So Damn Beautiful.

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Hey, remember me? Yeah, that's right... it's the neglectful LJ friend.

I really don't have much to report aside from the fact that nothing dramatic has changed in my life.

• I've been working full time 9-5 Monday to Friday as usual. Trying not to kill the odd retarded customer that I come into contact with. Thanking God I have green_angeleyes to keep me sane.



• Spending a lot more time recently with the boys. Peter went on Holidays and it seems like he's been asking me to keep them an extra day, here and there, more so than usual. Which is fine with me.



• Jake is still going to pre-school/daycare during my work days and Griff has been attending on and off when Dan isn't around and not busy (those two get along like no other two people on earth.)



• Been hanging out with my Sister Sue and her Hubby Paul a lot more, lately. Loving every second of it and thanking the lord for such wonderful family members and great friends.



• Still contemplating and researching school opportunities. My Boss is pressing for me to take some online courses to become "certified" with Sage Software, which is our working program at work. I'm looking into it as well as some other online courses. Contemplating looking into the Medical Office Technician course offered in town. Who knows. I just know I need goals and right now, I can't settle on ONE thing. The fall looks promising, as I will be the person working on our website and online store at the business and it'll be MY baby, so I am excited about that and the opportunities it will bring.



• Dan and I are fabulous. My relationship with him makes me realize that every path I've taken in life has lead me right to where I need to be. We're growing and changing and adapting and all the while, we're in this thing together. I am *proud* that I have finally reached this point in life. No more worries or wondering. I'm impressed that he also happens to be the only person I've been serious with and haven't had KIDS with. That the only thing that keeps us together is US. That's an amazing feeling. There is no obligation here, it's real and we love each other and we want to be here. It's a freeing feeling.



• The kids are thriving. Britt is big into her "racing" with her Dad and actually, I am heading down tonight to watch her race again. :) The boys are growing faster than I like and the realization that I don't have "babies" anymore is setting in, and I'm OK with it.

That about sums it up. I have pictures to share, but have to get ready for the races. Just thought I'd drop in to say HI.

Much love

So apparently I have laryngitis. I would like to say YES OH MY GOD THANK YOU LIAMNEESON! but I have completely lost my voice, so I can't say anything at all. And in case you're wondering why I should be so joyful about contracting a voice-stealing viral infection, it's because I am now doctor-ordered to stay off the 'phones and away from fuckwit customers. So in your FACE, House of Gas, if you'd let me off when I first told you my voice was going and my throat hurt, it probably wouldn't have gotten to this stage, but now? Now you can suck my DICK for the next few weeks. That'll teach you to treat your employees like shit and assume you know the rhythms of my body better than I do.

On an entirely different note, is there some kind of secret rule that Jeremy Renner doesn't get to live to the end of any movie ever? Even when you really think that this time will be the time he makes it, he always ends up getting stabbed or run over by a train or set on fire by the stupid US Army. Also, it's very confusing when people keep calling him Doyle. I don't think that should be allowed.

In other news, I have been re-watching the earlier seasons of Numb3rs, you know, back when Don supplied the required amounts of suspect-beating and manly violence, and seriously, it is so awesome. I love that bit where Megan and Charlie are having a conversation about some evil professor dude having a poker tell, and Megan's all, *gives psychological advice* and then Charlie asks to borrow some FBI survelliance equiptment to spy on the evil dude and Megan's like, "Uhh... no." And Charlie looks really put out, like it was a totally reasonable request and Megan's just being awkward about it. Also, the whole Thing with Megan and Larry is so cute and filled with convoluted cosmic metaphor and general coolity. Like when they're having a conversation about bathtubs and Megan's all, trying to insinuate Adult Things and Larry keeps going on and on about Archimedes and other Larry-like stuff and it's just great and adorkable.

Also, the whole Colby/Charlie thing has totally grown on me - like in the treasure-huntin' episode when Liz is all new and Charlie is jibbing about some... I think it was a towboat or something, I don't know... and Liz is being all skeptical about the POWERS OF MATHS and she's like, "Tch, silliness!" and Colby's all, "No really, he's fun to watch" and Liz gives him this look like, "Yeah, maybe for you, I prefer my Eppes with more MANLY VIOLENCE, thank you very much." And when Kathy Najimy keeps trying to manipulate Charlie into doing stuff by comparing him to James Bond, and he shows up at a crime scene in a tux and he's all, IMMA LIKE JAMES BOND WITH MATHS! and Colby is like, "no" and Charlie is like, *sadface* and OMG you guys it is so cute, go and watch Numb3rs!

Argh... you know when you want fic, but you're too lazy to go look for it yourself? That's what I'm like at the moment. Somebody go find me some Colby/Charlie fic that is awesome and contains no sadness or angst or anything bad. Oh, and especially nothing where the characters waste pages and pages whining about how Don/David/Alan/Larry/Megan will react. They will be awesome, just like they always are. Lou Diamond Phillips will probably be disapproving, but he and Don will glare at each other through their alpha-male sunglasses until they feel the issue is resolved. Then everyone will drink coffee. It's just like a real episode, but with mankissing! I should totally write for TV.

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Joss Whedon's Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog is, par for the course for a Whedon project, delightful and wonderful. (Is it possible at all to dislike Neil Patrick Harris? He seems to have made an array of interesting and excellent choices in his adult career.)

But am I the only person who gets the They Might Be Giants song "Mr. Horrible" stuck in my head when I hear Dr. Horrible referenced?
.

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Hmmm...this afternoon at one point at work, I walked through our center lab to cut through to the hallway where our offices are (coming from the elevator), as usual...and immediately noticed the air smelled of some horrible chemical fumes or something! It was hard to breathe even, and I rushed through, alarmed. I told George, one of our researchers, about it and his reaction was along the lines of "ah, whateva, that happens"; I hope he eventually checked it out (he's kind of our lab safety guy too, he keeps the students in line with that stuff)...anyway, now that I'm finally home from the Wu picnic tonight and can actually take a moment to relax and breathe, I am realizing that when I breathe in, it still smells like that lab. :( Now I'm worried, that I inhaled something toxic and now it's in my lungs or nose or something? I have no idea...but breathing is an unpleasant sensation right now, and that concerns me.

At least I'm already having a final doctor's appt next Fri, which will be good if this is still continuing then! I made an appt cuz I want to get my thyroid levels checked, even though it means *shudder shudder faint* a blood test. :P I don't do well with blood or needles...in fact, I do literally faint whenever I get a shot!

Well, now I'm home and the night is still young; I wanna do something fun but as usual have no plans or anyone to do it with. It seems like everyone is seeing "Dark Knight" tonight, but I'd much rather go see "Mamma Mia," heh...

At least I got to take home a whole leftover box of Boca soy burgers (and buns!) from the picnic, yay! I had two there, and they were surprisingly delish (the "All-American Grill" kind or something, I think). Although, they cooked mine waay after they'd made the first batch of meat burgers and hot dogs (there were charcoal shortage issues for a while), so I had to wait forever while all the carnivores chowed down...sigh.

I finally subscribed to BUST a while back (they had a sale!), and my first issue came today, huzzah! :) I've always just bought it in stores, or this past year, borrowed from Laura since she has a sub of it now. This is good timing, since she lives in D.C. now and we can't trade mags anymore! (Ah yes, I don't think I mentioned it on here, but my sister suddenly got offered a fancy political job in D.C. and moved there, like a week or two ago! At least she will be closer to me in NYC now, a two hour train ride or something, she said? And will get to *really* dive into the political scene...so, I'm happy for her. Just a bit envious, cuz no-one's out there just offering me jobs (ever! :( I suck), and she already has this instant awesome new life in D.C., whereas I'm struggling on my own with NYC (and afraid I'm gonna end up unemployed and homeless, living in a cardboard box somewhere on the streets of the Bronx). And sometimes I just feel like I'm always going to live in Laura's shadow, always be the "screw-up" sister/daughter/etc., the one everyone expects to fail.

Okay, must try to stay positive...at least it's a Friday, and I'm home with no obligations and a copy of BUST. That's something. Although I wish I was out seeing "Mamma Mia"!

So here's just a bit from the wedding we went to in London - there was an afternoon Mehndi party for the women, where we had our hands tattooed with henna. The artist was amazing - very quick:
( Quick video and some photos under the cut... )

The ink starts out raised on your skin, and after letting it dry for about 45 minutes you brush off the dried dark ink and it leaves the henna stain on your skin. The color on that first day is a light reddish-brown - but it turns much darker over the next few days, to a rich chocolate brown. I had it done a week ago today, and it's only now starting to fade.

Coming soon... photos from the engagement party, videos of dancing, and much much more...
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Plurk has been down all day. I am SO BORED! And I have ugly half-naked workmen making noise outside so the cats are freaking out & demanding attention. I need something to do. I give you -- a meme.

Alphabet meme, as stolen from bandraoi

A = Age: 34
B = Bed size: King
C = Chores you hate: Vacuuming, dishes
D = Dessert you love: Cake!
E = Essential start your day item: Caffeinated items
F = Favorite actor(s): George Clooney, Will Smith
G = Gold or Silver: Silver
H = Height: 5'10"
I = Instruments you play: nada
J = Job title: Full-time job seeker, nominally a chemist-y type person
K = Kids: only teh furkids
L = Living arrangements: Apartment
M = My name is: Kristine
N = Nicknames: nothing I'm going to share
O = Overnight hospital stay: corrective hand surgery as a child, breast surgery 6 years ago
P = Pets: 2 cats, Harley Quinn & Jezebel
Q = Favorite quote: "No matter where you go, there you are."
R = Right or left handed: Right-handed
S = Siblings: 2, both older sisters
T = Time you woke up today: originally 5 am then went back to sleep at 6:30 to wake up @ 9 am
U = Unique about you: I always have my book & knitting with me wherever I go.
V = Vegetable you hate: Mushrooms, brussel sprouts.
W = Worst habit: Laziness
X = X-Rays you've had : Teeth, mammograms (do those count?), head, neck, spine, lumbar, foot, hand, arm...
Y = Yummy food you make: Comfort foods from back home. I can bake fluffy biscuits & yummy pies from scratch.
Z = Zodiac Sign: Aquarius

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Psych Season 1 on DVD
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 Taken from the Telegraph..................

Timely support for dying at home

 

The Department of Health has belatedly turned its attention to the way we deal with death. Specifically, it is seeking to address the failure of the health care system to allow the chronically ill to die in the way they wish. Two-thirds of people say they would prefer to die in their own home yet only one person in five does so. The rest die in a hospital bed. Bereaved families identify two main reasons for this. There is a lack of expert advice and (perhaps even more important) moral support for those seeking to nurse a loved one through the final days of life at home. And effective pain management remains an inexact science for non-professional carers. The Government’s response is to put new resources into the creation of round-the-clock, on-call nursing teams who will help families cope during the final days of life. This is a good start but the DOH should look at this problem more creatively. First, it should do more to encourage the charitable sector which is so effective in this area of palliative care. Part of the strength of the hospice movement, for example, is that it is not part of the NHS bureaucratic machine and makes the fullest use of voluntary input. Similarly, charitable organizations such as Macmillan Nurses and Marie Curie Cancer Care do a superb job of offering highly professional assistance to people nursing sick relatives at home. Second, there needs to be better coordination between health trusts and local authorities to ensure that the nursing services envisaged in this new plan can respond quickly and effectively when a patient wants to die at home. Third, training for both health and social workers should be improved to ensure that they can respond properly to the needs of the terminally ill. The primary focus of healthcare is obviously to keep people alive - that should not preclude the highest levels of care being devoted to the dying, to ensure that they leave life as peacefully and painlessly as possible.

My main concerns with the above????

1. Doctors will not be able to admit patients to hospital who are dying
2. Patients will be discharged from hospital who are dying
3. Relatives will not have a say in whether they want the relative there are not, oh yes it says the govt will give a choice but the truth of the matter is some peope are frightened to speak up. Just like people will not speak up and demand to see a doctor when they get through to a GP out of hours consortium and hgave to speak to a triage nurse.  People do NOT know that rights regarding Primary Health Care
4. This is a govt scheme to save money , just like Care in  The Community which has failed miserably :(

Just my humble opinions for what they are worth

Oooh, I found a clip of "Libiamo" from the Detroit Opera House production of 'La Traviata' I went to (for free!) with Matt back in May or whenever the heck that was...



Btw, since today is payday I splurged on one thing - a $25 ticket to the Broadway Sings the 80's event at Joe's Pub the Sunday after I arrive in NYC, August 10th! :D It's gonna be peeps like Anthony Rapp, Eden Espinosa and such, and I figured there's no better way to celebrate my arrival in NYC than Broadway stars singing 80's music! (charmedgirl, I think I saw that you might be going too??) I've always read about all these Joe's Pub events for YEARS and wanted to go, and now I finally can! I totally have to see the free Shakespeare In The Park prod. of "Hair" too, fo' shizzle...

So Basic Accounts are being restored . Story here
Interesting how this was the topic that tore my Flist apart and certain people maintained that Basic Accounts just had to go etc etc and that why should people support freeloaders and so it went on. Well I'm glad to see Basic Accounts back because I only paid for 2 months of my Paid Journal and maybe just maybe I will switch it back to a Basic one :)

Ieri ho visto di nuovo i Tudors... che fighi jonathan rhys meyers e henry cavill..Il telefilm non sarà un gran che ma merita di essere visto solo x loro due :P
Certo che ultimamente ormai la notte la dedico ad iconeggiare....vabbè... sono in vacanza, posso farlo!!! xD

<3

Yesterday night i saw the Tudors... jonathan rhys meyers and henry cavill are so hot! The series is not so great but these two guys are 2 good reason to see it! :P
Lately i spend the night on photoshop (hum... there isn't an english word for "iconeggiare", d0 some icons ?!)....ok.. i'm on holyday, i can do it!! xD

Ejoy the works  :D

[1-12] The Tudors (Henry VIII & Charles)
[13-17] Henry Cavill  (variuos photoshoot)
[18-27] Joathan Rhys Meyers (variuos photoshoot)


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