I got the blues....

So most people state that it's the time of year that gets them down in the dumps or feeling blue...well, it's not the time of year for me, it's the year itself!  I consider myself a pretty happy go-lucky person with pretty decent friends in my life whom love me for me and understand my crazy sense of humor.  But apparently this year has been quite a challenge on the positive side of things.  By the way, I usually dis-associate with people whom are the "dooms-day" gloomers or Eeyore's of the world so please don't take me as that kind of person...I just and need a break from all the rain to bring on the sunshine of life again.

Below is a list of not-so-nice occurances of 2010.
1)  Dad was still in the hospital from Dec 8th, 2009 until March 2010 recovering from bacterial pneumona and blood clots.  He was still on a ventalator and wasn't given a whole lot of good hope. Many days and nights spend here at St. Anthony's hospital which meant lots of holidays he missed.  Once home, round the clock care was given until he fully regained his strenghth.  He is now almost back to 100% of his normal self.

2) Grandmother goes into the hospital for some chest pains.  She checked in about 3 times in 2010 and two additional stents were placed in her heart.  On November 1st, 2010 Grandma actually has a heart attack and is diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure.  On December 29, 2010 Grandma was also diagnosed with Stage 3 Lung Cancer of the lympnodes.  Prognosis not given

3)  Auggie, by Boxer dog, is constantly having seizures.  Random and never forth coming, we least likely know when to expect them and there is no way to prepare for them.  Often these seizures come in the middle of the night while he is convulsing in his kennel around 2am in the morning.  There are often mulitple seizures and last several hours.  We have spent over $2,000 on procedures and medication.  We have changed everything in the house for him and nothing has seemed to work.

4)  Jason, my husband, quits his job.  Now, this is a sticky story so I won't get into details.  His last day at work was November 10th and today is December 30 and he still has no job.  Money is only be generated by me and I can't get paid overtime since I'm a salaried employee.  So matter how hard or how much I work...same money comes home on pay day.

5)  My husband, wants to fight for custody of his son from a previous marriage.  I'm all for it but see #4 which talks about him not having and job and money being real tight before we seek advice from an attorney.

6)  I had to fire an employee two days before Christmas....by the way, she is a single mother with two kids ages 6 & 4.  Don't I feel like a real winner here.

7)  Had to talk retirement to an employee whom didn't want to retire. 

8)  Mom had surgery in October

9) Grandma was in the hospital in October

10) Dad had surgery in November

11) Jennifer, my sister, had surgery in November

12) My birthday was in November but with all the surgery's it was overlooked...

And the list of negativites just keeps on going...the sad part, I could fill this entire blog with about 50 bad things that happened this year but would like to keep the few readers I do have. (if not, that could be added to the list as well).  All in all, happy people do have bad times too folks...I'm just wondering when the bad will change back to good.

Thy pen is mighty than the sword...

Those words are definitely true...it's funny how words can make you cry, happy, resentful, careless, or even squeamish.  The squeamish part is the focus for today folks.  So let's review a few words that should not be used in my presense.

1) Moist.  This word makes the throat regurgitate last nights dinner by even typing it.  I don't know what this word has ever done to me but I don't like the sound or usage.  I refuse to buy Duncan Hines cakes because it's written all over the box.  Maybe it's the connotation that comes with its usage reminds me of a dark, stinky black cave riddled with bugs, but that word is not liked and is not liked by many.  Check out the facebook page called "I hate the word Moist"

2) Ointment.  Another word that reminds me of dirty things.  As a kid, we used A&D Ointment on almost all injuries, aliments, etc and the smell is very familiar.  Maybe this is why I don't like it nor the word.  It makes me think that anything that is "Moist" must need "Ointment." YUCK!!!

3) Panties. Granted, many people refer to this word as womens underpants or underwear.  Why can't we call them underpants or underwear.  Why must we come up with another word for this?  I blame the news and movies for not liking this word.  You always hear it used in some gross-situation that involves "removing her panties", "stained panties", "rip her panties" so it has a not only dirty but violent meaning. I wear underwear folks and so do you...well, I hope. :-)

4) C U Next Tuesday.  Hopefully you can catch onto the capital letters on this one folks.  Is there really ever a need to say CUNextTuesday? Seriously?  There are several other vocal curse words that can get the same point across, especially when used together.  There is nothing more degrading than the actually usage of this word.  In fact, I dated a guy whom was telling and joke and used this word....he didn't direct the word to me nor to anyone around but the sound of it coming out of his mouth turned me off completely.  He was a lonely man after that....

To summerize, don't use these words around me and we will be just fine.  Thus, thy pen if written or words if spoken, harm me much more than the sword.  If you wish to royally piss me off and never see me again, feel free to use all 4 words in the same sentence and you will see how fast I can really run or how hard I can punch! I know that each person has his or her own personal "off-putting" words so I would love to see comments of others and why you hate them too!

Bedlam and Facebook...

What used to be harmless taunting here or there thru facial interactions or even a random text has taken a new platform thanks to social media sites.  I, a Sooner fan, with several other Sooner friends verses every other person whom is a Cowboys fan duke it out each year for bragging rights on facebook.  If you think about it, its a modern day West Side Story played out online. 

It all starts fairly friendly and simply by each person posting their team to win.  Just a plain statement of "Go Sooners" or the "other" (can't say it because I just can't root for the other team :-).  Then you have that one friend...the one who likes the "other" team who simply ruins your posting by slandering your team or even the dreaded "whom beat who" this season.  Let's refer to this person as Bad John.

So after Bad John has posted his little diddy, you have your other die hard fans commented back with some random lie or joke or even slander against his team.  We will call this person Die Hard Dave.

After a few rounds of Bad John and Die Hard Dave duking it out on your simple facebook post, you will have 23 other Fairweather Farrahs, Worthwide Wendys, BadMouthing Barrys, and Cursing Carsons dueling for final last words.  I sit back and wonder what I did wrong, but then realize, these people are my friends, apparently.

So as of noon on Saturday, my facebook comment has 32 comments with everyone really looking like the loser in this game, only to have the final game played at 7pm tonight to see who the real winner is....God I love football...

Hoorah for Birthdays!

Ok, so I'm no longer a kid, but it doesn't mean I still can't get excited for the big day!  My birthday was just on Tuesday (November 9th) (Go Scorpios!!) and I really wish I could have been home to enjoy my birthday celebration but I know the weekend has it's fare share of good times.  It's funny how times changes as you get older but the basic principal still applys and here's how it goes:

1)  I can count on my Grandma Toby sending her perfect birthday card with a big ol' check for $10 inside!
2)  I can count on my Grandma Simmons to send her card about 1 week after my birthday and reuse some other card she received probably about 15 to 20 years ago.  Honest to God truth!
3)  REWARDS:  All those silly store and company reward programs that you wondered why in the heck you signed up for these silly things....well, little lady, you just hit the Jackpot for your birthday!  I got a free bracelet from Helzberg Jewelers, a free creamslush from Sonic, a free beverage at Starbucks, $10 off at Macy's, free video rental from Red-Box, free beauty kit from Sephora, free medium pizza at Old Chicao and the list goes on and on!
4)  Cake - my husband has got me spoiled.  Each year, he gets me a birthday cake from La Baguette.  Last year, he forgot but this year...I got TWO cakes...TWO!!!!
5)  Flowers - I'm not usually a flower receiving person, mainly because many people in my family think its a waste of money, but this year...whoa baby....two flower arrangements (Mom & Dad always send flowers :-)
6)  Good Drinks with Great Friends - Each year, we head to a different watering hole just for adult beverages and we always end up finding the best little dives afterwards...This year 1st stop McNellies...2nd stop who knows!
7)  Coworkers - Ok, so I'm a little of an office supply freak.  I love post it notes and ink pens so my birthday presents are usually comprised of those items which I freakishly hold dear and my coworkers love the fact that they aren't spending an arm & a leg on some silly gift but you can't go wrong with office supplies!
8)  Family - Listen up closely on this one folks, it's all about the presence and not about the presents!  I love being able to thank my entire family for just giving me an hour or two of their time to do nothing but wish good things for me, share funny 'Kelly' stories, or just raz each other.  That's it...I never could ask for anything more.

So birthdays are something still pretty special to me.  Maybe it's the refusal to think that I'm truly getting older, or maybe it's just that I want to remember my birthdays as something to always be thankful for...remember, you can't get wiser in life without'em!!

When assistance goes wrong...

Today is a venting situation.  I have a dear friend named Rachel whom lives in Kansas City.  In December 2007, she gave birth to a adorable little boy named Caden.  Within hours of Caden born, he begin having seizures.  After months in the NICU, a coma induced sediation and thousands of tests, the doctors have diagosed him with Migrating Epilepsy in Infancy.  There have only been 50 reported cases in the WORLD...yes, world and most cases have not proven in their favor.  Caden is now 3 and has the mental and physcial capacity of a 3 month old.  As you can see, his quality of life is not of that of any normal 3 year old but family and friends have never given up hope. 

Now, what Rachel and her husband Jim have given up is a greater deed than hope.  Rachel had to quit her job to stay at home with Caden.  He has constant seizures, is on and off oxygen, is feed through a mickey tube and is totally blind in his left eye.  The medical bills totalled over $872,000 and that's not an including his growing bills.  Three times a week, Caden has physical and occupational theropy along with a weekly check up from a hospice nurse.  Rachel and Jim had to file Bankruptcy due to the medical debt and her lose of job.  They have applied for Medicare and Social Security and have been denied.

This is my vent.  How can a family who clearly has worked hard their entire life and have had to deal with such a precious child who actually needs the care and assistance from the government, not qualify.  It makes no sense to me.

Now, working in the financial industry, I have a pretty good grasp of our membership whom are receiving these benefits.  I have two examples to share from whose names have been changed to protect there ignorance, oops, I mean identity.  Jane Doe worked for a government office here in Oklahoma.  She filed for benefits due to the increasing migrains she had at work due to the computer screen and stress level.  Jane Doe receives full medical benefits and a social security check for over $2700 per month.  In Jane Doe's checking account, you will see a reflection of debit card withdrawals from the Lucky Star Casino in the amounts from $400 to $600 per weekend.  Apparently the video gambling screens do not affect her migrains, but work does.

Second case is Mary Jones.  Mary Jones enlisted in the Army for 4 years.  After two years in, Mary Jones had a seizure due to alcohol poisoning (which I don't believe they know about the alcohol involved).  Mary Jones is now 24 and receives a monthly check for $2972 plus beneifts.  Mary Jones now doesn't have to work and is using non-prescriptive measures as her "hobby". 

It makes me sick that people like this abuse our government assistance and people who could actually benefit do not qualify.  I don't understand how these people are not followed up with and how it can be taken so far.  The money they are receiving is MY OWN hard working taxes which is paying for Jane's gambling addiction and Mary's pot.  It's sickening and trust me, it has been reported.  But if the government does not step up and follow thru with people receiving benefits, you will have a lot more corruption and less money to the deserving. 

I could go off on a lot more issues but feel that is best to refrain and fight one issue at a time. 

Halloween...

All I can say...it's my all time favorite holiday.  The only day where you don't have to be exactly just who you are.  You can be any celebrity, favorite character and no one can say anything bad about it.  Even as a kid, I loved Halloween.  From Mom's homemade costumes to renting the scary movies from the video store, Halloween was top notch in my book.

The costumes we had as kids were very unique.  One year mom was in charge of the Christmas program at church and had to make all of the costumes.  so needless to say, for 4 years after that program, I was an angel, a wiseman, a donkey (yes, a donkey) and even Mary.  As you can see, money was a little tight back then.  But I have to say that my all time favorite costume that Mom made was in the 5th grade and I went as Jem from Jem and the Holograms.  I rocked that costume at school and thru 3 halloween parties.  Thanks Mom!

So as I sit here on Halloween watching the AMC Channels Fear Fest, I still get that feeling of being a kid all over again, and that is why Halloween is so important to me.  Christmas changes as you get older, but Halloween stays the same!

Working Student

If I could do it all over again, of course, my common answer would be to stick with College right after high school.  Little did I know that it's not just the common answer but the best advice I could give.  I think my outcome in my professional life may have stayed the same, but it might have been an easier road traveled.

I've been in the Credit Union industry since the age of 18.  I really thought to myself that I would just do this "teller" thing until a better job came along....15 years later...I'm still in the industry and loving my choice.  I was able to use my "common sense" to get me far in my career, but it took one bad boss to tell me that I would never amount to anything more unless I had my degree.

Not only did I "really" want to prove her wrong, but I truly wanted to further my career and better myself.  I to wanted that "piece of paper" to hang on my wall and to rub it back in her face.  Luckily for me, my street smarts of the industry got me the dream position of running my own credit union as CEO of a small institution in El Reno, Oklahoma. Attending school was then on my terms and not of revenege.

Now, the hard facts, being in school for almost 3 years is proving to be more challenging the longer I stay in.  School begins to interfer with work, work interfers with school, and both interfer with family.  Work isn't just a Monday thru Friday 8 to 5 kind of job.  There are monthly board meetings, committee meetings, Credit Union Councils, Chapter dinners, annual meetings, etc...It's almost to the point where some of the business classes I've had to hold off on because of the dates of class interfer with several work functions.  But something had to give...  But if my common sense stays strong and education skills follow...I can keep both dreams alive.  As long as I focus on one subject at a time, I can be finished by December 2012.

So life as a working student is just as challenging as having a second job.  But as we know, we can't change the past, we can just plan for a brighter future and take one day at a time.