Gordon and Woody Be Blogged

Well Gordon's last blog was really funny... he is the funny one in the family... I almost feel bad that I have to leave a new blog not so interesting or funny... but for those of you that are wondering what is going on in our lives here is the scoop...

So today is a slow day at work, so I have decided to sit down & write a blog since it has been so long.

I have been having problems as everyone knows with getting pregnant & the last time I had my period was at the end of December. I ended up skipping all of January & then went into the end of February & I took multiple pregnancy tests & all negative. I started to get worried. So my Dr. decided to get me a test know as HSG, where they inject dye into you uterus & it should flow nicely into your fallopian tubes. I went in on March 13th & they inserted a balloon type thing into my uterus & what they do is expand your uterus & start injecting the dye & it should flow to the tubes. I only have my left tube since the other one was taken out. So while he was doing this the Dr. said that it was barely flowing into my tube like it should so he put more pressure on it, then whatever was blocking the flow shot out of the way with the pressure inserted & the dye was able to flow. I got my results back & the Dr. said everything looked fine… no apparent growths or anything which was my fear. I am hoping that was all my problem was and hopefully we can now get pregnant & I won’t have to go in for fertility treatments. I ended up starting my period a couple of days later too which was great.

I have been working hard away at claims & I really love my job, I am working 9:30am – 6:30pm shift which I really like, however Gordon kept the 7-4 shift so we don’t carpool in anymore. I get so many crazy calls everyday with different types of accidents that I have felt that I am now a more cautious driver than before.

On a sad note… on Friday March 21st, we unfortunately lost the family dog Roxanne. She was my sisters pit-bull that was about 9 years old. We loved her so much & she lived with my mom & dad & sister & brother-in-law. Caleb went into the bathroom on Friday afternoon & found Roxanne lying on the floor whimpering & could not move, he picked her up & took her to the vet & they started to take x-rays & before they could do anything else she passed away. We are not sure what she died from, after all big dogs don’t live as long as little dogs. But they did see that her lungs were collapsing from the x-rays they took. They said it could have been from poison she ate. We looked everywhere & saw no signs of her eating anything in the yard or house. They also said it could possibly be that she had cancer & it could have irrupted & that is what caused it but they do not know for sure. They said that she was about 80% gone when Caleb & Mel brought her in. Everyone is really torn about it, she was such an amazing dog & she will be very missed by everyone who ever came in contact with her.

On a better note, I have one more freakin payment on my car! Hallelujah… Praise the Lord! I am finally free from the bondage of a car payment! We can at least save some money now each month after we pay our other debts off!

Well, I hope everyone had a good Easter, ours was pretty mellow. Instead of my family doing the huge Easter dinner we do every year, everyone just did things with their immediate family. We had a quiet dinner with the 6 of us & I didn’t have to cook anything this year! Yeah!

Posted by Kung Fu Joe at 10:14 PM | Permalink | Comments

Gordon here...

Thought I would share this screen grab I took this morning. I ordered something on the internets the other day and have been checking my ups tracking number quite frequently.

Quick tangent, whoever invented UPS online tracking is awesome! Compulsive people like me love checking where their shipment is every 10 minutes and UPS gives us that tool.

Back on point, It was very odd yesterday seeing that my package was having a more exciting day than I was. Well just check out the image below.



I tried to find any news about this derailment and was unsuccessful so I think it's just another of the many computer glitches in my life. Luckily for me, this one actually made me chuckle.

Posted by Kung Fu Joe at 8:53 AM | Permalink | Comments

Last Thursday night was a bitter-sweet night… Thursday marked the very last punk rock gig to play at The Galaxy Theater. The Galaxy Theater has been around for a long time now & has been a huge provider in punk rock entertainment in Orange County for all ages. There really isn’t a lot of “All-Ages” venues left anymore around O.C. like there were in my day… it is sad that the kids today wont ever know punk rock shows the way I did when I was growing up. I am sad to say that The Galaxy Theater will be closing their doors to every show thereafter… the clubs lease is up & not up for renewal, someone else will be taking over & there is talk about it being some shitty trendy club… like we don’t have enough of them around!

On Thursday night TSOL, D.I., Agent Orange, Manic Hispanic, Shattered Faith, Dain Bramaged & others graced us with their presence at the Galaxy. It was a huge benefit show to raise money for Chicken’s Chemotherapy. Chicken is the guitarist for D.I. and he has cancer but no insurance, like most musicians.

I am really struggling right now for the right words to describe last night, I may end up changing this blog around over & over again before I post it just because there are no perfect words to describe such a perfect night. This was truly the best punk show that I have ever been to in my life. The last punk show that really touched me like this was when I saw A Chorus of Disapproval play when I was 16 years old (I am 33 now!).

There was so much unity in the place that night and there were only 2 fights that broke out & no skinheads! Yeah! I am so incredibly proud to be a part of the punk rock scene now for over 20 years… what an incredible thing I belong to. I don’t think that any other group of people are so united or accepting than punks. I am a Christian & Christians aren’t even as united or accepting as the punk rock scene is. It is basically, “Come as ye are, all ye who are against the grain!”

I remember being in High School and some of the groups or races seemed to be really segregated, however us little punk rockers in the corner were happy to accept anyone to our little group. We didn’t care what race, color or how you dressed, as long as you were your own person & against the grain that was all that mattered. I don’t think any other group can say they are like that. Now I do admit there is a little difference with the kids today in the scene… they are a little rough around the edges & to not say the pit. They seem to think that slam dancing is actually slam punching these days & I really think some of us old punks should put these kids in check. There hasn’t been a sense of unity with the young punks today but I really believe that the old punks that night that were at this gig really showed these kids what being punk rock was all about.

I have to say that I actually did fill up with tears a couple of times that night… every band that played that night were personal friends of D.I. and none of them were getting paid for the venue and punk musicians barely make anything as it is… they paid for the venue out of their own pockets and kept the proceeds of the ticket sales to give to Chicken. Chicken & his wife both came up to give their thanks for everything & I just really wanted to ball my eyes out just because of how touched I was. I have never seen The Galaxy so packed in all these years, it was insane! That night the last count they announced was over $19,000! Chicken’s Chemo costs him $6,000 a week without insurance & with this benefit the guy can fight to live another month! How amazing is that!

There was a lot of hope in me but then again in the back of my mind I really thought that this was probably the last time I was gonna see the guy… he was in real bad shape… but at least we got to say our good-byes.

I really didn’t want that night to end at all, I wanted it to keep going & going however, I had to get up the next morning around 6am to be at work & didn’t get to sleep that night until 1:30am.

Posted by Kung Fu Joe at 6:32 PM | Permalink | Comments

Gordon speaking.

Been awhile since I posted on this site. Hell, it's been awhile since I posted on any site. I am now taking two courses at Golden West while maintaining a 40 hour work week and trying to be a decent husband all at the same time. One of the classes is fairly simple. It's an ASP.NET class and right now the teacher is going through how web pages work and how to use <yawn>HTML</yawn>. That is pretty much all I do in my current job and I'm sure that I could have taken over the lecture fairly easily if I was so inclined. The other class is a little tougher. Actually strike that, a whole lot tougher. It is the second course for C++ and that one is one I have to be careful in.

So why am I posting about all of this? Well it leads into a story I just had to tell.

I have been skipping breakfast the last few days. We have been so busy that we haven't been able to get to the store to restock on oatmeal and I'm too cheap to go downstairs and pay $2 for a stale bagel. This morning I was famished. I figured I could hold off until lunch like I had for the last few days.

So lunch time is coming up and I decide to go to the bathroom before we leave. The bathroom is attached to the break room and as I am going through the break room I notice that someone had left a cupcake container out with one remaining cupcake. Not thinking anything of it I hit the head. While I am doing my business I start thinking about the cupcake and decide that if it is still there that I should take it. When people in our office have too much food at a potluck or birthday party, they tend to leave it out for everyone. All of a sudden I can't stop thinking about the damn cupcake. I'm wondering if anyone will snatch it before I can get my chance. Then I wonder if I should finish going to the bathroom halfway and go grab it. Then I hear someone in the break room moving around. I don't know if I can take this kind of stress.

Like a ray of light coming out of the clouds, it dawns on me that I am obsessing over a cupcake! I'm not even the biggest fan of cake so I couldn't figure out where all this crazed desire was coming from.

Once I came to taht discovery, I still could not stop thinking about it. Finally, I finished and ran out to grab it (yes I washed my hands for those of you that have no faith in me). Behold it was still there. The noise I had heard was one of the janitor's going into the women's bathroom. So like Gollum clutching his ring, I grabbed it, hid it in a paper towel and ran back to my desk.

When Jenn and I were on our way to lunch we were both talking about how hungry we were. She claimed she was way more hungry that I was. I retold her this story and proved to her that there aws no way that she could be as hungry as I was.

So what's the moral of the story? Even crazy people can achieve their dreams. I'm living proof. If only I wasn't to full from lunch to enjoy the spoils of my mania.

Posted by Kung Fu Joe at 12:36 PM | Permalink | Comments

Hello ladies and gentlemen! Well it is my 3rd week in now back at CSAA and I must say that I am having fun. I have had 3 weeks of intense training. I am basically in a classroom right now from 7:30am to 4:30pm Monday through Friday. The last time I was in school this much was probably in Jr. High (counting that I really never completed a full year of HS). I don’t think college kids even go to school this much every day! All day I am having insurance info pounded into my little pea-sized brain. I am doing well but the thing I am really getting into and grasping the best is the car parts. I love the car parts! I always wanted to take Auto-shop when I was in HS but my mom said it wasn’t for girls, instead I took the cooking class, which was not bad at all… we made lots of pot brownies and always substituted Pot for Oregano. LOL! Good to know where your tax dollars are going huh? LOL! But just a year or two ago I was telling Gordon how I wanted to go to school and take Auto but then I chickened out… but here I am now learning about something I really want to learn about for free! God is so good isn’t He?

Everyone in my class is telling me how good I am at knowing the car parts and even a couple of guys in my class are commenting how I am making them look bad! LOL! We have a tuition reimbursement at my company and I am actually thinking of going ahead and taking that Auto class at Golden West College when I finish my Claims training and get on the floor. The reason why is because I eventually would like to be a field appraiser or estimator or even in the Material Damage Department. We actually spent some time today and yesterday out on the floor only taking Notice of Loss and we will be doing it for the remainder of the week. Next week I think we should be getting into Handling the Loss which is gonna take a little more brain power than what we are doing right now.

I did have a funny thing happen today while taking a Loss. An insured called in to report her accident; she was old and gave the phone to her daughter that was actually driving the car when the accident happened. I asked for the party’s information that had hit her vehicle, I asked for the license number and then I asked for his Date of Birth… she said 10/21/14, I told her, “I think that may actually be his expiration date.” She said, “No, his birth date is 10/21/14, as in 1914.” I almost died laughing, my friend Veronica that was listening in on the call took out her calculator just to figure out how old the guy was… 94! I think at that age someone should take the keys away from him!

Gordon and I are so happy though to finally get back on our feet. I get my first paycheck on Friday and when we pay rent and car payment this week we will actually have money in the bank to live off of until next pay period. Because of the job now though, our weekends have been filled with to do stuff. The weekends just slip by so fast now. On another good note our friends Joe & Monique had their baby girl Brenna on 01/06/08 and the day after our friends Jack & Darla had their little girl Chloe on 01/07/08. I got to go over to Jack & Darla’s this weekend and see Chloe and it was such a trip to see my buddy Jack with a baby… I mean I have seen him with our friend’s kids but just to think of him as a dad was so strange. As for Darla it was just such a natural thing it seemed for her that it didn’t seem that weird. I have never seen such a quiet baby in my life though, she barely cries! They said that she only cries when she is hungry or needs changed and it’s actually more like a squeak than a cry most of the time. We still have to get over to Joe & Monique’s to see little Brenna, hopefully soon.

I am glad to say also that football season is almost over. I feel bad for Gordon that the Packers didn’t make it to the Bowl but it will be nice to have my husband back on the weekends. Now we can start having fun again and not have to schedule everything around his games.

Oh yeah! Gordon and I got a new bed on Monday… and thank you Scott for helping us with it! I had saved all my gift cards up for Ikea that I got as presents and we got ourselves a new bed… headboard that is, but it really makes a difference on our mattress, its real sturdy. I felt like I was sleeping in a motel bed the other night and slept really well in it.

I just noticed that I have written so much so I am just gonna end the blog on that note.

Posted by Kung Fu Joe at 7:43 PM | Permalink | Comments

So I got myself a new job… yes… again! I only lasted at CosNet for only a couple of weeks, I was thinking it was only two but it was actually three. There was absolutely nothing for me to do. It was definitely the wrong company for me and I believe that my boss didn’t like me that well, to tell you the truth I believe he doesn’t like women that well either. He had mentioned something about my performance being poor only after a couple of days training… not even working… I asked him how could my performance be poor since they haven’t given me anything to perform on? He really had nothing to say, he just changed the subject. Then he commented that I talked and giggled too much, which in most cases maybe that would be true but I was in a room full of guys talking about WarCraft and never really had anything to say or talk to them about, so I never really talked to them! So of course I took offense to it, obviously this guy didn’t like me. However, I did make to nice friends here so at least I can leave with that.

Well about a month or so ago I applied back at AAA for a Claims Rep. position and I got a call from HR on Wednesday to come in for an interview yesterday. I went into the interview and an hour later she called and gave me the job! I will actually be making more than when I was there before and I will be making $5 more than I am making here and over double than what I made at JC Penney. Can I just hear an AMEN! Seriously, God is so good.

I got this tattoo on my arm over 5 years ago, I was so distressed trying to find the “right” guy and finally just gave it all to the Lord. Throughout the years the Lord had given me the Bible verse Isaiah 40:31, “They that wait upon the Lord, He shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as an eagle. They shall run & not grow weary; they shall run & not faint.” This has been the pattern of my life… waiting on the Lord, growing stronger in my faith. I made a statement to the Lord getting that tattooed on my arm to make me always remember this… that same month I met Gordon!

I had to take a good look at my tattoo on my arm again and remembered the lesson that the Lord has taught me throughout my life… waiting on Him. As soon as I accepted that once again the Lord provided me with a new and a better job. After having part of this whole year off the Lord has really taught me to be grateful and to work hard for what I have. I hope I will not be one to complain any longer but then I consider the children of Israel that were guided by a cloud by day and a fire by night, provided food everyday to fill their bellies and still they bitched, I know I am no different than they are but I will at least try to be a better, more thankful person. The Lord has brought me through so much in my life.

Gordon and I are stoked that I will be making more money again, with this we will be able to do fertility treatments which we have been waiting for so long to do. But before that we have to save money and get Rocky surgery, he has two fatty tombers that need to be removed… I must take care of my first baby first.

So I start at AAA on Jan. 7th, the day before Gordon’s Bday. I will be put through 8 weeks of intensive training until I am let go on my own. The great thing about this job is, that I am kind of learning a profession. If I ever left and went somewhere else, I could very easily get a job as a claims rep with any other insurance company. How awesome is that!

Hope everyone’s holidays were well, I know ours were. We stuffed our faces at my cousin Marcie’s on the Eve and then made dinner for Gordon’s mom & dad and my parents and sister, it was quite a blessed Christmas and meant so much to me.

Posted by Kung Fu Joe at 9:40 AM | Permalink | Comments

OK so I was working at JC Penney part time, got a full time job Mon-Fri, 40 hours a week at Cosnet, Inc. and tried it out for a week… I thought I could do it but I couldn't. I was able to work two jobs 5 years ago when I was 5 years younger but now that I am 33 years old forget it! I was so exhausted, all I felt like I was doing was working… sleeping… working… sleeping. I had no time to make my wonderful husband dinner at night, we were eating like crap and I felt myself getting sick but no time to rest and get better. So I worked Friday night, called in sick Saturday morning because I did wake up sick in the middle of the night and then resigned online. Kind of cool you can do that at JC Penney, was thinking that they may have a high turnover since they have that option for their employees. But what do you expect for minimum wage. I just feel so sorry for everyone that works there. They work so hard and go through so much there and they barely get paid anything, while I am working a job where I just sit all day and use my brain power and have cush benefits all around me for double that. I think retail people deserve so much more. It seems like the easier the job the more you get paid for some reason.

I almost feel guilty that I quit JC because after all I prayed that the Lord would provide a job for me and He did with JC, however, I believe it was just to sustain us for that one paycheck from then and then from Cosnet because that really put us back on track. I hope I didn't make a mistake and I hope He's not mad at me. Because I am so grateful that He let that happen for me when I thought everything was lost.

So I am working at Cosnet, Inc. which provides web conferencing and will be working the help desk pretty much like I did at AAA. If you have any web conferencing needs just let me know, I get commission for sales that I bring in. They can be found at www.InstantPresenter.com.

Gordon and I are finally kind of on track with our finances and we only have 3 more car payments left on my car after this one this month so that will be saving us a lot more money each month. I am gonna go out and celebrate when that finally happens! The next time I finance anything it will be for a home and I have a feeling that is a long way off from now.

Not sure if I will have anymore to say until after Christmas so if I don't write again I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.

Posted by Kung Fu Joe at 9:39 AM | Permalink | Comments