A New Battery - Hooray

Jake and I actived our cell phones (different types) on Jan. 29th, 2006 and my phone is still within warranty, but lately it had been working horribly. It has slowly over the last few months held a charge for less and less time. By this week it would last maybe an hour after saying it was fully charged - if I didn't use it. It would only last about 1-2 minutes if I was talking on the phone. There were quite a few times that I would sit in my car with the phone plugged into the charger just so that I could talk to people. Pathetic. And it happened so gradually that I kept thinking it must be my imagination and that really I wasn't keeping track properly. Or maybe it was because I leave my phone on in the daytime when I'm at work where I don't get service. I didn't know.

So finally I realized that I had to do something. It just wasn't working. And for those of you who might wonder why this is a big deal, I don't have a home phone, and even if I did, I'm never home - so this is basically my only way to communicate with others.

Anyway, I called the phone manufacturer (LG) and explained the situation. They said it would take about three weeks to diagnose the problem. They told me to mail them my phone, but sorry, they can't give me a replacement during that time. They suggested that I ask Verizon if they could provide a replacement. There is NO WAY that I could lose my phone for what would likely be a month, so I decided to go into Verizon so they could verify whether the problem is the battery. If it was, I would buy a new battery, send LG the old one to get it fixed, and then I would have two batteries.

I took the phone in to Verizon, and the girl immediately told me that the battery had been recalled, showed me that it was bulging, and gave me a new battery IMMEDIATELY right then! I can't even explain how happy that made me. I just don't have time in life to deal with crap like that and I appreciated Verizon making the switch so easy. I know, I know, I'm much too busy if I almost told the Verizon employee that I loved her just because she gave me a new battery, but I really was thrilled.

My phone is now back to normal, lasting a really long time, not requiring itself to be plugged in constantly. Hooray for new batteries!

Guns Are Scary

Early this week I was almost to my workplace when I saw a cop speading by with it's lights on. It slowed down and looked at two guys standing at the bus stop and then sped away again. The guys looked confused about what had just happened. I was curious also.

Up ahead was another cop car with police out standing next to some people. The first car I mention sped toward them, then stopped suddenly and the guys got out and went toward some thick bushes. By the time I reached the scene up close (that's where I turn right), I could clearly see what they were doing from about 15-20 feet away from me. One cop grabbed a guy who appeared to be hiding in the bushes and pushed him to ground. They must have told him to put his hands behind his back because that's what he did. The second cop drew his gun and had it pointed at the guy on the ground.

It was very strange and somewhat surreal to see all this before I turned the corner. By the way, it's the corner that leads directly onto our campus. I have a hunch that maybe he was trying to break into the cars in that area since students park along that street when they don't want to pay for a parking permit.

Anyway, kind of a strange thing to see on my way to work.

Elvis Sighting

We saw Elvis on Wednesday night and he was awesome. Looked JUST like him (haha). Seriously, this guy loved entertaining. He took a long break today the middle of the night and walked around the place visiting and taking pictures. I'm pretty sure everyone he talked to bought him a drink, because he was pretty happy by the second time he took the stage.

Assisted Suicide

Let's say that you are in extreme pain and agony. Life has become torture and all you can think about every waking moment is putting an end to all. Then the government steps in and says you can't help yourself to die early. We want you to extend your pain and suffering as long as possible. And no one better help you to die early, to help end your suffering, or we'll put them in jail.

I think Oregon sets a good example on how this could be handled. Here are the requirements to participate in their Death with dignity act. "The patient must meet certain criteria to be able to request to participate in the Act. Then, the following steps must be fulfilled: 1) the patient must make two oral requests to the attending physician, separated by at least 15 days; 2) the patient must provide a written request to the attending physician, signed in the presence of two witnesses, at least one of whom is not related to the patient; 3) the attending physician and a consulting physician must confirm the patient's diagnosis and prognosis; 4) the attending physician and a consulting physician must determine whether the patient is capable of making and communicating health care decisions for him/herself; 5) if either physician believes the patient's judgment is impaired by a psychiatric or psychological disorder (such as depression), the patient must be referred for a psychological examination; 6) the attending physician must inform the patient of feasible alternatives to the Act including comfort care, hospice care, and pain control; 7) the attending physician must request, but may not require, the patient to notify their next-of-kin of the prescription request. A patient can rescind a request at any time and in any manner. The attending physician will also offer the patient an opportunity to rescind his/her request at the end of the 15-day waiting period following the initial request to participate."

Also, they must meet these criteria, "The law states that, in order to participate, a patient must be: 1) 18 years of age or older, 2) a resident of Oregon, 3) capable of making and communicating health care decisions for him/herself, and 4) diagnosed with a terminal illness that will lead to death within six (6) months. It is up to the attending physician to determine whether these criteria have been met."

This isn't a new issue, but one that I was reminded of lately. Oregon obviously has this well thought out and it's a solid way to make sure people are of sound mind and have made a choice that they really believe in. What I don't understand is why people would force their own beliefs on someone else. A person doesn't have to think that it's something they would do themselves, but why stand in the way of someone who wants to end their suffering? I just don't get it.

Diane's Story About a Speeding Santa Float

My friend, Diane, told me that last week she was on the phone when she suddenly heard sirens and lots of noise. She is on the second floor of her apartment complex and has a great view of the street, so she went to look out the window and what did she see?

A Santa's float speeding by with cop cars chasing behind. There was also a firetruck and ambulance that went by afterward. And to top it all off, there was a helicopter in on the action as well.

Now I'm not one for watching pursuits on TV, but this is one that would have been hilarious to watch. Who in their right mind runs from the cops in a Santa float? This scene could have been taken from a good comedy. Too bad there wasn't time to get a picture. :)

At Family Feud

This was us outside the Family Fued building waiting to get in.

This is a picture that I took of the set on the way out.

Jake's Family

Later Saturday night Jake's family hung out at our house and visited. The first day we had 17 people attend the feud, and on Sunday we lost 3 and added 4, which means that 26 people from Jake's family (including the brothers) were able to visit this weekend. It was like a family reunion.

Getting Ready for Family Feud

This weekend was very interesting. I spent most of the time at the family feud or hanging out with Jake's family since everyone staying at our place Friday and Saturday night.

Unfortunately, they didn't win the $20,000, but we all had a fun time. They each ended up with $179.

Below are the brothers getting ready and then ready to go the first day.

Chuck, Jeremiah, Josh, Andy, and Jake

This a video of McKenna and Hugh (my nice and nephew) that I thought was really cute. They love each other and walk around everywhere together playing. McKenna is 19 months and Hugh is 22 months.

Dinner With Mom and Jim

Last night I went out to dinner with Mom and Jim. We went to Islands and I tried to pick out something healthy to eat. Mom let me try her pineapple soft taco (can't remember the name) and it was fantastic. I think I'll have that next time.

We talked about our Thanksgivings and I got to bore them with stories about my new bicycle. They were very jealous that I had just got back from visiting with Micah. Oh, and Wendy and Jeff... ;)

I've noticed that people don't tend to take pictures unless it's a special event, so I wanted to make sure I got a picture of us at dinner even though I see them somewhat often.

A few years ago I noticed that everyone has pictures of Wendy and Jeff, but not very many of me. I realized that it's because when Wendy comes to town, everyone gets out the cameras. So I'm going to try to start taking pictures more often so that I have lots of good memories, of everyone all the time :).

Fun With Karen and Cameron

Besides staying in playing video games, we also went out bike riding on Friday and Sunday. We brought our new bikes with us to San Jose (we bought them the Tuesday before we left). At first, I wasn't so sure that buying new bikes was a great idea, but after riding for awhile, I've decided that I absolutely love my new bike and that the money was worth it. :)

Because we got new bikes, we now have two extra bikes, and we also got another set of roof racks, so no one has an excuse for not riding with us (and we can all go in the same car). All that will be needed is a helmet.

Visiting San Jose

I had lots of fun visiting with Wendy, Jeff, and Micah. Micah is getting much more animated and showing personality. I also got to see the entire Budd family although I didn't get many pictures. I was definitely slacking, but it's hard to remember to take pictures when I'm staring at the baby the whole time. :)

No Pictures Just Yet

Jake borrowed my SD card reader so I don't have any of my pictures to post from this weekend. I'll try to post something tomorrow.

The Rat Dilemma

The decision on the rat was made for me. I came home and the gardener had come by to mow the yard and had dumped the grass in that trash can. It made me feel a little better, since I suppose that would have finished him off if he wasn't dead already.

Veteran's Day

On Friday, Alex asked Jake to come to his school for a Veteran's Day event. The kids sang a song and basically thanked the veterans for everything they did/do for our country. It was actually very cute and touching.

They gave every verteran (I think there were about 60) a chance to introduce themselves and to say what they did or currently do in the US Armed Forces. It was really interesting to hear everyone talk. There were lots of different areas represented: Marines, Air Force, Army, Navy... and also many different jobs: Missle Defense, Pilot, Scout, Cook... and many different wars: Desert Storm, Iraq, Vietnam, World War II (yes, that person was very old)...

Some of the verterans said they had never before been thanked in an event like that and that they appreciated what the school was doing. Some even got a little emotional. It was kind of a cathartic type of experience and I was glad I got to attend.


This is a picture of the stands where people were sitting.


This is a picture of one guy talking (I remember that he was a cook and everyone kind of laughed. Later, a guy who had been a Baker picked on him about people liking the baked goods much better than the regular food served by the cooks. :) You can see Jake behind him.


And this is a picture of some of the Veteran's on stage.

Seven's Presents - Rats

Two days ago, Seven left me a nice present - a very dead rat by my car. Yesterday, she left me another present, a live rat by my car. The poor thing had been punctured and I'm sure played with, and couldn't walk away, but was still alive. So I put them both in a trash can and left.

Now here's the problem, I couldn't stop thinking about this live animal stuck in a trash can with it's dead friend. It's probably in pain, but I'm not sure how long it will continue to live. I thought about trying to kill it, but I don't think I could. It gives me a sick feeling. In fact, I thick the rat gave me a pleading "help me" look when I picked it up to throw it away.

So here I am today, assigning the animal human feelings, thinking of it suffering while lying next to his buddy, although I admit to placing them as far apart as possible in the trashcan just so he wouldn't be too freaked out.

So should I check on him tonight and try to kill him if it's still alive, or should I let nature run it's course and wait for him to die naturally? This whole thing really bothered me.

Out Dancing

Emilio let me download the pictures he took when we went out dancing a few weeks ago. We had a great time. I hope we continue to go out every once in awhile. I'm starting to feel a little bit old. :)

I Love Ebay

I forgot to mention that only a week or two after bleach ruined my pants on the fishing trip last month, I found the exact same pair in the same size on ebay for only about $20 total. I love ebay!

Seven

Just for fun, here's Seven, basking in the sun. It's kind of funny how you can see me taking a picture with my phone in the shadow.

Friends, A Day Off, and Too Much Internet

It turns out that Alan's new apartment is only a couple blocks from a lighted disc golf course. Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of us out throwing discs around an eerily foggy course at 2:00am last Saturday, but I do remember having a lot of fun. We even went on the playground. :)

But here are some pictures of the day after. We ended up at a really good mexican restaurant that morning.


This coming weekend should have been a three day weekend for me, but it turns out that we have a special event on Saturday. But I'm very excited to have tomorrow off. I hope to have time to sleep in, hem two pairs of pants that have been waiting (probably won't happen), and try to relax a bit.

This week has been especially stressful with student registration taking place, but today is the last day. Thank goodness! I haven't felt like I've had time to do anything - like blogging. Of course, I suppose I shouldn't be using work time to write on my blog. :)

One problem that I've had lately is that I get caught up reading internet articles any time I need to look something up on line. I can easily spend 30 or more minutes clicking on link after link reading interesting stories, but it's a total waste of time. I'm trying to catch myself and not read too much. I've developed about 5 stacks of stuff around my office that need to be sorted, and I'm contributing to my stress by not getting more important things done. That's defintely an area that has room for improvement, but I'll continue to work on it.

Seven's New House

When I came out of the house this morning, I found Seven sleeping in her bed which is inside of her new house that we bought her. I was excited because now she has her bed and her food in an area protected from the weather.

My Weekend

Last Thursday I woke up and one of my eyes was stuck shut. Just as I was starting to feel better, that happens. So I went to the doctor that morning and found out that I had given myself pink eye. So I worked only half a day and stayed home on Friday also. I'm still just slightly sick and continuing to get better. I'm hoping that I'll be back at the gym by the end of the week. It would be nice if that was my main sickness for this year. Yuck.

We had fun this weekend, but it was WAY too busy. We had Cameron and Karen stay over on Friday night then went to Knott's Berry Farm on Saturday with JR and Kim. I have a few pictures from the trip. They don't look that great since I used my phone, but they're still funny.


Afterward, we went to a BBQ with Xavier and Ted who were down south this weekend. It's been ages since I saw them. I even met Xavier's sister for the first time ever. I was disappointed that I couldn't hold her new daughter since I'm still a bit sick. :(

After that we went back to Pasadena and hung out downtown with Cameron, Karen, and Emelio. We actually ended up at a restaurant that we've been to a few times. They have a bar on the side and had a guy mixing music till about 1am. Originally, we were going to have a drink there while we waited for another restaurant to open at 10:30 for dancing, but ended up staying till they closed, which was a fun and strange surprise since I wasn't expecting that restaurant to be a good place to stay the whole evening.

On Sunday, we played disc golf and then went over to see someone Jake knows. We're helping her to list her house on the MLS. After that I went home and pretty much went straight to bed. I slept for about 11 hours and I'll still tired. Being sick sucks.

So that was my weekend. I've got to start taking more pictures to go along with these things.

Wendy Came To Visit

Below are a few pictures from Wendy's visit this weekend. We had a great time. Wendy and Melissa also spent some time with me on Saturday helping me pick out a new wedding ring. I know it sounds kind of strange, but my ring band broke and instead of having it repaired, Jake and I decided that it was time for me to get a new ring.


Wendy and Micah



Dad and Caiden


David and Melissa


Alex and Micah

Below is a picture of the new ring. I had a really hard time figuring out what I wanted. Here's the story. Jake and I picked out a ring from Robbins Brothers and they told us we had 30 days to return the ring if we decided against it. The next day I returned the ring and got another. The day after that I decided I didn't like the new ring and put it away to wait for Wendy to come down from San Jose to help me out. After all, I can't keep taking my ring back; I have to finally just make a decision. So Saturday, Wendy, Micah, Melissa, and Caiden all came with me to ring shop. Now, I'm pretty sure I like my new ring, but there is still a nagging in the back of my head that says maybe there is something better out there. I think I have issues.