Why aren't my pictures coming up?

If anyone knows the answer to the title of this posting, please feel free to help me out. I haven't had time to figure out this little puzzle, nor do I think I have the capability even if I had a weeks time to give my undivided attention to the problem.

Dr. J and I are in the middle of watching the first season of 24. I wish I had listened to our friends Maureen and Diego back in the day when they told us we would love that show because now we are completely addicted and it's costing us money to feed the addiction. It's just as well during the summer because there's nothing much on TV (save Dancing with the Stars) but the new season of Lost is right around the corner and we are going to have to start scheduling our evenings to get all this hard work in.

Also, since J and I are right around the corner with this house thing (we hope) let's start looking towards the Other Perks of getting out of our apartment .... namely, Dr. J will let me get another kitty. (Yes, we had wanted a dog, but it's looking like the house and yard will be a touch too small to support the canine of our choosing) .... Thus, shall we start thinking of names? Any ideas, little friends?

To guide your thoughts, with the exception of Daisy, I have always named the little ones after some favorite characters from books, movies, musicals, etc. Any favorites among you?

Dreamy Stupor

I am way too young to have chronic back pain but I do. It's in this one crampey spot and I can't get rid of it. Believe it or not I am pretty sure it's an ergonomic issue that I got from my last job which got so bad, I think I'm never going to rid myself of it. Anyway, so last night I took a muscle relaxer that the doc had given me (with much warning as to the drowsiness effects of it) and I fell into a drug induced coma which took me about 15 hours to sleep off. Needless to say I was a little late to work, but my back does feel a little better.

We had our quiktrip to the Big D this weekend to watch my little bro marry his new bride. In spite of absolutely everything going wrong for them, they still got married, so the end result was the same. At least the rain held off until 10 pm, as requested. Thanks, God, for a very timely, answered prayer.

Of panties and stockings ...

A friend of mine, and I mean "friend" in the true sense of the word, not code for "something-embarrassing-that-happened-to-me" (I really have no problem posting all my stupid stunts on the internet and claiming them as my own) went for her annual visit to the GYN recently. No, she didn't get stuck midway through a mammogram for 2.5 hours while the power went out and didn't accidentally use her daughter's glitter soaked washcloth to clean up that morning, she simply doesn't live in the United States at present and observed a few subtle differences between the procedure here and there. I didn't ask, but I'll venture a guess that it was still cold and unpleasant. Essentially, she had to undress, walk across the room, and lay on the "observation table" completely naked in front of her doctor. No one gave her a gown or an option.

It's no secret that nakedness is much more ... errr ... available outside of the States than it is within. And for someone like me who is painstakingly modest, I think I would have absolutely blushed from head-to-toe. My friend probably dealt with the situation with much better poise (in the psychological sense) than I would have. She simply accepted that there were no gowns in the available undressing area and just understood the situation. I probably would have asked for a gown and upon rejection, successively named each article of clothing I was wearing, begging to keep one of them on. Even if I ended up laying on an aluminum observation table wearing nothing but stockings.

It probably doesn't help any that when I was 12 I had to start going to the doctor every three months to get my back x-rayed (scoliosis). Mom and I didn't really know what to expect from the initial visit, certainly if we knew I was going to have to wear a hospital gown that didn't close in the back while I waddled back and forth across the room like a duck and then bent over and touched my toes in front of this Doogie Howser of an M.D. that we had given a "10" to when we walked in, I would have worn panties with fewer holes in them. Incidentally, the doctor had to ask my mother to leave the room until after the examination was over because she couldn't stop laughing. Dad was never prouder.

When Tragedy Strikes ...

I'm unspeakably saddened by what has happened to New Orleans and all along the Gulf Coast, and more than a little ashamed at the timeliness of our goverment's response.

However, I'm so proud of how the citizens in all the nearby states have turned out in droves to help out in any way they can, and the financial support from everyone else in the United States. Being from Texas, I'm hearing tons of stories of the outpouring of generosity from all the people there - giving their time, talents, clothing, food ... my mom is even doing laundry. Just to support the hundreds of thousands of people that are staying in shelters in Texas requires tens of thousands of citizens to help support them there. In the small county that I'm from alone, there are 1,000 refugees. And everyone is working to support them ... willingly, happily, and thankful to help.

I've never been prouder to call myself a Texan.

In total, I spent 10 hours on the phone with various airlines yesterday

And now we are on our way to Dallas for my brother's wedding this weekend instead of Houson/Galveston. Very much a last minute change. Their honeymoon cruise has also been cancelled since Carnival has donated the use of some of their cruise ships as shelters. I'm sure my brother and his wife don't mind a bit helping out the hurricane victims, however, you would think that Carnival would NOTIFY them of their cancelled cruise. They just luckily came across the cancellation while websurfing late Sunday night and had to call to verify.

Sigh. If only Dr. J and I could run the world. People would find out their cruise has been cancelled before they drive 6 hours to the dock.

That and air travel would be free. I don't know how I would work that out, but I would.

And cars would endlessly run off of their own emissions and there would be no pollution or $4 gas.

And world peace. And chocolate chip cookies would make you lose weight.

Let me warn you away from Delta

Delta is the most unorganized airline ever. We were given some flyer miles to use on the airline and it is nearly impossible to do, and it takes AT LEAST 2 - 4 hours to figure out what you can't do because their website and phone system BLOWS. Their phone system has left me on hold for 20+ minutes and then hung up on me before I get to speak with anyone THREE TIMES IN SUCCESSION. And I'm having to call them because to find ONE flight that's available for milage purchase takes half an hour. Not to mention how long it takes to compare flights.

DELTA. MAKE A CALENDAR OF YOUR BLACKOUT DATES AND/OR DATES WHICH REQUIRE HIGHER MILAGE. IT'S JUST NOT THAT HARD.

We never fly with them and this experience of attempting to fly with them has been so horrendous that I can't wait for it to be over and then to never mention their name again.

Maybe I will turn this blog into a place where you can publicly let others know how various companies - large and small - try to take advantage of the american consumer. I've got a few stories.

I love that I'm spending my entire holiday on this. Thanks.

Back to Happy Friday

I'm not sure what's to become of this thing, the blog thing, since it's original purpose has now been fulfilled. You've all seen my through my voyage to ColOmbia and have returned with, and beared with me through the initial marital chaos. So now what? Do I keep it up?

My current schedule isn't providing me with the mountainous supply of computer time I had grown accustomed to at my previous employment. Not that I'm complaining. I do, however, have a nugget of a story to share with you later, but for now, Good Morning to All and (in the spirit of yesteryear) ...

"The crime bill passed by the Senate would reinstate the Federal death penalty for certain violent crimes: assassinating the President; hijacking an airliner; and murdering a government poultry inspector."
Knight Ridder News Service dispatch

That should keep the gamecocks happy.

Oh, and GIG'EM AGS!!

Pop This, Mr. Computer Man

So here at the U, even if you are a graduate student, they won't allow you to have administrative privileges on your own machine. Which means you can't do hardly ANYTHING during the day without having to call Mr. Computer Man. I even had to bring him in so I could use my jump drive. UGH!

And I have a personal preference for utilizing a pop-up blocker. Mr. Computer Man says I don't need one because he doesn't have one and it doesn't bother him, so no. How on earth can this possibly violate the university computer policies? It's not like I said can I please have a pop-up blocker that also allows me to download music illegally onto the university network? I'm thinking if I could secretly install a blocker on his machine and he can see how nice it is to not mess with ANY pop-ups, that I might win this battle.

I still need to figure out how to deceptively word the phrase, so how 'bout those instant messaging programs?

And why do computer men not feel the need to wear long pants at work? And why combo the denim cutoffs with a blousy Hawaiian tee? Is it part of their coursework to pick a decade and just go with it?

Wish us Luck!!

Tomorrow, Dr. J and his new wife will embark on the all important, house hunt.

I have the willie-gigs just thinking about what I would do when I don't have to step over the coffee table to sit down on the couch.

When does it stop?

I find the last three comments in my previous post absolutely disgusting. Can't I just write into cyberspace without having to worry about brown-noser-advertisers who are trying to flatter me so that I will visit their site (although a little cheap satelitte tv never hurt nobody)?

Their comments will remain and I hope you all hang your head in humiliation for your little antics.

You know who you are.

As in ... Go Cocks!

I would like to publicly answer a question that was posted on this site. Given the answer, I believe it is important that it be given our undivided attention.

The mascot for USC (no, the other USC ... on the east coast) is the Gamecocks. Like a rooster. Interestingly enough, their rival is Clemson (who the Ags are going to beat the hell outta come next Saturday!!) Tigers. I don't think any of us lay awake at night wondering whether a rooster would actually stand a chance against a tiger, but there are those here that seem to think otherwise. Maybe that's why they call it a cock instead, so you don't realize you're wearing poultry on your jersey.

And yes, there is much paraphenelia here that reads simply, "COCKS". I saw a skinny little freshman girl running around with that very phrase tatooed across her behind on a pair of rather skimpy athletic shorts she was wearing. Is she aware of the message she's sending out, or is she just that naive?

I've been here for 7 days

And I've already lost my keys. This is really going to impress my boss.

We here at Dance to the Rhythm apologize for the inconvenience

I can't say I am ashamed of this, I just simply haven't gotten around to it, but as of today I am back to checking my email address that is posted on this blog. To those of you that have emailed me there anytime in the past 3 months, you'll be hearing from me soon.

I like to use the word mature, rather than old

I haven't quite fallen into the student role yet (other than I did my laundry in the middle of the day on Thursday), I really don't think I am going to feel that way for a while. I've spent most of my week teaching 6th graders (SO fun by the way!). I have my first Wifely Duty this weekend with the Husband's Coworkers. I already feel like a cliche.

I've definitely moved to a college town though. Yesterday while driving in my car, I heard The College Song on the radio. To give you an idea, the chorus contained the lyrics "Oh Dad! Won't you be proud! I can do a keg stand for two minutes now!" and then some kind of similar message to his mother about coke and bourbon costing $2, then yada yada, the girls are easy ... Imagine my utter delight.

Oh and those 6th graders I'm teaching were born when I was a junior in high school. I don't think they would even believe me if I told them we didn't have the internet when I was in school. Friends, you are all very old people.

Honeymoon in a nutshell

We went to an island off the coast of Colombia near Cartegena. I hear Cartegena is not what it used to be. I was starting to get this feeling right about the time that random man on the street accosted me and requested that I eat his ... err ... excrement. I politely declined. It's still a beautiful city and I want to go back once they decide it's time to rid the city of the plague of vendors that is currently swarming their streets.

The island was very remote and very private, it took a very rocky 2 hour speed boat ride to get there. Friends with sea sick tendencies would have been toast. Upon arrival we were welcomed with a nice young gentleman handing us chilled beverages as we exited the boat, had lunch immediately and then headed off to settle in the room. Nap #1. On average, we took 2 to 3 naps (ranging from one to three hours) a day .... some in the room, some on the beach under the huts. I had no idea how tired I was till I got there and had nothing to do but sleep.

Dr. J and I had different ideas about a pleasant day on the beach. I was looking forward to flying through a couple books (sadly, I inadvertently abandoned Harry Potter on the plane) beneath the huts, getting an afternoon massage, and sucking down one pina colada after the next. Dr. J had starry eyes dreaming of the kayaking, snorkeling and sand castle building that lay ahead. Most of the week was some combination thereof, but it's terribly difficult to have productive reading time when your child is in the water constantly screaming, "look at me! look at me! come see this!". Sadly, I didn't have the camera with me the day the Grand Castle was constructed so I can't show you Dr. J's handiwork that was so extensive that it nearly caused us to miss lunch hour. (Also, let me point out that there were a couple dozen children under the age of 12 and NONE of them built sand castles until after old school Dr. J took the initiative)

I did manage to get that massage, oh and to have a friendly native woman spend two hours braiding my hair (photos to come). The only bad thing about the week was that the food wasn't really up to par. This could be considered a good thing since we didn't eat ourselves into oblivion, however, by "par" I mean that I spent one night Praying to the Porcelain God until the island nurse came and injected a syringe into my bo. On my honeymoon. It was most embarrassing, yet somehow very fitting for me. It was sort of another welcoming ceremony to Dr. J so he could really see what he'd gotten into.

I suppose there is more, we'll see if I get to it later.

New Town, New Name

I thought it would be convenient to take care of some of this name change stuff before I get too settled into this new town. I think most people wait a few weeks before they start having to fill out thousands upon thousands of forms, but not me, I have to fill them out right now. And since the name change thing takes a few days to process, I will have to fill them all out again in a few weeks and then probably battle for the next 3 years what could have been avoided if everything just went my way all the time.

And it is so very very humid here. I've already sweat off half my body weight running between offices here. It's most unsightly.

Ahhhhhhhh

Home.

After about a 17 hour drive yesterday, Dr. J and I have finally crawled into our own private space. There's lots to do this weekend so that we can actually walk and/or sit somewhere in this apartment, but at least these don't involve sleeping in other people's beds or driving across the Continental U.S. The only bad thing is that it doesn't really feel much like home here and probably won't for a while.

Maybe a Tivo would help :-)

No stories here ... no time yet

What a whirlwind of sightseeing these last few days have been. And oh just fyi to the parents, if you really want those grandbabies that you are ALREADY pressuring us about, don´t put us in side-by-side twin beds. You guys know how it works.

To all: I would like to announce that after a FIVE AND ONE HALF MONTH dry spell, I will be returning to my own bed this Friday night.

More that Dance to their own Rhythm

I´ll have to start further back and work my way up to present time. There´s a story that the world really shouldn´t have to wait a second longer to hear, anyone who was at my wedding probably heard it, but it´s so classic, I know they´ll all still laugh when they hear it again. And again.

My "rehearsal dinner" was more of eating barbeque at a friend´s house in town, uber-low-key. Rehearsal ran a little late, imagine that, so we all showed up about 45 minutes late to the dinner and I felt awful since we had several friends that were just joining us for the dinner and had probably been waiting on us that whole time, hanging out with my friends that they didn´t know. They were amusing themselves, I needn´t have worried.

I have many friends that sort of just float around in their own little bubbles, paying enough attention to things to just get by and use the correct gender bathroom. One of them was heading up this group. She and her husband came with the husband and 10-month old of one of my bridesmaids. However, not having REALLY looked at the directions and only gotten the general idea of where things were, they stopped about 15 houses too early at the first party they saw.

Intruders: Knock, knock, knock. Hi! I´m Carm and this is my husband Dom and this is Heather´s husband Matt!

People who had all reason to be there: Great! Come on in! Help yourself to some food and make yourself at home!

So scuttles in the trio and baby who settle themselves into a few plates of cheese crackers and set up baby with a bib and some munchies so they can hang out to wait for the wedding party to show.

(THIRTY MINUTES PASSES. It should be noted that during this time the party photographer took their photo for the scrapbook.)

Trio decides to be more social, Dom´s off to get a Margarita, and Carm´s mingling with Matt in tow. So they start making the rounds...

People who had all reason to be there: So, whose baby is this?

Intruders: Heather´s baby.

People who had all reason to be there: OH! .... Who´s Heather?

Intruders: A friend of Amber

People who had all reason to be there: OHHHHHH!!!! ... Who´s Amber?

Intruders: The .... bride?

People who had all reason to be there: Umm ... we`re realtors.

(Matt and Carm left to clean up baby cracker crumbs while Dom bolts at world record pace for the door. More photos taken for scrapbook)

Will be returning to dance to the rhythm soon

Well the wedding is over, the honeymoon is pretty much over and there is much to tell... Dr. J and I have had a great time ... followed by some rather interesting times that will make great stories in the future. All to come soon ...