Thursday, July 31, 2008

Felix the Cat

I have always wanted to, but haven't, put a Felix the Cat behind a picture frame of an individual in my home. Felix was also my introduction to exotic drugs as a pre-teen. I won't elaborate, but if you know what I am talking about you can keep it to yourself and smile. I have a small collection of cartoons with Felix, along with Betty Boop and a few others. Mostly on VHS, so I will have to upgrade it eventually.

Something about the clock has always intrigued me. I suppose that is part of the corny humor that I have. Most people don't get it.

One of these days... One of these days.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Homework

Last night was the first day back to work for me. We have a major inspection coming up in the second week in August, which is the first of many inspections we receive from higher authorities throughout the year. It seems that many of the instructions I left behind while recovering were not followed. So my first day back I spent the bigger part of my shift going through large amounts of paperwork that needed to be completed.

Some of which is due today, so I ended up spending a few extra hours at work last night finishing up those things. Today, I am going to have to go in early just to keep the ball rolling and finish the week on schedule.

I brought home a bunch of stuff that didn't need to be instantly but needed to get done none the less. Usually stuff like this doesn't happen, but as I have gone up in rank it seems the paperwork increases in size proportionally.

Hopefully, I won't have too many more days like this. Today, is another one those back to the grindstone types. It is a good thing I don't have a short supply of coffee.

Monday, July 28, 2008

Resilience

My love life, my mental health, my duty, my spiritual self, my physical appearance, my wealth, my plans of the future, my here and now, my self worth, my social interactions, my habits, my knowledge, my candor, and the list can go on all have one uncanny link besides being part of me.

I grew up in a "non-normal" childhood. My wealth of knowledge starts simply with the casual passerby in a local bar and restaurant. We had a ballroom or dance hall which was occupied almost every weekend by social gatherings, weddings, and other large parties. I intermingled with strangers, friends and some people who most likely should have been enemies. By the age of 10, I had a firm grasp of how to set a table for multi-course meal and how to perform at such. Well, before that time I could tell you how figure out cost of a beer by either a quarter barrel (pony keg) or a half barrel. I knew the difference between glasses, what they were used, for how many ounces each was, and the importance of the illusions glasses perform on the customer. I learned how operating a business worked and how the text book(which was wrong most of the time) said you were supposed to run that business.

It wasn't until the summer before my eleventh birthday that I truly learned the value of money. My parents had two restaurants, sold the one making less money, and that summer the one left burned to the ground. We lost everything in that fire. Luckily, the fire occurred after everyone had left for the night.

It was different and to me wrong that my parents started enforcing curfews and required me to check periodically throughout the day. This practice was new to me. I never had to check in with anyone before and curfews were for other kids.

Eventually, my parents, through donations and help from family started another restaurant, one that they still have today, in the beginning of my freshman year. This one was a contrast to the others, smaller and we went to a history theme. My dad continued with the job he had at a local construction company until he retired a few years later.

My failure of my attempt at college after high school, which was clearly my fault, where I worked a full time job at a plating company about seventy miles away and also had a full course load. It probably would not have lasted much longer than it did anyway. I joined the Marine Corps. I really needed a change. My scores were high, and after some negotiations I received everything I wanted for my first enlistment.

Since joining I have have been married and divorced three times, mostly for different reasons but still there are common links. I have been deployed seven times. It is eight if you included Japan, but I was stationed there. I have essentially circled the globe four times. I am a shell back and a golden shell back. I have very few personal awards and most of them that I do have are for doing something no one else has done. Now most of those things are common or are becoming more common. I have been hurt badly enough five times to be hospitalized. Most are from electrocutions and I think makes sense since I am an electrician by trade. Up until this last deployment I have been relatively safe and have cause little trouble with the law on my off time for about four years. I suppose I was due.

I will tell you all that, I miss having a partner. But if having one means I have to get married again, you can forget it. Not worth it. With my current injury, I have a very hard time doing some simple tasks. For example, showering hurts tremendously. If I could be satisfied with cleaning only half of my body it would not be problem, but my body needs a total cleaning. I have dishes that need washing, right now a collection from the last week or so. I tried the other day, and it hurt so bad, that I thought maybe if I drugged myself up I could do it closer to painless. Yeah, I felt no pain, but I also stabbed myself and didn't feel that either. I stopped when the water was a deep red color. Now my dishes sit waiting.

I really don't want anyone to feel sorry for me. I don't. I just need some help to get me through this. I try not to ask the same person over and over again. I feel it is mostly stupid stuff and that is why it pisses me off. Tomorrow, I go back to work. It should be interesting and I am sure there will be plenty of paperwork to do. I feel I should have no problem with it, fore I have typed this with my right hand and my left index finger.

I have been through a lot in my short lifetime. I know that I have a lot to still go through.

Thank you to all who have helped with this injury and past injuries. I could not and can not go through all of this alone. I can't begin to tell you all how much I appreciate what help I have received, even if it is only talking with God.

Friday, July 25, 2008

Moving In, Upgrades,Part II

This weeks updates and upgrades.

RevGals Friday Five: Don't Leave Home Without It

What are the five things you simply must have when you are away from home? And why? Any history or goofy things, or stories?

1) Feather Pillow - When sleeping is in question, a good night's rest is always the answer.
2) Blankets - Even if they say it going to be hot, you never know when you will need a blanket.
3) Green Stuffed Animal Frog named Freddy - It was a gift that replays a message to me.
4) Knife - A hundred and one uses for a knife.
5) If I had time to prepare I would bring the Army Survival Guide dated 1948 7th edition. If not, then a coloring book with crayons.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Fun with Navy Medicine, Part XVI

My sutures were taken out today. The doctor explained that he had "cleaned" up some of my frayed ligaments and tendons and found what is probably causing the majority of the pain. Two bones within my wrist are separated more than they are supposed to be. The equivalent of 150 times wider gap than what is normal. The rest was relatively normal or what it is supposed to look like.

The bone gap answer at the moment is to do more occupational therapy. After a few weeks of strengthening exercises in that area if there is not an improvement another surgery will be scheduled. The surgery in essence would be shortening my ligaments in that area and unlike the recovery from this one which was two weeks it would be eight for that one.

Why neither of MRIs showed this or why no one caught it, is beyond me.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

The Valders Journal, Part II

I receive many inquiries about the Valders Journal. Usually an average of sixty inquiries per month. Most people want to know how to contact them. Since it is published in the paper, I don't feel bad about giving anyone the address and phone number for the paper.

To contact the Valders journal write to:

204 Liberty Street
PO Box 400
Valders, WI 54245

or to call the paper:
(920) 775-4431

Moving In, Upgrades

This is a short video of what was upgraded since the last one I did. It is about two minutes long so if you use dial-up I don't suggest watching it since it is about 40 MB.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

The Problem with the TV



The "new" TV which I bought and was installed on the 9th started acting funny by the 11th. There was a technician here on Friday after I called on Tuesday to fix the problem, but the problem only happened once and he didn't notice it. The TV worked for half a day and by five in the evening was continuing to do the same thing. The sound works but the picture goes black as if it was off. So since I will not get a hold of a technician until the earliest at eight in the morning on Monday this is a short video of what happens.
And if it miraculously works for the short time he returns I have some evidence it is jacked up. You would think with technology the way it is, Circuit City and LG would want to stop people from telling them they were jacked up, but working with both of them has been an awful experience.
The TV is a 47LG50 and it was installed by the store.

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Freakin' Genius!


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Friday, July 18, 2008

RevGals Friday Five: Names

1. So how did you come up with your blogging name? And/or the name of your blog?
The name Wyldht1ng has been given to me many times, from teenage years to college to the Marine Corps. The spelling was done to establish my own website which I started in 1997. The name of the blog is self explanatory.

2. Are there any code names or secret identities in your blog? Any stories there?
Not really, I try to use words that don't seem boring.

3. What are some blog titles that you just love? For their cleverness, drama, or sheer, crazy fun?
I chose titles very carefully, many are song titles that relate to the post. Some are continuing posts over long periods of time.


4. What three blogs are you devoted to? Other than the RevGalBlogPals blog of course!
PoliTits
Hot Cup Lutheran*
Magdalene's Musings*
if not the last two then
The Village Carpenter
Post Secret

5. Who introduced you to the world of blogging and why?
I introduced myself, to communicate with my family and friends while overseas.

Bonus question: Have you ever met any of your blogging friends? Where are some of the places you've met these fun folks?
Ton-Fifty-ONE
The Village Carpenter
The Glamorous Life of a Hausfrau
Presbyfruit
LadyBurg*
Stories and Faith

Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, North Carolina

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Moving In, Part IV

The washer/dryer combo was supposed to be a stacked pair, the delivery truck was missing the stacking kit. Tomorrow is try two. My TV doesn't work as of Tuesday, the guy who installed it will be coming back Friday to fix it. The plumber/remodeling crew who have been working on my bathroom(since Tuesday morning) have had to do five different changes from the original plan and hopefully(God willing) will be done in the morning. Then, I may, clean my body. The bed (headboard, foot board, and rails) was back ordered till August, it was purchased on June 21st. For some darn reason when the power is cut off to the whole building, two walls of outlets still have power. It is difficult to tell why.

Fun with Navy Medicine, Part XV

I am typing only with my right hand, my left is bandaged and hurts profusely when I move my fingers. I won't know how the surgery went until my post-operative appointment next week. The main goal behind the procedure was to end the pain. So for the last few days I have been taking vitamin P every few hours or so and relying heavily on my friends for normal routine tasks.

Friday, July 11, 2008

RevGals Friday Five: Summer Camp, Part II

RevGals Friday Five: Summer Camp

1. Did you go to sleep away camp, or day camp, as a child? Wish you could? Or sometimes wish you hadn't?
I belonged to 4-H and went to camp there for several summers. It was a few weeks and for the most part we lived in cabins, but always spent a few days "roughing it".

2. How about camping out? Dream vacation, nightmare, or somewhere in between?
I don't camp anymore, since I joined the Corps.

3. Have you ever worked as a camp counselor, or been to a camp for your denomination for either work or pleasure?
I went to a church camp one summer, early teen years with girls.

4. Most dramatic memory of camp, or camping out?
I had sexual relations with one of counselors in my mid-teen years. It was a good experience and it wasn't my first.

5. What is your favorite camp song or songs?
I always enjoyed doing rounds of grace prior to meals at 4-H camp.

God is great! God is good!
And we thank him in the morning, noon and night.
'Cause God, God, God is out of sight!
We thank him in the morning ,every noon and night.
Amen.
(I still sing it on occasion.)

Monday, July 07, 2008

Moving In, Part III

Had a small fire yesterday. The dryer started on fire. I put it out with some baking soda and laundry soap after I cut power. I should probably buy a fire extinguisher. The nifty thing was when I put power back on the washer's motor seized. So I went shopping yesterday afternoon for a new washer and dryer. That was the last of the money I had in savings. Fun.

Sunday, July 06, 2008

The Key

(This is a poem I wrote, please do not read the words as words in a textbook. Then leave a comment as such. I am talking about many things in this piece and I wrote it over eleven years ago. Thank you.)

My flesh as it falls
To the earth
Enters Darkness

A Shadow
A Void
A Fear

My peace Turns
With an End
That approaches

Blistery
Nervously
And Panic

A state of being
of Love & Hate
I stand Alone

Sadistic
Coy
Childish

A Twinkle in her
Eye, Stops my Heart
And my Brain goes Cold

Secrets
Masochist
And Rumor

I wait for that
Longing, As I sit
By the door

Manic
Hope
Touch

The Key was Lost
At the Sea with no
Waves and no Wind

Calming
Horrified
Soulless

Walking in Hand
With her Grace
We are Struck down

Orgasmic
Hurtful
Psychotic

I am Alone
My bearer is Lost
The Key will not be Found.

Friday, July 04, 2008

RevGals Friday FIve: Fireworks

1. Barbecue's or picnics ( or are they essentially the same thing?)
BBQs require at least a grill. Picnics can be as simple as a two glasses of wine with crackers and cheese.

2. The park/ the lake/ the beach or staying at home simply being?
All the above.

3. Fireworks- love 'em or hate 'em?
Fire! Fire!

4. Parades- have you ever taken part- share a memory...
Many, while on recruiter assistance, I took part in the Flag Day Parade in Appleton, Wisconsin. I was part of the color guard and carried the Marine Corps Colors. We were first in line and the parade was six miles long.

5. Time for a musical interlude- if you could sum up holidays in a piece of music what would it be?


or maybe this

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Moving In, Part II

You all know what happens when you move in, right?

Lots and lots of unpacking. I brought in my last load of boxes tonight and hopefully everything will be at least in the right room by Monday. The room I designated as the office is a freaking disaster at the moment. Washing lots of clothes and sheets the last few days and I seemed to have forgotten dish soap when I went shopping today.

Tomorrow, I don't expect to get too much accomplished, fore I have many appointments during the day. I do plan on buying a grill and a TV this weekend.

Next week, I have a partial bathroom makeover and partial electrical upgrade planned. Both of which is not cheap. So that is the reason it is going to be "partial".

After the work is done I will either video it or take photos to update you all.

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Moving In

I bought a house and closed on the Friday. So naturally, I moved on Saturday. One thing you definitely learn while moving; you get to find out who your real friends are. I composed a short Five or so minute video of the tour of my home. It isn't really great quality, but I think you all should get a good idea of what I bought. (Of course, this is the reason why I haven't been on the computer.)