Neopets

Well dip me in chocolate and call me a sunday!

I entered a Holiday Sweepstakes on Neopets and today, I got this in my email.

"Congratulations! The National Sweepstakes Company (an independent judging organization) has selected you (or your child) as a First Prize winner in the NeoPets' "NeoCash Card Holiday" Sweepstakes subject to the Official Rules. The prize you will receive is a $10.00 NeoPets Prepaid Neocash Card that may be redeemed on Neopets.com for ten dollars worth of Neocash."

So I submitted my information and clicked submit and got this:

"Congratulations! Your prize claim form submission was successful!

Remember, please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of your prize.

Thanks again for your participation!"

I am about as tickled pink as anyone can be!

Dishcloths, A Moment of DOH!!!

Up until today, I had no clue why so many are gung ho about a knitted dishcloth. Boy, my learning curve was at it's lowest when I thought that it was silly to fuss over dishcloths.

The dishcloth I knit using the cheap dollar store cotton finally got used tonight to do dishes. This may sound silly to the uneducated on the subject of dishcloths but Wow!!!! I'm never ever ever! buying another machine produced dishcloth again!!! Even that cheap ass cotton works and at a whopping 1$ a 50 gr. ball, I can make at least 2 cloths and likely start a third. Guess where I'm going tomorrow on my lunch break!!!!

I have the perfect quick knit gifts that won't cost me an arm and a leg to mail to my mom, sister, sil, mil, etc etc!!!

Who is Dr Who?

Well, it's official, the new Doctor Who was announced. The eleventh incarnation of our dear Doctor will be played by a complete unknown, Matt Smith. He is also the youngest actor to ever play the doctor since the series` inception in 1963. His acting background is theatrical which should make it interesting to see how he deals with the sets and various plots. He has done some television acting with the Party Animals TV series on the BBC being is biggest role.

I just hope that he will be just as memorable in his performance of the Doctor as previous actors have been. He will likely bring a new twist to the character. I noticed that the last 2 doctors were evolutions on the previous doctor. Eccleston's Doctor was dark, angry, a pessimist trying to put on a cheerful face, Tennant's Doctor was lighter, somewhat less pessimistic with some angst at being the last of the time lords but not letting it get in the way of saving his beloved Earth from invasions and monsters.


The last specials from Tennant to be aired this year should make for some excellent watching when we all know these are his last in the role. I will miss his personnae more than I missed Eccleston's. Tennant has something very appealing about him. At least Rose got to keep her Doctor.

Ugh

Today is my first day of the new year that I am migraine free.. at Last!

I came down with a migraine that wouldn't go away on Christmas day. This thing was a monster that started with tooth pain and just got a life of it's own. Taking painkillers would only send it to the background. Yesterday it finally decided it wasn't going to recede or take stage left for a break, it came back full force and boy did it hurt! I finally decided that a trip to the local hospital's emergency department was the answer albeit not something I was looking forward to since this more than likely involves a 3 hours or more wait to be seen. I sat in the waiting room with my poor husband in tow. Wore an icepack on the right side of my face and a towel over my head as well as dark glasses since the waiting room lights felt like the sun was 2 inches from my nose. I finally get called into the 2nd waiting room and my poor husband gets left in the main waiting room which is rapidly filling up with screaming children. When I was finally called into the examining room I wouldn't budge until they let my husband come in with me.
The doctor checked my neurological responses, eyes, tongue (no clue why) and ordered a shot of morphine mixed with something like demerol. And told us that if that didn't take care of the migraine, I'd have to come back for a different treatment using steroids. Got home last night, by the time we walked home, I was starting to feel better. Had something to eat and fell into bed.When I finally woke up this afternoon, the migraine was thankfully gone!

I also started a new temp position on Friday. This one is dispatch for the city's parking department where I live. I felt like I was on The Prisoner with using the officer's numbers to call them over the two way radio; "Control to eleven, control to 11" and would wait for the officer's response "11 to control". Just felt a bit surreal. The radio itself as an ancient microphone that looks like something from the 60's.

The woman who is supposed to be training me for the position is missing a very important talent; an aptitude for training others. That in itself precludes my learning the job since she's the rambling type. Starts to show me how to do something and then mumbles her way through most of it with an "you'll get it once you're doing it" comment. Thankfully my supervisor noticed how badly she was doing the training and made sure that I knew she was available to help me whenever I needed the help. I'm seeing this as a learn by the seat of your pants type training. Should be interesting.

Canada Post sucks!

I seriously don't believe this, but wow, never thought that Canada post was scamming us Canadians.

Here is my case. Two packages, both the same size and weight. One going to the US, the other going to a town an hour's drive away in Canada. Now wouldn't you think that the package going to the US would cost more since it's going a lot further? Wrong!

The package going to the US overland cost me 5$ to send! The package going to the town an hour's drive away would have cost me 9$!!!! if I had sent it. Now someone explain to me why?

I pointed out to the postal agent that both packages were the same size,weight etc... and asked why the one going to the next town was that much more expensive. The reply and get this: "It's bulky" so I pointed out that the package going to the US was also bulky so why that big of a difference in price? I got a shrug and a bored, "Those are the rates Ma'am" I shipped the US package and took the other one home with me. I'm going to repackage my son's mitts in a ziplock baggie with all the air squeezed out of it and put it in a plain brown paper envelope so it's as flat as can be. Let's see how much that will cost me!

I just can't get over how big a cost difference there is for 2 packages exactly the same size, weight and thickness. Boggles the mind.

I guess the old adage, "If you can't dazzle 'em with brains, baffle 'em with bullshit" fits.

On a happier note, I love browsing through lolcat. Our furry friends are always up to something. Tonight I found this Video that had me just about screaming with laughter. I had to stuff a pillow over my face since I didn't want to wake up my darling husband who was finally getting some rest from kidney stones.

New Year Resolutions

I don't know about everyone else, but I've given up making new year resolutions. These things only set you up for failure in my honest opinion.

I make a list of things I hope will happen or change in the new year.

Job - full time permanent with health coverage instead of part time casual. with zip. This will only happen if the hiring freezes come off in our city's big industry.... and that will only happen if the economy does a miraculous healing of it's own.

Health - continue to keep my diabetes under control.

Knitting - just keep on clicking those sticks with string, pick up new skills and maybe actually sell some !

Relationship - Just keep on loving my darling husband as much as he loves me!

Honestly, thinking about it, the only major thing that needs to improve for 2009 is the job front. Everything else is in a holding pattern.

I have a migraine again, so I'm cutting this post short and crawling back into bed after I take some painkillers. Happy New year everyone!

A New Year has begun

2009, what or where will this brand spanking new year bring us. So much upheaval in the world, even in our own backyard. It doesn't seem to matter where you live anymore.

Jibjab says it better than I ever could.

So after all this, I wish everyone a Happy New Year, all the best for the new year and hopefully better than 2008.