You're No Less Of A Man To Me

This post is dedicated to my dearly departed brother-in-law's ringfinger tip.

My brother-in-law is a high school English/woodshop teacher. While using a tool that students are not allowed to use because they might cut off their finger, he cut off his finger. My sister, Jane, called me to tell me about this incident while they were on their way to the pharmacy to fill a prescription for Percocet. If ever a person needed Percocet, I would say having lost a body part that day would be a good reason for it.

Incidently, this was their second torturous trip to the pharmacy as apparently the MD did not sign the prescription for Percocet the first time. Percocet is in a class of medications called C-II drugs and authorizations to fill must be on the original prescription (you cannot call in an authorization like you can for the carefree Vicodin prescriptions you all have). Please give MD's at El Camino Hospital ER the evil eye. They do not sign their prescriptions.

Sean, it was a good ringfinger tip and we will miss it dearly. Please do not try to demonstrate to your kids important safety information so graphically next time.

Was It All A Dream?

I need to have better dreams.

Around the middle of April I was told "you have been chosen to participate in a work at home program with 4 other pharmacists". Yay! As much as I love most of my coworkers, I was really, really happy about this. Mostly due to 1) waking up later 2) going to work in sweats every day 3) saving on gas and 4) saving on meals . These were all good things.

I was told this was to happen the first week of May. Then the first week of May we got a definite "by friday we will have 3 pharmacists working at home and then 2 weeks after that the other 2". Now it is almost the first week of June.

No sign of working at home.

It's slipping...slipping...slipping away. To all those people who keep asking me "when are you working at home?" I have no idea. And I die a little inside when you ask.

I'm At Work Today

Oh, this is sad. While everyone else is frolicking around I am at work. Boo work!

In good news I do get holiday pay, work is very slow and so mostly I am eating my way through the day with yummy food and reading. I think I will be fat for Hanah's wedding. Gross.

I ate 2 cheeseburgers yesterday for lunch and dinner. I never eat burgers. My stomach is rebelling right about...now.

The Great Question Of Our Time

Voltron or Transformers? Who wins?

Voltron definitely has a cool concept I think...intergalactic space travellers who use lionoids that end up connecting to make a big android which then raises the Blazing sword ultimately in the end that ends up defeating the enemy...you just can't get better than that. It also has that nostalgic feel to it. Please note the Power Rangers can never compare. Do not compare.

The downside to Voltron was that although the main story line was very confusing, the daily episodes were very formulaic: A monster plans to destroy planet...seems like it will defeat Voltron...Voltron suddenly remembers it can connect and then remembers later after a few blows the Blazing Sword. It destroys the enemy. Lame.

The Transformers are very different and the story is much more sophisticated. Machines that are alive. Some befriend the humans, some do not. There is a war going on between the machines. Humans never occupy or control the machines really. The transformers all have hidden identities and day jobs.

The problem is that The Transformers just have too many characters. Sure we remember Optimus Prime, Hot Rod, etc., but the story is just complex and has so many characters, it's sometimes hard to keep up.

So let's settle this once and for all...Voltrons or The Transformers?

Next up: Genie vs. Samantha ...this question taken from That 70's Show.

Payback

To all those people who have been reproducing and to all those people who decided they must have a mate:

Oh yes, one day there will be payback. I am buying wayyyyy too many wedding, bridal shower, and baby shower gifts this year for there not to be. I am expecting a very LARGE gift from all you suckers when my time comes. Everyone who I have been a bridesmaid for, everyone who has had me as a godmother (admittedly, just 2), and everyone who has decided to invite me to their bridal showers... payback. Okay, it's not that bad, and I enjoy these events, please continue to invite me. It's just that I looked at my calendar today and it seems like almost every single weekend until Sept. is filled with one of these events. Can't you people just do like Stedman and Oprah?

This reminds me of a very important Sex And The City episode that all smug marrieds (quoting Bridget Jones here, I love all of you) should watch "A Woman's Right To Shoes". To continue being my friend, I highly suggest viewing it. Oh, to do as Carrie does.

********************************************************
Carrie: So then... If I don't get married or have a baby, what? I get Bupkiss? Think about it, after graduation there is not one event that is just about you
Charlotte: We get Birthdays
Carrie: No, no, no, we all get birthdays!

Coming full circle, Carrie decides that it is unfair that every time Kyra has registered for an occasion she has received a gift. In turn, Carrie announces her wedding....to herself and registers at Manolo Blahnik.

I Don't Think I'll Make It To The Finals

Everyone who has known me for a while knows that when there is dancing, ice-skating, or any sort of thing on television I dance along.

I also dance in front of my mirror every night before going to bed. My old college roommate, Jamie (see NZ/80's posts), thought this was a little strange but she went along with it. I'd just like to state that this is no stranger than practicing the whole "Like A Virgin" routine at a Christian college over and over again...but I digress.

Well then, everyone who has known me for a while knows that I often get hurt doing these spontaneous dancing routines in my living room. Last year it was Footloose and a sprained finger, the year before it was a sprained ankle from "I Will Survive" well alas, I just about went crazy tonight while I was watching Apollo Anton Ohno's "Bust a Move" and basically was spinning around and around and around in my woolly socks. I guess the problem, or one the problems, with doing this is that I have a pergo wood floor. Wool socks + pergo wood floor = sliding across and hitting my bike which then hits me square in the back and falling to the ground.

And so right in the middle of my back I have a raised bump which is hurting like a mother and is already showing signs of nasty nasty bruisy bruisy. I cannot show you any pictures as it is literally in the upper center of my back and this blog is all about trying to be kid-friendly, mother approved. But yeah. Hurt.

I am considering purchasing this book. They appear to know what they are doing.

Tour De Cure 2007

This weekend, I finished the 50K Tour De Cure with my friend Richard (in red below). Richard is a friend of a friend of a friend. Literally. Yeah, we're real close. Anyways after a chance encounter we both realized we were doing the tour and agreed to bike together.

Originally I was going to do the 100K, but came to my senses a few weeks before and opted for the 50K instead. It was actually pretty easy, we did 35 miles and came back in about 2.5 hours. Not bad considering we had to stop at the Jax rest stop as my chain was twisted and not shifting gears and Richard's tire needed air. I totally love them, they fixed my bike last year as well. My bicycle is running like silk now, does not make funky noises and the gears shift great. I wasn't that tired afterwards and wondered if I should have done the 65mile (100K) afterall... it was still a good workout though.


These are not the most flattering pictures as 1) I could not figure out to make the photo's larger without an actual purchase of the photos, and 2) I wasn't exactly going for the beauty queen look that day. Update: we get 1 free picture. Unfortunately, I had to choose between 2 grainy thumbnails. Blown up, I look really goofy. We're going to keep this picture small.


Richard was an excellent partner as we both biked approximately the same pace (he was faster on hills but was kind enough to wait). As we were going pretty quickly, we apparently were one of the first 50K'ers to get in. We came in with the 15 mile folk and were handed 15 mile bikers gift bags. We later found out that these gift bags were considerably worse than the 35mile (50K) gift bags. The 50K bags had handy dandy bike tools and all that.

I marched over to the gift bag people and basically said "Hey! I want a 50K gift bag". Richard could not get himself to do this. But I have a handy dandy bike tool kit thingamajigger and he does not.

That was my SoCal Tour De Cure experience. Overall quite a nice time.

Where is My Cell Phone?

JoAnn must have lost her mind today. Too much sun at Vlad's graduation? Possibly. Here was our delightful phone conversation. Highly dramatized as the first part of the conversation was in the background with her husband.

JoAnn: Where is my cell phone? I've been searching everywhere for my cell phone.
(Enter high pitched laughing from Macky in the background). Where is my cell phone?!

JoAnn: HAHA! I've been searching for my cell phone in my purse this whole time I was talking to you on it!!

Jessica: You're such a dork!! HAHAHHAHAA!!

Macky and Jessica: HAHAHAHAHAHAA!!

This is likely not funny to anyone but us, but I had a good 2 mins of laughing from it. I also had a lot of tiredness in me as I had just finished the Tour De Cure. So the funniness might actually be 58% delirium. More on that when pictures develop.

Hmmm...I bet this post will be funnier with some beer.

Yummm...Chai Tea Latte from Coffee Bean. Hot, steamy, yumminess.

So a run down of Thursday night shows (some spoilers...please stop reading if you will hate me for spoilers).


The Office--yay! Jim and Pam! Whoohoo. Sad BJ Novak looks like he is leaving. Dwight was awesome last night. The Dwight nightmare unleashed!

Ugly Betty--need to catch it on abc.com today. I was too busy watching The Office.

Grey's Anatomy--highly disappointing, must cut it from my Thurs. night repetoire. What's the point of a show of people who cannot really make anything in their lives work except cutting other people up? It was a just a long, depressing, disappointing episode.

On a side note: HEROES--most awesome show ever. Just a whole episode full of greatness.

Mr. Angry said to Androgenous Angry Banana "I am mad!" and then Androgenous Angry Banana replied, "I am so mad!!! Rarrr!"

But in no way are they as angry as Miss Angry Jessica. Miss Angry Jessica is just a tad bit more angry than the average Mr. Angry or Androgenous Angry Banana.

And that's all Miss Angry Jessica will say at the moment as she wants to get a good nights sleep.

Actually Miss Angry Jessica doesn't get that angry that well, I guess she's pretty good at being loud a lot, but not when she's angry. When she's angry she just tends to go to bed or have hot chocolate, or Swiss Vanilla With Chocolate Almond Haggen Daaz (depending on the weather)--YUMMY! Being angry can make someone very tired or hungry.

Hopefully tomorrow Miss Angry Jessica will be visited by Miss Happy Scone!

STOP MESSING WITH THE MERMAID

This makes me sad. The Little Mermaid statue which has been in Copenhagen harbor since 1913 has gone through some tough times. She's been beheaded, painted several times, and had a burka put on her.

It's a really beautiful statue, and I beseech all the vandals out there to stick to the side of highways and walls, rather than ruin something as beautiful as this.

The idea of making some sort of moral or political statement by defacing this work of art is just so egocentric and shallow to me. I mean political and moral statements can so often be important for a limited time period only and important to a few, whereas (although still limited), this statue has been delighting generations and can delight generations to come. Does all art have to be enclosed in museums? I love the idea of something like this to just be in the public arena, and we should cherish and respect that gift.

Last Call

So this saturday is the day I will be doing the Tour de Cure Cycle For Life. If you have not had the chance already, please support me. I must be honest, I will likely not be doing the 100Km anymore and will be doing the 50Km. My training has been scattered at best. However, I do remain committed to the cause, as I gave up a trip to Europe to keep my commitment.

All this to say, please support the American Diabetes Association find a cure.

Yay.

They Won

So this Mother's Day, I sent my mother a REALLY big bouquet of flowers from Conroy's to her work. I also called her and told her what a wonderful mother she was and how I loved her kimchee ji gae with oranges in Yosemite. That's love.

Unfortunately the evil Jane/Sean duo made my mother breakfast AND sent her flowers. Cheaterpantz!

Crap. I would have won. I usually win. I do not like The Duo.

Luckily, I still won against the Mark/Hanah combination. Just a call. They are not a threat. Haha, sucka fools!!

I love you mom! You're the best! Remember, I'm still your favorite daughter...Sean likely had to remind Jane and this is no good. You did not birth him, he means nothing to you.

BFG!

This is to Miss Thang, Giang (who doesn't know my blog exists). The countdown is on to the day of BFG! BFG!

Whohoo!

Unfortunately, no one will know what the hell I am saying here...except maybe Jojo? Can I get a whoohoo Mrs. Macky?

What Are You Painting?

So about once a week I get asked "So now what are you painting?"

Unfortunately, my reply for the last 2 and a half months has been "elephants".

It's basically going to take me half a year to paint this crap as I have only been able to go back to this painting for about 2 hours once every 3 weeks or so. Why? ELEPHANTS ARE THE MOST BORING CRAP ON EARTH TO PAINT.

(my unfinished elephants)

It's true. For the longest time, they all looked like either lumps of poo or rocks. And it's just not fun painting a billion lumps of poo. Over and over again. I have since shrunk this painting down and eliminated some elephants. It's still going to take me forever.

I've thought since now I've quit guitar and all things associated with it, it will give me more time to work on this. Instead, I bought 11 books as a new distraction. The books are much better than painting.

Nevertheless, I will not start a new painting until I get this one done. I was going to do a whole wildlife series...giraffes, hippos, elephants and put them on my living room walls. This no longer seems wise to me. I might give up painting again for a few months.

(close-up different light on my unfinished elephants)

I hate all the elephants that refuse to finish.

Things to do in Yosemite

You don't need me to tell you there are many wonderful and varied things to do in Yosemite. Here is a little snapshot of what The Kwon Family likes to do in Yosemite besides play a thousand rounds of Scrabble. Sorry...Kwon/Abell Family.

We like to get free food. Free gourmet, organic, food. Here is my mom making nice with the carrot cake ladies in order that Jane and Sean can go back later and pretend they never got any. It was that good. Why did we get free food at Yosemite? Because it was Earth Day. And Mother Earth likes to give us food.

Later that day we hiked to the top of Vernal Falls. This hike includes over 500 steps to the top. We lost my mom somewhere around step 50 as she proceeded to give back to Mother Earth the lunch from that day. Well, she gave it a good go. My dad gallantly stayed with her...or rather sat glumly as the rest of us passed them by. My dad has made it to the top a few years before, and thus, he was bummed he could not prove how fit he still was at 62.

After this hike, we went on a small trail to Mirror Lake. To Jane's dismay the trail we went on was the horse trail. We spent 1.5 miles tramping around in horse doo-doo. The other side had people. We could not get to the other side. We came back in more doo-doo. This was not our favorite trail and no one took pictures.

Later that night...it snowed.

And snowed.
And snowed.

I think we were the only car that brought snow chains that weekend. My dad was quite proud of himself at his preparedness as about 50 cars behind us stood in a long line having to either turn back or spend $80 getting snow chains right there. Also, they had to wait for everyone else to buy and put on chains. We sped right on through. No other car made it, and we pretty much had the whole road to ourselves on our way back. My dad is one smart dude. We laughed at all the other cars. Jane and Sean wisely took the southern route as Sean assessed they might need snow chains on the northern route. Again. The Kwon/Abell clan wins.