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.