Medical Update

Just an update on my medical issues. The ortho doc called today with fantastic news and not-so-fantastic news. He took my case to the orthopedic surgeon and they think I'm a good candidate for the ceramic on ceramic total hip replacement!!! For those of you who don't know, ceramic hip replacements are relatively new, are believed to last up to 25 years in some cases, and are MUCH more durable than metal. SO! That means that in the VERY near future I will have a $50,000 wiggle!!! YAY! Now for the not-so-fantastic news which pushes the THR out of the spotlight for a little while in the doc's eyes. MY RIGHT HIP NOW HAS AVN!!!!!!! When the docs viewed my pelvic x-rays the right hip had significant AVN when just 6 months ago, IT DID NOT. Once it shows up on plain x-ray, AVN is pretty far advanced, but the doc still wants to get an MRI done on it to see how far along it actually is. There is a surgery that they can do called a core decompression IF it's caught early enough to try to give me more time until I need a THR on that hip as well. Core decompressions (CDs) are NOT always successful...in fact, MOST are not. And it of course is another surgery I will have to go through. My right hip is the docs' #1 priority at this point because if there is a way they can stave off a THR on that one, they will do it. So the THR on the left hip is going to be the last thing on their minds at this point! HA! Round and round we go! My fantasy of this being all over with after one surgery to my femur and one THR to my left hip and a couple of months recovery is blown to smithereens...and the doc pretty much set me straight on that the last time I was in the office. Even if the only surgery I had WAS the THR on my left hip, recovery could take up to a year. THR's on a person with AVN and THR's on a person with arthritis are totally different. I have a long way to go with this disease. And now it's in my right hip and there is a very good possibility that it could eventually be in my knees or shoulders or ankles down the road. But the good thing is that I have HELP NOW!! YAY! That's what is keeping me from tearing my hair out or telling them just to amputate already! : ) I'm so thankful that I have my family and friends around me for support. AND that I have plenty of pain meds to get me through the day! : ) Otherwise, I wouldn't be sitting here typing this out! It's going to be tough, and I will have days where I will scream and cry and say it's not fair and want to go jump off a cliff. But those days are luckily few and far between. I just gotta keep on going one day at a time! Love to all!

MareBear

Passion

What is it exactly that makes us fall in love, in passion, in infatuation...with a hobby, person, song, sight, smell? And I'm not talking about when we fall in love with our spouses or lovers or whatever you may have, although that fits into this as well...but I am talking about other people and things. When we meet a new friend or group of friends for instance. And you find that you talk like teenagers all night long and you just met. It's like falling in love. You get the excited feeling of wanting to talk to that person or those people every second of every day because you want to find out what else you can share with them. Or when you find out that you have the talent of playing the guitar by ear. You play every spare second you get until your fingers are raw and hurting but you keep playing. Eventually, those fingers are callused and you're writing your own songs. What happens when a certain song comes on the radio that you've never heard before and the words or the sound of the artist strikes a chord in you and your heart just wants to scream because it reminds you of a time in your life or someone who also made your heart want to scream or melt or burst? You go out and buy the CD and play the song over and over and over again until the emotion starts to fade. After a while, you stop playing it. But one day, months down the road, you'll turn on the radio and that song will come on, and you'll FEEL that song in the pit of your stomach just one more time. What IS that? And smell...what makes us remember the scent of someone that was so familiar to you over 10 years ago? A cologne of a man walking through a grocery store now could bring us to our knees. So we drink it in and try to hold it in our senses as long as we can and brreeeaaathhheee and just....remember. And there's sight. The other day I went out to an empty lot out in the country where they will be building a house eventually and it was dead silent. It was late afternoon and the sky was such a brilliant blue that there shouldn't even be a name for the color. The sky was so clear that you could see the moon. I stood in the middle of the clearing and turned in a full circle and looked at the tall trees towering around me. The sun was in the earliest stages of setting so the limbs of the trees took on a brilliant red color. And every part of my being wanted to stay there for the night...just so I could lay on a blanket in that clearing and look at the millions of stars that I knew would show up that night. My body SCREAMED to just snuggle up and take it all in.

My point to this is that why do we stop? What makes the passion fade? I'm sure...no, I KNOW that there are hundreds of books written on the subject. But I'm here to say, that I don't want mine to stop anymore. I don't want to stop getting the lurch in my stomach when my phone rings or my computer says one of my friends is online. I want to pick the guitar back up and never stop singing. I want to hear that song every day and not say, "OK, I'm getting tired of it now" when it used to make my heart skip a beat. I want to be able to recognize that cologne 20 years from now and still remember. I want to spend the night under the stars snuggled up and who gives a damn what I was supposed to be doing. I want to live for right now. I don't want to get used to it or bored with it...I want to live it, love it, and be passionately IN it right this very moment!

Since I didn't stay out in that beautiful place that day, I thought I'd share the pictures I took with you guys! And in case you didn't know this already, on most of the pictures on this blog, you can click on them and view them bigger on a separate page! Love to all!

Progress On New House

Here's the progress on the new house!

Here's ME outside the front of the house leaning on a sawhorse hoping I don't get splinters in my butt!! : ) What you don't see to my left is the HUGE dumpster that the workers are "supposed" to throw all their trash in. Unfortunately, most of it ends up all over our house and yard. Of course, until the house closes, it's technically not our house yet! ; )













Here is the front of the house. You can see how close the houses are together, but the backyards are far apart. Kind of like triangle lots. You can see the dumpster in this pic.










This is our cute kitchen...they just got done with the first coat of white paint on the cabinets. We will have stainless steel appliances. SWEET! Also, the countertops will be textured slate looking which will all look awesome!










This is just one angle of our backyard and as you can see it's a mess, and you can't really tell in this picture where our yard ends, but it's a pretty big yard, so the dogs are going to have a field day running around and playing! And Mom is going to LOVE pulling weeds all day. I just hope we'll be able to make her come inside when it gets dark every night!









Well, that's the house so far! We hope it will be done in the next 2 or 3 weeks!! YAY! We are all very excited about it. We HATE the apartment. ICK. And the dogs will have so much fun in the yard! Anyway, just wanted to give everyone the update!! Love to all always!

MareBear

Hair Fiasco

A while back...Mom and I had a girl's weekend when Dad went down to the coast. And me being the crazy hair dying woman that I am, I convinced mom to dye her hair red since I was going to do mine red. Well...Mom's hair was blonde at the time...as was mine. We got different shades of red and this is what the result was...

This is my orange hair which I could have gotten away with since it was Halloween coming up! Sexy, I think.






And THIS, would be Mom's hair....Purple or magenta...we couldn't quite decide. Needless to say, Halloween or no Halloween, I was the one who had talked her into dying her hair, and I was the one who was ordered out of the house to get cover up dye!






So, we got our hair fixed and we did it on our own without professional help! My once blonde mom now has UBER sexy dark hair! Everyone that sees her takes a minute to adjust and then LOVES it. And I have mahogany red hair that I love and hope to keep for a while. So, in the end it all worked out. But it was a TRUE Kodak moment watching Mom walk out of the bathroom with this haircolor...so I thought I'd share with everyone! Love to all!!

MareBear

Random Pictures

Here's me and Mom when I went to see her in NC. This was taken in one of those cute litte photo booths in the mall! Aren't we the cutest!

This is me and Dad again in NC. I'm totally diggin my red hair! That's why my hair is red, yet again! ; ) I love my daddy!

This is my fav pic of me and my parents. It was at my cousin's wedding a few years ago and I was a bridesmaid. I think we all look fabulous! : )

This is my Mom's dog Annie...or as I call her Fannie. She has cancer just like mom. : ( But she's doing well just like Mom too! : ) She's the cutest dog in the world but wow can she be a hell raiser!

This is Mom's dog Whitney. And guess what?! She has breast cancer TOO! But she's doing just fine as well. I took this picture while Mom was giving her a bath and it came out just like this. Pretty freaky I must say, but she really is the sweetest dog on the planet despite the devil's face! : )

This would be my dog, Sammy. He lives in B'ham with G. I'm not exactly sure what he was trying to do at the moment I took this picture but it makes me crack up every time I look at it so I thought I'd pass it on to all of you! He's a good pup!

Well, I just wanted to share a few pics with you guys. I don't incorporate them too much into my blog entries, so I figured I'd just make a whole entry of just pics! Peace out!

MareBear

Venting on Docs

Think for a moment if you would, that you were involved in the following scenario, and please give me feedback on how you would handle it.

I'm a 23 yr old girl that trusts doctors and naively believes that they all are going to do the best they can to help me, and inform me of everything I need to know. One day, I go to the doctor for a seemingly moderate but relentless upper respiratory infection. It WILL NOT go away. So I keep going back to this doctor. And every time I go, he gives me a little shot with a big dose of steroids in it. Little naive me has no idea the repercussions of that little shot every time I go in to see this doctor and this doctor fails to share them with me. So I just go along with it and go about my merry little way.

Fast forward to a year and a half and 80 pounds later. I have a MINOR fall at work and start having some MAJOR pain in my left knee and hip. I go to the worker's comp (WC) doctor to figure out what the heck is going on since I figured that I must have landed on my leg "just right." X-rays show nothing. But the WC doc feels around my knee he says, "I think you just have some tendonitis, let's give you a shot of steroids.........in your kneecap." OH BOY! Please?! Well, isn't this just the cat's ass. So, he gives me the most painful injection I've ever had in my entire life...yeppers...right into the hard bone of my knee cap. Well, that didn't fix the problem. SO, over the next 3 months and 2 more awful steriod injections in my knee cap, the brilliant doc decided to do an MRI. The MRI not only covered my knee but got just a tiny bit of my femur connected to my knee and thank GOODNESS for that. I waited all day long for the radiologist to read the results and when the WC doc came back in the room, he sat down in front of me. In all the visits that I had with him, this man NEVER sat down. I knew something was wrong. He stumbled over his words and told me something that for the rest of my life I will never forget. "You have a disease of the bone called Avascular Necrosis. It's when your bones literally die because of lack of blood supply. It's extremely rare. We saw holes in your femur right above your knee and it's probably affecting your entire femur, which is why you are having knee pain. It usually affects people's hips which is probably why you are having hip pain, but we didn't do a hip x-ray. Have you had any large doses of steroids recently as far back as two years?" Hmmmm. As I contemplated punching him, I said, "Why yes, yes I have." And I told him of the doc that had given me all the steroids that had not worked and had made me gain a crapload of weight and that I had later discovered was a quack. He says, "Well, there you go." He gives me a referral to an orthopedic doc and LOTS of pain medication while telling me that this disease is second in pain only to BONE CANCER and sends me home telling me that there isn't anything more he can do for me since this obviously wasn't work related anymore. Well, then.

So, I go to the first orthopedic doc who DOES do the first x-ray of my left hip which is BAD. It's already starting to show some collapse...that's right party people, in October of 2004, my hip was "starting" to collapse. Do the math. Anyway, he says that I have stage 3 AVN and that I should go home and pray about it because God heals. Well. I truly believe that God heals. I do. But I also believe that God put people on this Earth to become doctors and that they took a Hipocratic Oath to help me in my time of need. So, I took my crutches and x-rays, told that man he better not charge me for my visit (which he didn't) and went home to cry.

My job "asked me to resign" because it was a job at a hospital that required a lot of walking and it was a new job. I wasn't even done with my probation period and didn't even have my insurance yet, so I had to leave. I was in so much pain every day and the only "cure" for my disease was surgery so I couldn't find a full time job. And any insurance I could get on would consider my AVN a pre-existing condition and it would be a year before they would cover it. So, I go see a few more docs who all say that the only thing that will help me is a Total Hip Replacement because my hip is too far gone to do anything else. And they prescribed every medicine known to man and only ONE doctor prescribed Lortab (Hydrocodone). All the others were crap. There is a REASON that they make narcotics, people. Yes, they are strong. Yes, they can be addictive to SOME PEOPLE. I am not one of them. But it is the ONLY medicine that helps with my pain. And let me tell you, the pain is HORRIBLE. But yet, everytime I tell a doc that that's the only med that will help me, they look at me like I'm a drug seeker. They say they won't give it to me because they won't be responsible for a young girl getting addicted to pain meds. But yet, they've seen the x-rays. They've all oohed and aahed over them. They won't give me my surgery because I'm too young for that too! They say that if they replaced my hip now, then they'd have to replace it again in probably 20 years...and then again by the time I'm 60 or 65. And then, there might not be enough bone to work with, and I'd be in a wheelchair. Well, excuse the hell out of me, but what if I get hit by a bus in 10 years?!? I'd like to have 10 years of walking and running and working and playing and making love and bending over without wanting to cry and getting down on the floor and playing with the animals, and not worrying if my crutches or a motorized wheelchair is accessible if I get tired, and shopping till I DON'T drop and dancing the night away, and walking up stairs without using the railing, and taking a shower without using a shower stool, and putting on my pants without having to sit down to do it, and get in my car with out having to physically pick up my leg and put it in the car, and cancel plans with people because it's raining outside and I know if I go out I'll be hurting in an hour, or not making plans in advance because I don't know what my pain level will be that day.

So, these "doctors" are the ones telling ME that I can't do these things. Because they don't want to get sued when I'm 65. And they don't want me to have pain medication because they don't want me to sue them for being addicted to it. So, they say they want to do everything they can to help me, and instead, they've told me that not only are they going to not do the surgery, but they are not going to give me the only pain medication that will keep me out of pain. Does this make sense to anyone?

And this isn't just ONE doctor. And this hasn't just happened to ME alone. But it mostly happens to young people. And young people with a disease like mine. People with cancer can say, give me morphine...they get it. Or people with a broken hip can say give me surgery and they'll get it because it's an "emergency". But the docs don't seem to think that me walking around every day in horrible pain qualifies as poor quality of life. It sucks.

Now, in December of 2005, my left hip is considered totally collapsed and yet they still do nothing because I still "get around okay." But now that the cold weather has moved in, my pain is almost unbearable. But I deal with it. Every day. Every minute. Every second. Stop to think about that for just ONE second. If you've broken something. If you've burned yourself. If you've pulled a muscle or sprained an ankle. You know REAL pain. Try having that pain all the time...and there is NO getting away from it and NO ONE wants to help you and there was nothing you could do about it. Now try putting a smile on your face every single day. Now try not complaining about your pain. I do it every single damn day. EVERY DAY PEOPLE. I'm not talking about once a week I have a twinge of pain in my hip. Every day, every second, every single MOVE I MAKE. Try it...and then try to tell me everything's gonna be okay. I'm trying to get across to everyone how REAL this is. I don't have a visible disease except for a little limping. I don't have a disease with a well-known name like CANCER. I don't have a disease that will kill me. So my disease gets ignored by these doctors who don't want to get sued because they don't know enough about this disease. Even though my disease is one of the most painful ones out there. And they don't live inside my body every second feeling my pain and my muscles atrophy and my back spasms and my hip popping and my femur giving out from under me. So I have to be quiet?

So, the reason for this rant is because I woke up this morning with really bad pain. And tomorrow I am supposed to go back to see the ortho doc. I have no idea what he wants to see me about. Maybe they've all talked it over and are sick of hearing me kvetch about it and will give me the surgery or a lifetime supply of pain pills. I will keep you all informed. Feel free to comment. But whatever you do, BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR HEALTHCARE! These doctors DO NOT know everything. DO RESEARCH. Lots of orthos didn't even know what my disease WAS when I first got this because it was so rare. Just keep your eyes open!

Peace and love always!

Mare Bear

MMMmmmm Steak

So, I am back in The Big Ham tonight. I'll be here till after Thanksgiving. And G took me out to eat at my new fav spot. It's the Original Steakhouse and Sports (get this) THEATER. The bar area is a separate room altogether and they call it a theater I suppose because the whole thing is surrounded by big screen tvs. Kinda like Damon's if you've ever been there. With the boxes on your table to listen to whatever TV you want and everything. Anyway. I ordered my 10 oz ribeye medium rare and oh my. Can we please have a moment of silence? Seriously. That was the best thing ever. It was one of those moments where I wanted to put away every bit of manners I was ever taught and just pick the dang thing up in my hands and chew every piece of meat off of the fat. To some of you, that may sound like the most disgusting thing you've ever heard in your life. But for those of you, like me, who are big time red meat lovers, you know EXACTLY what I'm talking about. It wasn't until after the steak was gone that I realized I actually had fries on my plate. So...I just wanted to share with everyone my wondrous experience with red meat tonight. Thank you and goodnight!

Burned Cabbage...or Dead Body?

Woke up early this morning ready to face the world and Git R Done. About an hour after I ate breakfast, Mom and I were getting ready to run errands and we noticed a rather rank smell coming from our kitchen/laundry room area. At this point I must mention that we live in an apartment complex, if you haven't guessed that already, and our kitchen is "connected" to another person's kitchen. These people also happen to be from another country and happen to like cooking exotic food. Sometimes smelly food. With lots of cabbage in it. So anyway. We figure that one of the neighbors is cooking up a batch of mean home cooking and tried to ignore the stench. But then it continued to get worse...seemingly VERY fast. SO...Mom and I escape out to run our errands leaving the poor dogs and cat to breathe the toxic fumes. On our way past Exotic Neighbor's front door, we notice that there appears to be a swarm of flies gathering...and a few of them are attempting to burrow their way in to the dryer vent. So on our way out we stop by the office and inform the oh-so-polite manager that there might possibly be a dead body in the apartment next to us and we just figured she might like to know since the smell was permeating every nook and cranny of our home. This was at approximately 11 AM. She oh-so-politely said that she would be inspecting some apartments later on and would be oh-so-happy to drop by and find out the source of the impending armageddon. We ventured on to the Y which we ended up joining! **YAY** And after I was all suited up and ready to jump in the pool, I emerge from the shower area, (since I am way too mortified to strip nude in front of total strangers even in a nude-approved locker room), and Mom is dismayed to discover that she has left her bathing suit bottoms at home. (Apparantly, the pool portion of the Y is NOT nude-approved.) So, after donning normal clothing again, and reassuring the membership guru that we did, in fact, adore the Y and we were not disgusted by it and therefore bailing on it after being a member for only a half a second, we made our way home to get her missing bottoms and return to swim. Only...that's not exactly what happened. When we got home, we got out of the car, walked into the breezeway and were literally surrounded by flies! I honestly believe they were trying to form into a battering ram to knock down Exotic Neighbor's door. The smell was almost unbearable. And when we entered our house...well...both dogs and cat were dead...no...just kidding. They were weeping hysterically and begging for gas masks...well, they weren't doing that either, but I bet if they could talk that's what they would've been saying for sure. My gag reflex was in overdrive the smell was so unbelievable. Mom immediately called Miss-Oh-So-Polite-And-Accommodating. (It's 1:30 at this point.) She says, "Oh my, I just got done with my reports. I'll be down there within the hour." Well, the smell was so bad that we were ALMOST positive that she would walk in on a dead body, especially the way those flies were chomping at the bit to get in that apartment...but thanks to years of watching CSI, I knew better. There's no way that smell could have escalated to that point so quickly. Thanks, Gil Grissom. So, I'm guessing Miss Thang was either curious or bored because she was down here in 15 minutes flat with the maintenance guy. I was standing outside when they walked around the corner. HA! That was a Kodak moment! She's like, "What is that AWFUL smell!?! And what are all these flies doing here?!?" Hmmm, Sherlock...that's what we've been trying to figure out all day. Why don't you take your manicured ass in there and find out? So, they barge in there and the next thing I hear is a sizzle and WWWHHHHOOOOSSSHHHH sound. And if I thought the stench was bad before, I was REALLY in for it now...oh dear...the smell that came pouring out of that apartment repulsed me as much as it delighted those flies. I can't even describe the fumes that entered my nostrils. The dogs came running outside at that point. As did my mom who HAD to see what was happening for the good of the apartment complex. I took the dogs behind the apartment building around to the front where Missy Miss had put a thoroughly charred pan on Exotic Neighbor's patio. When I passed by, she was walking back towards the office cursing about how she'd smell like that crap all day. I'm thinking, WOW...how bout all your crap in your HOUSE smelling like that all day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Needless to say, thank goodness Mom forgot her bottoms because Exotic Neighbor decided to leave some home cooking still cooking while he went to work all day. And it was well on it's way to burning and could have burned the apartment building down if Mom hadn't called and they hadn't extinguished it. I say "it", because we still have no idea what "it" is. I'm 99% sure "it" has cabbage in it. And the smoke alarms decided to be lazy today. And now I have a raging headache from smelling whatever "it" was all day long. But a few good things came out of all this. Miss-Oh-So-Polite probably ruined her nails and smelled like burnt ass and cabbage all day. Not to mention she had to say thank you to my mom for calling her which I know irked her to no end. Exotic Neighbor will have stench and ravenous flies in his apartment for a month. AND...I have an uber exciting post today! Stay tuned! We will be moving into the new house in the next month so there might not be as much drama to report! Drink it in while you can.

Moral for today...spare your friends and family...never cook cabbage.

Been SO Long!

I know it's been a long time since I've posted. Blame it on depression, laziness, being busy...who knows. But alas...here I am. As of now, I am sitting at my computer in J. Watching the Tigers play the Bulldogs...so far, not so good, but it's still the first half. We still may have a miracle on our hands. I hate not having a job...correction. I hate not having money. I LOVE not working. Who wouldn't. I mean, I don't like the fact that I don't have a purpose...a career that I'm proud of, or something that I'm good at, but I do not miss working the same old same old jobs at a desk for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. Granted, I miss the people at certain jobs...you know who you are! ; ) I want to do something that I am good at but also that I can be proud of and make money doing. But isn't that everyone's dream? Maybe it's that I think I'm not good enough to achieve that. Who knows. I think I've been over this before. I know I have in my head almost everyday. Which is why it's such an important thing to get it out I suppose. I keep thinking maybe I should do the medical transcription and coding certification school. But I have to wait and see if Voc Rehab will take me. It seems as if my life right now is waiting on other people. But I digress. Even if I do the medical stuff, will I like it? I know if it takes off it will make me more money than I was making, but will it give me the fulfillment I've been longing for? Everyone keeps telling me that I should become a writer. Well, I am a writer. Always have been. I just don't actually write and publish things. And this goes back to not thinking I'm good enough. There's something in my mind that tells me that there isn't any way that I can be one of "those" people. They are in a different league. They are on another PLANET as far as I'm concerned. I'm not like them. I don't have what it takes. Again. Who knows.

As for me and G, we're great. His mom had surgery on her foot and got that straightened out...literally. She's been in a cast for the past 6 weeks. And when she gets out of it, she will be able to walk a lot better. I've been going back and forth between here and there to help care for her since she couldn't do ANYTHING for herself with that thing on her foot. I'm so happy for her that she'll get some of her independence back. A lot of things will be changing around there once she does.

Mom and I are trying to join the Y. They just built a brand new one right up the road from the new house. Which would ROCK. We have to fill out the financial assistance forms for it though since neither one of us has a job! But we went and toured it the other day and it's super nice and they have 2 indoor pools that look totally delicious. I can't wait to go and start losing weight. Mom's already lost 20 pounds in just a month or so from being on her meds. I recently started on Topomax...and WOWZA! It totally curbs my appetite which is one of the reasons the docs prescribed it to me. So I'm totally pumped about that. I have to ramp up the dosages though because it has to build up in your blood stream, and last night was the first night that I took 2 tablets. And I woke up this morning and WASN'T in a whole lot of pain! I couldn't believe it! I actually pinched myself a few times just to make sure I was still alive! This could be good.

Let's just say that I was cured from this horrid disease tomorrow. That actually scares me because I would have no earthly idea what to do with myself. I don't want to go back to the same old jobs and the same old life. I just have no idea what I would do with myself. So, I guess I need to do what my mom suggested and brainstorm some ideas as to how I can move forward with my life NOW. And how I can better myself NOW. Good plan. Maybe I will do that and then post it on here for the whole world to read.

My life in print. Maybe that will be the title to the novel that will change my life.

Peace out home chili fries! I plan to continue updating a little more frequently this time! Hopefully with a little more interesting content than this one!

Love to all, always!

~*MareBear*~

BIGGGGGGGGGG News!!!

Cuz A is PREGNANT!!!! Yay! Our first baby in the family! I should just say baby GIRL...cause we KNOW that's what it's going to be! A found out this morning that it's official...she's 4 to 5 weeks prego! Her unofficial due date is May 29th. I am a little concerned about her physical and mental health, but I think she will do just fine! Now, I kind of DO wish that I lived here so I could go through it with her, but I'm not even entertaining that idea, and she won't let me entertain that idea either. So, we've decided that we will talk on the phone every single day and if the baby kicks then I will drive all night long if I have to to her house so I can feel HER kick! : ) She took UJ to lunch today and broke the news to him. We all thought he would NOT be happy about it, but lo and behold he seemed genuinely happy for her! Which is GREAT! She's going to tell Dadoo tonight, so we will see how that goes too. Anyway! I am so excited for her! WE'RE GONNA HAVE A BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Long Time No Post

Here are just some random updates since I've posted last. Haven't had much to write about, but I want to keep this thing current so here I go!

G left to go to Florida last night. He made it there safely! YAY! His mom and I are just here hanging out. Things are going just fine.

We FINALLY did the yard work the other day. YIPPEE! It's so nice not to walk into a jungle every time we step foot out of the house. I did a lot of work, and my hip told me so later that night, but GOSH it felt good to get out and do something physical.

The house in Jackson is coming right along. Here are the newest pics of it.





















Yippee! Can't WAIT until it's done!

I went to the vet the other day to get all the animals flea stuff...$104 later, they are feeling better. UGH!

Well, I don't know much else, but I'm sure I will come up with something soon! Love you all!

~*MareBear*~

New Biloxi Pics

I said I was going to put up a new before and after pic of Sharkheads so here ya go! The after one is one my dad took of the FRONT of Sharkheads. Notice the sharkhead is no more.





















If you click on the after picture you can see the surfer guy is still there. He was right above the shark...in the before pic, the shark is blocking his view.

Here is one of a sign that Dad found lying on the beach, or somewhere that used to be the beach, or somewhere that used to be a business that is NOW the beach...who knows.

And this is Grandma L in a field behind her house. Her house is in the background. It's the one with the boards holding up the fence. You can see that her house fared well. Anyway, all the shoes that are in the field are from a shoe store that was next door to Sharkheads. Pretty insane when you think about how far they traveled to get there!

So, there you have it. Hopefully I will have more pictures to come! Love you all!

~*MareBear*~

Shark Tale

This is the best animated movie I've ever seen. Ok, Shrek was the bomb diggity too, but this one was oh so awesome. Maybe it's because I have this freakish talent of identifying voices in animated films and voice overs. And in Shark Tale it's blantantly obvious who the characters are. They even LOOK like the real people. So, I don't have to spend my time thinking of who the people are. I get to enjoy the movie. And I LOVE that Robert DeNiro is doing all this comedy now! And, as in everything Will Smith does, the dance scene at the end is awesome! I love the little shrimp! HA! Funny that I'm allergic to them in real life. But I digress. Anyway...this is an awesome movie. If you hadn't guessed I just got done watching it. I'd seen it before at Mom's, but I just watched it again and it renewed the excitement for me! GO BUY IT!

As for other stuff, today is the 'rents 7th wedding anniversary! WOO HOO! Bow chicka wow wow! Dad was the best thing that ever happened in either mine or Mom's lives. Seriously.

I had the talk with KB today. I hope it helped, but she's gonna have to do this on her own. But I will be there for her!

Love you all!!

~*MareBear*~

Al the Rat (late 2004-September 7, 2005)

Al the Albino rat died this morning between 10:00 AM and 12:00 PM. Funeral services commenced at 12:05 PM. He was laid to rest in the backyard. Pallbearers were Mare, G and Lucky the cat (although I think Lucky was there for an entirely different reason.) A brick from the patio serves as his headstone. Al originally was born to be food for our snake, Tiny. At the pet store, they told us that he was a small mouse. Well, obviously Tiny knew the difference between a rat and a mouse and refused to eat him. I was overjoyed that we had a new cute little white furry rat, named Al since he was Albino. Al was very sick after his roommate Whiskers the Hairless Rat died a couple of months ago. He stopped eating and drinking over 2 weeks ago, but held on until he was sure that we'd all be okay with his passing. Al the rat is survived by his neighbors Frita the Rat and Hunny Bunny the Bunny Rabbit. Friends who were in attendance when he passed were: Dixie, Kada, and Sammy the dogs; Isabella, Nermil, Spunky and Angel the cats; and of course, Frita and Hunny Bunny. In lieu of flowers please send a donation to the ASPCA to help the furry victims of hurricane Katrina in Al the Rat's name. We will all miss Al very much and know that we will one day see him at rainbow bridge. May he rest in peace!

Update

Dad made it home safely today. I was able to speak with him breifly, but GOSH, he was so tired. I don't think I've ever heard a human being that tired! Also, Grandma L's POWER was turned on yesterday!!! Can you even BELIEVE IT?!?!? Praise God for that.

The drama rama with Jewel and BK continues...Mom said that she had to call the coppers on them tonight. She didn't give me too many details (those to follow) but it turns out that Jewel DID ask BK to come back...surprise, surprise! And supposedly when he did, a fight ensued. IN THE PARKING LOT! According to my sources, there was a lot of shoving and screaming...fighting over their little girl. Mom called the cops and then Jewel knocked on her door to ask her to call the cops. Mom said, "I already did!" and then slammed and locked the door. No one was arrested that we know of, and I am sure I will get more details tomorrow. Mom didn't feel like reliving it tonight and I don't blame her, but GOSH I wanna KNOW!

Nephew Na was taken to the ER tonight. According to S, he was jumping on one of those moonwalk thingys and SOMEHOW...I have NO IDEA how this kid managed this one...got his two front teeth, which are permanent now, stuck in the net that surrounds it. Well, then he fell. HARD. One of the permanent teeth is literally sticking at a 90 degree angle into his lip! Poor baby. That child has seen the inside of an ER more times than I can count! S said that he was asleep, I'm guessing from pain medicine they gave him. And that they were calling in the emergency dentist. So far, they haven't returned home yet. So, there is no telling how long they will be there.

The season finale of The Closer aired tonight. WAH! What will we do until the next season begins?!? I assume we will go into a long mourning period.

G and I are both sick. G got sick a few days ago and I was SHOCKED that I didn't get it. Then lo and behold, I wake up this morning with a headache and sore throat. UGH. Hopefully it will just move along after a couple of days.

KB is back home with her kids and Style after a short stint away. We are going to have a long talk next time I see her. So, if you read this, you better get yourself ready girl! Best friend, Marebear must speak her mind! Don't worry, you're not in TOO much trouble, but I reserve the right as the best friend in this family to have a word with you! LOVE YOU!

Anyway, that's the extent of the update so far. I think I'm going to hit the hay a little early tonight in order to ward off this cold!

I would just like to say at this point that I really do love all my friends and family with the deepest part of my heart. I wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for you guys. If I was one of the ones who lost my home and everything in it, I know that I would still have my heart and soul because I have you guys! I thank God for you every single day and I want everyone of you to know how much I love you guys!

~*MareBear*~

Booooooo

OK, so Auburn kicked the bucket on this one. It doesn't help that we have a 10 year old as a QB...but oh well. I really really really hate it that we lost our first game of the season, but hopefully, we are in a "rebuilding" stage and we'll move right along. Final score 23-14 GA Tech. UGH. But just so you know Big Blue...I still love ya! I won't ever stray! : )

Mare Bear a.k.a. The Faithful Tiger

War Eagle

WARRRRRRRRR EAGLE!!!

Well, ladies and gents! The first Auburn game of the season is on TONIGHT at 7:45 PM on ESPN!!!! They play Georgia Tech and hopefully will whoop their butts. I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I am that college football has officially begun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WAR DAMN EAGLE BABY!

Cat Puke Phenomenon

OK...I know this will be gross for some of you out there, but it NEEDS to be addressed. Have you actually ever SEEN a cat throw up? For us cat owners out there we all know what it sounds like...like someone knocking on the door kind of funny..........knock, knock......................knock, knock...........knock, knock.......knock, knock....knock, knock..knock, knock, knock, knockknockknockknockknock.....BLEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...but have you actually SEEN the process? The poor cat's body heaves like it's trying to cough up a hippo, and then...right when the ick is coming out, their faces peel off their heads. Their mouths literally open over their brains! Their eyeballs are where their noses USED to be, and they have a nose, no more. This leads me to believe that cats are really alien vessels, and hairballs are just the poor aliens attempting to get out. But see, cats are strong beings. They have too much personality to let these aliens take over which is why the aliens are trying to get out in such a horrible manner. So, next time you pick up a hairball, just remember...that could be the aftermath of your kitty cat fighting an intergalactic war.

Food for thought...well, if you even WANT to eat after reading that. Talk amongst yourselves.

Peace out home chili fries.

~*MareBear*~

Jewel

Hmmm...Drama...what creates it, and what makes it confined to the apartment across from my mother?? We'll call this certain couple that lives across from her, Jewel and Baby Kangaroo (BK). BK is the husband, and Jewel is the wife. Jewel is a stripper. With no boobs and a ponytail extension in her hair. BK is in the military, but for safety and anonymity I won't say which branch. Anywho...this couple has had more problems than I could ever imagine. Jewel was prego when they first moved in. And shortly after the 6 month mark she gave birth to a baby boy...WAY premature. He survived, but barely. So, after a while, Jewel started making comments about pain meds and other such things giving us the impression that she was addicted to narcs. And only a few weeks after the premie came home from the hospital, she started working as a stripper at all hours of the night. But we figured out that she only works during the week...never weekends...we think it might be from the lack of boobs that she doesn't get prime hours. So, then we find out that SOMEONE...we really have no idea who...called child services on them because Premie was screaming all the time and they didn't think that was "right." At first we were **aghast!** that someone would call over something so obviously normal. Then one day, Jewel came out of her apartment crying her eyes out. She handed my mom the baby and there were marks ALL OVER the baby's face. Jewel claimed that his swing was old, and that it fell apart and he fell on the concrete below. We weren't so sure. So, her mom comes and gets him and his older sister and takes them for a few weeks so that the child services woman wouldn't make an unexpected visit and see Premie's face all scratched up and take him away. So THEN, one night we were outside and Jewel comes up to us and says, "Sorry if y'all have heard a lot of screaming coming from the apartment lately. (we hadn't) But, I just found out that BK is having an affair with one of the other strippers at my work." uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...mmm..hhmm..what are we supposed to say to that?!?! There was mild talk of a divorce, and bastard this, and bastard that...needless to say, they never even separated. Then one day, mom and I were coming home from a Target outing or something and noticed that the outgoing gate to the apartments was wide open and sitting kind of crooked. Later, BK and Jewel pull up in their car which looks like it got into a major wreck! Hmmmm....when asked about it, BK explained casually that the gate had CLOSED on their car!! **drum roll PLEASE** We of course, immediately asked if they had talked to the apartment manager about it and BK said that the manager wasn't going to pay to get their car fixed. I looked at Jewel and said, "I'm sorry, hun, but if some apartment gate closed on my BRAND NEW CAR, I'd pitch a fit and call the media until they paid for it." Jewel immediately looked down and said, "It's really no big deal." Hmmmm....So, then BK offers up, "Well, the funny thing is, the apartments we lived in before this one...the SAME THING happened!" Imagine that. Later we talked to the manager and it was confirmed that the gate was rammed. Surprise surprise. ANYWAY...the point of this whole post was to tell you that my mom just called and informed me that she went outside tonight and Jewel was sitting on the ground outside with a cast on her arm. Mom asked what happened (always a bad thing to do with these people) and Jewel said, "BK did it."

So, the wagering begins...how long do you think that it will be before Jewel and BK are back together? According to Jewel, BK ran off to another state, which means that he might have gone AWOL as well. But keep in mind, we have NO idea what the whole story is. Just what Jewel says. So, can you predict the end of this saga? Will BK be found and go to prison and find a bigger breasted she-male to hook up with? Or will Jewel decide to not press charges and they keep creating more drama for me to write about?!?! To be continued.............

Another Random Quiz

1. First name? Mare
2. Were you named after anyone? Yeppers! But you didn't ask WHO!
3. Do you wish on stars? No, I pray...but stars sure are purdy
4. When did you last cry? When I found out that Grandma L's house was okay
5. Do you like your handwriting? My handwriting is beautiful...another reason that I am not qualified to be a doctor
6. What is your favorite lunch meat? waffles
7. When is your birthday? Sometime this year
8. What is your most embarrassing CD? AGAIN I WILL REPEAT...I have a CD that has New Kids On The Block on it...(and from previous posts, I have been ordered to write that my best friend K MADE that CD for me!)
9. If you were another person, would YOU be friends with you? I would be my girlfriend...or boyfriend...or, uh...whatever
10. Do you have journal? You are reading it
11. Do you use sarcasm a lot? Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
13. Would you bungee jump? If it dipped me into a pool of Alfredo sauce and there were a bunch of hot men waiting for me with towels to dry me off, yeah I would in a heartbeat...so, bungee companies, get to work on that
14. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? I wear flip flops, so yes, I meticulousy untie my shoes every time I take them off...refer to question number 11
15. Do you think that you are strong? Physically, sure...I can bench press a cow...Emotionally, depends on the minute of the day
16. What is your favorite ice cream flavor? ice cream
17. Shoe Size? Large (flip flops, remember?)
18. Red or pink? This is a vague question...am I supposed to pick my fav color out of the two?? Well, then, I'd have to say Pink! Gooooooooo Breast Cancer Awareness YAY!
19. What is your least favorite thing about yourself? My whole self is absolutely fabulous
20. Who do you miss most? Depends on where I am and what I'm doing and who I'm thinking of, but at this exact moment in time I'd have to say George Bush Sr.
21. Do you want everyone you send this to send it back? I copied this from an email, so uh, no
22. What color pants and shoes are you wearing? No pants...I promise I'm not being kinky (I'm wearing a nightgown) and uh, HELLO!!!!!!!! FLIP FLOPS!
23. What are you listening to right now? The cap on my Vault 20 oz drink opening and the greenish golden liquid joy fizzing as I take a lucious sip of yummy energy goodness (send me stuff)
24. Last thing you ate? a booger.......HA! I just cracked myself up on that one...really, a MEGA peanut M&M
25. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Brown because it rarely gets used, but it's important to completing a lot of pictures
26. What is the weather like right now? Post-hurricane-ish humid and hot
27. Last person you talked to on the phone? Mi madre
28. The first thing you notice about the opposite sex? That they are the opposite sex...except that time I ran into a transexual, WOW was that embarrassing...refer to question 11 again
29. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Again. Copied this from an email which I received from more than one person, but they are all fabulous..I wouldn't associate with anyone who wasn't
30. Favorite Drink? uh...let's pay attention and take notes, kids.....VAULT...send me stuff
31. Favorite sport? Watching TV
32. Hair Color? It changes with my mood...oh wait, don't people say that about eye color, well, welcome to my world!
33. Eye Color? White, Blue and Black
34. Do you wear contacts? I can't think of a witty response to this, so I'll just say NO
35. Favorite Food? MEGA peanut M&Ms...send me stuff
36. Last Movie You Watched? Young Adam...uhh, let me take this opportunity to tell all the Ewan McGregor fans out there that if you want to see his package...watch this movie
37. Favorite Day of the Year? Everyday that I wake up still breathing...of course, if I wasn't breathing I probly wouldn't wake up...and if I didn't wake up I probly wouldn't be breathing so, uh...whatever
38. Scary Movies or Happy Endings? Scary Movies WITH Happy Endings
39. Summer Or winter? The colder the better until my bone issue...now it needs to be hot with ZERO humidity, but where are ya gonna find THAT?!?
40. Hugs OR Kisses? Butterfly Kisses and Bear Hugs
41. What Is Your Favorite Dessert? Betty Crocker Single Dessert Chocolate Chip Cookie...send me stuff
42. Who Is Most Likely To Respond? No one...
43. Who Is Least Likely To Respond? Uh....no one
44. Where would your ideal house be located? Antartica so my neighbors would be penguins
45. What Books Are You Reading? I'm glad this question said BOOKSSSSS because I usually read more than one. Right now, I am reading Live Your Best Life Now, by Joel Osteen, Be Anxious For Nothing, by Joyce Meyer, and the GOOD BOOK, by God
46. What's On Your Mouse Pad? Pooh bear and Tigger!
47. What did you watch on TV last-night? Hurricane footage...ugh
48. Favorite Smells? G, Tigger's fur, NOT Whitney's breath, Bounce sheets
49. Favorite Sound? children's belly laughs
50. Rolling Stones or Beatles? uhhhhhhhhh....Maroon 5
51. What's the farthest you've been from home? Home is where the heart is
52. What's something you want to do before you die? Live
53. Favorite Movie? Heck, now it's Young Adam! HA...just kidding...probly have to be Life of David Gale
54. Favorite TV show? The Closer

**Anyway, this has been another random production of quizzes by MareBear!!! Peace out home chili fries!!

: )

Biloxi and Gas

My dad and Grandma L made it safely to Biloxi...although we have no idea how they'll get anywhere else that they need to go since there's no gas anywhere near them. GL's house is actually in GREAT SHAPE!!!! The roof vents blew off, the fence blew down and there's other minor damage, but overall, it's FINE!!!!!!!!!!!! It's such a miracle, and in a way, I feel guilty about being so happy since so many people not only lost everything they owned, but some also lost their lives. But I am still overwhelmed with happiness that my grandma's house is okay. Dad says that the pictures on CNN don't even come NEAR to doing justice to what it really looks like down there. He said that it looks just like bombs were dropped everywhere. There is a police officer planted at the end of the street and Dad and B are sleeping with guns in their laps cause you never know who is going to take advantage of this whole situation. UGH...makes me SICK to think there are people out there like that.

Sharkhead's was my favorite store for souveniors in Biloxi. It was almost right across HWY 90 from GL's house...here is a before and after...the before is really close up to the shark head that was outside of it...you can see in the after picture that the shark head is no longer visible. Sorry that the after picture is so far away, but I can try to get better ones soon!

(you can tell it's Sharkhead's from the pink on the building...the shark head seems to be GONE but you can't tell much from this aerial picture)

Gas...today, here..far away from the wreckage, gas prices went up to almost $3 a gallon. In Atlanta, there was one picture of a gas sign that said $5.86!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But more than likely, that was price gouging, but they did say that gas prices might get near $4 or so before this is all over. Just like that movie "Oil Storm" on the Weather Channel. This is EXACTLY what happened in that movie. And people kept saying, "Gosh, we sure are glad THAT'S never gonna happen." Hmmmmmm. Uh huh. People are lining up for MILES at gas stations just to get a few gallons of gas because of fear that there will be a major gas shortage. I was able to fill up my tank and G was able to fill up his. And I took K to fill up hers too. But I just plan to make sure I don't drive anywhere TOO far that isn't necessary.

K and I went to the old job today and saw everyone. It was a blast. Well, as much of a blast as half an hour in an office can be...which at T can be a MAJOR blast if you know how to work it. Hopefully all of us will be able to go out sometime in the next few weeks and have a blowout. That'd be fun. K and W got their phones cut off today which SUX! I can't stand not being able to call her!!! UGH. Hopefully they will be able to get it turned back on soon. K starts her new KICK BUTT job tomorrow afternoon. Now maybe I can go and get me a tatt. WOO HOO!

I am making G fix the yard tomorrow...it's a jungle out there.

I hope that while I'm here I can get a lot of the house in order and cleaned.

I miss Mom and Dad and the puppies a lot.

I feel almost just like how I felt after 9-11.

My right hip is starting to hurt pretty noticeably even when I'm not walking, but I'm afraid to make a big deal out of it at the moment since some people have lost EVERYTHING...who cares about my little hip issue?

I am SO SO SO glad that GL has a place to live. But even if she didn't, she would ALWAYS have a place with us.

The bottoms of my feet are peeling.

I love how I look in mascara, but can't STAND the ordeal of taking it off at night.

I need to send out my SSD stuff...just keep putting it off cause I forget about it, but now that I've written it in here, maybe I'll get my butt in gear.

I wish I had a steady income...which leads back to me doing the SSD stuff.

My little sis likes someone who doesn't feel the same way about her, but he CARES about her, which is sometimes even worse. I know how she feels.

Every time something like Katrina or 9-11 happens, I'm kind of glad in a teeny tiny way that I don't have kids.

I believe that Grandpa D saved Travia.

I wish that I was physically able to go down and help clean up. Even more than I wish that I could contribute financially.

Love you all!!!

Peace out and God Bless Home Chili Fries!!!

~*MareBear*~

Katrina

Well well....I'm sure everyone has seen the horrible devastation that Katrina left behind in New Orleans, Biloxi/Gulfport, Mobile, and the other small towns surrounding them. My Grandma L lives in Biloxi and thankfully she and J were safely in Georgia during the hurricane. For a long time, we all assumed the worst. That her house that she shared with Grandpa D was gone. Miraculously, her house survived. It's a little bumped and bruised, but on first inspection everything looks wonderful considering that the city around her basically is in shambles. Most of the casinos are destroyed or damaged badly. Hwy 90 is impassable at some spots and broken to bits in other parts. There is no water. No food. No electricity. Many people lost their lives and I'm sure they will find many more people who have died. The casinos that brought so much revenue to Biloxi are destroyed. I say all this because those of us who were higher up from the coast that lost power for several hours, or even those of us who won't have power for a week or more need to remember this. We need to be thankful and grateful that we have our lives. We need to be thankful that we have a secure roof over our heads. And those whose houses have been damaged by trees....at least you still have a house to BE damaged. These people have lost EVERYTHING. Some even their very lives. So, be thankful that you have what you have. Be thankful that you can still see or talk to your loved ones. BE THANKFUL.

Being Yourself

When people say, "Just be yourself." What does that mean exactly?? Because isn't it IMPOSSIBLE to be anyone BUT yourself? I mean, sure, you can be overly polite and mind your manners, or you can act like a fool or a total jerk, but isn't that still YOU??!? You can ACT like anyone, but it's still YOU that's acting, right?? I mean, say you go on an interview or a first date...people say "Just be yourself, and everything will be fine." Well, sure it will. Or it won't. Because most of us put our "best face on" when we go to these things. But that's still us. Sure, maybe we don't act like that all the time...we don't burp or fart in the person's face like we might do in our own homes and in front of "loved ones." But we are STILL OURSELVES! That politeness came from us, and we are able to turn it on whenever we want so, that's who we are! RIGHT?!? OR........do we ALL have multiple personalities, but just don't give them names and talk to them?? Say you go out and you are talking to someone and they make a comment and you just fly off the handle! You go ape and start spewing at the mouth about what an idiot this other person is and how you are right and yada yada yada...the next day (usually after you've sobered up) you say, "Oh dear, I really just wasn't myself." SHUT UP! Yes you WERE! Don't make the excuse of not being yourself when you act a fool! OK, maybe you can say, "I NEVER act that way, I don't know what got into me!" Sure...go ahead and say that, but to say you weren't yourself is an idiotic statement in itself. We are anything and everything that makes up our personalities, or how we act. That's us...period. So here I am, ranting and raving about something that just popped in my head...that is SO like me to do that!

Jack Handey

The simple, but utterly hilarious stuff of Jack Handey...I really hope I'm not the only one who literally falls on the ground laughing at this ridiculously simple comedy! ENJOY!

"It's probably not a good idea to be chewing on a toothpick if you're talking to the president, because what if he tells a funny joke and you laugh so hard you spit the toothpick out and it hits him in the face or something."

"Is there anything more beautiful than a beautiful, beautiful flamingo, flying across in front of a beautiful sunset? And he's carrying a beautiful rose in his beak, and also he's carrying a very beautiful painting with his feet. And also, you're drunk."

"The tiger can't change his spots. No, wait, he did! Good for him!"

"Whenever I see an old lady slip and fall on a wet sidewalk, my first instinct is to laugh. But then I think, what if I was an ant, and she fell on me. Then it wouldn't seem quite so funny."

"To me, clowns aren't funny. In fact, they're kinda scary. I've wondered where this started, and I think it goes back to the time I went to the circus and a clown killed my dad."

"The wise man can pick up a grain of sand and envision a whole universe. But the stupid man will just lie down on some seaweed and roll around until he's completely draped in it. Then he'll stand up and go, 'Hey, I'm Vine Man.'"

"It's easy to sit there and say you'd like to have more money. And I guess that's what I like about it. It's easy. Just sitting there, rocking back and forth, wanting that money."

"I wish I had a dollar for every time I spent a dollar, because then, yahoo!, I'd have all my money back."

"I think a good novel would be where a bunch of men on a ship are looking for a whale. They look and look, but you know what? They never find him. And you know why they never find him? It doesn't say. The book leaves it up to you, the reader, to decide. Then, at the very end, there's a page you can lick and it tastes like Kool-Aid."

"If you ever crawl inside an old hollow log and go to sleep, and while you're in there some guys come and seal up both ends and then put it on a truck and take it to another city, boy, I don't know what to tell you."

"Many people never stop to realize that a tree is a living thing, not that different from a tall, leafy dog that has roots and is very quiet."

"If you're in a war, instead of throwing a hand grenade at some guys, throw one of those little baby-type pumpkins. Maybe it'll make everyone think of how crazy war is, and while they're thinking, you can throw a real grenade."

~~Sorry I put so many of them, but they are TOO funny! I know I'm a total nerd! Rock on SNL!

Funny Quotes!!

These are pretty good!! ~MareBear~

"A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject." - Winston Churchill

"Hard work never killed anybody, but why take a chance?" - Edgar Bergen

"Never raise your hands to your kids. It leaves your groin unprotected." - Red Buttons

"He who laughs last didn't get it." - Helen Giangregorio

"Money won't buy happiness, but it will pay the salaries of a large research staff to study the problem." - Bill Vaughan

"Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died." - Erma Louise Bombeck

"What if everything is an illusion and nothing exists? In that case, I definitely overpaid for my carpet." - Woody Allen

Great Quotes!

Feel free to steal these...I didn't say them! : )

"Gravitation can not be held responsible for people falling in love." - Albert Einstein

"It is better to be hated for who you are than to be loved for what you are not." - Andre Gide

"I have found the paradox that if I love until it hurts, then there is no hurt, but only more love." - Mother Teresa

"Let us more and more insist on raising funds of love, of kindness, of understanding, of peace. Money will come if we seek first the Kingdom of God-the rest will be given." - Mother Teresa

"The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother." - Theodore M Hesburgh

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart." - Helen Keller

"Until he extends his circle of compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace." - Albert Schweitzer

"The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"I believe God is managing affairs and that He doesn't need any advice from me. With God in charge, I believe everything will work out for the best in the end. So what is there to worry about." - Henry Ford

"Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action." - Benjamin Disraeli

"The true test of character is not how much we know how to do, but how we behave when we don't know what to do." - John Holt

"You become a champion by fighting one more round. When things are tough, you fight one more round." - James Corbett

What If??

What if BB King had a purple mohawk and wore a shirt that says, "Skater Punx Rule the World" but still played the Blues wonderfully? Would it be like rubbing your head and patting your stomach at the same time? Sometimes you can do it, but MAN does it feel wrong!

What if salmonella actually contained something that cured cancer and we are just missing out?

What if every single person in America lost all their teeth and there were no such things as dentures? Would the obesity epidemic come to a screeching halt? Or would the consumption of mash potatoes and ice cream sky rocket and make obesity even MORE wide spread?

What if healthcare in the US was really free but there were no hypochondriacs? Would that finally be something that could work?

What if they made marijuana legal? Would that lessen crime and up morale? Or would it just cause workplace vending machines to contain nothing but Doritos and bonuses at work would be coupons for free Taco Bell?

What if the US decided not to police the whole world? Would things go terribly wrong and would there be wars EVERYWHERE? Or would other countries work things out for themselves and no one would hate us?

What if your doctor had UNDENIABLE proof that you only had a week to live? Would you spend that week in denial, crying and saying how it wasn't fair and searching for answers? Or would you get on the phone, call everyone you knew to come to your house, and party like CRAZY, and make sure each person knew exactly how you felt? Would you be mad at God? Or use this opportunity to make it right with Him? THINK ABOUT IT!

I'm sure I will come up with more random What If's later.

Peace out!

~Mare Bear~

How Come?

How come we get these crazy or not so crazy dreams in our heads as children and teens and think that there's nothing to stop us to get to that point? And then how come some of us get exactly what we imagined and some of us get just the opposite? Is it God telling us something? Do others just have more willpower and stick-to-it-iveness than other people? Can we turn things around after things have gone horribly wrong and still achieve what we want? I suppose these are questions to ponder and things to pray about if you are a spiritual person. And where do those dreams come from anyway? Are they a product of our environment? Something that our parents put in our heads as kids? Something THEY really wanted but never got?? I guess the answer to that question is all of the above...just some people get their dreams from different sources. My dream when I was a kid was to be a pediatrician. Back then, I was gung-ho! I bought medical books and read encyclopedias...even had a meeting with MY pediatrician and took notes on what he did all day. And I wasn't even a TEENAGER yet! Now though...I don't think I could do that. I am not sure my stomach could handle some of the things that these nurses and doctors (bless their souls) DO! Did I let that dream go because as a child I didn't realize what it would take? Did I let it go because I didn't think I could achieve it? Or was it just my course in life that led me away from it? My childhood best friend, MA, she wanted to be an elementary school teacher. She wanted to go to Auburn. She had her life down to the letter...as I thought I had mine...Today, MA is getting her Master's degree from Auburn in childhood education! Me...I'm sitting here with a disability after MANY unsuccessful jobs and no professional schooling. Not that I'm throwing a pity party...I'm not. It's just that every year that goes by I think, ya know...it's not too late for me to get a degree. But here I am, 24 years old and NADA. I do admit that I've been lazy, or depressed, or just haven't WANTED it bad enough to go after it. I have no idea...all I know is that I have from tomorrow until the end of my life to make it right. If I said that I regretted my whole life, I'd be lying. Yes, I made some major mistakes and I could've done a heck of a lot of things better. But WOW...I've had a great life and I hope that I have a lot of time left to make my life even better. I've loved and lost and found love again to be the best that I could've imagined. I've broken my mother's heart, but by the grace of God, we are the closest that a mother and daughter could be. I spent so many years depressed and on medication...and now I am happy without medication in the midst of some really bad times. I still have many hopes and dreams. Some of them realistic, some of them, maybe not so much. But I do know one thing. I am blessed to have a great family. I am blessed to have a man in my life who is my best friend, lover and partner. I am blessed to have AVN...yep, I am. Because maybe I wouldn't have come to the conclusion of how blessed I really am if I hadn't gone through all the turmoil of this disease. So, maybe I've answered my own question. How come we have these dreams when we are kids of what we want our life to be?? I think it's because of hope. If we had nothing to dream of, we wouldn't have any hope. We'd have no ambition. We'd have nothing to look forward to. We'd have nothing to stir our souls and our hearts and to tell us, even if it's a whisper, that "we are blessed!"