Journal Entry!
Feb 20, 2009
I realized I wrote more than a journal entry's worth of words in another conversation, and never posted here!
I'm unemployed again, and so have more time for wasting online.  My last job moved me to not want to come near a computer when I got home, so now that they've invited me to vacate the premises, I find myself on the computer all day at home!
If any of my old friends are still out there, let me know what's up with your lives. I think I kinda missed this place. 
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::sweeps away the dust::
Jan 29, 2008
It's been a while since I posted here, but here's my update:
We're pretty much settled into our new house. It even feels like home now! We've only succeeded in painting the kitchen/dining room (it's really one large room), since we ordered absolutely wonderful dining room furniture from the Amish! We had to paint it before the furniture gets here. We figured if we were going to spend the money, we might as well get good, handmade quality pieces. It turned out not to cost much more than if we went to a furniture store and bought from some big chain, so we're very pleased. Now if it would only get here!
TJ and I have both been working from home, and it's gone very well. I love being home, but unfortunately Newsday has decided that they want somebody in-house in my position, so I've only got a job through the end of February. I've been searching ... thank God for the internet! It makes it so much easier to job hunt! Newsday said that they might keep me on part-time, but as the company just went private, nobody's gotten their budgets for the year yet. So ... I wait.
Both my parents and my sister came to Ohio to visit already! My folks came for my birthday in October (which was a wonderful surprise!) and my sister came in the beginning of December. I really miss my family, but we certainly get our fill of TJ's family here!
The town we've moved to is really quite wonderful. It's an old college town, and it's an arts college, so there are wonderful little shops, galleries, and a surprisingly good art museum! We're on the "edge" of the country ... about 30 miles southwest of Cleveland ... so it's not *too* hard for me to acclimate ... aside from the occasional rooster crow and horse whinny ... not to mention gun shot! 
Now that winter's really into it's cold days, we're going to concentrate on doing some painting. I have paint for my office, but we haven't had a full weekend free to do it. Maybe once I'm unemployed I don't have to worry about having it back into shipshape right away, and we can do it then.
Owning a house is such a wonderful thing compared to renting! One of the first things I did was go to Home Depot and get a bag full of paint swatches, and I've been having fun deciding what color to make everything. We painted the kitchen a nice yellow (it's called surfboard yellow, actually). I still don't know what to do in the living room though. It's an odd room, and we've already changed the furniture twice. It still doesn't feel right.
I just realized that I'm way behind on updating photos too. I'll upload some new ones!
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I'm still here ...
Aug 20, 2007
... ish.
I've been away from hootoo for a few months now. So much has been happening! I'll get you up to date:
TJ and I found a house!  We're closing on August 28th, and moving for good on September 5th. We're so excited! Here are some photos of the house that I took when we looked at it the first time: http://new.photos.yahoo.com/sheathesarcastic/album/576460762404867684 Needless to say, the master bath has been tiled since then (I'm getting a jacuzzi tub!!!  ). The house is in Oberlin, Ohio, is on 4 1/2 acres and is 3 years old. It's amazing, because we'll be paying $25 less a month on the mortgage than we do for rent. The insurance on the property, house and replacement for the contents is $250 less a year than what we're paying now just for renters insurance. Gee, think the cost of living is a tad cheaper in Ohio than in Noo Yawk? 
Even better news is that Newsday is keeping me on staff full-time, and I can work from home!!!  A beautiful house in Ohio on New York pay! Yeah!!! I get to keep my pay, benefits, seniority, everything! We can buy furniture! I was so worried about having to find a job, and giving up the great job that I have here, and I just found out last week about staying on! What a huge relief!
My Dad has been ill, but is getting better. I'm getting major guilt about leaving my folks, but we can be back in New York within hours, and I have 3 other siblings that still live on Long Island. It's hard, though.  I'm so torn between being terribly happy and sad!
I need to do more packing. I'm off w*rk for the next three weeks, since we're going to be driving back and forth to Ohio a few times. I'll try to pop back in to say "hi" again soon!
<knish>
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My Merry Journal (enjoy, GB!)
Dec 28, 2006
After such a difficult year, it was so nice to be able to get together with my family for the holidays! We won't be getting to Ohio until July, so we didn't get to visit with TJ's family.
TJ and I had a lovely 4 day weekend. We were finished with all of our Christmas preparations, so we got to take it easy. On the 23rd, we stayed in, and I finally got to prepare a pork meal I've been meaning to cook for TJ for some time. He loved it, I hated it, but that's not unusual, since I don't really like pork. We watched a Doctor Who video that TJ taped for me, but I ended up with another migraine. I'm getting very tired of getting a migraine every time I watch a video! TJ seems to think it's a combination of the Christmas tree lights, and not having any other lights on in the room. We watched "It's a Wonderful Life" last night with the tree lights off, and a light on in the corner, and I didn't get a headache. I hope he's right!
TJ's back has been bothering him lately, so I gave him one of his presents early. He started going to a new barber, and the barber has a massager that straps to the hand. After he finishes with the haircut, he puts a warm towel over your head, and massages your shoulders, upper back and head with this massager. TJ thought it was wonderful. A little background: he was in a terrible auto accident when he was 19 (they gave him Last Rites, so it was a biggie). He spent a week in the intensive care unit, and although he was saved, he's suffered from the whiplash ever since. He always has a headache, and his neck on the right side always hurts. He also gets a sore shoulder when he's eaten too much, but that's another story. Anyway, this is a big reason that TJ enjoyed that massager so much. I decided to get him one for Christmas. It took a bit of work, but I finally found it online. As you can imagine, I got some interesting results when I Googled "hand massager." This device is from Oster, and it makes your whole hand vibrate. Actually, it's called the "Stim-U-Lax Massager", which causes endless giggles with us ( http://www.allaboutmassagers.com/app/product/Oster-Stim-U-Lax-Massager ). It does such a good job of vibrating my hand that I couldn't use my right hand because it made it hurt, but I'm able to use my left hand with it. TJ declared it the best present he's ever received. I know he felt better going to the chiropractor, so maybe if I can do the kneading massage on his neck every day, it'll help the pain. I hope so!
Christmas Eve we were going to go to "midnight" Mass, but dinner didn't sit well with me, and we didn't make it. We decided to exchange gifts instead. TJ had already gotten his video iPod, a pair of Ohio State slippers, the Charlie Brown Christmas CD and the Stim-U-Lax from me. I had a good year picking out gifts for him! He also got an Ohio State book, an Ohio State Christmas ornament, an Ohio State DVD (can you sense the pattern here?), a handheld Battleship game (I try to get him a toy every year), a new card game, and lots of  . I already knew about the necklace and earrings he got for me (http://www.kay.com/images/products/4008/400855401_MV_PD.jpg and http://www.kay.com/images/products/3917/391799703_MV_PD.jpg) ... they were on sale one day when we were shopping, and he got them for me then. I tried to act surprised. He also got me the Oprah 20th Anniversary DVD set, a terrific book on NYC (http://www.amazon.com/New-York-Then-Marcia-Reiss/dp/1592237290) which I really love, a cheesey Gamera DVD, mini M&M Christmas ornaments with a Star Wars Theme, mini Rudolph ornaments, and of course, lots of ! It's nice to finally be at a place financially where we can get each other cool stuff. I'm sure that'll change once we get the new house! We'd better enjoy it while we can.
Moving right along: luckily, whatever was bothering me on Christmas Eve seemed to be better by Christmas morning, so we went to church then (it's one of two times during the year that I can get TJ to go with me!). We left from there to drive to my parent's house out on the Island. All of my siblings, and my 2 nieces from my side of the family were going to be there. My sister battled cancer, my brother got a new hip and my Dad had eye surgery this year, so it was a real blessing to all be able to get together! It was such a nice day! Dinner turned into a "bash Ohio" session, but it was all done in good fun, and TJ was laughing as hard as everyone else (AW, please imagine my brother "re-enacting" the people of Hinckley sacrificing a baby to the buzzards to appease them during the Buzzard Sunday celebration ... for others: A2430244). My sister-in-law and niece were sick with colds, so I just hope they didn't spread it! My folks are flying to Bequia this weekend, and my sister and her hubby are going on a trip then as well.
When we were all together, I told my two nieces that I had decided that for their birthdays (one in January, and the other in February) they could pick something that they'd like to do (within reason), and I'd take them to do it. I said to make it in the Metropolitan area, and not a windsurfing trip to Hawaii! I was worried about the older one coming up with something elaborate, but I should have been worried about the younger one! My older niece (nearly 14) just said that she wanted to visit Madame Tussauds in Times Square. The younger one (nearly 10) started with a flight to Cooperstown to go to the Baseball Hall of Fame. I told her it was easily within driving distance, so she then decided that we could rent a limo for it! Then she said she'd like to go to a Mets game. But she doesn't want nose-bleed seats, she wants the really good seats right behind home plate. You can't get those seats ... and then next "cheapest" seats are $82 each. She's got good taste! Then she got back on the limo ride kick, and said she'd like to rent a limo for a day and tour NYC. Think I can talk her into taking the train to see the Statue of Liberty or something?
It was wonderful having the day after Christmas off! TJ took it easy, and I got a chance to clean the house before Mom and Dad get there at the end of the week. They usually stay with us the night before they fly out, because they have their house closed up, getting the pipes drained and turning off the electric. We then drive them to the airport ... usually hours and hours before their flight. Dad gets anxious, and doesn't sleep anyway. He likes getting there 6 hours before a flight.  I made a vat of West Indian chicken pilau (TJ won't let me make it with pidgeon peas ), and we watched "It's a Wonderful Life." It really is.
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It's finally over!
Dec 7, 2006
I had a Worker's Comp hearing yesterday. They've *finally* closed my case. 
It's very "interesting" how they calculate what your settlement will be. For instance, I've lost some function in my hand since the carpal tunnel surgery. The pain is better than it was before surgery (at least it doesn't hurt all the time anymore), but there are some things I'll never be able to do again. I can't hold a pen for long without pain, and I'm afraid the same is true for a paintbrush. On Thanksgiving, I found that I couldn't hold a knife for the amount of time needed to cut up the potatoes, and I couldn't peel them at all. Recreationally, I can't bowl, play volleyball, and it's painful to play croquet (which will surely effect my future in the business world). Others will surface as I try them, I'm sure. I don't have much strength using a pincer hold (I kept dropping the tarp we were using to cover our stuff in the rain at the yard sale). I can make a strong fist, though. My doctor said I lost 15% use of that hand (which is what NY state Workers Comp rules say is the usual for post-carpal tunnel surgery). The Workers Comp doctor decided I only lost 7 1/2% use (of course, he didn't test me for the things that bothered me). To end it without litigation (I don't have a lawyer), the Workers Comp judge splits the difference. So, they decided that I lost 11 1/4% use of my right hand.
Apparently (according to NY state Workers Comp rules) different body parts are worth different amounts of lost work time. Using some bizarre formula, they figure out how many weeks of work time you'd lose over your lifetime because of your injury. They multiply this by the $400 a week they'd pay you if you were out to decide what your settlement is. Of course, they have to reimburse my employer who made up the difference in my pay while I was out those 11 weeks. In the end, losing full use of my hand is worth $3500. I'd rather have my hand back, thank you.
Oh, and it seems that their computer is also very confused by the fact that I got married in the middle of all of this and changed my name. I guess nobody's ever done that before. They'll *try* to cut me a check with my current name on it, but they can't guarantee it. *sigh*
The money's going into a Roth IRA, where it'll help to pay for medications I'll need in my retirement. Isn't it great how it all worked out?
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. I've been bouncing back and forth between web design and print design, but I prefer web design.
, or if you prefer, an 
and a knish
Enjoy some pictures from the wedding: 
about the wedding! 
in the wee hours of the morning, and the rest, as they say, is history. I apologize to the good Researchers here for making him all content and happy ... he doesn't come online here anymore! 
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