If you watch this video from cnn.com you'll never shop at Walmart again.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2008/03/24/kaye.walmart.lawsuit.cnn?iref=videosearch

The story is about a disabled woman, a former Walmart employee, who sustained a traumatic brain injury in a horrible car crash involving her minivan and a tractor trailer...guess which one won. Walmart's health care plan paid the woman's medical bills, but when her family received a settlement from the trucking company...Walmart sued her family to recoup the money they paid for her treatment. The money from her settlement went into a trust fund to pay for her bills at the nursing home where she will spend the rest of her life. Her husband had to divorce her so that she would get better benefits through medicaid. He hasn't been able to work a lot since he was taking treatments for prostate cancer. Oh, and her 18 year old son was killed in Iraq last year. She went to the funeral, but doesn't remember it. Now, every time someone talks about his death, she weeps as if she is hearing the news for the first time.

Walmart says that they would like to make an exception in their case and not recoup the funds, but that its only fair for everyone using the health plan. Let me ask you this...Walmart made $90 Billion in the last quarter of 2007 alone...will it really be that bad if their health plan rates go up a little?

This makes me sick.

9 weeks. My house will be complete in 9 weeks! Good Grief! I'm so excited! I'm so scared! But, it will all be worth it in the end. I am going to have a place that's mine. Well, it will be in 30 short years anyway. I get to finally have color in my walls, and a two car garage. I will have a place to put all of my kitchen implements. I won't hyperventilate trying to put away the tupperware. Does anyone know how awesome that is?

1) Are you currently in a serious relationship? Yes, just got married

2) What was your dream growing up? to either be a fairy princess or a doctor…I think both are still attainable

3) What talent do you wish you had? I wish I could sing…like an opera diva

4) If I bought you a drink what would it be? Probably a Coke Zero, or a light beer if I’m feeling frisky

5) Favorite vegetable? Peas or brussel sprouts

6) What was the last book you read? The Lovely Bones, halfway through Icy Sparks

7) What zodiac sign are you? Aries

8) Any Tattoos and/or Piercings? Explain where. Tattoo on my back

9) Worst Habit? Compulsive eating

10) If you saw me walking down the street would you offer me a ride? yes

11) What is your favorite sport? To watch: football, to play: softball

12) Do you have a Negative or Optimistic attitude? Depends on what time of morning you’re asking…

13) What would you do if you were stuck in an elevator with me? We would probably talk about everything and then end up quoting Friday and laughing hysterically

14) Worst thing to ever happen to you? Being depressed after losing that shit job 5 years ago

15) Tell me one weird fact about you. I LOVE kung-fu movies

16) Do you have any pets? A cat named Sparky who hates me

17) What if I showed up at your house unexpectedly? I’d let you in, but I might be cranky if it was late at night

18) What was your first impression of me? (hmmm...careful!) I was amazed that an eighth grader would read so many smut novels!

19) Do you think clowns are cute or scary? Uh, if you know me at all you know I’m totally freaked out by them!

20) If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be? I’d drop a few LB’s off of my ass!

21) Would you be my crime partner or my conscience? I think I’m way past acting as anyone else’s conscience

22) What color eyes do you have? Blue

23) Ever been arrested? Nope

24) Bottle or can soda? Canned

25) If you won $10,000 today, what would you do with it? Be relieved because then I would have all the money for my mortgage down-payment

27) What's your favorite place to hang at? The only place I hang out regularly is at home.

28) Do you believe in ghosts? Yes

29) Favorite thing to do in your spare time? Go to concerts

30) Do you swear a lot? They don’t call me the F-bomb for nothing

31) Biggest pet peeve? People who drive poorly while talking on the phone.

32) In one word, how would you describe yourself? Spunky

33) Do you believe/appreciate romance? I do now.

34) If you could live anywhere in the world where would you chose? Someplace warm, the Caribbean comes to mind…

35) Do you believe in God? Yes

36) Will you repost this so I can fill it out and do the same for you? Sure

So, it has been quite a month for me...well, us. Antigua was beautiful, lush tropical plants, fantastic sunny skies, cool trade winds, DELICIOUS rum. I truly didn't want to leave, but I am glad to be home and I was so glad to see everyone on Sunday. It feels a little strange...not being married or anything like that, but I've been waiting and planning for this wedding/trip for so long that now it's over, it's like "now what?". But married life is good. I'm getting all of my paperwork together to have my name changed.

I'm thankful for:
My wonderful husband.
My family.
My awesome friends.
The health of my loved ones.


Happy Thanksgiving!

In 2 hours and 10 minutes, I will be finished with work and starting my vacation. Not just any vacation...but my HONEYMOON! Can you believe it? It seems like just yesterday that we got engaged.

Thanks to everyone who came to my party and made it so much fun! I had such a good time.

Well, only 25 days to go until my wedding. It really seems like it is coming on fast now. I'm so happy. In my mind, B's wedding was like the last stop before my wedding. E and I started going to the tanning bed to get a little bit of tan before we go down to the caribbean...being that we will be like 10 miles from the equator. We need to do some work so we don't fry to a crisp the very first day that we are there.

We went to breakfast at my mom and dad's like we do every Sunday, and I have to say...and I know that I've said it so many times before...but I am really lucky. E gets along great with my family and he's understanding that we like to be together. Zachie just loves him. My parents told me that they appreciate how he always is considerate of me and is always thoughtful. They are really happy for us.

Speaking of Zachie, he is sooo cute! He's walking very well. Of course, at times he still looks a little bit drunk when he's walking, but he tries hard. He plays pat-a-cake and peek-a-boo and waves good-bye. He's like a little person. He has a really good sense of humor, and he just is in awe of everything. He's my little guy.

Geez! 25 days.

Well, I have spent the last two days in Columbus at the Ohio Self-Determination Association Conference. It was awesome. It was all about giving people with disabilities freedom and choice over their own lives. Plus, as an added bonus, I got to be out of the office for two days! I really needed to go to this conference. I was really getting bogged down in the "JOB" and forgetting why it was that I got into this business in the first place. I expect this sense of well-being to last exactly as long as it takes for the first administrator in this joint to piss me off. LOL!

E and I met with the sales manager for Ryan Homes, Heidi, on Sunday afternoon. Turns out the homes we are looking at may actually be more affordable than we originally thought. We toured one of the two models that we were interested in on Sunday. There was one that was in the final stages of construction in the subdivision. We will tour the other model tonight. We are going to tour one in another subdivision that somebody already lives in. The owners get a fee from Ryan to let prospective buyers tour their homes. After the tour we will be able to decide which model we will go with.

Only 51 days now.

So, the vet called last night and the results from the biopsy came back. Milo doesn't have cancer! Though now the only problem is we are back to square one...he still limps and is having trouble walking. Though, he is doind a lot better. He's been running around the apartment the last several days. And he's been jumping up into our bed, and has, in fact, slept between E and I for the last two nights. Ugh! He had been unable to jumpt into the bed, it was too high to leap. Last night, I saw a glimpse of the old Milo. He was really curious and was totally pestering the hell out of Sparky. Maybe the little guy is on the mend!

Yesterday marked two months until the wedding. Wow! Now, I'm starting to get eager to go. I would go ahead and pack if my clothes wouldn't be a total wrinkled mess by that time!

I remember going on a college visit to OU and getting hammered on strawberry daquiri wine coolers. That was the first time I was ever drunk. Memorable enough to have never had the stomach to drink a strawberry daquiri wine cooler again. Then multiple trips to O'Hooleys on Thursday nights from 7 to 8...$1 pints, we'd go and buy the table top full because we always drank the Scottish Ale and it was room temp already. Then the next day, waking up cotton-mouthed and disheveled...sitting at the kitchen table with Michael and Laura (all of us wearing white bath robes) breakfasting on black coffee and cigarettes. Then a party for Michael's opening of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and a particular cocktail that had some imagined but very Shakespearean name but really consisted of Skyy vodka and koolaid...it would eventually be dubbed "Booty Punch" because after a couple of those you'd be ready to give up some booty.
Years later (B this one's for you) I remember going to Boston for New Year's and running up a $100 bar tab for two people. Then having to jump off the subway to find an appropriate trash receptacle to throw up into. Shall we speak of the lovely champagne that flowed at Super G's wedding and E dragging me out while I offered up hugs to anybody near me? I think most of us remember that one.

Ah, how easy it to look back and reflect on this? Though, I don't tend to remember the utter misery and the wishes for death that followed these nights of debauchery. Or maybe I do...and that's what keeps the tequila from running down my throat as easily as water these days. I think I shall have to add some new memories in the coming months.

Milo's biopsy was today. He did pretty well, I guess. He's still staggering around the house and growling and hissing at us. He looks totally drunk! The freaking vet had the nerve to call to ask if he shouldn't "just go ahead and amputate his leg while he was in there". That ass! The whole reason we subjected the poor kitty to the damn biopsy was to find out some results from it!!!!

We have no faith in this vet. We are switching once the results come back.

Happy Birthday, Brad!!!

Milo is feeling better. He no longer is reacting to the medication that the vet gave us. His face and tongue have returned to normal. Now, the only thing he has to contend with is the horrible pain. His biopsy is still scheduled for Thursday. Keep your fingers crossed.

In other news, my sister is engaged! She showed up at my mom's house last Thursday and shoved her hand in my face. It took me a minute to realize what I was looking at...but it's an engagement ring. It's really pretty. I'm going to be matron of honor. So, we will start thinking of ideas and planning stuff. I told her that she had to help me with some of the stuff for my reception and then I would help her with her's. Seemed fair to me ;) My dad said that he feels really old. All of his children are going to be married. Sis is going to have a wedding here, so my dad will be able to "give" her away. I'm really excited to see him in his duds and my mom all dressed up for a wedding. Makes me a little sad that they won't be there for mine.

My Zachie was baptized at St. Andrew's in Milford on Sunday. It was really beautiful and he was so good throughout. He did get excited when he realized the place had an echo, but didn't yell, scream, or "sing" too much.

So, after consulting Mama Denise about the best ways to force a pill down a cat's throat, E was finally able to dose Milo with his medication. He even called me at work to tell me he had done it. Well, then I came home Milo looked funny to me. Then I noticed him panting...and that his nose was discolored and dry. Then he gave a pitiful whine and I saw that his tongue was black. So he's apparently having a reaction to this stinking medication. We called the emergency line at the vet's office and they still haven't called back. Worthless vet! But we did schedule his biopsy. It's next Thursday. Please hope for the best for my little buddy.

So, only 79 days to go. Less than three months. Wow! I'm so glad that Hurricane Dean missed Antigua for the most part. I was sweatin' it last week. Things are pretty exciting. We are paying the balance on our trip at the end of next week. Eric will also be finalizing his attire for the occasion. I still need to take care of a few things for the reception...ok so a lot of things for the reception. I need to go to that candle factory outlet in Colerain. I need to price out some stuff at Servatii's and Busken. I need to borrow glass/crystal serving pieces...platters, plates, cake stands, and punch bowls. I promise I will take good care of your stuff and I will discretely label them so you get it back.

I also need to go to Ethel's and swindle a certain Juan Valdez into letting me borrow the speakers for the crack-rock-ee-oh-ke.

Ok, so now I'm a little depressed about it only being 79 days!!!

We met with the cake lady last night. She is going to do a beautiful job. Her name is Linda and she used to work with me. Did I mention that she used to be the head of the cake decorators at Busken? She and her husband are rather eccentric people, but it was worth redirecting the conversation to get this cake.

This is my real age!

Bio Age: 30
Real Age: 16.4

Life Expectancy: 74
My Life Expectancy: 87.6

So I need some help. I'm looking for everyone's favorite romantic/wedding/love songs. If you post them, you'll probably hear them make an appearance at our reception!