Thanking God for Little Annoyances

Today is my mom's birthday and this year is like last year and the year before. I think about her all day and the things I miss. I don't plan it that way but sometime during the day the date will enter my mind and the thoughts start. Have you ever noticed it's the little things you miss the most. Mom's French Toast, the way she sat in the chair watching TV, bingo on Friday's.

This then brings Don to my mind and all the things I love about him. It also brings the little annoyances to the surface. You know those little things that just bug you and you think you're going to pull your hair out if it happens again. The next time you run across one of those little annoyances stop and think, is this something I'm going to miss if he wasn't here? You'll probably find out the answer is yes and I'm sure there are things that annoy him as well.

I get annoyed when Don puts something on the shelf where I put my soda bottle or when I'm communing with the dogs and he's in another room and calls them. Of course they'll run to him. When that happens and I'm ready to scream I realize those are a couple of those little things I'd miss and soon I'm smiling about it and thanking God he's here to annoy me with it. It's those little things that remind me I'm not alone and there's someone willing to share their life with me, annoyances and all.

Don, I love you and don't want you to change any little thing you do, no matter how much I complain about it. Just keep on bugging me and I'll keep smiling and loving you more.

Where Does it Belong

I'm rather opinionated and have no problem sharing that opinion with anyone who's willing to listen or read.

I have strong opinions of reality TV and don't usually watch them. With the exception of Dog the Bounty Hunter and Gene Simmons Family Jewels. I like seeing Gene teased by his family and seeing him enjoy making a fool of himself. What can I say, he's good entertainment.

Anyway, with all that's going on with John & Kate Gosselin and after the media about the "news" on last night's show I decided to watch. I now have even strong opinions and wasn't sure where they fit. This blog which is after all, My thought, My opinions, My stories or does it go to my TV blog TV Chat. After much thinking I wrote about it on TV Chat but I'm letting you all know about that post in case you're interested.

Happy Reading.

Oops I Did it Again

I'm did it again. I created another blog for your enjoyment. This one like a couple of my other ones evolved from this one.

It seems my posts on Ghost Whisperer have been the most popular with visitors finding me through search engine results so I decided it needed it's own home. Well not all it's own, it will have some roommates in the form of other shows I watch, like and feel like commenting on.

I introduce you to TV Chat. The new blog by yours truly, me. This is not going to be your everyday, run of the mill blog on TV shows and Hollywood celebrities. This will be a, let's sit and chat about what we're watching, what we liked or disliked and what direction we think they're going. If you're expecting weekly recaps of the show you may be disappointed but if you're interested in chatting and discussing what we saw this is the place for you.

I hope you join me in my new venture and get as much pleasure from reading it as I know I will in writing it.

Idiots and Computers Don't Mix

I've written before about Don and computers. He can build them, update them and even repair them within reason. I say within reason because some things are beyond help. Case in point. My nephew called, his girlfriend has a computer that has a virus, could Don take a look at it. Sure, not problem, bring it over. Several hours later the nephew shows up with a backpack. He pulled out a laptop and a plastic bag. Here is what the laptop looked at when it was given to Don complete with the contents of the bag.



Needless to say, this computer is beyond any help anyone can give it. Why, someone felt you had to dismantle the thing to cure it of a virus is beyond me. That's like doing major surgery and removing someone's stomach because they have a cold. That's too aggressive not to mention unnecessary and can or in this case did result in death.

Hopefully when they get their next computer they'll keep all screwdrivers, hammers and crowbars away from it. Or keep their computer out of the hands of idiots who have no idea what they're doing, no matter how smart they try to sound.

It's Alive: PayPerPost 4.0

There's a lot of talk on the blogging community about PayPerPost. That's where you register a blog and get paid by advertisers to write about their product. You have the option to take or turn down any offer you are qualified for and I've been doing it about a year. I don't usually get too many opportunities since new ones get listed at various times throughout the day and you need to be quick to accept one before it's full and no long available. I must admit I'm also a little bit picky about what I'll promote. I want it to be something I either have first hand knowledge or experience with or something that I'll actually consider trying myself. You won't see me promoting an online dating site since I'm happily married and I wouldn't use one if I was single, I'm too shy. Now don't get me wrong, there are some who can make several thousand $$ a month I'm just not one of them.

PayPerPost or it's nickname PPP has just come out with a new version, PayPerPost v4.0 that is so much easier to use. You register your blog and sit and wait. No more logging in numerous times throughout the day to hopefully get a good opportunity. No, PayPerPost will now match you with the opportunities and email you when there's one available for you. You have a couple of days to sit and think about it before you decide to accept or decline the offer. It's great for someone who's too busy to sit at their computer for hours on end or someone who works outside the home or away from the computer. That email will sit in your inbox just waiting for you to get home and read it.

All in all, I think PayPerPost 4.0 and I are going to get along just fine and guess what. This is a post sponsored by PayPerPost. Yes, that means I'll get paid for writing it. Isn't that neat, less than 5 minutes doing something I love and I get paid for it. Could life get any better.

Royal Pains: Episode 2 - 6-11-09

Did you watch Royal Pains this week? I'm really liking what they're doing with Hank. He's not a doctor that's in it for the money, he's more about helping people. Jill didn't call him the Robin Hood of Medicine for nothing. He works for and takes money from the rich but he gives back to the poor without asking of payment, even though Jim did pay him in fish.

I now sense that Tucker is going to be a regular on the show. His dad, played by Andrew McCarthy showed up for about 10 minutes only to leave with suitcase in hand on another trip. He was around long enough to thank, pay then fire Hank as his son's doctor. He may have fired him as his doc but as Hanks said, he can't fire him from being his friend. With that I'm sure Tucker's going to be hanging around Hank in future episodes. As Hank told Tucker's dad, Tucker needs daddy time and that's something Hank knows about first hand.

We learned a little more about Jill tonight. She grew up in The Hamptons. When she was young she had an accident and her parents couldn't afford the treatment she needed so the hospital worked it out for her. That's why she's working at the hospital, trying to give back. She's also trying to start a free clinic. I have a feeling Hank's going to end up helping her to make that a reality and volunteer or donate his time as a doc there. Maybe that's how he'll end up staying year round. Get paid during the summer by the rich and famous, work for free during the winter with maybe a few calls from the rich locals.

Last week I got the impression Evan was the slob when their motel room was a mess but this week I found out Evan's the neat one, it's Hank who's sloppy and doesn't like to clean after himself.

We didn't see much of Divya this week. She was only there at Tucker's when Hank came to remove the sutures. I get the feeling Tucker's girlfriend is going to be trying to help Hank with some of his calls, especially after she said she was watching when Tucker had his surgery and was very interested in watching the suture removal.

Someone we didn't see at all this week is Boris. Maybe he'll be like Robin Masters on Magnum PI. Own the estate but never really around. I still think we haven't seen the last of Boris though and I'm still waiting for trouble from Hank's predecessor.

For recent episodes of Royal Pains visit my new blog TV Chat

I Can Own a Taste of Heaven

When I lived in Chicago my friends and I would plan shopping trips to Oak Brook Mall to shop. One of the places we always stopped was Mrs. Fields Cookies. They had the best cookies I've ever tasted. While my friends would go ga ga over the cookies with the White Chunk Macadamia Nuts and Semi Sweet Chocolate Chip I was the odd one out and loved the Cinnamon Sugar Cookies. Then of course there was always the Double Fudge Brownies. We'd always sit outside on a bench and eat a cookie, OK we binged and ate two cookies but there was always a bag to take home.

I just found out I could buy my own Mrs Fields cookies franchise. Just imagine, I could make money while eating the delicious cookies I've been dreaming about since I left Chicago. Yes, I know there are stores nationwide but the closest to me is about 3 1/2 hours away and no matter how good those cookies are I'm not driving that far for a fix. Of course they do freeze well. Just warm them in microwave or oven and they've got that just baked flavor. My problem is, they never seem to make it as far as the freezer, heck, they hardly ever made it home.

Royal Pains: Great Pilot, Lots of Promise

Since all the good TV shows or should I say decent shows have ended for the season and the rest of the good shows won't start until July USA Network did something no other network has done so far. They've come up with a summer show that I found entertaining, enjoyable and just plain good. That show would be Royal Pains.

Royal Pains is about Hank Lawson a New York doctor who manages to get himself fired from his job as an ER doc and black balled from every other hospital in the city. He settles into a depression that causes him to watch TV all day and night. He looses his furniture, with the exception of the recliner he's sitting in and his TV. He looses is fiancé who was only marrying him to reach her goal of marrying a doctor. He's a mess until his brother and accountant Evan wants him to go away a weekend of partying in The Hampton. Hank is reluctant to go until he realizes he's out of beer and Netflix suspended his account.

Once in The Hamptons they're off to their first party at the estate of Boris. While at the party Hank stumbles across a female guest having a medical crisis. The Concierge Doctor thinks she's OD'd on drugs but Hank notices a few symptoms the doc failed to see and stops him from administering the wrong treatment which would kill her. The girl is having reaction to chemical's she was exposed to while smelling flowers in the garden. Hank administers the antidote and impresses Boris who offers him a job and place to live if he becomes the new Concierge Doc. Hank of course declines. When Hank and Evan are in the car to go back to their motel they discover Boris has left payment for Hank in his car. A case containing a gold brick.

The next morning Hank gets a call from a 16 year old who needs the docs help. Seems news travels fact in The Hamptons and everyone who's anyone knows about the new
Concierge Doc even though Hank denies it. Through the rest of the show Hank's got girls falling over him, patients seeking treatment and Divya who insists she's his new PA. She's so sure of the fact she's already equipped her SUV with all the necessary medical equipment needed to treat and run tests while they make their house calls.

In the end Hank decides he'll stay for the summer and takes Boris up on his offer of the guest house and with Evan he moves in. Of course there is the added bonus of Jill, the local hospital's administrator who manages to sway his decision. It appears they're smitten with each other.

One of the funniest patients was the woman with the "flat tire" Seems she spent the winter getting a, how shall I put this, boob job, and she sprung a leak on one side. She has special order implants that will take time to be obtained and symmetry is everything in fashion Hank does the only thing he can do. He deflates the other side to make her symmetrical again.

I can't wait to see next week. I'm sure there's going to be trouble from the old Concierge Doc. He did make some threat as he was being taken out of the guest quarters that Hank was moving in to. Then there's the matter of Hank and Jill and where that will lead. I just hope they don't rush that one. A little sexual tension is good for a show. Admit it, how many shows were ruined when they bring 2 people together after years of them denying any attraction. That seems to be the death sentence and I'd like this show to be around more than 1 season before they commit suicide. Of course with the way the TV seasons are now, 4-6 or 8 episodes then a break and when they come back the audience has left and gotten interested in other things I wonder if any show has the potential to last more than the first season anymore. At least a lot of what I consider good shows have met their fate that way.

For recent episodes of Royal Pains visit my new blog TV Chat

Our House is Bugged

We just found out our house is bugged and we're very upset about it. We're being bugged by ants. Little creepy, crawly, climb up your leg and bite you in the butt ants. It started about a month ago when we noticed ants in the dog food dish in the kitchen. We quickly got rid of those with a pet friendly, homemade ant killer. Dish soap and water in a spray bottle. That makes those little buggers curl up and die.

After we got rid of the ones in the kitchen we found them in the closet in the master bathroom. All over the floor and in the laundry hamper. Sprayed those suckers and they met the same death as their friends and relatives.

What's the one thing those two rooms have in common, besides the obvious of being under the same roof? They're both along the same outside wall facing the backyard. Yes, the ants are building condos in our backyard so the dish soap mixture made its way out back and it kills those ants too and the hills just wither up and go away. BUT and this is a big but, they don't stay that way for long. A new family of ants comes along and rebuilds a few inches or feet from the demolition site. As soon as we see them pop up we spray that subdivision but then we know we're going to start seeing them in the kitchen and bathroom again.

This is a vicious, never ending cycle and I'm getting tired of it. I've tried being nice, I've given them their eviction notice but they just won't leave me alone. Tonight as we were in our computer room which is facing the front of the house Don felt something on his leg and saw that there were ants under his desk. They had started taking over another room. As I was watching Don slap his legs and spread calamine lotion all over himself I started itching. There's no ants around me but I think it's a sympathy itch or the power of suggestion.

If anybody has any suggestions or ideas on how to keep these things out of our house I'd really appreciate it. In the mean time I think I'll go soak in a calamine bath, take some Benadryl and go to bed