Asinine Question At 3am....

"What day is it?"
"Huh?  What time is it....okay, it's Wednesday."
"No it's not; I just came to bed, so it's technically still Tuesday.  Did I take any of my meds today?"
"I don't know..."
"Why not?  That's your job; to keep track of my meds."  He gets out of bed.  "Apparently, I took Friday's on Monday, and didn't take any today."
Okay; so what's the problem?  Come back to bed and just skip a day....


"I've got a problem; come in here and help me, damn it!"

I get out of bed and go into the kitchen, where he is staring at his pill tray.

"You didn't fill....what day?"
"I filled it all but Saturday night; you griped at me the last time you forgot to take them on Saturday.  All you have to do is put today's meds into Friday's compartment, and you'll be back on track.  It's not going to hurt you to miss one day."  I go back to bed.
"Okay, but if I drop dead, it will be your fault."

Oh my freaking god.....I refuse to give in to this guilt trip and go back to sleep.  Four days later, when I have time to rant about this, he's still very much alive and kicking!


He's 57 years old...can't he keep track of his own damn meds?  Maybe he's in the early stages of dementia?  He's only been 'officially' retired since May, and 'unofficially' since October 2009, though we didn't realize it until March 2010.

I've made a point of putting his med tray beside the coffee pot in the mornings; so far he's on track.  And maybe it was momentary panic which caused him to lose his common sense; or maybe he hadn't put anyone on a guilt trip that week, so I was the 'lucky' recipient at 3am?

GROW UP!

Trying Too Hard??

OMG...I actually saw this several months ago, but now our /priest and DRE are bringing it to our attention:  The Catholic Church has 'discovered' our current translation of the Latin Mass isn't 'exact'.  So now, rather than reprint the books (or maybe they are....), Fr. Dave is having cards printed and laminated so no one has to go 'leafing through' the books to find the correct spot.

My questions are, 1)  who cares if it's not an 'exact' translation?  and 2) why can't people find their way through the books?

Okay; I suppose if someone fluent in Latin was 'appalled' at the translation, this would make sense.  And if something in English were translated the wrong way is, say, Cantonese, and enough people were there to complain, yes, I think an uproar would call for a change.

And in defense of the books, we have a large elderly population in our church.  So I understand the cards....and most of the parish remembers when the entire service was in Latin.

But here's what I DON'T get:  It just seems to me this is another attempt to 'get it right'.  As if they don't make this change, every Catholic is doomed from Heaven, simply because they didn't 'do it' the 'right' way.   Let's revisit something:  In order to be saved/get into Heaven, the requirements are:

-Acknowledge Christ died for our sins

-Have faith in God above.

Where does that say anything about the language to use when praying/conducting the service?

And another thing which bugs me:  Before every meeting (at least for parents; no clue if this happens during Parish Council or Finance Committee), we open with a recitation of a printed prayer.  Why can't the leader or Fr. Dave pray spontaneously?  Even when my MIL passed, Fr. Dave led us in the Lord's Prayer (The 'Our Father', they call it).

I just think they're trying too hard.  Lighten up, people!

OMG...Seriously? I've Done It AGAIN?

Accidentally sparked an immigration debate yesterday on FB.  A friend posted the following on her page; I liked it, so I copy/pasted it to my wall in the NAME OF PATRIOTISM.  It even states 'I'm not against immigration', but apparently three of my friends missed that part.  One even unfriended me (and now his post is missing, but his private message is at the bottom).  All names have been removed except mine.

From LS:

Our fathers watched as their fathers died in WW II, and watched as their friends died in Vietnam. My friends have died in Afghanistan and Iraq. None of them died for the Mexican Flag, chinese flag, or any other flag. Everyone died for the U.S. flag. Just this week, in Texas , a student raised a Mexican flag on a school flag pole; another student took it down. Guess who was expelled... the kid who took it down. Kids in high school in California were sent home on Cinco de Mayo because they wore T-shirts with the American flag printed on them. Enough is enough. The message below needs to be viewed by every American; and every American needs to stand up for America. We've bent over to appease the America-haters long enough. I'm taking a stand. I'm standing up because the hundreds of thousands who died fighting in wars for this country, and for the U.S. flag can't stand up. If you agree, stand up with me. And shame on anyone who tries to make this a racist message. A Map Of My Country: Let me make this perfectly clear! THIS IS MY COUNTRY! And, because I make this statement DOES NOT mean I'm against immigration!!! YOU ARE WELCOME HERE, IN MY COUNTRY! Welcome -To come through legally: 1. Get a sponsor! 2. Get a place to lay your head! 3. Get a job! 4. Live By OUR Rules! 5. Pay YOUR Taxes! 6. Learn the LANGUAGE like immigrants have in the past!!! AND 7. Please don't demand that we hand over our lifetime savings of Social Security Funds to you. If you don't want to forward this for fear of offending someone, Then YOU'RE PART OF THE PROBLEM! When will AMERICANS STOP giving away THEIR RIGHTS??? We've gone so far the other way... bent over backwards not to offend anyone. But it seems no one cares about the AMERICAN CITIZEN that's being offended! WAKE UP AMERICA!!! United We Stand! Like ·  · 9 hours ago

•  
• 
  
  
  
  (JB) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_Colossus
  
  
  The New Colossus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  en.wikipedia.org
  ‎"The New Colossus" is a sonnet by Emma Lazarus (1849–1887), written in 1883 and...See More
  8 hours ago · Like · 
• 
  
  
  
  (JB) looks like this started a lot of the problem:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_Act_of_1924
  
  
  Immigration Act of 1924 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  en.wikipedia.org
  The Immigration Act of 1924, or Johnson–Reed Act, including the National Origins...See More
  8 hours ago · Like · 
• 
  
  
  
  (JB) another possible cause:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugenics_in_the_United_States#Immigration_restrictions
  
  
  Immigration restrictions - Eugenics in the United States - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  en.wikipedia.org
  The Immigration Restriction League was the first American entity associated offi...See More
  8 hours ago · Like
  
  
  (JB) looks like i have quite a bit to learn about this subject. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_laws_concerning_immigration_and_naturalization_in_the_United_States
• 
  
  History of laws concerning immigration and naturalization in the United States - Wikipedia, the free
  en.wikipedia.org
  The first naturalization law in the United States was the Naturalization Act of ...See More
  8 hours ago · Like · 
• 
  
  
  
  (SM) I am American and find this post very offensive. After having dealt personally with immigration I realize it is not actually as simple as that. Being a parent I know that i would go to any means necessary to work and support my family. I can not condemn anyone for doing the same.
  8 hours ago · Like ·   1 person
• 
  
  
  
  (JR) When my great grandmother immigrated to this country she did it the legal way. That is what most Americans who support legislation in opposition to illegal immigration are asking for, do it legally. No, doing things the legal way may not be easy. No one said things would be easy. My great-great grandfather had to send some of his children back home and bring them over later because he refused to pay the doctor a bribe to pass one of the children on their health exam. He had to wait five years to send for them. It was hard, painful but was done the legal way. As a parent I find one of the most important lessons I can teach my son is integrity. What am I teaching him if I say when times are hard, we can ignore the rule of law and do what we want because it benefits us? This argument is not simple, it's not easy and won't be solved in a soundbite or a facebook post. And pasting someone as ignorant or racist because they disagree with you is the height of an ignorant response. This is not about race or ethnicity. It's about doing things the right way. If someone moved into your home without permission you wouldn't say, "Oh, that's okay." You'd call the police.We welcome those who enter legally.
  6 hours ago · Like
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  (SR) I agree with this completely Molly and I'm proud of you for posting the thoughts I have tried to share with others. I know an illegal Mexican who bragged about being paid $2 an hour more for the same job my boyfriend did and not paying taxes to boot because he helps bring other illegals here to work. He has been here many years but refuses to become legal because he committed murder in Mexico and is hiding out here with our assistance. On top of that, he tried to seduce me away from my guy right in front of him. Clearly there is something wrong with his thinking and those who allowed him to think his behavior was acceptable.
  5 hours ago · Like
• 
  
  
  
  (SR) I did warn Brad that he was dangerous and he found out the hard way when he borrow money from him once and Jessie showed up the following payday with a gang of illegals threatening to beat him up if he did pay him back. Then had the balls to ask me if I wanted to go down the hallway to Brad's bedroom and give him a f'ing blowjob. Thank God Brad threw him out before I called the cops. I suspect he only chose to leave after seeing me open my cell phone and start dialing 911. Some people don't deserve a chance. His wife finally kicked him out because he was cheating on her but I'm sure his family is still enjoying the food stamps our tax dollars provided for them.
  5 hours ago · Like
• 
  
  Molly Daniels I'd have still called the police. Jeez, the drama you get caught up in...;)
  5 hours ago · Like
• 
  
  
  
  (SR) Drama does seem to like following me, but it's not what I want in my life. Do I seriously have to write that story about our next revolution to make my point? Anyone who wants to come to this country legally is welcome even though it is no easy chore to become an American citizen. If they choose to stay illegal then don't expect to receive those benefits our tax dollars pay for unless they are also paying into the system that welcomes them. Clearly we have a use for them or they wouldn't be here, but that doesn't make them "entitled" to a free ride at our expense.
  5 hours ago · Unlike ·   1 person
• 
  
  
  
  (SR) I agree with Jacqueline. The real problem here goes back to decisions our elected government officials want to impose on us so that they can get more votes to stay in office. They are the true looters of this country. I believe most Mexicans here are probably hard workers looking for that "American dream" and most of the jobs they take the rest of us don't want to do, but once we start changing the laws or just ignoring them we send a message to that minority group of illegals who think the law enforcers have their back and they can do anything or take anything they want. When a small community like Oaktown has to live in fear of going out after dark in their own hometown or leaving their teenage daughters home alone only to have a gang of thugs break in rape their daughter, beat her, then leave her body in a field for dead there is a problem with the system that tolerates such behavior. And when you hear the rest of that sad but true story that the news won't share with you and realize that the farmer who employed those thugs sent them somewhere else to work to protect them from prosecution you have to wonder what is wrong with the citizens we call neighbors that put their own at risk to protect their cheap laborers. These are indeed very sad and frightening times.
  
  
  
  
  (via private message):
  "If you are are going to post things on a public forum you have to understand that not 
  
  
  everyone will agree. I'm suggesting you research this matter more. This same level of 
  
  
  narrow minded self righteousness and fascism led to one race thinking they were pure 
  
  
  and killing many innocent people. That was a big part of World War 2 that you even 
  
  
  mentioned.
  
  The days of "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all" are over 
• 
  
• when we become adults and have to face cold hard truths. What you posted was 
• 
  
• equally offensive to several people, even people you know, but you didn't think about 
• 
  
• that. It seems like you were more focused on pushing an agenda of intolerance. 
• 
  Friends should be able to be honest. If you don't want an honest response to 
• 
  
• something you post, don't be friends with educated people who research topics and 
• 
  
• speak their mind.
• If you can't stand up for what you believe in you to have a stronger convictions. Their are two sides to every debate. Usually one is right and one is wrong.Nobody ever convinced someone they were right by not sticking up for what they believe in.

(My reply):  

• I'm sorry you felt the need to unfriend me; I posted it with patriotism in mind, NOT to 
• 
  
• spark an immigration debate. I will take it down since the comments are getting out of 
• 
  
• control. No offense was ever intended.

(His response):  

• • I'm not unfriending you in life. It's just not a 
    secret that you and I don't agree on a majority of 
    issues and your posts frustrate me from time to 
    time. I think the best way to avoid this problem 
    is to not have to read them. I'm very known for 
    speaking my mind. I'm also well read and able to 
    do that and I'm not looking to pick debates with 
    people. I just hope you will research this and 
    other issues further before you post more 
    "patriotism."
    
    
    (My response to that):  (((((HUGS)))))
    
    
    *******
    
    
    I had also posted AFTER I saw the first several comments the following:
    
    
    What happened to 'if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all'?  I'm choosing not to defend my opinion.  You have your right to yours; I choose to not let friendship stand in the way.
    
    
    I was hoping that would smooth things over; 
    after all, I have as much right to post my opinion 
    as anyone.  Apparently, once again, I can post 
    sexually explicit material; proclaim any LIBERAL 
    opinions, but the minute I dare post 'I believe in 
    God' or 'I LOVE my country', I get shot down.  
    WTF?
    
    
    Told another friend (private message) 'Doesn't 
    the 1st Amendment apply to EVERYONE 
    anymore?  Or is it only those with the LOUDEST 
    voices?  OMG....Animal Farm all over again....'
    
    
    So yeah....shaking my head over here.
    
    

I Haz The Rage...

Do I expect too much from people?

All I want is some common sense, follow through on plans, and act like an intelligent human being.

The SU and I have been together now for 20.5 years. When I met him, I was only interested in friendship; he took me out to eat when I broke up with my boyfriend, and he was available to pick me up when I wrecked my car on my parents' 25th anniversary. And two years later, I'd not seen him in a while and he offered a way out of a disastrous relationship.

We began dating; I didn't see it lasting. He was full of plans and ideas for the future, and when circumstances dictated we get married, well, I did a stupid thing.

I allowed him to yell at me and make me feel guilty. I tolerated it for several years, taking the blame when everything went wrong financially. After all, I was the one who caused it, and was not contributing.

And then I found my backbone. And decided to find happiness in my own small ways. And for a while, I was content with life.

Yes, I married a man who talks a good game, but never follows through. When he has the time for things, he never has the money to do it. Conversely, when he has the money and the means to do certain things, there's never any time. Or, his heart acts up. His sugar spikes.

The past two months, his 'grandkids' have been with us. Here's the family dynamic: His adopted sister has a daughter whom my SU practically raised from the time she was 18 months until age six. She calls him 'Uncle', but sends him Father's Day cards. Therefore, her two children are his 'grandchildren', even though there's no blood relation. Confused? Don't worry; you're not alone!

Anyway, back in May, J calls me, b/c Miss Drama Queen and Mr. Energy want to spend a week with us. ME has summer school, beginning in June, so if we do not take them Memorial Day weekend, then it won't be until July. Since she has car issues, and we were going to be in Indy anyway, and she happens to live w/in walking distance of the 500 track, it seemed logical to grab them then, so we did. Three days later, she calls. Turns out her deadbeat boyfriend didn't pay her May rent, so she has to move. Summer school won't be happening. I decided to keep the kids for the summer while she got her act together.

I start Aunt Molly's Summer Reading Program for all three kids, since mine needs tutoring and a friend offered to do it. Well, things went sour on her end and now we've only had three tutoring sessions all summer. I hope my efforts have paid off; I'll find out soon. Anyway, back to MDQ and ME.

During the month of June, ME had anger issues. Hit his sister, picked fights. In July, he's doing better with the anger.

MDQ, on the other hand, sometimes acts as if she doesn't have a brain in her head. She whines over the littlest thing, and overreacts to pain or different situations. Drives. Me. INSANE! Sometimes I feel we need to just wrap her in bubble wrap to keep her from injury. Granted, when she arrived here, she had strep throat. But since then, she's had a UTI and is now heading for a sinus infection. Plus has been through six boxes of Band Aids. We bought 4 three weeks ago, and thankfully only one has been used. Maybe the injuries are starting to become fewer? I don't fuss over her injuries; I simply clean her up and send her on her way. Or, if it happens too often, then yeah, I get annoyed by her 'OH it HURTS!' Shut up; there's no blood; get over it!

I've noticed if she's not the center of attention, suddenly she's pouting; has a headache; 'everyone is being mean'...in short, 'Poor Me' (can I gag?)

I must be suffering from an extreme form of PMS, because I unloaded on everyone today. All summer I've been talking about my mini-HS reunion. I decided to skip a local festival a) b/c I wasn't expecting any releases until September and b) the reunion is the same day. Plus, it's the Grandkids' b-day (yup, born one year apart on the same day.)

So I've tried to pin down my spouse as to plans. I would like to take them to the water park; then to my mom's; and off to my reunion. On Sat, take the kids to Indy; go swimming with them/celebrate their b-day; return to my mom's in time for pitch-in, karaoke/concert.

He starts yelling about gas prices and how all I want to do is spend his money. I start offering compromises; I'll be willing to forego Sat night. We can come home after the kids' b-day party. He still isn't happy.

Fine; I'll have my dad come get me Friday, and have him drive me to Indy to meet everyone on Sat. He says that's not fair to my father. And that's where he stopped talking about it.

I unloaded on the kids at the library. Every time we go, I tell them to WALK, not run. What does ME and my youngling do as soon as we get inside? Run for the Youth Dept. Jump down the stairs. I heard a shriek in the sunroom as I was looking for a particular book.

I'd had enough. I rounded them up and we went to the car. Took them home, and then went back by myself.

Hadn't been home two minutes when MDQ tripped and fell. I have a little bit of sympathy for her, because I did the same thing myself last month at the neighbor's house. But she's not bleeding. 'My fiiiiiinnnnngggeeerrrrrrr huuuuurrrrts.....I think I broooke it....' No, it's not broken. I had her run it under cold water and she's fine now.

Our shower is in the basement, and yeah, it's a little complicated. I take MDQ down and start the shower, then I sit down there with her until she's finished. She can shut it off; just can't start it. But what really drove me insane tonight is this: She stripped off her clothes and hopped in...'I forgot my jammies....and my towel...oh, and my underwear....and can you get me a wash cloth?"

The child is going to be ten years old next Sat. Her younger brother collects his clean underwear and towel before he gets in the shower; why the hell can't she? Before we cut her hair last week, yeah, I'd have to help her with the shampoo/conditioner. But now it's easier for her to do herself. When my daughter was ten, she was more than capable of taking care of her own hair!

And the hair itself is an issue: Granted, the spouse was only supposed to take an inch or so off. Well, he got clipper-happy, and her once-shoulder length hair is now around her ears. Looks cute. And as I stated earler, a lot cooler for her and easier to care for.

But she doesn't like the way it kinks up. "Everyone will make fun of my hair'. NO THEY WON'T! So what does her mom say? "I'm getting her hair extensions for her b-day." The CHILD is TEN!

Oh, and J was supposed to move into an apartment tomorrow. Well that's not going to happen now, because it's no longer available. Now her plan is to move in with her mom, giving her money every week. Kids will ride the bus and maybe stay with a friend of hers before and after school, since J works 7am-5:30pm and three times a week 11pm-6am. My question is, when is she going to be a PARENT?

I offered to keep them and send them to school down here. We have the TIME to be involved; both kids want to be in scouts. That ain't gonna happen if they go home. But J misses her kids and wants them with her. I just saw my SIL post on FB "I feel very overwhelmed at this point

in time. When you try to keep things simple one moment at a time you get hit with so much..."

I wanted to comment, 'Oh, did J tell you her 'plan'?

J and the kids lived with her from 2009-2010. SIL was NOT happy with the way things were

going then. Last year at this time, J sent the kids to another aunt's in Wisconsin, with the plan

being she would move up there. Well, her health went sour. Kids returned Thanksgiving, after

J had her appendix out, gall bladder checked, and is still having issues. Oh, and according to

the kids, her deadbeat boyfriend cheated on her twice, but she took him back 'because I LOVE

him' (insert whiny voice). MDQ can't stand him. Get a clue; your kids come FIRST!

SIL has said if J hasn't gotten her act together by Aug, she's taking the kids away permanently.

I'm waiting to see if that happens, or if she's another one who won't 'follow through'.

Sorry about the extended rant; I'm a little hot under the collar over this whole mess. And I

can't get anyone to listen to me, because 'I'm not the best housekeeper' (YOU try having a clean

house with seven people in a 2 BRM, 1 Bath house, where only one person seems to give a

damn!) and 'they're not blood related' and 'you can't afford it'....Damn it, this is the only home

they've known where discipline is consistant; they aren't being dragged all over Hell's Half

Acre; and where someone actually cares about THEM, rather than their damn career/

lovelife! Yes, my SIL has just moved her boyfriend of the past year into her condo.

Who's the stable family unit here?

Making and Breaking Promises....

I'm wondering if I've a right to be upset with a certain person. She knows about my little one's issues and offered her help, but it's been one postponement after another. Here it is, July 1st, and she's only been over ONCE this summer, to evaluate him. I thought she'd be over once a week (so now she's missed 3) for intensive tutoring.

I can't do this all by myself. I've dragged the child to the library; had him reading game board instructions; historical markers; and every time the words 'I'm bored' come out of his mouth, I shove his library book at him and tell him to read me at least one page.

Last week she emailed and said she'd come on Thurs. Yesterday it was 'I'll be over after my shift'; and a few mins ago, a message 'A co-worker's home caught fire and we're all going over to see what can be salvaged..how about if I come over on Tues?.' I had to restrain myself from sending a snarky comment about commitment to children.

In the end, I just 'sighed' and said I understood about emergencies, and told her about my only appointment next week.

I WANTED a weekly tutoring schedule. What I'm GETTING is a once-a-month 'let's see if your mom's doing as good a job as I can'.

Right now, I only hope my efforts ARE paying off, and that in six weeks he will get the 2nd grade teacher who will work with him, or the school allows him to go to 1st grade for reading until he catches up. Otherwise, I'm in for a rough school year, and having no choice but to hold him back.

And to make things more stressful, my stepdaughter is living in a motel, having lost her home, and her kids are living with us and wreaking havok. Why is it if one member of the family gets something to eat, EVERYONE has to have the same thing, even if they just ate an hour earlier? OMG....cereal in the morning....then if daughter wakes up and fixes ramen noodles, both kids are like, 'I want some too!' Uncle Dad gets out tacquitos and queso dip...'I want some...' I swear, these two could hear a Doritos bag being opened if they were three doors down at the neighbor's house! I miss my hour where I could safely melt a square of chocolate almond bark and enjoy some chocolate-dipped pretzels. If these two end up with us for the next school year, I'll have to wait six more weeks.

But having them here is my choice; they have a stable home life with us; they aren't being constantly dragged around or being yelled at by a grumpy, sleep-deprived parent who insists on 'working things out' with her deadbeat boyfriend 'because I LOVE him'...even though he has 8 kids with three other women....thank GOD she had her tubes tied!....get a clue; your kids are supposed to come FIRST, not a leech whose SSI checks go for child support.

As I ranted to a friend a few weeks ago: This is what's been going on since she moved to the 'big city', where opportunities are better:

She moves in with 'a friend' but suddenly car breaks down/gets sick/kids get sick/gets fired

or laid off from work. Then she's looking for another place to live/new job.

2005: Began working in Indpls, but since day care was too expensive, her kids
came to live with us, with the understanding she would come over, have dinner
with them, and tuck them into bed (she worked 11pm-6am). But gas prices shot
up, so she only arrived Friday mornings...then Fri night....then Sat
morning....Sat afternoon...you get the picture. Sometimes she didn't show up at
all (We lived half hour from her job).

May 2006: She lost that job, and her apartment, but went on a temp job and met
a new friend. Suddenly, the plan is she'll move in with her, and since the
friend will be working days instead of nights, J will watch her kids and vice
versa. This is when I had my meltdown and hoped she'd get her act together.

July 2006: Kids are back in our care b/c things went sour with her new
'friend'. She's met a guy who'll help her out.

Sept 2006: She and new b/f move in together; kids now staying with their dad,
who's out of jail, since MDQ (Miss Drama Queen) has to start kdgn.

2007: She and b/f find new house; take kids from dad permanently.

2008: My hubby stays with them for five months instead of motel room, and she
literally nickels and dimes him to death every week for help with bills/car
expenses/internet hook up/twenty bucks here and there. He tells me he'll never
stay with her again.

2009: She moves in with her mom 'to get her finances straightened out'. Has
medical probs in fall; can't work. Drives my SIL crazy.

2010: Surgery in Feb; supposed to return to work. Nope; complications keep her
from working.

Aug 2010: Ships her kids to aunt's house in Wisconsin. They're back by
Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, she and b/f find house and move in. Her brother gets
her a job.

May 2011: Discovers b/f has been cheating and not paying rent. Meanwhile, kids
are back in my care. She asks if we can keep them until she finds another place
to live. I tell her I'll keep them for summer, and maybe longer.

June 2011: She's staying in motel for a week, then moving in with another
'friend'. Her car's been repo'ed, and she's looking for a better paying job.

I'm fed up with her. My SIL has made noises about taking the kids away from
her; I say the same thing. We have the time and energy to give them a stable
home, since I work at home and hubby's retired. SIL works full time plus
consults, and her new b/f just moved in with HER. We have seven people in a two
bedroom/1 bath house. Mr. Energy sleeps in Will's bed; MDQ on the couch; my youngling
on air mattress with his big brother, who's home from college.

And in the meantime, I discover one of my release dates has been moved up to July 6th! Time for my hubby to step up and help out around here so I can work on my edits and do my JOB! I'm now editing four books, one of which has a deadline of Monday, if I hope to keep that release date. Fortunately, there isn't as many errors as the other three, so this should be a breeze. I'm only seeing one comment where I need to rework it.

Anyway, that's my rant for the month. Sometimes I neglect this space too long.

Grrrrrr...Grow Up, Will You????

I've done it again. Put blind trust into an old friend and now I'm regretting it. When the hell will I EVER learn??

Here's the thing: I hadn't spoken to this person in quite a while, and since her birthday is coming up, I thought I'd check in with her and let her know my cell phone number, so she'd pick up when I called. She was delighted to hear my voice, and was sympathetic when I told what had gone wrong with our home phone and our finances.

Just to inject something here for a moment: My cell is pre-paid. $40 gets me 400 minutes, and when we had the home phone, I could easily stretch those minutes into five or six months. But since my cell is now our primary phone, I'm lucky if I get a month's worth. So I tend to text a lot, or keep phone conversations BRIEF, unless I'm talking to my mom, my BFF, or one of my kids.

So anyway, after a thirty minute conversation with my friend, we said goodbye, with me promising to call her on her b-day.

The next day, my phone rings. And it's her. Now granted, I had a choice to answer or ignore. I answered.....and it was just her, griping because she's sick and can I come down and take care of her?

Whoa...(sound of record scratching). Can I what? I'm an hour away; it's a freaking school night; and you're how old now? Give me a break! If you're sick, call your dad or one of your sisters. Do not run up my minutes over an asinine question like that!

Now granted, maybe she was teasing, and did not expect me to drop everything and go to her. And yes, maybe I should have hit the 'ignore' button, since I was in my writer's meeting. But still, I have issues calling people on their cell phones; I don't like to unless absolutely necessary. So if you're a friend and just want to chat, find me on facebook or send me an email, or a text. If I see this is going to be a long drawn out text-fest, I'll call you.

But please respect my precious minutes and don't call me unless it something important?

Nag Nag Nag...

I've been hosting authors on my blog now for nearly 18 months, and it's been harder than I ever imagined. I thought all I'd have to do is upload a cover or two, and the interview. But no; I have to format the interview around the covers; send out gentle reminders to the authors when they don't respond; remember which promotion manager belongs to which author. And also respond when authors want multiple months, explaining I'm full.

I've also had to deal with loss of traffic to my blog. I don't know if it's my message on the loops, or the fact I've had authors I've never heard of requesting interviews and don't know if they're posting their own promos. I can only do so much.

With that said, I don't think I'll send out any more invitations, other than the authors I DO have relationships with. Cindy's already gotten more comments in the past two hours than some authors have had in two days.

And I just got an email from a promotional manager, wondering why her author wasn't featured today. I can't post something I never got! I told her I had another author on standby for next week if I didn't hear from her other author. Again, there's only so much I can do on my end.