December 2003

Monday - December 1, 2003
It is with sadness that I report the passing
of the mother of one of my co-workers

AINSWORTH, MARY ALICE (nee Kelly), fortified with the Sacraments of Holy Mother Church, on Monday, December 1, 2003.

My sincerest sympathy and condolences to the family. Having been through this myself more than once, I know there are no appropriate or adequate words. Only time will help.

They got my phone hooked up about 2:00p and I am finally work 100% from my new cubicle now!

I found a couple more boxes of my stuff back at DR's desk where I had been sitting. I think I have everthing moved in to my new "office" now. I just need to get it all organized.

Lisa and other office members attended the funeral today (see above). I stayed and covered the Help Desk. I suppose I will look like the "uncaring" one...

Another typical day. BS is still out. Skip's job seems to be going well. I am still getting my computer reloaded.

I actually stopped at the bar on the way home tonight for a few beers. I caught the 7:40p bus home. It was BORING!

I flipped my box springs over this morning and used my new drill/driver to reinforce the cheapo cracking slats. It looks tacky, but no one can see underneath the bed. I think it is a bit better.

Skip and I watched the movies "Legally Blond" and its sequel today. It was very light and entertaining.

This evening, Tad and I went over to Wal-Mart and I spent about $83.00 on various things, including new feather pillows, and a set of sheets.

10:43p - I am behind on keeping my journal updated since I have been reloading and reconfiguring my computer for the past week.

I put some screws in my old desk today to hold it together. It has been trying to collapse for a couple of years. It looks much sturdier now. I will have to buy a new desk soon though.

7:25a - I am running low on Kira's medicine (Proin), so I only gave her one pill last night. That made the difference. She had an accident for the first time since I increased her dosage to 3 pill per day. I will try to call Bruce (her new Vet) and see if he can mail more to me.

I had a bit of a headache yesterday and it was there again this morning. I figured it must be my new pillows. They just need to get worked in. I took some Advil after lunch, but the headache was getting worse. Then, around 5:00p, I developed a high fever and started shaking. I couldn't even type. I had the chills so bad, I actually had to put my coat on.

I could not even read my book on the way home tonight. I just huddled in the seat and sat there shaking with chills. I got home and took my temperature. It was 101.8. I made some soup, but I could only eat part of it. I was in bed before 8:00p. I wanted to watch the premier of Battlestar Galactica, but I just went to sleep and it was playing in the background. I only saw a couple of scenes and have no idea what was going on.

8:00a - I took my temperature again before calling in to the office to let them know I was sick and it was up to 102. I feel awful. Going back to bed.

10:57a - I just got a little while ago and fixed some Theraflu. I took my temperature again and it has got down a bit to 101.7.

I am waiting for Tad to call me back. I've asked him to take me to get something to eat. At least I have an appetite. Not a great one, but KFC sounds edible.

I took my temperature this morning. It was 97.5 and I felt passable, so I went to work. But LZ went home sick.

I snow heavily today, but it was too warm for it to still. There is a little on some cooler places, but mostly just wetness...

LZ was still out sick today. Skip road home with me tonight from work (he was behind schedule.

Skip was late getting home and rode home with me for the first time. I went to the store and he called me before I got home to tell me Kira had ANOTHER accident. Same place as always. I wish she would move over just 2 feet if she has to do this and go on the tile, not the carpet!

7:39a - I am recreating this journal page trying to correct the problem that Chuck found. I need to be in the shower! Kira is outside, and its freezing. She seems not to notice though. She wet her bed again last night. This is becoming very disturbing. She had her Proin, but maybe I need to up the dosage.

Lisa was back to work today. Bruce was out sick on Wednesday and Eric has been out for 2 or 3 days. The flu has been running rampant among us!

Skip and I had lunch together today at Cha Yoon. I spent over $33 and he spent about $11. With tips we spent over $50 for lunch! ... but it was so good...

11:26p - We ordered pizza tonight... I am pigging out. At the same time, I am working on this web page. I created the header and uploaded it just now.

8:30a - I got up a bit early this morning. I am do that more on weekends I have noticed lately. I don't mind though. When I sleep until 11:00a or the like, my day seems to go by too quickly and worse, my sleep pattern gets disrupted.

I finally seem to have this journal page looking "normal" again. I am not sure what the problem was, but a few days ago Chuck found that this page had the text all scrunched up in about a 5-character wide column along the left hand side. I think that maybe I had a background graphic in the side board which was too large... I am still not sure. It looks good now though. Last night, while enjoying a classic bachelor's dinner of beer and pizza, I created my header which says "Usgiyi" ... the Tsalagi term for December, or "the snow moon."

11:19a - Still working on this page. I've made MUCH progress! I added the Zamenhoff Memorial on the right side, including an animation that I made myself.

12:30p - WOW! ... I just looked out the window and it is white outside. Snow! I did not even notice that it had snowed all day! I let Kira outside once or twice, but I guess I just thought it was frost; however, when I look out my office window a few minutes ago (that's my "home" office), I saw some people in front of the house next door. It took a moment before it dawn on me that there was snow ever where! I guess I have been living here in the Midwest long enough now not to really notice the snow as much.

YAY! I just finished getting my journal updated. I had missed the last day of November (which is now added) and the entire first week of December. All is updated now. I feel much better. I take a lot of pride in the fact that I have not missed a daily entry in years

Skip and I went to Wal-Mart this afternoon. I bought a Webcam and a deep fryer I caught Ken on-line tonight and chatted with him with the webcam active. I saw all (or most) of the girl on-cam and Scott came home while I . It was cool to see Scott, though he commented that I "looked rough." Well, I have not bathed today and am having a BAD HAIR DAY ... as I mentioned. It bothers me that Scott is working for McDonalds. I feel he is capable of much more...

8:44a - I got out of bed about 45 minutes ago. I started this day off with a nice refreshing shower... and well needed too. Today is the day of the Zamenhofa Bankedo. Gxi estos en la mangxejo de "Talayna's" je la 5:00ptm.

Ni havas multa da negxo ekstere hodiaux! Gxi komencis fali hieraux (kiel mi jam diris supren kaj Angle).

The banquet went well this evening. Tad gave me a ride to Talayna's, then I took a cab over to Mike's place. I visited there a while, then Tad and I headed home.

Here is a picture of our group. I insisted we get a group photo and it was well received. Thanks to "Kurt" who was our impromptu photographer...

1:39p - I took a day of vacation today. I have just been working on my website most of the day and relaxing.

I sat around and did lots of nothing for most of the day. The snow has all melting and green(ish) grass is showing all over the neighborhood again. Very strange for this time of year! I walked to KFC for supper tonight and it was no all that cold!

12:23p - I have been working on my revised "Skating History" web page tonight. It is going quite well. I even have video clips that I am adding to this page. Clips of me skating on 8mm film with Gwen Hall back in 1978 at Sun State Roller Rink! ... <sigh> those were some good ol' days...

12:25p - Any way... Skip has gone to bed and I must follow his example hirsute!

9:12p - Wow... this was a very busy day. I am glad Lisa and Gary were both there.

I seem to have lost Skip's book! ...the one I was reading. Book #10 of Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time." I think I left it in a shopping cart at Schnuck's last Friday. I am sure I read the book on the way home. I remember putting groceries in my satchel and having to take my book out to make room. I laid it in the cart and must have left it laying there. What a stupid maneuver!

I was leaving for work this morning and Tiffany (the little girl next door) reminded me to take out the garbage... so garbage did get taken out tonight.

I met Skip for lunch today (since I didn't have a book to read!). I had a burrito... it sucked.

I got home tonight and note that Skip had taken the garbage dumpster back to the back of the house (and had left his keys in the front door!.... oops!).

I am getting some tasks completed tonight, including laundry. I had a huge load of laundry!

Happy Birthday to
co-worker
Dennis Bury

We had our "Reason for the Season" Christmas luncheon today. I was not ready for it! I thought it was on Tuesday or Wednesday... we NEVER have these events on a Monday. I had picked up some biscuits & gravy with sausage links for breakfast, so I was not very hungry. Besides, my lunch time is not until about 1:00p normally and this event took place at 11:30a, so I was barely over my breakfast. I had a plate of food and a second plate of mostly all veggies. Then I munched, despite my better judgment, on some cookies and cheesecake and other sweet off & on through the day.

By the time I was ready to go home I was feeling gross. I thought I was going to puke on the bus! I did not have any beer tonight at all (duh!). I took my temperature and it was slightly elevated to 98.2f, so maybe it was not just the food. Plus I had a most horrific case of diarrhea.

A dog follwed my home last night. A slender black male. He was very shy and would not let me look at him. I would try to turn and see him, but he would run back around behind me. Very strange! We finally parted ways in the front yard. He seemed like a nice young dog... but strange.

I sat with Skip this evening and watched "Shanghai Knights" (the sequel to "Shanghai Noon") with Jackie Chan and the pretty blond boy with the flattened nose. (oh... Skip say "Owen Wilson"). However, I kept having to run to the bathroom do to my "condition" ... and Skip was drinking beer, so he kept having to go, plus the sporadic cigarette break, so it must have taken us over 2 hours to get through the movie.

I finally went to bed about 11:30p ... which was really later than I wanted to go to bed considering how I was feeling.

Tuesday - December 23, 2003

7:51a - I am behind in keeping up my journal. I jumped from the 16th to the 23rd... a full week. I must do better.

9:18p - I have got my journal fairly well caught up.

9:44p - Okay... here was my fiasco of the evening. I caught my train on time tonight, but when we reached Union Station, something went wrong with the doors and the conductor(ess) could not get all the doors to shut. They had us debark the train to wait for the next one. That does not work for those of us catching the #02 Cahokia bus ... it will leave and I will be sitting in the dark & cold at (less than hospitable) 5th and Mo. station for over an hour waiting for the next bus! So, I got off at Union Station. I decided to make the most of it and go in for a beer. Little did I know that there was some big game going on and for some inane reason, all the fans on the continent that could make it were cramming their orange or yellow & black clad bodies into Union Station... especially the front entry way! Some of them were quite pleasing to the eye... granted... but I was really NOT in the mood for it. People were guzzling huge "big-gulp-size" containers of beer where ever I looked, but I could not determine where they were being procured. I made my way deeper into Union Station to the "Route 66" bar and tried to find a place to sit, but it was all filled up and no place was available. I finally just sat on a bench and continued to read Alan Dean Foster's "Jed The Dead" for nearly an hour. Eventually I caught a train back out and arrived at 5th & Mo about 7:28. At 7:48p the bus pulled out and I was on the way home.

I met Skip at Q-Mart and bought his $20 Schnuck's gift card from him (he needed cash) and picked up some beer. Skip headed on out to Block Buster to rent some videos and I head home... FINALLY! I was a cold walk home. I think it is colder here in Cahokia.

10:00p - I don't have to go to work until 11:30a tomorrow!

Wednesday - December 24, 2003

Happy 41st Birthday to
my best friend in Davis, CA
Jack LaPlant
(website)

9:24a - I get to go to work late today and Friday. Today is Jack's birthday and I thought it was wild that I dreamed about him last night! We were sitting at a restaurant table and he was telling about all the work that has been keeping him busy lately.

9:26a - Kira wet her bed last night. Or, more accurately, the floor next to her bed, this morning. She was hanging over the edge. Her medicine seems to help, but it has not completely corrected the problem.

Thursday - December 25, 2003

Merry Christmas!

I have survived another Christmas. This was the most boring, pointless Christmas of my life, I think. I did not even feel depressed... just bored. I sent no cards, attended no parties, bought nor gave any gifts. I spent most of the day working on creating my Klingon "Video Gallery" ... and enjoyed my self quite well. I had 3 people actually request to view my web cam and look out my window this morning; that was a first. I also opened up my old trunk, the one I bought at the PX in Meridian NAS, MS, during the summer of 1976. I found my autographed and framed pictures and hung them on the wall.

Friday - December 26, 2003

Happy Birthday
to my long time friend
in Orlando, Florida
Donna Holleritter

I got up a bit early this morning and continued to work on my Klingon Video Gallery. I also took the pictures off the wall that I hung yesterday and took them to work with me. I cleaned them all thoroughly, scrubbing the frame and polishing the glass. I made copies of all of them and will make a site to display them soon.

I finished the book I was reading on the way home tonight, by Alan Dean Foster, "Jed the Dead." It was strange, but very entertaining!

I called Marlene and talked with her tonight. Uncle Sheno sounds pretty bad off. He has cancer around his heart, in his lungs and throat, in his bones and his pancreas ... maybe more, I cant' remember everything she told me. He is on chemo-therapy and has been given maybe 2 years to live. However, I will be surprised from what I have heard if he makes it that long. I would like to try to see him one last time... before it is too late.

Skip had actually straightened up a bit when I got home. He has been on vacation all week and is bored I guess! Also, he was cooking a very nice meal for him and Deana with Chicken Cordon Bleu, Twice-baked potatoes, Broccoli with cheese sauce... and he even bought new dishes to serve it in! Unfortunately, Deana was about 2 hours late. Fortunately, Skip (like me) enjoys the process of cooking.

I forgot to buy dog food for Kira tonight and had to make her a pot of rice. She seems to really enjoy it that, like it is a treat. It's healthy for her too.

9:43p - I have a pork roast cooking in the oven with potatoes, carrots, onion and inject full of seasonings.

10:19p - Deana & Skip are watching South Park... I think Deana just got to hear "Kyle's Mom is a Big Fat Bitch" for the first time!

Saturday - December 27, 2003

I spent most of the day editing the pictures that I scanned in yesterday.

I walked over to Wal-Mart with Skip. It is such a beautiful day, almost warm! I wore my light jacket and was nearly sweating. I almost bought a new camcorder, but I wanted the Sony model and they were out. The Quasar model was cheaper, but I did not like it. It looked to flimsy. I bought some big candles, a couple more of pill organizers, vitamins & supplements, and a new clock for the livingroom.

I received a picture from Marita today of her, Bill and the kids. The adoption is finalized as of November 26th! Marita of a Mommy (again... for real... or, whatever). I was amazed at how old she looked in the picture! (forgive me if you read this, Marita... I fare no better!). Time keeps ticking by... and the years take their toll on us all.

I am working on making egg rolls for this evenings fare, again. Tonight I am using a mixture of last night's port roast and shrimp that skip bought.

Sunday - December 28, 2003

Happy Birthday!
to my younger sister
in Modesto, California
Calisa Selfridge

9:15a - I had (as usual) many strange dreams last night. But the strangest of them all was the one where we were being invaded by some group.

Everyone was being taken as a slave. Property was seized and you were put to work for these people (whoever they were). I realized that if I were to flee, I would probably be caught and killed. Anyone who resisted was being killed on the spot; no mess, no fuss (well... maybe a little "mess"). The "soldiers," or whoever they were (there were not in uniforms), came into my home, into my room and I was waiting for them and surrendered. I was taken to their camp and remained very cooperative. They were actually polite and treated me well. I was neither physically nor verbally abused. I was taken to a table where a young man was sitting. He had long, light brown hair and many small braids. He seemed to be having some kind of problem (depression or something). I did not know what was going on. There were some waitresses at their station nearby (apparently we were in a restaurant or cafeteria). They too were "captives" of our invaders, but they seem to have been there a long time and seem comfortable with their situation. At least two of them obviously spoke Spanish and it crossed my mind to solicit their help in escaping in Spanish. However, after a few moments observations, I determined that they would not be likely to help. They were all young, pretty and obviously doing much better than they had before the invasion began. Meanwhile, my captor(s) were speaking with the young man with the braids. He had gotten up from the table ... I could not tell what they were talking about. My "guard" was stand behind me; reached around and pulled the chair out from the table where the young man had been sitting. I thought he was inviting me to sit down, and so I did so. Everyone got quiet and stopped what they were doing to gape at me and young braid-boy just looked and me with a big grin on his face. I heard some whispering and realize I should not have sat down, being just "a slave" (or "fresh captee" or whatever I was). I got back up and one of my captors laughed at my error. My immediate guard whispered something to me about that being the "the son's" seat. I came to understand (in some way) that braid-boy was the son of the "General" or whoever it was running the invasion (I still don't know who the were)...

...at this point this extremely detailed dream fades. This was another of those dreams that felt like I was reliving someone else's experiences, not my own.

9:36a - While yesterday was bright and sunny, today is overcast and dreary. However, it does not seem to be very cold (at 8:53am CST it was 49°f)

1:29p - Another boring weekend! I have been sitting in front of my computer all day... once again... until my back aches. Updating, revising and fine tuning my many web sites. This morning I work a lot on my Klingon pages.

1:52p - Just finished updating my History page for jubchuQun. Added some pictures. It makes such a difference! Now I am going to load PhotoShop back on my PC.

9:46p - Chuck call around 6pm and we talked for about 31 minutes. Mark H. had a relapse and had to be hospitalized, but he is going to visit Chuck for New Years. They are just going to stay home though... that is probably best. I ordered my quarter's supply of meds. The cost (without my insurance) is over $3,037.00! <sigh> ... I am glad I have the insurance, but what will I do when/if I lose it? I just don't know. It's a very scary thought.

9:50p - It is getting close to time for bed... another boring weekend comes to a close and another tedious week lies ahead. I need a life!

9:58p - Actually, I have some rice cooking. I need some supper (though I've been munching all day... typically).

Monday - December 29, 2003

Kira woke me 3-4 time last night. She needed to go out about 4 times night!

Today was a rough day. Very busy.

Got very little done on-line tonight. I got into an online conversation with one "Azure Breeze" who seemed to think she was some sort of holy blessed one of the "medicine people" ... Tsalagi, I assume. I tried to speak with her reasonably, but everything I said she wanted to argue with. I even went so far as to send to her a sample of "Iingsaakte" and she would not or could not respect the sacredness of such. Another member of the Holy sect of the Wannabes I guess. I hate to debate or argue my ancestry. I either am what I am, or I am not. If I am not, then I know no better. It was what I believe and there is no arguing with such. <sigh>

She could have no comprehension or understanding of my life, what I have been through or how well I have done under the circumstances. It is sad that she has left me disturbed, bothered, and feeling as though I have been attacked. I am so sorry I shared with this person... it was my error. I guess this type of thing will happen, on occasion on the internet. One must be wary.

Tuesday - December 30, 2003

1:08a - It is way past time for bed! The stupid conversation with Azure Breeze took up most of my evening. I am sorry I bothered to be polite and congenial... no... no I am not. I am sorry I am having such harsh feelings. This person's ignorance should not affect me so. May the Creator guide me in this matter...

7:14p - Upon reflection, I think I should have told "Azure Breeze" that I am a grown man, nearly half a century old, I have served my government, I have served my country, I meet my obligations, pay my bills and keep my word. I have worked hard at work all day and if I want to come home and have few beers, it it within my rights and my decision. ... whatever.

7:24 - I called Florida tonight and got Michael S's address tonight. I am going write him a letter and catch him up on our life here in MO/IL.

I ordered DSL today!!!

7:28p - I get to got in late to work tomorrow.

11:33p - I just got back from walking over to BP with Kira. They would not let her in. I played simi-blind. She could have made an exellent seeing-eye dog. She can almost do the job with no training!

Wednesday - December 31, 2003

1:18a - I am still drunk on my ass ... I am off to bed soon!

I got to go in late to work today, but worked until 6:00p as usual.

Skip and I went over to Tad & Deana's for a little party they were having and rung in the new year.

THUS ENDS THE TWO-THOUSAND AND FOUTH YEAR A.D.