Inappropriate Card Day!!!

Tired and Complicated

Well, the hubby is in the hospital... diabetic complications which have resulted in a never-healing foot ulcer becoming infected for the third time in less than two years.  The minimum he will be there is a 23-hour observation (which would mean home tomorrow evening-ish).  THANKFULLY, they will be referring him to a wound care clinic upn discharge, so that *hopefully* something will finally start heading in the right direction for this nasty, ulcerated right foot.  *shudder*

Actually, his doctor while I was there was the ONLY doctor in that ER that actually *did* anything for my pain, and got me to the point that, even though I arrived not even able to stand, I walked out of the building on my own.  Sweet.  And his nurse (former drummer, apparently!) really kicked some major bedside butt since he spent a solid 10 minutes answering any questions I had regarding Ralph's treatment and such.

At least I know that he BIG man is being taken care of.  The LITTLE man... eek.  We didn't have the greatest of days... once AGAIN.

Just before getting ready to head over to the hospital to bring Ralph a couple things (including something to eat - YUCK!  They gave him a "cold-pack lunch" that apparently tasted like it had been in someone's SHOE all day), I walk into the computer room, not only to find Grey standing in my office chair... but standing there with his fingernails painted.  Well, more like every finger from the knuckle to the tip painted.  YES... and it was up on the SECOND shelf of the compter hutch, which means that in the whole five minutes *maybe* that I was out of the room, he HAD to have climbed onto the desk ITSELF at least briefly.  *sigh*

Did I mention that he also got streaks of red, shimmery polish all over a BRAND new pair of gripper socks from Old Navy??  And *somehow* managed to get nail polish in a stripe up the inside of his thigh??  Aaaaand... (here's the kicker) he got a nickel-shaped glob of nail polish that just *barely* managed to not seep all the way through on the crotch of his UNDERWEAR.  I don't get it... was this child trying to paint hib nuts?!?  GEEBUZ!!!

So, I head to the hospital, blah blah blah... Watch the last 20 minutes of House (THAT'S how much he should appreciate me, damnit - I left to bring him food knowing FULL well that I'd be missing HOUSE!!), hang out a bit more to make sure I talk to both he nurse AND the doctor.  Great.  No problem... 8:25, gonna head home... Aaaaand, I arrive home to a *very* in trouble little boy.

He used PAM for HAIRSPRAY.  (How he even GOT into it is beyond me.)  He now looks like a greaser... and all because I *refused* to give him a bath at that moment in time, right before bed, since bathtime is a HORROR when it comes down to washing his hair.

Someone want to borrow a really CUTE three year old who's in the middle of a preschool "PMS" phase?!?

I Have Found the Secret...

To getting any form of essay done.

Take some sleeping pills, a couple of Vicodin... and three to four hours later, you somehow have a full-blown, previously unresearched paper in hand, ready to turn in - and even at an additional two pages above the required minimum!!  AND - it's completed 5 days before it is even due.  Take THAT, writer's block!

Yes, I *did* turn this paper in.  No, I have *not* yet received the grade for said paper.  Heh.

I suppose we'll see how perfect my "secret" truly is in, oh, a few days?  Hehehehe...

Neurologist Visit

Well, based on the MRI from early October, my neurologist said that he would NOT perform surgery, because it would more than likely cause more problems than it's worth.  However.  I *do* have to get a NEW MRI's done, since things can change (and there is a strong feeling that they have, since I have new symptoms and worsening pain, etc.), and then WE'LL SEE.  Ugh.

A big part of me *wants* there to be a difference on the MRI... No, not because I want to be faced with some sort of serious problem, but so that there is some sort of *actual* reasoning behind why I'm in so much pain everyday.  Over the weekend, I was lucky that we were still able to go through with our Valentine's day plans.  Thank GOODNESS for having a hanidcapped placard in the car, or else?  Yeah, Ralph would have had to drop me off at the door both at the theatre and then again at dinner before parking the car.  Yes, I was in THAT bad shape trying to friggin walk.  It took me a minimum of 20-25 steps before I could even stand up all the way.  =(

So, for now?  I'm on Vicodin & Flexeril... which from past experiences, I might as well just take Greyson's gummy bear vitamins and feel the same effect.  *sigh*  OH!  And if surgery isn't what's on the plate, then I'll be sent off to a pain management clinic... which is different than the pain REHABILITATION clinic that I spent 6 weeks worth of my time at, only to be discharged because improvement had plateaued.  Fun, fun!  At the new place, it most likely will be full of acupressure and acupuncture, pain meds, steroid injections, blah blah blah.  At this point, I have lost alot of hope, simply because I have had not ONE SINGLE DAY of being pain-free (except for while on Dilaudid and Valium for pain & spasms, which, let's face it, only the ER will dish out) since July of 2007.  Yeah, coming up on two friggin years of this hell... and I canNOT wish for Spring to get here fast enough, because the cold is BRUTAL on me.

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On top of all this, Greyson didn't go to sleep until after 11:30 last night, and was up at 7:45am.  What?!?!  Ohh, it's going to me yet another day where I MAKE him take a nap, because *I* have seminar tonight, and knowing my luck, he'll be pushing ALL of Ralph's buttons while I'm in the middle of class - or he'll be trying tto go to bed before 8pm, which will just recycle the early rising and crabbbbbbbbby kid vicious cycle all over again.  *sigh*  He's already had a HORRIBLE week ALL last week, and I was SO hoping that maybe this week would be different.  So far, NO good.

I stil haven't finished the papers I have due tonight, which is NOT. GOOD.  Obviously.  So, I suppose I should be off to do just that.  YUCK.  Wish me luck!!!  =P

The Back of My Head is NUMB.

So, I've had a migraine since... um, Tuesday night?  And Thursday night, the back of my head started to feel a little weird.  Nothing that really freaked me out, but it was a little.. numb.

Last night, while out with my mom, I went to re-pull my hair back, and noticed that not only was it *still* numb, but it was the entire back of my head, all the way down to where the base of my skull is, and from side to side from the back of one ear to the other.  So, I mention it casually to my mom, who proceeds to mildly *freak.*  Joy.  It never even crossed my mind, what with the pain of the migaine for dayd on end, as well as my back, neck, AND shoulders hurting without relief for a couple days, that this 'numbness' thing could even REMOTELY be anything worth mentioning - and definitely not something to have a heart attack over.

Last night became, "Let's do a WebMD symptom search,' and see what comes up.  Gee, look at that.  Scalp numbness can result from: migraines, neck or shoulder tension and spasms, stress, anxiety, or nerve impingement.  I'm thinking that, without even THINKING about consulting a doctor I KNOW I have 5 of the 6 possibilities listed... yeah.  So, no ER visits for me this weekend.

I *am* however seeing a neurologist Monday morning.  SO, don't be surprised if I come home all flipped out and stressing because he mentioned the dreaded *S* word when it comes to what to do about my back problems.  *breathe, Lari, BREATHE*

Yesterday, though, I talked to my Academic Advisor over the phone, and she told me (regarding the possible ss...sssurr...the S word!), to just go DO it, so I can focus on healing and rebuilding and letting my body take over actual repairs NOW than rather when I am older and have gone through even MORE pain, and the possibilities of further injury the longer I wait and the more time that passes.  Well.

It makes sense.  It doesn't mean that I am no longer afraid... but it *would* be better to get all "healed up" before I'm done with school, rather than have to hope that with my present condition, I could find a job once I'm done.  Hmph.  I *hate* when people come along and just tornado al lof what I *thought* I had already worked out.  Damn.

Later, I am hoping that (at least by the times our plans start) I feel at least SOMEWHAT physically better (if not, maybe I can get some forom of pain control rockin, I don't know).  Because, surprisingly, the hubby and I are going to a movie (of course, it's the new damn Friday the 13th one... LOL) and to Benihana for dinner... SUCH a better option that trying to get in at Red Lobster (which we could honestly do almost any other time) since they don't take reservations.  Mmmm... hibachi. =)

So, there we go.  Tomorrow, the new bed is being picked up from IKEA.  The new mattress is here waiting.  The brand spanking new gorgeous microsuede bedset is here.  We have 3 new sets of sheets (with 2 more to be picked up, since I had to rain-check them).  All I *need* to do in this whole bedroom rre-vamp is bring the dresser downstairs, put together the new DVD stand I picked up yesterday, and go pick up (no, I'm NOT kidding) *7* brand new pillows in order to replace all the ones we have.  LOL

BUSY day, comfy results.  I'm *really* considering picking up a contoured cervical pillow for Ralph in the hopes that, since he'll be moving back into the bedroom with the revamp (buy a new bed, get your husband back, for FREE!  Heh.), but I'm afraid that he'll wind up snoring like a hippo in heat again (for some reason, the alignment of the couch relieved 99% of his snoring issues) and it will completely negate any and all progress being made with MY insomnia... since when he snores like that, I want to smother him with a pillow.

So, I guess the question is... has anyone had any luck with these pillows?  You know, the curvy ones that are supposed to cradle your neck when lying on your back??  Because on his side?  VERY little if ANY snoring... on his back?  I can hear him from the kitchen.  Upstairs.  Through closed doors.  UGH.

I Bet You Had No Idea...BEFORE They Picked the "Current" Bella. Heh.

Create your own FACEinHOLE

Busy, Busy, Busy...

Oooh, tomorrow (today??) is looking like it's gonna be a doozy.

First off, for some INSANE reason, my insurance decided that after over seven months of me taking Effexor 150s, that they needed prior authorization from my doctor.  Um, WTF?  I *just* had a 14-day prescription filled for it, gee, 14 days ago (I didn't get a full month's worth called in, because my doctor wanted to go over some bloodwork results with me, etc.).  So on Friday, when I dropped off the Rx for a 30-day supply, that evening they called me to tell me of the pre-authorization.  WAY after the doc's office was closed, so no luck until Monday.  I took my LAST PILL Monday morning, and SHOCKER!  Called Walgreens and things hadn't been taken care of yet.  Gee.  They had BETTER have it done tomorrow, or else WITHDRAWLS here I come!!

I have to call my GP (regular doc) to see if she will fax me a referral for a neurologist.  I *would* go see her, but just for this would mean an hour in the car for a piece of paper to give to ANOTHER doctor.  And considering that I honestly had to spend most of my day in BED because it was excrucating to even walk... yeah.  Car rides (especially with me driving, since the worst of my pain is on the right side) = OUCH.  It's not like I can lay back the seat and take the pressure off while tending to, oh I don't know, TRAFFIC?!?

I have to call my former college to find out A) how much money they CLAIM I owe them, so that I can have them release my transcripts to where I'm going now for my CSI degree.  So, another call and another bill to pay.

I need to call around to various neurologists in the area to ensure that they even *accept* my insurance.  The make an appointment, which only God knows how long it will be before I can actually GET one.

Since out-of-the-blue, MetalliDad decided he'd take me to dinner and a movie on Saturday for V-Day, I have to call the restaurant (Red Lobster) and see if I can get a reservation.  I don't even know if they TAKE reservations.  Hmph.

And I *still* have to finish this DAMNED paper for Criminal Law.  For some reason, I just canNOT organize my thoughts regarding "the medical, psychological, and social effects placed upon the reasoning for allowing children (sometimes as young as seven) to be tried as adults, but not be given the death penalty."  Well, yeah - I don't think that giving a kid the lethal injection is right - but I have to cite a minimumm of three specific law cases as reference, and turn it into a five-page-minimum paper.  Yep.  I haven't even gotten past the first paragraph, and it's SUPPOSED to be due Tuesday at 11:59pm.  (Kaplan has such a strange schedule!)

I need to compile my first set of interview questions for a friend's hubby (who's a cop) for an interview paper that is due NEXT Tuesday (GOD, I love midterms!!  *gag*).

I need to give my child at least a makeshift haircut and do a mini-photoshoot with him, because my Dad's birthday is the 11th, and my (our) gift to him is a large collage of recent photos of Grey.  Which, after I take them, need to be run through Photoshop for the whole collage-y effect and such that I want... and then uploaded to WalMart.  Which then means I have to GO to WalMart.

While at WalMart, I also need to pick up new curtains, our new mattress (thank GOD it's memory foam, and compressed to the absolute MAX in a box, or else my broken self would never even be able to ATTEMPT to pick up this item!!), curtain rods, look at paint and poosibly BUY said paint, buy fabric for pillows Grey & I are making for both "Daddy & Papa" for Valentine's day, pick up a journal, and get some craft foam for both making a new cover for said journal (my Aunt's gift) and to make craft-foam roses for "Gia" (my Mom).

Whew!  Of course, there are also quite a few other things on my WalMart list, but I will spare you the details of listing EVERYTHING.  This biggest issue here is that I promised Greyson he could come with me, so he could help pick out all the details for the materials needed to make all these V-Day projects... *sigh*  I just hope I can manage to keep him away from any toys, DVDs, or computer / PS2 / Nintendo DS games while there.  Otherwise, it may end in disaster for us BOTH.  =P

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Out of the blue... do they make cushions for the bathtub?  Not the typical "HI, I'm an inflatable pillow for you to rest your head on!" type, but like one that you can lean against AND sit on??  I have run into the dilemma, since my back/hip/everything lower body because my NERVES are being compressed, that sitting in the tub - while the heat feels fabulous - is still painful (especially after my body cools down) from sitting on the hard ass tub floor.  And taking a shower?  Good for cleansing, not so much for easing severe lower back pain.  DAMN.
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I think I need a clone.  A clone of me from, say, 10 years ago.  One that can do all the things that I currently no longer can.  Oh!  Did I mention!?!?  Especially since it looks like I *may* be getting a job as a Medical Transcriptionist - where I can work from home, because why does it matter where you listen to doctors yap away and type what you hear??  =P  Considering that during my stint as a medical & surgical assistant, I was the ONLY ONE IN THE OFFICE that actually wrote down the pertinent information in each patient's chart, so much so that any patient *I* handled with the doc?  He didn't need to sit down and dictate anything later.  Yeah, I think I know what I'm doing.  Heh.

But of course, a clone would be nice... then one of us could focus on school, the other on work, and the other can run around just being physically crazy like I used to be.  =)

It nearly kills me some days that I can't run around with Greyson and spend an hour on the floor with him.  Thankfully, he is one of the most understanding children I have ever met (especially for his age), and knows WHY I can't, and that it's not by choice.  I am thankful EVERY DAY (even the days where he acts like an ASS!) for him... I honestly don't know where I'd be without him.

And with that, it is almost 5 am.  And I have yet to sleep - at ALL!!!  Hooray!  (Not so much.  Blah.)
See you on the other side, y'all... I'm gonna *try* to catch a little shut-eye.  =)

Closure... Long Distance

So, this week has been a busy one, to say the least.  Since my great-uncle lived so far from here (approximately an 8 hour drive through MASSIVE amounts of snow right now), we've been trying to settle everything long-distance.  As it stands, they can't find a will registered up there, and with my Mom being listed as next-of-kin, there's a house, and whatever is left of his finances, etc. that all, legally, gets passed to her. 

I'm guessing you can see where the problem lies now.

With it all being so far away, we have *no idea* what shape anything has been left in, or really what all is even left.  Last I knew, he had a GREAT truck garaged up there, but as of right now, we have no idea if it was sold or not.  And no clue as to how to even get any of the records.  I mean, how do you determine what properties someone has from hundreds of miles away without a will being found?

We know that he has a now-unused plot in Chicago that he bought when my grandpa passed away... but he's being buried in Roscommon.  There is the possibility that there may be a will registered here in Chicago... but how do you find out?  I'm so clueless on all this, even with all the geneaology research I've done. =(

We just got the obituary taken care of yesterday, mentioning how much of friend he was of all the "woodland creatures" that he took the time to befriend over many, many years of literally living surrounded by woods.  We got just as many pictures of deer, raccoons, etc. than we did of his cats - cats that he ALWAYS had at least one of for as long as even my Mom can remember.

There are so many routes to go for doing more research on him for my tree...  He was intially in the Latvian army, but was captured as a P.O.W. by the German army during WWII.  They forced him into the German army, and he was then captured by the British army, again being forced to fight on their side.  He wound up working in a nursery in England for the army after WWII fizzed out.

I think the coolest part is that pretty much all of my Latvian relatives met in the camp.  My grandma, her sister, my grandpa and great uncle, and my great uncle (that married my grandma's sister).  My grandma and her sister even had a double wedding while still in the camp.  There are SO many stories with that group of family members...

Does anyone have any ideas for how to go about getting records?  I'm so lost here, it's making me crazy...

And Yet, Once Again, I Find Myself Saying, "Fuuuuuuuu...."

So, I have not just one, but TWO papers due tomorrow night at midnight.  I also just realized (you'd think I would have checked on this SOONER!) that from this point until the end of term, I have a paper due EVERY. SINGLE. WEEK. for my Criminal Law class.  YIKES!

Here's the problem:  I *never* have trouble writing papers.  Honest.  But with law?  I just can't seem to get my thoughts organized enough in my head to get them down on paper (or on the screen, as it may be).  The last paper drove me NUTS, and now I am staring now this newest one, with less than one page done, when it needs to be 2-4 pages.  And the knowledge that I have my MIDTERM paper due a week from tomorrow?

Yeah.  My brain is MUSH.

And... AND!  I have another FORSAKEN interview project due for my Investigations course... this time, it has to be on someone who is an ACTUAL investigator in some form.  Ummm, too bad I don't KNOW anyone even CLOSELY resembling the type of person I need to interview.  So this leaves me with the biggest of "duhhhhhh" loops running through my brain.

So, between weekly quizzes, pretty much weekly papers for Law, and at least BI-weekly assignments in various mediums... I'm rethinking whether I want to take up the offer I have on the table - to take not just two, but THREE classes next term, due to me making both the Dean's List and the President's List last term.  As it stands, I am enrolled in a math class, as well as a class on "Terrorism Today."  I think I need to look close (and HARD!) at what that next class would be before I go making any crazy, rash decisions that just might find me bouncing off the walls of my very own, personal padded cell.

And then? What am I doing instead of busting my ass to get my papers done?  I'm HERE.  *smacks forehead*

Just so you all understand why if I seem to be missing for a bit?  It's because my textbooks ATE ME.  Well, either that, or, in my stupified state, Greyson tied me to a chair and is dancing circles around me while eating all the chocolate hidden in the house.

I'm just sayin'.  Heh.

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back...

Well, just as I was starting to get convinced that 2009 truly WAS going to be much better than 2008... we got a phone call this afternoon.

My great-uncle in Roscommon, MI, passed away early this morning.  We are basically the only family that he had left, and none of us had seen him since March 5th, 2005, when Ralph and I drove up there from one of his shows in Ohio on the way home to pick up a car that he GAVE me... a 1988 Monte Carlo LS, in mint condition.  For nothing.  And then he mailed us a $1000 check a couple weeks later as a wedding gift.

He was up there - in his 90s - and the typical "Latvian age" temper and such had gotten to him a bit... but growing up, he was nothing but generous.  It was hard seeing him, even 4 years ago, because it was obvious had had at least a mild stroke already at that point.  That on top of a heavy accent that never left, and Ralph honestly understood almost none of what he said to him.

I feel like SHIT.  I was an absolute slacker, and hadn't gotten a letter or photos to him in FOREVER, and now it's too late.  I'm trying to be comforted by the fact that most of it probably wouldn't have registered much anyhow, since he had had a few strokes, and wasn't always "connected" - but then I am smacked by the fact that, whenever the chaplin at his nursing home would call us so that he could actually talk to some family, that the chaplin would relay the fact that "I love you"s brought tears to Uncle's eyes... I should have done more.  I just SHOULD have.

So the family has just been cut down by one more member... and like another member of the "family" said... all the Latvians that she and my mom grew up around are gone now, and it's like the torch is being passed down to them, and how much that scares her.  I can't even begin to tell you how much that scares me, too.  Because I have had to dance with my dad's mortality way too many times than I care to remember, and the fact that I see him in his bed everyday, in the same spot he was the last time I looked at him, doesn't help solidify anything other than that, either.

So, 2009 couldn't even bother to let us have a death-free first month.  If you all only knew how much I'm hoping that means that the rest will be spotless since it came on early...

Looking Forward to A Doctor's Visit?

I'm SO tired of this... the insomnia is back full-force, as you can see by my random before-dawn postings. I have an appointment at noon with my psych to discuss meds and such, and SO desperately need sleep medication AGAIN. The biggest problem is that none of the "traditional" sleep prescriptions work for me - never have - and with the last meds I was put on while at the pain clinic, I was adjusting to the doses at an alarming rate, having to increase the dosages and add "extra" meds every week to two weeks. It's unreal. It's like my body just plain doesn't produce the chemicals needed to sleep, normally, all on my own AT ALL anymore. =(

So, I've been doing a bit of research, mainly for fibromyalgia, and found one that is actually on the recommended list for people with fibro to take for sleep disorders, even though it's typically given for narcolepsy. I know, I thought, "Why the hell would you give someone with narcolepsy a tranquilizer?" but I guess it works somehow... and it's supposed to work well for fibro-related insomnia and such. I guess we'll see what the reaction is by the doc tomorrow when I bring that up to her. Maybe I should print out the article...???

So, the point is, I can't sleep. I'm back to living on about 20 hours of sleep a WEEK again, and on top of it all, Greyson's behavior and being PMS-y is NOT a good combination. My cycle is ALL jacked up, even with being on Seasonique, and I've NEVER had this problem before.

WARNING, TOTAL TMI BELOW!! lol

So, I wound up with a 16-day period. Seriously. In the middle of a three-month pack of Seasonique. And now? I'm on the "placebo pill" week, and PRAYED that maybe, I wouldn't get it since, hello? More than two weeks of bleeding that only ended two weeks ago? But no... sadly, I'm bleeding, and rather heavily.

So, I'm also trying to find any medication interactions that may have caused this, and have found NONE. Zip, zero. I had a COMPLETELY normal pap and such done about 3 months ago, so I have no idea what is jacking my system up, other than maybe a new symptom of the fibromyalgia - it's just that I haven't found ANYTHING to back up this suspicion.

And now... my right eye is clouding over. There must be something stuck to my contact.
Fab-u-lous.

I suppose I should head to bed now - after washing out my friggin' eye. LOL

A Step in the Right Direction

As many of you know, my Dad is a quadriplegic.  He suffered a devastating fall, here in the house, in June of 2006, fracturing three vertebrae in his neck, and compressing his spinal cord.  Within three days, he underwent two surgeries to stabilize his cervical vertebrae and to release the pressure on his spinal cord, after being airlifted to Milwaukee's Spinal Cord Injury Unit at Froedert Hospital.

He spent three months in the hospital, undergoing rigorous physical therapy in order to restore as much function as possible.  He came home able to walk short distances with assistance, but unable to do many things such as feed himself without assistance - the fine motor skills just weren't up to par.  Sure, he had some, but the technical aspects of many tasks never really were restored.  Plus, he tired very easily, and suffered from severe muscle spasms as a result of his injury.

As of today, he has spent the last two years completely bedridden.  Not long after returning home did his injuries take a turn for the worse, with instability prompting a couple very minor falls.  After being hospitalized one time and not receiving the physical therapy he needed, things got worse.  He wound up in a nursing home for approximately a month, and received NO therapy while there.  He came home, got into bed... and never left.

For this reason, I have been an advocate of stem cell research, and its promising studies on repairing spinal cord injuries.  On January 23rd, the FDA finally approved the first clinical trials of stem-cell injection for spinal cord injuries in human studies.

Nature: Stem Cell Research Gets the Go Ahead

Though most likely, this development will never impact my Dad and the prediction of his condition, it may very well be the precursor to many, many others never having to suffer the absolute collapse of their world, in our case, from a trip and fall in a narrow hallway.  This is one area of the world that I will be keeping a close, excited, but still weary eye upon.

Duuuuude...

Why is it that I actually fell asleep, only to wake 3 hours later feeling like it was *really* time to get up?

How is it that my Criminal Law professor thinks it's okay to have an essay due every two weeks... including the week before midterms?

WHY oh WHY do I have to complete ANOTHER interview for school, the second term in a row?

My migraine is gone.  At least *that's* a bonus.

Greyson is making me want to either put him in a closet or bury myself in a snow drift.  God knows there enough snow to accomplish the latter, but I'm not sure on room in a closet for the first part.

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Lately, Grey has found ALL the right (WRONG) buttons to push.  He honestly has been acting like a completely different child, and brought me to TEARS earlier, all because of how horrible his behavior had been all day (and the previous few days).  While he watched me cry (which I honestly HATE, but my GOD, he was bad!) he told me, "You're not a very good actor."  WTF?!?  I then folllowed up with, :So you think Mommy isn't really feeling this sad?  Doesn't it make you feel bad that you made Mommy cry?"  His response:  "Actually, I feel pretty good right now."  Gonna strangle him.  Not really.  But I can in my head, right?

He is *seriously* plagued by cabin fever, or SOMETHING, because the mood swings are just BEYOND anything I've ever seen come out of this boy.  He has taken on an alter-ego, "Greysop", taken from an accidental name-typing on one of his games.  Greysop is the BAD child, while my sweet little Greyson would NEVER act this way.  I wish I knew where GreysoN was hiding.

Ugh... it seems to be a once-a-month thing, like the child has PMS.  One week out of a month, he is a holy terror, hell-on-wheels demon child.  No remorse, no pre-thinking, just all mouth and attitude.  And then, he returns to his original, sweet self.  I think I might share some Midol.  Heh.

Feel Like I've Been Beaten...

So, we went to see Metallica last night.  The first time I've seen them live in, literally, 10 years almost to the DAY.

Is it wrong (or maybe just even pathetic) that when "Ecstacy of Gold" started playing, I teared up?  It is?!  Oh, hell.

Anyways... my opinion that James Hetfield has only gotten better as he's gotten older has been solidified.  Seriously.  That man's voice was ON last night, and I couldn't have been happier with a return to the live viewings after so long.

We took the Munchkin.  Yes, I know.  A three year old at a Metallica concert.  But, HEY!  He was a two year old at an Iron Maiden concert, and a one year old at a Ted Nugent concert, so why not?  At  least this time, we actually let him have a SEAT, instead of just migling amidst the crazies down on the pit floor. =P

Apparently, the highlight of the show for him last night is "the guy who was playing his guitar so much that he fell over and DIED."  Yeah.  At one point, Rob Trujillo was the sole member on stage, in the dark, with a spot on him, while he played and played and slowly... collapsed... to his knees... and then flat onto his back, bass splayed out across his torso.  And at that point?  Greyson grabbed my arm and exclaimed, "OH MY GOD MOM!  He DIED!"  Riot.  He had a blast all around... until he fell asleep a minute from the end of the third-to-last song, and completely slept through Nothing Else Matters (OH!  Was I happy they played it!  C'mon - the notes and lyrics from the song decorated my wedding cake for God's sake!) and half of Ralph's "all time favorite" (snicker) Enter Sandman.  At that point, it was 11pm, and I knew they'd be wrapping it up, so I decided, well, let's beat the crowd WHILE CARRYING A SLEEPING DEAD WEIGHT OF A CHILD and just leave now.

Yep, hit the lobby, and we heard them close the show.  Now, I'm not stupid, and I know that they did an encore... but beating out the swarms to be able to actually leave the parking lot within five minutes of getting in the car?  Worth missing.

GOD, I'm such a MOM.  LOL

SO, to the part where I feel like someone kicked my ASS at the show?  I am SORE today.  Even with having seats, of course, everyone was standing... so that meant Grey hopping from parent to parent in order to see better, and a full-on course of "Nooooo!  Don't LIFT him!!!" on my screaming back.  Add to that the fact that Walgreens for SOME reason couldn't (or more like just plain DIDN'T) contact my doc for a refill on my Effexor for two days, and I'm just hitting the beginnings of withdrawls...  Thankfully, I got to pick them up TODAY, but they of course have yet to hit my system and tell it to wake the hell UP because, HELLOOO?  Drugs in system again, k?  =P

Needless to say... no matter how much I feel like hell today?  It was SO worth it.  Being able to see my overall favorite band on the planet perform live again after so long?  Check.  Being able to share the experience with my mini-me of a rocker son?  Check.  Having one more awesome experience to file away so that I can say I really *didn't* have a completely lame life when I look back from my 80s?  MAJOR CHECK.  Heh.

SON OF A...

Ohhh, am I pissed!  I decided to work on changing my blog up a bit, a little at a time (y'all can see the beginning of the progress - LOL), and it transferred everything over BEAUTIFULLY...

EXCEPT THAT EVERY. SINGLE. ENTRY. WAS DELETED FROM MY BLOGROLL.

The *title* was still there... but there were no links.  No blogs.  NADA.

So, if you read here, PLEASE leave a comment for me so I can re-add you...  You have no idea how LONG it took me to compile that *special* list of blogs that I read faithfully... and now, except for a VERY select few (real-life friends, for the most part), I don't remember the exact web addresses to save my LIFE.

GAH!  All this and I *still* have to finish my PowerPoint on evidence collection types and collection, do the grocery shopping tomorrow, clean MASSIVELY for dinner company coming on Saturday, bake a from-scratch cheesecake, make a MASSIVE version of my 100%-from-scratch Stuffed Chicken Marsala for dinner Saturday afternoon for dinner that night, we're going OUT that night to see the Hubby's old band play, Sunday I'm supposed to bake a recipe that I'm entering into the Betty Crocker dessert contest (DUDE, 1st prize is 5K!), and we're going to Metallica on Tuesday.

I think I need a drink just re-reading all the SHIT I have to get done in the next handful of days.

Fuuuuck.  Good thing Xanax is my favorite palindrome.  Heh. =P

Doing a Little Happy Dance...

Well, a sleepy one, at least, since I only slept from 2:30-4am, and Greyson decided that it was perfectly OKAY to only sleep from 9pm-6am.  And yes, this is STILL with no nap.

BUT!!  Ha ha!!  I finished my DAMNED Criminal Law paper - ON TIME!  Hooyah!

Now I just need to have a PowerPoint presentation done by this coming Tuesday on various types of evidence and the techniques utilized for collection of each... but it's NOT. A. LAW. PAPER! =P

I am so ready for the nap that I *guaranteed* Greyson he was taking in, oh, about an hour... especially since this afternoon needs to be one of accomplishment with a trip to Kmart and then some grocery shopping.  *sigh*

Seriously?

At 9pm, Greyson asked me to make him ANOTHER grilled cheese sandwich. That's what he had at lunchtime today.

Oh, and did I mention that the child ate all but ONE rob from an entire half-rack? YEAH.

Growth spurt here we come!

He looked HILARIOUS before bed, though because his torso looked like this:

( ) <-- shoulders

<-- chest
( )
( ) <-- BIG ol' BUDDHA belly
<-- hips and legs

ROFLMAO!!!

So today's meals were comprised of:
*4* pancakes and 2 sausage links with a glass of OJ
A juice box and a handful of pretzels
3/4 of a whole grain grilled cheese sandwich with a glass of milk
2 more friggin juice boxes LOL
Almost an entire half-rack of ribs, a portion of green beans, a *little* bit of mac & cheese, and a small salad with a glass of water

I obviously did NOT give into making a second sandwich RIGHT before bed! LOL

I think someone else's child traded stomachs with Greyson's!! =P

By the way... I realized as I changed him for bed (after looking at the tags in his Scooby Doo pj's TWICE) that, yes, even though I had to TUG the bottom edge of the shirt down to cover his tummy and his pants needed NO pinning whatsoever... they are, indeed, a Boy's size 4. *sigh* This on a child who wore PREEMIE clothing and diapers for almost the first month of his life after being born FULL TERM with no complications. Yikes.

This is What Avoidance Results In...

So... I *really* didn't want to work on my paper anymore quite yet... and I think I'm finally happy with a new logo / signature THING.

Graphic design - 1. Criminal Law doctrine discussion - 0.

Pretty, yes? =P

I Can Finally Take a SMALL Breath...

Last night I was able to plow through all but the introduction, my *opinion* section, and conclusion of my forsaken law paper... oh, and the STUPID APA references page.  But!  I have the general "meat" portion accomplished.  Hooray!

Greyson has been a bit of an eating machine since yesterday... which, if you've followed any of my previous entries that have contained commentary on his eating habits (I think my CATS eat more than he does on any given day), is UNREAL.  Yesterday?  THREE ACTUAL MEALS, plus a few *tiny* snacks.  BUT!  THREE MEALS!  It's completely unheard of, and I honestly don't think he's eaten anything even closely resembling that much food in one day in MONTHS.  Eek.  If he's entering a growth-spurt period, I seriously hope that it's an "out" spurt, and not another "up" spurt... because seriously y'all?  He's over 3'3" and only weighs (at the beginning of December) 28 pounds.  Yeah.  My life as referenced to his wardrobe consists ENTIRELY of praising the people that created those nifty ass adjustable waistbands for toddler sizes and the smaller of the actual boys' sizes.  Because, honestly?  I'm not bothering with anything smaller than a boy's size 4 anymore... especially since I've discovered more and more places that offer *4 SLIM*.  I owe them much praise because it saves me money (and punctured fingertips!) since I no longer have to safety pin the HELL out of the back of his pants anymore.

Well, unless we get track pants... then, it's a WHOLE other story.  *sigh*  Why oh WHY do they not have drawstrings?!?!

Anyhow, the boy must be growing again.  And his mood has been pretty consistent, hovering in the "pleasant zone" for about a week now, which is allowing the small patches of hair that I'm SURE I ripped out during his absolute insanity phases to grow back.  Heh.

Actually, one more thing in regards to the Munchkin... I was pretty much called a LIAR when I posed a question to a group of other moms of children born within a month or so of Greyson regarding reading and writing.  The fact that I stated that he has been reading and spelling words for a few months now, and has begun *really* getting into CORRECTLY and LEGIBLY writing his letters was essentially attacked, as the woman who responded "highly doubted that ANY child this age can actually read, and especially not spell, unless it's a case of memorization."

Hmm.  Well, let's see.  A trip to the grocery store has him reading the labels on boxes, cans, and signs.  Spending time on the computer consists of him either typing out words entirely on his own, or eliciting a very small amount of help to break down the sounds within a word in order to spell it, again, himself.  He showed nothing less that ecstacy when he wrote the word "MOM" on a piece of paper for me, with no prompting whatsoever.

But I'm a liar, apparently.  But she DID follow up with a comment on IF he IS actually able to do those things, then BRAVO - especially since he's a BOY.  And then I was "scolded" to make sure that I was not PUSHING these things on him.  Thank GOD it was not an in-person conversation... I think SOMEONE would have been tasting pavement.

WTF.  YES, I know, "statistically," boys are a bit slower to pick up on the language aspects of life.  But C'MON.  Because MY son happens to have these abilities at this age, does it really have to be approached with scrutiny and sarcasm?!  THIS is the reason I rarely discuss what he can do... because, y'all, I've been there myself.  In Kindergarten, I was told, FLAT OUT, by the woman doing the screenings that I COULD NOT READ.  And yet, at that point in time, I had been taking over for my TEACHER in circle time reading because she had come down with laryngitis.  Bah.

I think I'm done complaining... for now.  I have *never* intended a single word regarding what my child can (or canNOT) do as bragging.  Hell, he's still not potty-trained.  Getting there?  Yes.  In underwear?  HELL NO.  I guess I just don't understand why some people feel that they are friggin' experts regarding what everyone ELSE'S kids abilities are.  *sigh*

On a slightly different note, I feel like we have been hit by a heat wave here in Chicago - merely because the temps are above zero, and have actually reached the double digits here and there.  We've seen the TEENS, people!  LOL  After LAST week's plunge into -237941 degree weather, you would have thought that the deep freeze was gonna hang around for a lot longer than just a week.

I suppose I really *should* return to working on finishing up that fantabulous waste of brain cells called Criminal Law.  For some reason, I just wish the universe would hear me whenever I announce that I only want to be a peon CSI - not a FRIGGIN' attorney.

Dear god... I may be able to argue and debate my way through almost any topic, but the education for law school?  Yep... can't argue worth a damn when all that's left of your head is an exploded stump of goo.  Heh.

XOXOXOXO

BY THE WAY!!  I am currently trying to come up with a new "signature" deal for the end of my posts, since the recent redo just isn't quite living up to my standards.  Good idea in my head, looks like crap on screen, IMO.  So, if anyone has any ideas, feel free to leave them in the comments!  THANKS!  *muah*

My Brain is Twitching From TOO MUCH LAW.

So... this term for school I have Criminal Law and Criminal Investigations. Not only did classes JUST start on the 7th, but I already have an essay due on Tuesday for Law. On statutory rape. And mens rea. BUT! Mens rea doesn't APPLY to statutory rape statutes because it qualifies as a Strict Liability charge.

Wha?!?

This class has me spinning in virtual circles every. single. time. I log in to class, whether it be to simply check the message boards, or to actually ATTEND a seminar. I have just been notified that, apparently, the sheer presence of a controlled substance in your vehicle, home, aircraft, WHATEVER, does NOT necessarily qualify for a possession charge. Huh. Who knew. So, from this information, I'm guessing that I could go purchase a pair of shoes, hide some pot in the soles, and then claim that I had NO idea that it was there, since I just bought them. And quite possibly WIN. What a frickin' riot.

Anyhow, I have NO clue as to how to even APPROACH this paper. ME. Who is typically known for my absolutely verbose and detailed essays on any given topic. I'm LOST. How do I explain the details of mens rea (and WHY!?!) if it really doesn't even have anything to do with the specific charge I am supposed to be discussing? And I cannot for the life of me figure out what, if ANYTHING, is the actual classifier for strict liability, other than the fact that it makes certain charges "stick" better than if they were processed through the more traditional mens rea.

Have I made YOUR head spin yet?

Maybe I'm lucky enough to have a lawyer as one of my readers?

WHAT AM I THINKING? What lawyer would read THIS drivel? Heh.

So, off I twirl back into the land of holyfuckincrap because this is due in T-minus 4 days. JOY!