23 days

So our last day working here is Sept 23 and we leave our apartment on Sept 24th. We just paid a buttload of money to our apt complex to pay for Sept rent + 2 months rent for breaking our freaking lease. So we are poor now. I still can't believe we're moving in about 3 weeks!!

Good news: no snow in my forecast for this winter. My vanpool from work is saving me mucho dinero in gas $$. I have been doing a good job of writing in my little blog regularly...and I'm getting used to my new last name.

Bad news: no vanpool in AZ. No job in AZ!!

Well I am off to finish dinner (potstickers...yum) and then Stinky and I are cleaning out closets.

hasta la vista

Reason #582 why the state of Michigan sucks ass.

Ahhh the rewards of relocating to Phoenix are already spoiling us. We called Progressive today to find out how our car insurance policy would change if we moved to AZ. Just so you know, Michigan likes to hold you upside down and shake every last penny you have in your pockets for what they like to call "no-fault insurance."

According to the Michigan state website:

The Michigan no-fault system was adopted
in 1973 to increase the level of benefits paid
to injured persons, make sure such payments
are made promptly, and reduce the
proportion of premium dollars paid out for
legal and administrative costs.

A Michigan no-fault policy provides
unlimited medical and rehabilitation
benefits. It provides wage loss benefits for
up to three years, and $20 per day for
replacement services if you are injured in an
auto accident, regardless of fault. In
exchange for these benefits, Michigan
motorists gave up the right to sue in auto
accidents except when someone is killed or
very seriously injured. Because of this,
disputes over who was at-fault in an
accident will not hold up payment of medical
bills. Michigan is unique in that damage to
vehicles also falls under the no-fault
system. This, too, saves time and money in
claims payment. Michigan drivers must buy
collision and/or comprehensive insurance to
cover damage to their own car.

Basically they rape your wallet so the state can pay for any gimps LIFETIME medical care. I was in an accident last year and my car was the only one with damage. We didn't call the cops because neither of us were hurt and the other driver had no damage. Oh yeah, we also didn't call the cops because technically we were within the Detroit city limits and it would have taken about 5 years for a policeman to come. 500 dollars (deductible) later, I learned that if I had indeed damaged his car I'd have to pay for it if I had been determined to be at fault. Thank God I didn't have to do that! So really No-Fault is just a cover up. They really mean "It's YOUR fault and now you're gonna pay even MORE."

So anyway, Phoenix is the #1 car theft city in the USA. Every apartment rating we look at out there mentions people's cars being broken into numerous times, stolen once or twice. We are prepared to pay out the butt even more because of such liability. Ah yes, back to Progressive. If you want to save money, get married. We saved a few hundred bucks that way. But moving to Phoenix, the #1 car theft city in the US, will save us ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS every YEAR as compared to MICHIGAN.

Thank you, Arizona.

It's so hot in Arizona that:

-the birds have to use potholders to pull worms out of the ground.

-the potatoes cook underground, and all you have to do to have lunch is to pull one out and add butter, salt and pepper.

-farmers are feeding their chickens crushed ice to keep them from laying hard-boiled eggs.

-the cows are giving evaporated milk.

-the trees are whistling for the dogs.

-you no longer associate bridges (or rivers) with water.

-you can say 113 degrees without fainting.

-you eat hot chilies to cool your mouth off.

-you can make instant sun tea.

-you learn that a seat belt makes a pretty good branding iron.

-the temperature drops below 95, you feel a bit chilly.

-you've experienced condensation on your butt from the hot water in the toilet bowl.

-you would give anything to be able to splash cold water on your face.

-you can attend any function wearing shorts and a tank top.

-The 4 seasons are: tolerable, hot, really hot, and ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!!

-you discover that in July, it takes only 2 fingers to drive your car.

-you discover that you can get a sunburn through your car window.

-you notice the best parking place is determined by shade instead of distance.

-hot water now comes out of both taps.

-it's noon in July, kids are on summer vacation, and not one person is out on the streets.

-you actually burn your hand opening the car door.

-you break a sweat the instant you step outside at 7:30 a.m. before work.

-no one would dream of putting vinyl upholstery in a car or not having air conditioning.

-your biggest bicycle wreck fear is, "What if I get knocked out and end up lying on the pavement and cook to death?"

-you realize that asphalt has a liquid state.

-a sad Arizonan once prayed, "I wish it would rain - not so much for me, cuz I've seen it -- but for my 7-year-old."

Snow can SUCK it!!!

we are moving to PHOENIX!!!! Yay! I have no job lined up, no apartment figured out and yet it will all be fine. Michigan can suck my big toe!! Tara you can come visit me and it will be a few hours drive to san diego, LA, Vegas and Mexico. Did I mention that Michigan can suck it??? hahaha yay!!


notice: they have lights on in their buildings...Detroit...take a hint

Funeral Day

Today was Lori's funeral. It was okay. Michele and her pastor husband kind of monopolized it. It was a lot of Jesus time...which would have been okay...if Lori wasn't buddhist. Michelle said that Lori accepted Jesus as her saviour before she died. I don't really know if somebody who is on their deathbed and under the influence of many drugs can really fully accept something like that. It just seemed weird that she is buddhist for however many years and then a follower of Jesus for one week and suddenly she has a scripture-laden funeral ceremony.

Lori was a feminist, a Bush hater, a liberal and definitely not a bible-thumper like Michele. I know people like Michele believe the only way to heaven is if you accept Jesus as your saviour...but I don't think I buy into that. I used to. There are murderers that believe in Jesus. How are THOSE people deserving of getting into heaven? What about jungle-people who eat trees and don't know about bibles and buddha? Are they going to hell? I cannot believe that evil people who supposedly accept Jesus are getting passes into heaven instead of people who are genuinely kind and good.

Michele also said in her speech that "Lori's laugh was in-fect-U-ous..." Why would I want to jump onto a bandwagon of people who can't even spell or pronounce words right? Why is it that people who not only are Christians but pushy Christians aren't very educated? I'm not trying to be a bitch but what is the deal? It seems that people like that, who are sneaking bibles in childrens' gifts and pushing Jesus on both friends and strangers, don't have a whole lot else going on for them. You don't too many eloquent, well-to-do people shoving Jesus Loves You stickers in your face. Just like my mom!

If Lori saying a few certain words on her deathbed makes the difference between heaven and hell, i'm not so sure that the right people are going to end up in the right place when it's all said and done. I am bitter. I was raised to be a follower of Jesus but I don't think I could be much further from that as of now. The thing is, if you are raised in a non-religious environment and change later there is forgiveness and everyone is happy you found your way. If you are raised in a home of God and then have doubts later on, there is GUILT and abandonment. As much as I would like to forget about the whole thing the fear of GOD and hell are very much alive. Do I want to burn in hell because I doubt?

And what the hell is with random strangers commenting on my posts? They are advertising for diabetic recipes and complimenting my writing style. The irony is, the guy that complemented my eloquence did so on my "ever feel like you are dummerer..." post. Stupid!!!

Mixed up weekend...

This weekend was supposed to be a good weekend. Evan is away trying to hook up our little family with a better life. Stinky and I have a shopping date at Petsmart. It was thisclose to being friday and then I get a terrible phone call.

Jennifer called to tell me that Lori has been placed in hospice care and that they think she will probably die on friday. Here is some background: Lori was a co-worker/friend at my last job, which i left in february. She had a masectomy and chemo after being diagnosed with breast cancer in her early thirties. I saw her in may because she had a conference at the U of M, where I work now. She looked as good as ever and told me she fell when she went dancing the week before and hurt her back...little did any of us know that inside of her, cancer was ravaging her body. Two weeks later we found out she had metastatic disease that encompassed her whole spine, lung, kidney and brain. They gave her 2 months to 2 years to live. She wanted to go back to work and back to living her life. Before she found out it was terminal she told me she simply wanted to know if she was going to die so she could get out of the hospital and finish living her life so her kids would remember her that way. She was in and out of the hospital in june, when i saw her last. in july she was in and out a few times again. In august she got pneumonia and was placed in the hospital again for the last time. She never had a chance to go out and live her last days. She never did go back to work.

I don't know what has happened since yesterday. I assume Lori has passed because they didn't think she would make it through last night. I couldn't bring myself to visit her last night because mostly I was afraid and also because she isn't the same person I would like to remember her as. I wouldn't have wanted to be in the way and I don't think she would have wanted to die in a hospital, let alone with people watching. This will be my first funeral.

Lori Martin was a wonderful person. She had a contagious laugh and she loved to make others laugh too. She was the hardest damn worker our company ever had. She was extremely intelligent and well-read and always wanted to learn more; she never had never gone to college. She was a single mom of 3 kids, 2 of which are still in grade/middle school. Lori was a genuine, unique, outspoken, colorful and bold. She made me cry and made me laugh and never held any grudges. I can't believe she was out dancing just 3 months ago.

It is entirely unfair that someone who is not even 40 years old yet could have their life snuffed out so quickly. Out of all of the people in the entire world to be taken away she should have been one of the last. My only consolation is that she did not have to suffer long.

yay!!! i have titles now

ever feel like you get dummerer the further you get from hs and college in years??

I am bored...shocker!!

I was going to mix up something cool in my new blender but i have 3 recipes and can't decide which one to make. I'm sure there are things i should be doing instead of typing meaningless things into this blog that nobody ever reads...but its saturday and i don't wanna be useful.

STINKY IS GOING TO LIVE!!! thank GOD!

We have no internet at home...hopefully comcast is coming to fix it today. It's been a week since it went out and the withdrawal pains are not subsiding.

I am taking stinky to the vet again today because she has a new lump on her neck and we need to rule out cancer. I'm afraid that her cancer from last year has metastasized (sp?) to her lymph nodes. If that is true then her life expectancy will be dramatically shortened. I hope its something benign and/or removable because Stink and I have a lot of plans and things to take care of in the next couple of years. It makes me tear up just thinking about my poor little dog being sick and possibly dying. :(

Dan and Dena got married this weekend, congrats to them. It was a nice (long) catholic ceremony and a very fun reception.

I am 99.9% sure that Jane Heller would never read my blog but in the rare chance that she might, I have a public service announcement for her. Jane, your boyfriend is an idiot. Your association makes YOU an idiot. Stop being a doormat and get rid of him already. No amount of bail is worth his love. If Jane lived near me I'd smack her. Oh wait, that would be assault, wouldn't it???

Ok, back to work now...