Happy-ish New Years

It is New Year's Eve and I am still debating whether to go to Comedy Sportz with the sybs or not.  I feel SO sick.  I am throwing up and generally feeling miserable.  Though my critters are making me feel better.  I've got Fable out in the play tent and she is running around spazzing and jumping.  She is crazy!  I love her. <3

I am also taking pictures of  Jack and Sally Clementine on the Piano (because they just look cool on the keys!).  They are such amazing animals.  Clementine is sweet and shy.  Jack is full of himself and a jerk.  But I do so love them both.


I also decided I needed a more Steampunkish computer.  If I was talented I would make something like THIS:

But as I am not I went to SkinIt. And did this:

Okay.  I'm not going.  I feel terrible.  BoyKid and Rinny are going now.  Mom and Padre are headed to a party.  I will be ringing in 2011 with my animals.

Puffles aren't Popples

Yesterday was so funny.  Today, less so.  So good news first.

Gabe, T-La's oldest, had some woodworking projects to do for his Cub Scout badge and PaDray, being good at those type things (carpentry and such), got asked to help him.  He was THRILLED.  I think he had a lot more fun than poor Gabe who really wanted to play with BoyKid like his brothers were.  They also brought their "Puffles" to show us.  I was hoping I had heard wrong and they had brought POPPLES, but then I realized it was 2010 not 1985.

Puffles are from Disney's Club Penguin and are NOT "pals who pop out of pockets."

But I love those boys.  I don't have nieces or nephews but being their "CousAunt" makes me feel like I do.  They were hilarious.  Eli was dancing to Justin Bieber for us, his main "move" being cartwheels.  Sort of break-dancing. Mostly like gymnastics. But MOST like jumping around like a kook. SO funny and cute.

And Gabe did awesome on his pinewood Derby car display and picture frame.

And then there was TODAY. BLEH.  Had to wake up early for a root canal. SO that hurts.  Then a psych evaluation for Medicaid so that's sad in another way.

But now I am just sitting around watching Toy Story 3 (which is GREAT) with the family. but hurting.  But still it was something I needed to do... my tooth was hurting pretty dang bad.

Even my parents anniversary makes me think of pets

Today was good except for a few painful things... my head, as always, hurt and my stupid tooth in front is crumbling like it's made of clay.  And I hurt my shoulder on Christmas in a ROCKING CHAIR. How lame is that?

BUT Mom drove m,e around to do errands and it was good to get things DONE. I really appreciate her, even though sometimes I am not sure who is a scarier driver, her with her stroke or me with my head. But anyway we got lights and timers for all the reptiles, some chewy treats for Fable, and mailed off the things I sold on eBay. One of those things was the too fancy Prada bag Fresno bought me when we were dating. Good to have money instead of a purse I am not using.  I am using it to buy vitamins for the gliders.  And a new foraging toy.

I might have enough left over to get a book or something (I only got 66 for it), but yes, pretty much all my spare money goes to my pets.  And I am okay with that.  It makes me happy to see them happy and healthy.  I love my babies, including the scaley ones.

Today is my parents 32nd wedding anniversary.  Padre got mom orchids, like growing in a pot. They made ME want an Orchid Mantis.  Someday I will have one. They are gorgeous!  Anyway, bug aside, the flower is really pretty.  And I think it is cool that they have been married that long and still love each other.  That's pretty awesome and rare in 2010.

As for what I am reading right now, I just finished the kids' book Room with a Zoo and am going to review it for the Examiner.  Now I am on Sorcerers and Seers and just starting The Last Olympian.  Better start on that review now.

 Ta ta!

Yawning in Technicolor

Happy Boxing Day! Happy St. Stephen's Day! Happy any other holiday today which we also likely don't celebrate!  I do like holidays.  Not that today was much of a holiday compared to, well, the holiday.  I was too sick to go to church so I did oh-so-productive things like watched a lot of NCIS with my new leopard gecko, Clementine.  She is fantastic so far. P.S. I want to BE Abby.

Also, BoyKid cooked some pasta and sauce for us. He is GOOD. That time in Italy left him mighty talented. I couldn't keep dinner down, though.  Gastroparesis has been BAD lately. I throw up after most meals.  It's like I am bulimic, but physically so.

 Uncool.

I am tired of my head, my stomach, everything about me really annoys me.

So random thought about my blog.  Awhile ago I wrote that I didn't know who really read me. And that is okay, I write mostly for myself.  Well, Christmas Eve, my aunt said SHE reads and was wondering if that bothered me. It totally doesn't.  I am happy to hear that I get read.  Granted, it weirds my mom out to read me because she thinks I am too mean about some people and that I shouldn't write about them, even if I DO call them by code names.  But as long as you are not offended by what I write (knowing I am a sarcastic brat. Hee hee! And basically tell the truth as *I* see it, therefore it is all just my opinion.) READ AWAY!  And that includes you, Aunt Clare (who does not have a code name mostly because I don't have any secret stuff about her and her name is short which are the 2 reasons I do it.  That and I like code names. I mean even my brother will forever be BoyKid.

Anyway, tomorrow I need to go to the pet store and get a lot more crickets, since Tinsel, Mab and Oberon eat them but now so do the geckos, especially Clementine who is no fan of mealies yet.  Also I am going to take back the basking lamp for Clementine becuase it is just not working for her. She doesn't NEED UVA/UVB rays, she is nocturnal, but what she does need is HEAT.  Also to the post office where a big order of mealies is waiting.  My mealworm farm needs some revitalization so I am adding a bunch to it.

Good deal.  Gotta take care of the critters! They are my life. They are my kids. :)

Also, I am going to write an article for the Examiner about the book A Room with a Zoo.  I just finished one about live nativities.  I am really liking writing for the Examiner.  I make about $40 a month when I do it right.  That's not exactly an income, but when I am feeling to crappy to work it at least pays for some Pet Society Gold and some online supplies for my gliders and stuff.  It is better than nothing and I get to say I am a published writer.

Christmas Lizards and a Collection of Gift Cards

It's Christmas!  Our morning was very fun, everybody in my family was far too generous to each other so there were lots of fun presents to open.  I got a new basking light bulb for Bratanik, The Last Olympian, Sorcerers and Seers, a necklace with a little Liahona on it, a bunch of gift cards, Toy Story 3, Mork and Mindy season 2, a punch ball froggy, a cute hat, Scrabble Slam, and a bunch of other little things. 

I ALSO got 2 things before Christmas - Tinsel, my ALTG Lizard and Clementine my new leopard Gecko.  Tinsel is cool, but CLEMENTINE is BEAUTIFUL. And such a sweetheart.  She never bites and actually seems to like hanging out resting on you.  She is a Tremper Albino with pretty gold eyes (one winks though, and MAY be blind) and just such a cutie!  I love her so much already.  She is not too impressed with my mealworms though, and prefers crickets. Honestly though, even though I raise my own mealies so it is MUCH cheaper, I will give her WHATEVER she wants for now.  I am also going to try her on wax worms (she is a bit skinny and needs some fat) and of course baby Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches as I have THOSE in abundance and they are super healthy for her.

ANYWAY, last night, Christmas Eve was super fun too!  We spent the evening with the Ostleparkwells (Meg and T-La's fams) eating delicious soup, talking, and having BoyKid play with the little boys who so worship him.  He had fun too, don't worry.  He loves those kids! Plus they played Mario Party on the Wii so he wasn't exactly suffering. HA!  But also he is just such a great kid.  He is really patient with his little cousins and is a great example. Great example to ME too.  I love that boy.

Also, I LOVE MEGAN. I know that isn't a huge surprise or anything, I mean she is my bestest friend/cousin.  But I really ADMIRE her.  She has gone through so much hard stuff in her life, but is now becoming SUPER active in the Church (she, well WE, are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints... Mormon for those that have heard more about that.).  I know she still struggles (nope, I am not the only one... mental illness runs in our family) but she DOES it. She holds a calling even.  She is a stellar example to me, though some Sundays I just can't go and the Lord DOES understand that.  She is amazing and has come so far.  Her hubby, Jakey, isn't a member of our faith, he is Catholic, but he is SUCH a good person for her.  He adores her and supports her and encourages her in our church.  Marrying someone of a different culture or religion can be so hard, but they are 2 people I see making it work best they can.  They are both awesome.

Also, another aspect of awesomeness Megs is like a fiberwork PHENOM.  She can knit ANYTHING!  Like seriously anything.  Monsters, Hermit Crabs, and, for Christmas she is making me some red knitted SHOES!  They are SUPER cute.  She is A-MAZING.  Anyway, enough about her, back to me (JK) Ha!

BoyKid is in the livingroom wailing on the Paper Jamz I gave him.  It can do real chords so he can play it like his real guitars.  He is so talented.  I am seriously surrounded by the coolest people.  That is probably the best part of Christmas (I mean, yes, we remember the birth of Jesus and THAT is the most IMPORTANT, but the FUNNEST part is family.  And it is ALMOST as important, I mean, that's why Christ did it all... so that we could stay with our family together forever.).  I have great family and friends and pets. I am so grateful for all of my blessings. And gift cards.

Becoming a Turtle Pimp

I won a HOVABATOR!  That's as very highly recommended incubator for reptile eggs.  So I am diving into the world of herp breeding. Well, 2 reptiles anyway - Russian Tortoises and Leopard Geckos.  My friend ML has a female Russian and I have Bratanik, my boy.  Russians do not lay many eggs, and the number that survive are even less.  Healthy CAPTIVE BORN RTs are hard to find, that's why I don't feel like breeding is a bad idea.  The ones at the pet stores are notoriously Wild Caught, living really rough lives when first captured and shipped.  It shouldn't happen.  Anyway, when I am homing MY babies people will have to prove they have the right set up for these amazing shell babies.  I do not want to sell to the ignorant and increase the number of BAD homes with pets.

And then there is Jack, my leopard gecko.  For him I am not doing the Stud thing.  I am buying him a girlfriend!  I have one in mind on KSL.com if they can hold her for me.  She is much sweeter than Jack the brat, and will make a much better Critters 2 Go participant.  Kids will be able to actually hold and pet her.  And, with a little help from cupid, hopefully she and Jack can give me darling little leopard gecko eggs! WOOT!  They will be SO CUTE. Jack may be a butt, but he IS gorgeous.

Currently my favorite names for my new little girl are Clementine or Norma.  I really hope it works out.  She is really inexpensive, a tangerine morph, and really gentle.

I am trying hard to think about happy things.  Christmas. Geckos. Family.  But my heart aches.  My Uncle Ken is dying. Their family is so positive, they are such a good example to me.  When Brady died in 9-11 they were the strong ones, comforting US about the loss of THEIR son. And now this.  Ola is so far away and I don't feel like I will ever be better, be HAPPY.  But I'm not dying, just hurting.  I feel lonely, fighting pain everyday.  So I do things just to distract me - play on Gaia, care for all my animals... at least that is taking care of someone else. Caring about something that matters.  I may never get married, have kids.... those things are mostly out of my hands.  But I can love my pets. I can be a CCL (sans cats) at that is a pretty good consolation prize. :)

Whining.

Still sick, eating Ramen and watching my chinchilla spaz out for me.  She is hilarious.  Glad my pets are here for me.  I am also reading Incantation and Billy Creekmore. Both are pretty good.

I am so hot. I rarely get fevers but I have one now.  So I am sweaty and gross. Uncool. (Literally!)

I am lonely. I want to go back to work. I want to go to SPAIN.

I am writing for the Examiner.  I need to get on top of a couple of Christmas themed articles this week. I am going to write about how you shouldn't give pets as presents and another that lists present ideas for pets (or for friends that have them).  Not sure which I will write next.  I am a little writer's blocked.

But I like writing. It gives me something productive I can do at home, since I am basically a shut in right now.  Whether it's blogging or writing an article, it helps.

MyNigerian gets arrested and I get a new lizard

WHAT THE HECK is up with me and people associated with me?!  I am still suffering through headaches always and trying to not hate the holidays because of it.  I feel like Christmas and the rest of life is just passing me by at rapid speeds.  But that's not all...

Ola got ARRESTED because he couldn't find the right papers and may be deported from Spain!  Like it's not hard enough to get to see him THERE.  If he goes to Nigeria we are just screwed.

Coats had a baby.  Which is pretty scary to think about by itself, but also there is still part of me thinking I AM THE LAST UNMARRIED FRINGE and who knows if I'll ever have kids.

I had a bad week this last week.  My lizard, Legolas, as well as 2 of my hermit crabs, Tolei and Jaque died unexpectedly.  And yes, I cried.

Today Mom gave me an early Christmas present, a new ALTGL like Legolas, who I have named Tinsel for the holidays.  He is just 11 inches long, nothing like my 13 inch Legolas, but he seems tamer and pretty healthy.  So I am happy to have him, though I still miss Legolas a lot.

Can I just say

I am so tired of hurting all of the time.

Ditto

Still sick. Still eating (well, DRINKING) chicken broth and saltine crackers and watching old movies (tonight it's Mr. Mom.). BUT a few things that are fun...

1. I got my "Capycopy" of CAPLIN, the world's most famous Capybara.  It's SUPER cute, as is HE.  SIGH.  Someday I will have a real capybara, if I can help it.  But until then, I will have every thing Capy I CAN.
2.  My new (to me) phone came today! FINALLY.  It is a BlackBerry Curve 8900 and I am so excited.  Mostly, IT WORKS which is more than I can say about my current phone all the time. But also I can use it like a PDA, so yeah, I am psyched. Also nice that I got this 4 hundred dollar phone for under 100. :)
3. My gliders and chinchilla are cracking me up.

Typhoid Mary Christmas

I am sick.

I am so sick of being sick!  It is truly unfair to feel crappy during the holidays.  Mom is in the kitchen making these little M&M treats that have candy cane Kisses on pretzels and an M&M to top it, them she is putting them with this:

M&M Christmas Story

by Pam Ridenour

M&M Christmas Story
As you hold these candies in your hand and turn them, you will see....
The M becomes a W, an E, and then a 3.
They tell the Christmas story it's one I'm sure you know.
It took place in a stable a long, long time ago.
The E is for the East where the star shone oh so bright.
The M is for the Manger where the baby Jesus slept that night.
The 3 is for the Wiseman bearing gifts, they say they came.
W is for Worship, Hallelujah
Praise to His name.
So as you eat these candies or share them with a friend,

Remember the meaning of Christmas, it's a love story that never ends
Merry Christmas

 I think that is the neighborhood gift.  I was helping her but then decided Typhoid Mary would be a better friend to just sit in the other room watching The Sting and drinking de-fizzed 7-Up rather than to spread my love/germs.

So anyway tomorrow is the church Christmas party and my DAD playing Santa.  Heaven help anyone trying to keep Santa real for their children in our ward... he is just plain SCARY as Santa Claus!  But he LOVES doing it.
Anyway, really sick of it.  Not The Sting. That's a good (old) flick. Nor the 7-Up which is pomegranate flavored and quite good. Sick of the being sick.