Quiz Time Again

Thanks to PBW for the link to some memory quizes. (See her post here, lots of useful information) Does your answer on the Short Term Memory Quiz count if you got the letters right, just out of order? While the letters were big enough for me to not flip this and that way, when I wrote my answers the letters were out of order (Dyslexia monster strikes again).

***Side note: How funny. Since I cannot start to edit the gf's new book, I got to start on my next novella. Futuristic SF with a minority population of people possesing psionic powers. MC has "photographic" memory. Still working on the pre-writing stuff. I cannot do outlines. So, I use an interesting diagramming technique. If I can ever figure out how to post pics maybe I'll put one up showing my process. It might help someone else who cannot do outlines.

That's IT!

Mama always said, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."

Stop the bashing. Stop It. People read your blogs. Authors are trying to sell books, write books, and please a fickle audience. Isn't that enough? To be honest, I find myself grateful that my girlfriend and I have chosen self-publishing. That way I don't have to deal with all the ungrateful authors out there.

Think about it. You worked hard to be published. I know you did. You had to swim upriver through school after school of pirhanas. Then you had to get past the crocodiles, hoping one would see the masterful mind instead of the meaty flesh, letting you onto land. Finally, you found the crocodile that said, "I will not eat you as long as I like your work." Do you enjoy the time on the land? No. You infest it with prides of starving lions.

Trying to wreck someone else's career doesn't mean that yours will improve. There are authors that I pass by when buying books just because of their whole blogitude. Save the politics for senators and such. Let the books speak for themselves. If it is such a bad book, it won't sell. Basic economics. People don't say, "God, Jane. This was such a horrible book. Go out and buy it."

Plus and Minus

The last few days, I have been busy improving my body and mind. I have started working out again. I had to stop last time due to a back injury. I had forgotten how much I liked it. There is something eerily soothing about putting on your walkman and seeing just how much strength and endurance you have. I knew I was strong (side effect of lifting people all day), just not how much endurance I had. I am still amazed at how much energy I get from using energy. Anyhow, the excitement of putting some effort back into myself did not last long.

Today, my gf's wallet was stolen. It had everything in it. Debit card, social security card, driver's license, even her work credit cards. Thankfully, her boss isn't mad, but it is still just so irritating. It takes two weeks to get new cards, then memorizing the new pin numbers, etc is such a hassle. Taking a page from PBW's book, I think I will try some zen revenge. Especially, since I know who did it. And, I know they did it just to spite us. I will just not bring myself to go back to high school and be childish. I've already done something nice out of the blue for someone else. Now, how to do something nice for someone who stole from you. Maybe I will get that person a gift certificate to somewhere. Maybe I will just let that person not have the police come after them. Probably both.

Shoe, Hose, And Hoes

Today, I am working on the final edits on my gf's book. Family and friends were very helpful in finding the typos that I missed. I hate these revisions mostly because they are due to my dyslexia. I missed that it said hose instead of shoe the first four times through it. How am I going to find/fix it this time? Any hints? My arms get tired holding up sheets of paper to block out the other words. I wish there was a program designed for dyslexic people. There is every other type of program out there. Why not a word processor for dyslexics? They make left-handed just about everything but nothing for us wierd-wired people.

Rant continuing. Yes, I tend to used a lot of word combinations like wierd-wired because they help me slow down and read more accurately. A teacher once told me that using these types of combinations meant that I did not have dyslexia. You see I cannot even get used to spelling things one way and seeing them another because words do not appear the same every time I read them. Shoe may appear to be hose one time, hoes another time, and sheo the next. But, on the flip side, I get to play games like Text Twist and say that I am studying. LOL.

Blatant Absurdity

Does anyone have a clue what I did today?

Here's a clue...I have to show up on time.

Did you get it?

Well, then. Another clue...I get paid for it.

Still didn't get it?

Okay, the kicker...I have to follow the rules my bosses make when I am doing it.

I wipe asses every day. 10+ days out of 14, they include more than just my own. I am a CNA. (Certifiably Nuerotic Asswiper) It is my job to take care of your family when you cannot or will not. I am proud of this. I make a difference. But, when we get a trainee at work, I cringe.

Today was the perfect example of why I quake when it says "orientate" next to my name on the daily roster. Generally, the new aide is just out of class. (Yes, you have to take a class and pass a state test to wipe asses.) What do people think that they are going to do when the sign up for a CNA class? Perform brain surgery? Stay clean? I don't think so.

Today, I told my trainee to grab some TP and go at it. She looked at me like I was speaking some dead language. She had the balls to actually say "We didn't learn how to do this in class." Now, I thought we all learned how to do this around age 2 or 3. Nice person that I am, I spent five minutes explaining the process. "I'm just training, why don't you show me how?" came popping right out of her mouth. Why me? Why must I be punished so harshly? So, five minute explanation again. "So, you just wipe, no special stuff?" she says. My response, "What is so very hard about wiping an ass? Don't you do it at least once everyday?" Her response, "No. This is my first day working as a CNA."

Someone please help me. Pretty. Pretty. Please. Oh, yeah. This is after a nurse yelled at me for washing my hair at work. The nurse was even in the room when a resident projectile-vomitted in my hair as I was helping the resident transfer. What was I supposed to do? Put some rollers in and see if I had found a new way to perm hair?

What To Do?

At work, I am up for a promotion. At least, that is what the administrator has been telling me for six weeks. This promotion is going to be a new position. While I am flattered, waiting is really pissing me off. To be honest, I am starting to wonder if it is going to happen. As a CNA, there really isn't much that I can be promoted to. Hence, the excitement.

For several weeks, I have been doing some of the little things that I would be doing after my so-called promotion. Today, right or wrong, I let them know that I will not add anymore to my plate without the title to back it up. I wouldn't want another CNA telling me how to do my job if she/he did not have some authority over me. So, until I am actually promoted, I put my foot down. I will continue to do what I already am, but anything to do with "supervising" other CNAs is a no-no. I will not be used. Been there, done that, don't enjoy it.

I just wish that the administrator would be honest and just tell me if the new position/promotion is not coming. But, since the universe doesn't care what I wish, I will just keep doing my job. No skin off my back because I really do love my job. I just hate carrots, especially the dangling kind.

Must Be a Quiz Day

"The way you think about things makes you a Creative Theorist. This means you are a highly intelligent, complex person. You are able to process information of nearly every kind with ease, using both creativity and analysis to make sense of the world. Compared to others you also have a very rich imagination.

How did we determine that your thinking style is that of a Creative Theorist? When we examined your test results further, we analyzed how you scored on 8 dimensions of intelligence: spatial, organizational, abstract reasoning, logical, mechanical, verbal, visual and numerical. The 3 dimensions you scored highest on combine to make you a Creative Theorist. Only 6 out of 1,000 people have this rare combination of abilities."

My results from the Super IQ Test. Moving on to find more quizzes. I needed a stress buster. Is it bad that taking quizzes, learning, and reading non-fic help me? Don't know, Don't Care. LOL

Surprisingly Accurate

This handwriting quiz was very accurate. Fun to take, but I used a lot of scratch paper. I suggest scrolling so that you see the question, then write before you look at the choices.

"Your writing style reflects your awareness of your thoughts and feelings as well as your ability to articulate this understanding through your exceptional self-expression. Is it your
letter size, your bottom margin, or your slant that gives you away?"

What does your handwriting say about you?

Lessons In Life

It is truly amazing how dots along the line of your life connect. Just last night, I was agonizing over my past. (See my earlier post) This morning, I get on the computer and start my morning blog run. Smacking me right in my face, again, is the truth of it all. (Courtesy of Holly Lisle)

I made a reality checklist a long, long time ago. I think I need to drag it out again.

Reality Checklist for Survivors:

1. You did nothing wrong.
2. Whatever happened, you did not cause it. You are not to blame.
3. You did not choose your biological family.
4. As much as you love them, you cannot change them.
5. Your support isn't necessarily your biological family. It is whoever stands by you when everything comes crashing down, even if it is you. Those who help build you back up when you are nothing more than a shell.
6. Above all else, love yourself. You cannot be a good mother, provider, friend or anything else if you cannot find a way to love you.
7. You cannot rewrite the past. There is no delete key, no do over, no rewind.
8. Your belief in yourself is more important than other's disbelief. You were there, not them. You experienced the horror, not them.
9. Don't make excuses for anyone. Not even yourself. Face things with full view, no rosy colors.
10. You cannot force anyone, including yourself, to be ready before they are. Trying to face something without the capability to look at it head on does more harm than good. Always.

This isn't my whole checklist, but the rest is not to be unshelved except in extreme emergency. I choose to live now, not yesterday. For me, some things are too horrible to remember if I can help it. Some days, I must have tunnel vision to survive. Monsters hide in the blurriness of peripheral vision.

Find someone that can just listen. That makes no judgement. The air, the wall, anyone or anything. Try it.

Can you do it?

Can you pass the third grade? Try this and find out. Remember having to memorize where the states are? Yep, this is it. I barely passed. But, I blame my second grade teacher for making me hate, really HATE, geography. She told me that the directions spelled N-E-W-S. It wasn't until the end of the year that I figured out you did not start at the top and go clockwise.

To all teachers:

BE SPECIFIC. Children take what you say literally. If you say the compass directions spell N-E-W-S, expect them to start at the top and go clockwise. I mean, you just made us learn how to read analog clocks that way, didn't you?

Two Months To Go

It started out as a short story. Then my girlfriends family, friends, and I convinced her to write more. Surprise. Novella. Pushing, prodding, and persistence became my mantra. Surprise, again. Novel.

90,000 words later, I became the "editor". Why me? My gf said that she just couldn't do it: the spell check and grammar check were just not enough. She played to my ego, telling me that I was the smart one, that I got a 35 out of 36 on the ACT, that I had the right stuff. It worked. In April 2004, I started to edit her manuscript. In January 2005, it is finally done. No more revisions. No more pow-wows on how to fix this or that. No more butting heads. When taxes come in, it goes off to Lulu.com to be printed. I stalled and blocked but plowed through it.

Guess what? My gf is starting another novel. Will I edit it? Yes. Will I stall this time? No. In all, we had more fun than two people should have after five years together. Let's just say this, writing is good for more than the soul. :)

My only regret is that we only have one computer. I would like to finish my manuscript before I get carpal tunnel from the editing.

FYI

The bill has been removed. Thank you to everyone who joined the uproar! Give yourself a pat on the back. You deserve it.

Ewwwww

Some weird animal facts:

Frogs use their eyeballs to push food down their throats.

A hedgehog's heart beats 300 times a minute.

The African Lungfish can live out of water for up to 4 years.

There are more cows than people in the US.

A crocodile's tongue is attached to the roof of it's mouth.

Elephants are the only animal that can't jump.

Sharks are immune to cancer.

Snails can sleep for 3 years.

There are 200,000,000 insects for every 1 person on earth.

A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why.

Not again....

Okay, religion is great for those who want it. But, unfortunately, noone has ever been able to truly seperate church and state. While this hits home in many ways for me, I has to hit home to many other Americans, too. Church leaders have the right to voice their opinions just like me. But, I do not lead millions of people nor am I a role model for millions of people. I do not think any religion is wrong as long as it doesn't harm anyone. But, when a religious leader says that healthcare professionals must keep a feeding tube in place, regardless of the patients wishes, that crosses the line.

The Pope on March 20, 2004 (yes, I am a little late in finding this out) said that to withdraw feeding tubes is a cruel form of euthanasia. Our medical system is based on the fact that you can decide what form of treatment you want. Our wishes with regards to dying are very personal. They should be respected no matter what someone else says. Make a living will. Appoint a power of attorney that knows (and would follow) your wishes. Don't let someone else decide for you.

Children...Get Your Moms. NOW!

I was reading one of my favorite blogs, Paperback Writer, when I saw this entry about miscarriages. I could not believe my eyes. I did not think that anyone would actually have the balls to try to pass this thing. (Deep breath, Heather. Remember, breathe deeply) Sorry, had to take a time out.

Now that my blood pressure is somewhat back to normal. The basic is this: Respresentative John A. Cosgrove (Republican, Virginia) wants to pass a law mandating that all miscarriages be reported to the police within 24 hours of occurence. Yes, I said that mothers would have to report their miscarriages to the police. A counseling agency I might, empasize might, be able to understand. But, THE POLICE, never! Who does this supposed man think that he is? Is he a sadist, rubbing salt into a wound?

Women. Stand up and be counted. Use the right to vote that we fought for. Write your congressmen, the president, anything. Try to get Cosgrove out of office. Don't sit idly by while your rights are plucked from you.

Please visit Paberback Writer's blog for contact information.

Interesting Human Body Facts

As you read this sentence, your eyes are moving back and forth 100 times per second.

A woman's heart beats faster than a man's. (On average)

About 700,000 of your own skin flakes are inhaled daily. By You.

How much soap could you make out of an average human body? 7

Males sweat about 40% more than females.

Only mammals that can get sunburn? Humans and pigs.

Longest Marathon Winner Ever? A blood cell. The human body has over 60, 000 miles of arteries, veins, and capillaries.

Only double-jointed people can lick their elbow. Unless you would like to dislocate a joint or two.

Is It Finally OVER????

Now that my life has returned to quasi-normal. The van is running, the car is running, both boys are driving me lunatic, and my computer is back. Hopefully, I will be able to return to my blog.