| This is just lucking fuvly... |
[Jun. 13th, 2009|09:54 pm] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | The Sofa (tm) | ] |
| [ | mood |
| |  numb | ] |
| [ | music |
| | History Channel | ] |
Well, Karen walked out on me tonight. I have no idea where she is right now...
( Read more DRAMA, DRAMA, DRAMA! IF you DARE!!! )
Yeah, okay. Done typing the Hellishly long Drama post now. Do NOT click on that cut-link unless you really want to read all the crap within, and why my marriage might possibly be over and done with now.
*sigh* |
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| A LONG road to RCFM this year... |
[May. 21st, 2009|07:30 am] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | The Sofa (tm) | ] |
| [ | mood |
| |  relaxed | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Headline News | ] |
Hey Y'all,
Okay. Long rambly post is behind the cut.
( So click on this sentence and read, while I go on and on about the past six months or so... )
And that's all I'm going to type about recent life, for now. These are just the brief highlights. There's actually quite a lot more in every category, but I really DO need to start getting ready to go to the hotel. Hopefully the old truck will make it there without any troubles.
If you're here at RCFM, we're darned glad to see you! If you're not, then I'm sorry to hear it and I wish you were. This weekend will be a tremendous amount of Fun... then I certainly hope I get to relax and not worry about so many things this summer.
:D |
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| On a Road |
[May. 9th, 2009|09:23 am] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | Sheridan, WY | ] |
| [ | mood |
| |  stressed | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Headline News | ] |
I'm in Sheridan Wyoming. Drove across Montana yesterday, from N. Idaho. Meant to post this before I left, so everyone not on the Staff list would know I'm not at home.
Flew up to Spokane on the 7th, & loaded a moving truck the same day. Yesterday Mom and I drove from Coeur d'Alene, ID, on I-90, all the way across Montana to Sheridan, Wy. (Yes, I know this is only about 2/3 the way across Montana. But doing it in one day is still a major push.)
This truck and car trailer combo weigh about 14 tons. The truck is floor-to-ceiling loaded and the Mercury Mariner is packed to the gills as well. Driving this hog for 12 hours, with restaurant breaks, has not been fun at all.)
So anyway, I had someone call yesterday and be surprised that I'm not at home. So before we take off this morning I wanted to get something up on the LJ here. Now you know. I'll be back at home late on the 12th. This is NOT what I wanted to do two weeks before the convention, but Mom needs moved and family comes first.
Speaking of which, one of Sub-Level 03 called me and said that he can't make it because of work. It's actually because of a promotion. He has more responsibility, they've had very recent staffing emergencies... and now he can't be at RCFM. 3D life comes first, but we're definitely going to miss them. It sounds as though Bucktown is going to help us with the Poker Tourney, so at least we still have that going on.
It also sounds as though Joecifur may not make it to RCFM. I asked Alex to please confirm this with him so we can make alternate plans. I'm a little less understanding about this one than SL3's problems, but life is life. We'll have a FurMeet and we will have much Fun. I sincerely hope Joe changes his mind, but RCFM will continue with or without him. |
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| Dixie... |
[Apr. 29th, 2009|12:36 am] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | The Sofa (tm) | ] |
| [ | mood |
| | numb | ] |
| [ | music |
| | History Channel | ] |
I'm only sleeping 4-6 hrs a night these days. Lots to do on the convention, even after delegating as much as possible. I get home from work and there're 'mails to read, stuff to do. Still, I want to spend a BIT of time here drama-posting...
( How Dixie died... )
I miss Dixie. I wish she was still here. But wishes don't work that way... |
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| And then there was one... |
[Apr. 26th, 2009|04:02 pm] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | New House | ] |
| [ | mood |
| | sad | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Travel Channel | ] |
Dixie died this afternoon. She lost her fight.
Maybe I'll post later with details. Not today. |
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| Moving is fun. (killmenow) |
[Apr. 12th, 2009|12:29 pm] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | New House | ] |
| [ | mood |
| | sore | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Headline News | ] |
Yesterday was the big day. Had "2 men & truck" movers over to the condo, along with Haystack and Mike C. We got stuff in my truck and Mike's truck while the moving boys loaded the furniture and stuff in their truck. Haystack and Mike were a big help, because I was about to fall over and die by yesterday evening.
Also ended up paying the mover kids $400 instead of $200, but I'm not surprised at all. Karen described less than half of the stuff they needed to load when they gave her the estimate. Still, it was worth it to get crap here. Even moving just small stuff has left my shoulder in little shreds of agony.
There's still a couple car-loads of little stuff still over there, which we'll get some of later today. After visiting Karen's Mom & Sister for an Easter thing. They do presents and dinner and stuff for Easter, Valentine's day... practically every holiday of any sort. Still, will be nice to visit with 3rd Mom this afternoon. ;)
Got the PC's up and on the router now. Soon as we get the last bits out of the condo, THEN I can spend more quality time with the RCFM scheduling and other such important issues. Which are falling behind, as usual, since I've been distracted with 3D issues like moving and a smashed shoulder.
Still... we're here. Slept here last night, have the cable and online connection working now, made something in the kitchen, took a shower this morning, etc, etc. We're officially in the house now, for better or whatever. Shame that I have $9 left in the bank, but that was to be expected. :P |
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| Got a Lot Moved |
[Apr. 5th, 2009|03:32 pm] |
Many Thanks and much appreciation to those who were able to come and help us move a bunch of stuff yesterday. At least half of the large furniture is now over at the house, along with a huge amount of the smaller stuff as well.
Karen and I hauled some more stuff over in the car earlier this afternoon. Mostly kitchen cabinet stuff and bedroom closet stuff. We'd probably still be moving stuff, but it started raining and I really feel like sitting down for a bit anyway.
Shoulder is still mucked up. I'm keeping the torso brace strapped on it, just so I can't move my upper arm. Still doing stuff with my hand and forearm (some), but moving that upper half is out of the question. Still, it's much better than it was yesterday, when it was better than the day before. Steadily getting better. Hope it just stays on that way... ;) |
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| Moving & Hurt Shoulder |
[Apr. 3rd, 2009|06:10 am] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | The Sofa (tm) | ] |
| [ | mood |
| | crappy | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Headline News | ] |
Hey Y'all,
Well, as many of you know now - we finally closed on the house. So it's time to move stuff. We can live there now, once we get it all moved over.
( Long-ish post, under cut link )
Will be good to sit and read for a while. Been too long since I just sat and read something good, and Phil's writing is some of the best I've seen in a long time. ;)
KO |
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| House |
[Mar. 31st, 2009|06:27 am] |
|
Yesterday, about 5 pm, we closed on the house. $3320.90 paid at closing, now we have a key. Soon, we move... |
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| The Lazy Bloggers Post Generator |
[Mar. 17th, 2009|07:50 pm] |
Holy Catfish! I just totally realised I have not updated this since you last visited... You would not believe how much it's costing me. Stupid Global Warming!.
I am overwhelmed with an awfully big adventure, rock crushing, just generally being a biatch to anyone unfortunate to cross my path, my day seems to be packed from 8am to 11pm at which point I fall asleep on the couch. I am looking at rectifying this. I need some perspective.
I probably won't blog until the next time booze prices go up and I have to get sober for a while. Well, I'll try. Cats if you don't..
*****************************
The Lazy Bloggers Post Generator:
http://www.aussiebloggers.com.au/blogpost.html |
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| 15 MAYBE'S . . . |
[Mar. 17th, 2009|05:58 pm] |
Totally ganked this from TC's LJ. It makes a nice and positive compliment to the smothering negativity that's been in my head for the past month or so...
*************************
15 MAYBE'S . . .
1. Maybe . . . We were supposed to meet the wrong people before meeting the right one so that, when we finally meet the right person, we will know how to be grateful for that gift.
2. Maybe . . . When the door of happiness closes, another opens; but, often times, we look so long at the closed door that we don't even see the new one which has been opened for us.
3. Maybe . . . It is true that we don't know what we have until we lose it, but it is also true that we don't know what we have been missing until it arrives.
4. Maybe . . . The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way.
5. Maybe . . . The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; after all, you can't go on successfully in life until you let go of your past mistakes, failures and heartaches.
6. Maybe . . . You should dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go, be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you dream of and want to do.
7. Maybe . . . There are moments in life when you miss someone -- a parent, a spouse, a friend, a child -- so much that you just want to pick them from your dreams and hug them for real. So once they are around you, appreciate them more.
8. Maybe . . . The best kind of friend is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with, never say a word, and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.
9. Maybe . . . You should always try to put yourself in others' shoes. If you feel that something could hurt you, it probably will hurt the other person, too.
10. Maybe . . . You should do something nice for someone every single day, even if it is simply to leave them alone. Profound!
11. Maybe . . . Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they will love you back. Don't expect love in return; just wait for it to grow in their heart; but if it doesn't, be content that it grew in yours.
12. Maybe . . . Happiness waits for all those who cry, all those who hurt, all those who have searched, and all those who have tried, for only they can appreciate the importance of all the people who have touched their lives.
13. Maybe . . . You shouldn't go for looks; they can deceive; don't go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile, because it takes only a smile to make a dark day seem bright. Find the one that makes your heart smile .
14. Maybe . . . You should hope for enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, and enough hope to make you happy.
15. Maybe . . . You should try to live your life to the fullest because when you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling but when you die, you can be the one who is smiling and everyone around you crying.
Maybe . . . You could send this message to those people who mean something to you, to those who have touched your life, to those who can and do make you smile when you really need it, to those who make you see the brighter side of things when you are really down, and to all those whom you want to know that you appreciate them and their friendship.
*******************************
I'd like it if I could send this to each of you individually, since this is closer to my normal mentality, but posting it here and hoping every one of you reads it is just going to have to do.
;) |
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| (no subject) |
[Mar. 10th, 2009|04:01 pm] |
Hmm. Was going to post something here, but I see that I wrote most of it in that last post. I've felt like I'm at a breaking point for the past month. I've just withdrawn from everyone and everything, and not wanted to do anything. That includes e-mail and convention issues.
Well, I've been getting back into it today. Home sick again, for the second day in a row. So I guess that helped. Talked to the boss this morning and he told me to stay home again. We're pretty much caught up at work due to my efforts anyway. Feel much better than I did this morning, when my head was still all stuffed up. Still feel quite weak, though (again) better than this morning.
Been a roller coaster of mental crap, too. Have to deal with difficult things for the convention, and I'm considering passing on my position as Chair. The more I think about it, the more I feel I'm just holding everyone else back. Though I really hesitate to give such a huge headache of a position to someone else. Unless maybe I don't like them. Now -there's- an idea... |
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| Inexplicable days |
[Mar. 6th, 2009|06:07 am] |
I haven't really written anything since Furp died. Here, or in e-mails. Or on the lists. I normally type several paragraphs when I just have some simple thing to say, but lately... I have no words, and no real motivation to type them.
It has to be a combination of things, but it's mostly that property. It's impossible to describe the scope of the emotional toll it's taken on Karen and I, what's been going on.
The appraiser lied to me. He said he was going to approve the property, then later that day marked it as "poor" condition. Which means Countrywide can't approve the mortgage. Since then, the real estate agent and I have filed a dozen or so legal documents to get this cleared up.
(The appraiser knows full well he killed my mortgage in doing this. And Brent pointed this out to him BEFORE he filed his "poor" report, which he went ahead and did anyway. So he intentionally blew us out of the water, so to speak...)
I can't close on the property until a small list of items are "repaired". I already spent my own money and time repairing a hellish list of stupidity, such as siding and paint and windowsills on the garage. But I STILL can't close on the mortgage until something is done about stained carpeting, worn wood flooring and a cracked window pane.
Yes. "Less-than-perfect" flooring and a bit of cracked glass. Something that stupid and petty has been holding us up. Scott filed an addendum to have the Seller (bank-owned) "repair" these BS items, which they'll then add to the mortgage total. The hope was it would be done quickly, but the latest addendum only gives us until the 6th (today) to close. Time to file another addendum, today. I guess. Whatever...
Details of these extended "repairs" aren't important, but what IS important is that we're still here in Mike & Marie's condo. We payed rent for March, which we weren't supposed to have done. There's also a threat of having this condo sold out from under us, though I really don't think it'll proceed fast enough to hurt us.
The rent for March, here in the condo, is money that I consider wasted. Right along with all the wasted money that's being spent on the new property - on things that will be replaced or remodeled anyway. I don't want to polish this turd anymore. I just want to close on the damned mortgage and move there. We'll make it nice AFTER we move, AFTER we close on the property, and when we can bloody well afford it - which is not BEFORE we move there.
I've just had my face slammed into the wall too many times on this damned property. I almost don't care what happens anymore. I just want SOMETHING to happen and get it over with. I'm so far down the road of not caring what happens that I'm considering not going to FWA, something that I normally look forward to. As of this moment, I just don't know...
Oh, and to top everything else off - Joey died about a week ago. Just went downhill fairly quickly and died in the night. So we buried him at the property we were supposed to have closed on before Feb. 12th. Hopefully we still will. Someday. Maybe. I almost wish I still cared, but at this point I just don't. |
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| I don't want Furp to be gone... |
[Feb. 21st, 2009|08:42 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | sad | ] |
This is tremendously sad news. Furp was one of my favorite people ever, and once you got to know him he was tremendous fun to have around. Sometimes even when you'd never met him before.
First time I met Furp was the night of RCFM-1-Eve. He showed up at the house, directly off the road from Wisconsin - around midnight IIRC; and he and I literally designed the badge art/layout Late The NIGHT BEFORE Opening Day, RCFM 1. (The one with Oldfreek's cool "Rocket Fur" artwork.)
Furp helped quite a bit with the photoshop manipulation of the badge (or some such graphic program, can't remember right now), and between the two of us we figured out the "fade" effect for the edge-concentrated background color design of the first-year badges.
Brody was changing those background colors, names and badge numbers directly in photoshop as he printed them at Reg, in rm. 1101, or some such. Right down by the Library rm. The night before, Furp and I printed out the first 42 or so pre-reg badges, so I'm sure that helped.
This was all back when I took the time to type a long con-report thing (first couple of years, I think, I managed to do that), so somewhere out there on the web is a detailed description of that night/day/etc, with Furp and his help with that and other areas. And the rest of RCFM 1, of course.
(If anyone out there has links to either a pic of the first-year badge or that con-report I posted on the RCFM site, please reply and give us the link URL(s).)
Furp will be more than missed, now that this tragedy has happened. He was Family to many of us, and much more than just in the sense that any RCFM attendee is family. He did a LOT more than many people realize to help us get the first year off the ground (in addition to being such a great person AND including his help in subsequent years).
So, yeah... this has to classify as the worst news I've had in a very long time. Probably ranks right up there to when Grannie died 2 years ago.
The world is a lesser place today. And a tremendous number of people in the Furry community are taking notice of this - simply because he was such a good, giving and caring person behind that personality of his. And the fact that he shared so much of himself with everybody else.
Everyone reading this who had ever met Furp should drink a toast in his name this evening, preferably with friends, and remember the last time you were with him and he made you laugh...
KO
--- On Thu, 2/19/09, lacyskunkateer <lacy@turquoisepaw.com> wrote:
.
[08:30] Alexander: Bad news, Furp was killed last night in an accident with a Drunk Driver.
http://community. livejournal. com/anthrocon/ 600346.html? view=4299290# t4299290
No other details that I know of.
__._,_.___ |
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| Writer's Block: Down on Memory Lane |
[Feb. 11th, 2009|01:25 pm] |
Several memories are jumbled together from when I was about 4 years old. One where I ran wrong way up a slide and my sister knocked me off near the top, another where I climbed on top of the shed behind the house and got in trouble because the neighbor lady saw me, another of a kindly old lady having me in the parlor of her old house and giving me a star-shaped chocolate, another of getting stung by a bee on my right hand right beside a small plastic wading pool.
I couldn't tell you which order these memories were in, but I know they were all from when I was about 4, and come from when we were living in the old house in Overton, NE - when Dad briefly owned a small trailer park. Many other memories of that time as well, but that would make for an even longer post. :P Still remember several of the nice people who lived in the trailer houses, too. Very friendly little group, as I recall... |
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| Old memories of a Blues Bar... |
[Feb. 11th, 2009|07:08 am] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | The Sofa (tm) | ] |
| [ | mood |
| | calm | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Allen Toussaint - "Sweet Touch of Love" | ] |
Back in my early twenties (in the late 'Eighties / early 'Ninties...) I used to hang out at a place called the "Zoo Bar", in Lincoln, NE. It was (is?) a Blues bar, with a house band back then and live performances every night.
The owner of the bar was the bass player for the "Table Rockers", that aforementioned house band. I have no idea if he still owns the place, or if they still perform, or what-have-you, but I do see that the Zoo Bar has a website - so I guess the place is still an operating business. { http://www.zoobar.com/ }
(Speaking of Nebraska, you ever heard of the place SnapETiger? I know you live in Omaha, but the Zoo is pretty famous.)
So anyway... was listening to some Allen Toussaint on Youtube this morning and ran across a related video that reminds me SO much of why I used to hang out at the Zoo bar.
(Here's the Allen Toussaint vid, "Sweet Touch of Love" - and if you've never heard this song, do yourself a favor and listen to it. 3 minutes or so long... ) -->
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STtwgzujFS8
This related vid (below) was some talented guy playing piano in a little bar somewhere. And I swear it could have been recorded in that little shotgun bar (the Zoo, of course), where I used to get a pitcher of Michelob dark and sit down by the stage... and just lose myself in that great improv blues music... Special memories, they are...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNHf2-u6mJE&NR=1
It really doesn't seem like it was 19 years ago that I used to hang out there. Feels like I could have been there last month, the memories are so good of that place... |
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| Carpet-bombing LJ Post... |
[Feb. 6th, 2009|06:29 am] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | The Sofa (tm) | ] |
| [ | mood |
| |  blah | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Headline News | ] |
House:
Appraiser looked over the property on Wednesday. Once the Countrywide office reviews the report, they will schedule the closing. Either for the 12th or the 16th, I'm not sure which yet. The paperwork is pretty much done, Insurance is purchased, enough for closing is in the bank. Now we just need to close.
Ferret:
Joey seems to be doing fine. He's still weak and wobbly and we're still squeezing him every day, but we remain hopeful that he'll recover bladder function one of these days.
RCFM:
Planning continues on the convention, though it seems intermittent to me and not as much is getting done as we really need right now. I just seem to have no energy to work on this con planning right now, so I'm not putting the usual monumental effort into getting the details nailed down.
Work:
Been getting tremendous amounts of work done, though it doesn't feel like it. Making miracles happen every other day, and actually had some residents call in to compliment me by name. Hard to feel positive about it, since all I usually hear about is problems and how I should be doing more. Also been doing some side-work to make extra money in prep for closing on the house. We'll have the money in time, but I'm out of energy now and almost out of motivation.
Family:
Dad called last night. Turns out that 2nd Mom Katie has an inoperable brain tumor. Was tested as cancerous. They're setting up a schedule to have it irradiated, but nobody really knows if they can save her life. I'd really prefer not to have another family member die in the near future, but there's no arguing with this sort of problem.
Moving:
I'd like to arrange for a bunch of local friends and volunteers to help us move to the new house. Possibly on the 21st. I'll make these planning arrangements later, though. Just don't feel like it right now.
Radio:
Called a radio station on Tuesday and the phone actually rang, for a change. The DJ answered, and I was the caller. That's never happened before, so I didn't know what to say. Still... won a couple tickets to a local Hockey game and had my voice on the radio. Was interesting. I've never been to a Hockey game, and Karen seems interested in going with (on the 21st, 7:30 pm), so this should be a new experience.
Random:
I'd really like to not do anything right now. Just spend a week sitting on the Sofa, browsing YouTube and other such wastes of time. I'd like to feed my creative side (such as the RCFM: Mag-7 clock face I tossed together yesterday and put in one of our clocks), but it's tough to do when all these other obligations and deadlines keep looming.
I'll be so glad once we're moved. Just to be done with it all and take some time to relax and stop worrying so much. It would be nice to have energy again, or even an attention span larger than a gnat's. I remember what that was like, way back when.
That's all for now... |
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| Someday there will be a house... |
[Jan. 28th, 2009|06:32 pm] |
Got the insurance settled and ready tonight, after work, for the new property. Yet another piece of paperwork done. Several more to go. Already have piles of the stuff.
Been dropping things off at the garage of the new house. We haven't closed on the property yet, but this is free stuff I'm leaving anyway. Just useful bits that I'll be glad I have later. Mostly building materials.
Been doing bits of side work for people the real estate agent knows. Rebuilt a toilet, did some drywall & ceiling patch, replaced a garbage disposal. Stuff like that. Every bit helps when any available money already has a place to go.
Next is putting down $485 at Countrywide so they can do an appraisal on the house. And I see they finally deposited the $500 earnest check. Another $2600 or so and then we can finish closing. (We actually have most of that now, thanks to a certain relative who will remain nameless.)
That's all. Just been too freaking tired and overworked to do much of anything, these days. |
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| Furry Survey |
[Jan. 19th, 2009|01:37 pm] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | The Sofa (tm) | ] |
| [ | mood |
| |  busy | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Headline News | ] |
Reading the survey results (so far) was interesting, but what really caught my eye was the "sexual orientation" section, which ranged between 17% and 9.5% between all seven categories.
Which really backs up what I've believed for a couple decades now, that people are rarely oriented toward "all male" or "all female". Which just throws a monkey wrench in that whole Gay-vs.-Straight debate that people like to focus so much of their energy on. You don't HAVE to be all one way or the other, once you realize that life is not 'Black or White'... |
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