work with her and we came in at night to work with Mom. It took a heroic effort on all of our parts but Mom did make it home, I think it was in March.

This year was a walk in the park by comparison, and we are all very grateful for it.

Since the death of my dear Most Spoiled Cat In The Universe in October (the 4th), I've adopted two monsters called kittens. They're four months old and spend their nights thinking up ways to drive me crazy. Unknowingly I wound up with male-female litter-mates, who are going to be operated on *wink* before any naughty stuff enters their little minds.

The male is Tiger (I know, no imagination) and the female is Princess. They appear to be marled and white bengals (respectively), and were found on a road somewhere close by. They weighed ~0.4 kilograms when I got them and their stomachs were inflated, they had some 'bugs' in their systems too and that charming combination gave them the runs. They were  starved about as far as you can be starved and still living.  I found them in PetsMart, where they both picked me out. So home we went almost two months ago and we're a pretty good furry family.

It's a great experience to be able to watch two cute and lively creatures treat everything that they run into as either a toy (toilet paper) or a game (me trying to use the bathroom or trying to get dressed, make the bed, re-roll the toilet paper, you name it). Their joi de vie is unreal. Their impact on the HOUSE is unreal!  Looks like a bomb went off in it, or it did until I finally vacuumed tonight.

So back to work tomorrow. Sigh. The entire organization in which I work is expecting huge budget cuts in February, which makes most of us feel like a combination of Sisyphus and Charlie Brown just before Lucy pulls the football away.  But we do it anyway.

Also started working on a HUGE family tree, folks. Found out that a long-ago relative on my grandmother's side may have been one of two boys who's vigorous ringing put the final crack in the Liberty Bell. Did you know that it broke more than once?

OK enough for one night. Will post some jokes soon, and hope that your holiday was safe and loving, world.

Bridg

You're So Vain/Mean

Hi World,

Can't say that life is back to normal or that I'm over it. Guess you don't get over someone close to you passing, you just get used to that fact. God knows there have been enough losses. In Canada it's the Thanksgiving weekend, so we are not at work on Monday.

However on Friday, or rather, BY Friday, my team leader and I had had just enough of being inundated with phone calls and e mail demands from a bully bigshot. I was seriously considering (as in 1/2 an hour away from) calling in the ethics/harassment people, when Team Leader decided to take the rest of the  day (this was about 1:30) off.  She put an 'Out of Office' message that said to call me; and I put one on to call HER, and gave next year as my return date. Then we both left for the weekend. Smirk.

Our boss, who had promised to deal with the Bully (but had not) for about a month, was still in the office and presumably will have to deal with Bully. Am still smiling over that one.

The Bully was trying to get us to do something rather unethical, which of course we are not going to do. What an idiot.

It's sunny, unseasonably warm and lovely weather up here. Can't say that I'm really seeing it but am glad that it isn't raining.

And how is life in your corner of the universe, world?

Give your loved ones a hug.

Bridg

Year of the Cat

The Most Spoiled Cat In The Universe, my best friend, furry kid and all around best creature ever, passed away tonight (cancer). She weighed only 3.2 kilograms.

Feel like hell.

Bridg

Friday on My Mind

Yahoo this week is over!

Hi world! Actually was threatened by a very senior but stupid manager today. Why stupid? Well, besides the fact that I'm writing a report about his performance that will be put on the WEB, all of the meeting was being tape-recorded.

Idjit.

 Also found out that they're putting together an inventory of everyone over 50 at work (big budget cuts coming, not that it will contribute much in the way of money). I'm 59 and fed up with this kind of nonsense. And it's Friday so who cares. I'll get mad about it on Monday. No sense wrecking the weekend.

So here I am in flannel pjs thrilled to bits not to have to get up early for the next 2 days.

How are YOU out there, world?

Bridg

The Alphabet Song

Thanks Eric....I think.....

The Letter

TY Vic!

Seems Like a Long Time

Another oldie but goodie (the song, not me, world!). Hello again.

I used to blog to get rid of tension, then  discovered Facebook games.  Where I bipolarly (code for "no impulse control") spent $5K in a month without realizing it.

So here I am back again!

Can't begin to think of all the stuff that's gone on in 2011 to post on world, there was a lot.  Chief among that:

1.  Escaped from The Place that Hope Goes To Die, and went back to my normal sane job. Had I mentioned that?

2.  Went on stress leave before 1 preceding happened. Was embarrassed about it but it was one of the best things I've ever done. Seriously. Read every Gabaldon book published.

3.  He Who Shall Not Be Named moved out of town (and to a place where they gamble a lot), ticking off Mom's next door neighbor (at least) as he went. No further comment.

4.  Little Sis continues to grow and amaze me. She's the smartest one of us all.  Littlest Bro is fine and his son is one heck of a football player.

5. The Most Spoiled Cat In The Universe is pretty sick but then she's the cat equivalent of 90. They think that she has cancer of the pancreas and wanted me to put her down. She isn't in pain (doesn't act like it), still is bossy as hell, and in general except for losing weight is her normal self. So I am expecting the inevitable but won't take any action until I know that pain is involved. Have been advised what to look for.  :(

6. Had another heart artery reaming-out (I call it rotor-rootering) and this time it was a 99%+ blockage. Hmm.  Also kidney stones and gall stones. First time anyone's accused me of being an over achiever (ha ha).  The kidney stone was too big to get rid of naturally and let me tell you morphine doesn't do a THING for pain. Got to ride in an ambulance (went barefoot and in pjs. Boy am I classy or what) with nosy neighbor looking on. Took a few days because the heart rotor rootering had happened the week before (anticoagulants cause issues with lasers). Am pretty sure I blogged about the heart thing.


7. Mom had a hip replaced. It took 4 months of hell (aka physiotherapy delivered by Sis and Yours Truly). The system was set up to encourage her to remain wheelchair bound. It was a FIERCE struggle to get her well again but in the end we did. Sis and I spent all of our annual leave on it but it was well worth it. She's doing great even though we can't get her to go out of the house (she prefers to stay in and it isn't a pain thing). While she was in the hospital, the hospital developed all three superbugs, and everyone in Mom's wing came down with one of them--the SAME bug within the SAME three days (coincidence my eye). Fortunately Mom was colonized but wasn't sick. We set a ground speed record getting her out of there.

8. Speaking of Mom, we got a new doctor. This one's competent but he has a 'God complex' and is of a culture that doesn't hold women in high regard. Complained that I joke too much.

9. Heard (again) from first bf I ever had and realized why Dad moved us here to get away from him. Basically he's an abusive alcoholic, and now even looks the part. It was scary actually.

10.  Started a family tree. Holy cow this involves a lot of people. Am back to the mid 1700s.

11. Got asked by a 38 year old (male) for my phone number WHILE I WAS DRIVING (!!???). I apologized for cutting him off and he saw it as an opportunity to try to pick me up. Explained that I'm old enough to be his mother. Eventually he saw reason but hell it was funny! Now the pals at work are calling me a cougar.

That's pretty much it for now folks. Will post some jokes too. Glad to be back!

Bridg

Friday On My Mind

And if you remember THAT song, you're as old as I am, world!

Had the get-together with old friend/wife of old university pal. It was terrific. They aren't as close to ex as I'd feared, and nothing about the chat was awkward--it was as if we'd just been talking a week or so ago. So I was worried for nothing.

Stayed home from work today because I'm finding it hard to wake up these days. Apparently that's a bipolar thing. In the spring, I can't sleep, and in the fall I can't wake up. Either that or maybe I just need to hibernate?

An acquaintance who's a general practioner doctor said that in his practice, the bipolar folks can't work at a 'regular' job. I can! That comment of his really bothered me, especially since I can/do/have to work, and at the ripe old age of 58, I've been working a long time apparently with success.

Not much else going on lately. My boss is driving me absolutely bonkers tho. She likes to brag/throw her weight around a lot, which is a right royal PIA. Oh well at least today by staying home I got to miss out on it ;)

Happy weekend, world. Hope it's a good one!

Bridg

Waking Up Is Hard To Do

Just Wasn't Made For These Times

Well, this is supposed to be a blog partially about mental illness, and God knows I've gone through a mitt-full. This post is about someone who's a....well, not mentor, not idol, just someone who stupefies me.  Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys.

So if you're not into music, this isn't the post for you. We'll be back to tasteless jokes soon.

I've been doing a lot of reading about BW and his family/group. The fact that the man is even alive is a miracle, given the trek he's made through the worst family dynamics (father) I've ever read about, mental illness of several kinds (including bipolar-ism, schizophrenia, and other drug-induced nightmares), lack of good commercial advice, parasitism of others, deafness in one ear, lack of formal musical training, the hostility/envy/jealousy of his father as a 'producer', premature deaths of his two also talented siblings Carl and Dennis, addictions--the list goes on and on.

From what I've read, he not only survived but produced more and more innovative music than just about anyone you can think of--and he's still at it.

I don't understand how he managed to do it all, but am very glad that he did. The raw courage alone is amazing. The love of his two brothers in helping save him again and again--amazing. The abilities--astounding.

If anyone out there is looking for a model of how to get through adversity--there he is.