Things that Amuse Me

Earlier this month, I got what seemed at the time to be an annoying summer cold. Well, that cold turned to Pneumonia. Well, after nothing was really working, the Doctor decided to put me on Prednisone. I told him about the cortisone shot I had gotten a few weeks earlier and he said it would not matter. So, I took the Prednisone. A few days later, my breathing was much worse and the Dr. put me on Advair. Sounds simple enough...and inhaler should help right? Well, what he didn't tell me was that Advair has an active steroid. After 3 days of taking the Advair, I started having severe chest pain, neck pain and headaches and spent 5 hours in the ER. Turns out that my body was overdosed on corticosteroid! DUH!!!

Well, I honestly meant to try and post at least once a week...but a tragedy struck my family last week and it was the farthest thing from my mind.

To anyone that knows me well, they know that I am not that great at keeping house. It isn't that I am dirty...it is the clutter! Well, since moving last week, I am putting forth an honest effort to break some bad habits. So far, so good! And it feels great!

In less than a year, two different jobs at two different locations has been eliminated because of the economy. Because of this, I decided it was time to make a change in my career. I can not continue to live with the instability that I have had since August.

So, I decided to try and fall back on the medical experience that I had before I had kids. Well, it worked and I start my new job today at a local hospital. I will be the unit clerk for the PCU at Hilton Head Hospital.

I am VERY excited and a little nervous. A lot has changed since I did this type of work 14 years ago. The biggest change is that now everything is computerized.

I will try and keep this blog posted....

Well, the best holiday of the year will be here in just 2 days, 2 hours and 15 minutes!

See, I LOVE my birthday!!! It isn't the getting older part...it isn't even the presents part...it is just because it is a day that is about ME!

It may be juvenile...but I refuse to look at a birthday as a bad thing like a lot of people do. A birthday is a day to reflect...a day to celebrate LIFE!

I would really rather have them than to not have them! LOL

I LOVE ST. PATRICK'S DAY! Most reason's have nothing to do with the holiday itself. Here are my top 4 reasons:

• It means that my birthday is only 9 days away. For those that may not know me very well, I LOVE my birthday! I treat it as a day to celebrate ME!
• It means that Spring is only 4 days away! Sure, Spring brings nasty pollen but it also brings the warm weather, trips to the beach, beautiful days for photography, etc.
  
• I can wear green without worrying if it looks good on me. Green isn't my color at all...but, I do not like getting pinched! LOL
• It is a day when people want to go out and have a good time. Everyone seems happier even if it is only an illusion created by green beer

Yes, I know that I do not have yellow fever...not in the standard terms anyway. But I do have a fever caused by something nasty and yellow!

POLLEN

As Kimburkay calls it..."The Yellow Fog"

It is nasty and makes me feel nasty. It is messing up my favorite season!

I just hope that it doesn't mess up my favorite holiday in 13 days! (see how many of you figure that one out!)

When you have to make a choice and don't make it, that is in itself a choice. ~William James

I think I gained 5lbs. while watching this!


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Things that Amuse Me has a new look!

If anyone is interested in having a new look for their blog just let me know. For a limited time, I am doing Custom Blogger Design for FREE!

I hope you like the new look!

Things have been very busy. I am still in school and working at my new job (started in November). When you also take into account that I am hopelessly addicted to Facebook, I hardly have time for anything.

I have started a design blog over the past few days as a part of a project for school. It is pretty good for me though since it forces me to find resources online about design and I am learning so much!

Madhatter will be happy to know that I am actually going somewhere tomorrow and will be completing the March assignment.

I will try to do better about posting...I promise. In fact, this blog needs a facelift. Maybe I should show off some of the things I have learned in school?????

So, my new boss is a fantastic photographer. Well, seeing his work has inspired me. Until this past week, I have not really picked up my camera with any regularity in a very long time. He has given me some pointers regarding my camera settings and now I am feel ready to pick up my camera and find myself again.

So, on my way to work this morning, the sunrise was beautiful. I had my camera...so, I stopped at the Lemon Island boat landing. Here is the view that I get to enjoy every morning on my way to work! Enjoy!

So, I have been learning a bunch of tricks in Photoshop and have been having fun taking my images to a new level. I have learned some great effects. I am focusing on learnign things that used to be done in a darkroom.

Here is an original picture of my youngest...



















Here is the same image with an Orton Effect done in Photoshop.

The results might be subtle but this gives it a soft glow effect. It is actually done by adding 6 layers to the image and varying the degrees of blur, sharpness and lightness. It is a pretty cool trick.















Here is the same image with a sepia tone.

I did this manually instead of using the sepia photo filter.

















Pretty cool, huh?

So, I went to visit my family this weekend. The people that I most wanted to see were my grandparents because they are in their 80's and they have both been in and out of the hospital all year long.

Well, my grandmother is giving everyone a run for their money. She doesn't want help! She insists that my grandfather will get better and will be able to get around again. (he won't) She won't let them build a ramp so he can get out of the house, she won't let them accept the FREE help from the VA, she won't let them make repairs to the bathroom to make it compliant with their needs. It is so frustrating.

I finally had it and told her exactly what was going to happen if she didn't let them make that house safe for them. I told her that changes have to be made or she is giving them no choice but to put them in a nursing home. I was harsh but not disrespectful. But everyone there doesn't want her mad at them because it would make life a living hell. But I don't live there and I don't care.

My aunt is doing the best she can do for them because on top of having ailing parents, her husband has Parkinson's Disease. To say that she has her hands full doesn't even scratch the surface.

I understand that change is hard...but sometimes you don't really have a choice.

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and that Santa was good to everyone this year. I had a great day and got more than I ever asked for.

The gift that ranks up there as the coolest is the Flip Video Camcorder. It is the size of a standard point and shoot camera, take 60 minutes of video, has a built in USB and is just too fun to use!

The video editing software is built right in too! This will definitely stay in my purse all the time! I guess I need to set up that YouTube account!

But in addition to video, the software allows you to take snapshots from the videos! To me, this makes this camera the most awesome gift!

For years, Christmas Eve was always just us girls because my (now ex-) husband had to help Santa at work. ;) It was actually cool to have Christmas Eve Girls Night. So, late in the afternoon on Christmas Eve we would make a dozen or so heavy appetizers and when it was all done we would put everything on fancy Christmas dishes and set it up on the coffee table. We would watch the old Christmas Cartoons and enjoy our Christmas Eve Snack Supper.

It was really just a time to enjoy spending time together. We did not open presents but we slowed down...stopped really and just enjoyed the time together. We cuddled on the couch and got the cookies, milk and reindeer food ready for Santa and his team.

Since my divorce, this has had to be modified a bit but I have tried to maintain some of the tradition. But what really touched me was the first Christmas after my separation. I asked them what they wanted for Christmas...the answer made me cry. (and still does if it hits at just the right time) "I want to have our snack supper on Christmas Eve"

Have you ever felt like your lifelong bad luck has rubbed off on someone? Well, I do and it really sucks.

I really can't elaborate on it....but it really sucks right now.

It has been so long since I updated on what is going on so here is a brief run down.

I finish my first semester at school today. It has been a fun and challenging experience but I am ready for a break. I am looking forward to my next semester although it will be very busy since I am taking 4 classes.

I found a job in my chosen field working for the local county in the IT department. I am the Webmaster Assistant and so far, I love it. I am learning alot about databases and web design. I will soon be able to take the design for my blog to a whole new level!!! I can hardly wait to show you how much I have learned and since this will probably become a practice ground for my new knowledge...you will get to witness it first hand.

So, overall, life is going great!

I think this is a hilarious spoof of the media! LOL

Ok, I have to speak about the debate last night and particularly one statement made my Obama last night.

In regards to his association with Acorn, Obama said that his only connection was with a court case that he was involved with in connection with the Justice Department. Well, that all sounds pretty...doesn't it? Well, I went looking and found that Obama was the attorney for Acorn. He wasn't on the side of the Justice Department!

Here is an excerpt froma speech that Obama gave this past February...just 8 short months ago.

When Obama met with ACORN leaders in November, he reminded them of his history with ACORN and his beginnings in Illinois as a Project Vote organizer, a nonprofit focused on voter rights and education. Senator Obama said, "I come out of a grassroots organizing background. That's what I did for three and half years before I went to law school. That's the reason I moved to Chicago was to organize. So this is something that I know personally, the work you do, the importance of it. I've been fighting alongside ACORN on issues you care about my entire career. Even before I was an elected official, when I ran Project Vote voter registration drive in Illinois, ACORN was smack dab in the middle of it, and we appreciate your work.”

taken from http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/gGC7zm (a website supporting Obama!)

So, which is it? Why is that Obama can do things and retract them later? Why does everything that comes out of his mouth seem to be in direct contrast to other things that he has said?

PEOPLE...WAKE UP! All things that come in pretty packages with pretty red bows do not contain great things! Sometimes those packages are made of pure deception!!!

Just because Obama is a well spoken, eloquent speaker, does not make everything that comes out of his mouth a fact!