So bizarre, it could only happen to me

I am yet again having a bizarre, it-could-only-happen-to-me injury. As I've mentioned many times, I have trouble with acid reflux. Usually I can manage it with diet and some OTC drugs. But Monday night, a large volume of stomach acid literally exploded in my throat, causing me to fly from a sound sleep straight for the bathroom. It was AGONY! Like having battery acid poured down your throat. I had my husband take me to the ER because I was sure I was dying. They gave me IV morphine and some acid reducer, and sent me home with more narcotics. Tuesday I'm having an endoscopy to see what exactly the damage is.

Since Monday, I've had a sore throat that is hard to describe. Like having strep throat without the illness. I also have to try to sleep sitting up because the stomach acid comes right up if I lay down. Now I'm stressed from lack of sleep and this damnable sore throat. Ice cream helps but I'm sick of the extreme sweetness.

Am I a cartoon character or what??? Maybe I'm over-stressed from the dirty fingers in my sandwich episode.

Oh, OK, Happy Valentine's Day

As I've mentioned, I'm not real keen on Valentine's Day. It's a retail nightmare designed to make nervous men buy all manner of nonsense at Walgreen's. My husband is a marvelous man, and we show our love 365 days a year. So I don't need a $4 piece of paper from Hallmark to prove it. The cheesy-ness of all of it creeps me out.

Here's hoping you are enjoying this mock-holiday in your own particular fashion. Me? I'll be at twin #1's volleyball tournament while nursing a sore throat. Viva l'amore!

Oh NO HE DIDN'T

OH YES HE DID!

This post is going to make our friend Sheletta get out the clorox.

So I'm at work and it's time for lunch. I saunter over to the snack bar and order a simple grilled cheese. At our snack bar, you have to hover around and watch for your sandwich since they just place it up on the counter and you take it from there.

Anyway, there are several sandwiches in queue but your job is to watch and listen for yours. So the cook places mine up and says "grilled cheese". And while I'm reaching for it, this strange college boy takes his hands OUT OF HIS POCKET and PULLS APART MY GRILLED CHEESE TO SEE IF IT'S HIS!!!!!!!!

My jaw was down at my waist in shock, and all I manage to say is "Well I hope your hands are clean!!" He nods yes and goes back to listening to his iPod or thinking about Star Wars or whatever he was doing prior to sticking his dirty fingers in my lunch. Meanwhile I'm having an out of body experience!!! A snack bar staff person, who saw the whole thing, runs up to me and says "we'll get you another one". Which they did.

This kid didn't even have the balls to apologize! Just fumbles all over someone else's sandwich to see if it's his! It didn't even occur to him to ask the cook, standing less than 2 feet away. Oh no, let's just stick our boogery digits in there and find out ourselves! And OF COURSE it wasn't his - he had just placed his order and there were about four people ahead of him.

Where does one grow up, and not learn that pawing the food of others with your pocket-lint-covered appendages that have been I-don't-even-want-to-KNOW-where is flat out disgusting? And yet still he gets into an academically elite school?

Someone who can't figure this out sure as #*&$ doesn't wash his hands!!

Honey, that might not be a good idea

From our local news station:

EULESS, Texas -- Officials cleared out a Dallas-area elementary school briefly Thursday morning after a second-grade student brought a deactivated hand grenade for show and tell.

Police say the student walked into his classroom with the grenade at Oakwood Terrace Elementary School. The teacher took it, placed it on a desk and notified the principal.

The school was evacuated until police arrived and inspected the object. Although the grenade still had a pin, it had a hole at the bottom and was empty -- the sort of thing that might be used as a paperweight.

No injuries were reported. Students returned to their classrooms after 15 minutes, and the unidentified student was getting a good talking to from police.

Guess I'll have to go to youngest's backpack and take out those six shooters, the fillet knife, and the bong. It was going to be a rockin' show and tell!

What's my avatar you say?

Seems a few of my blogging friends don't know what my avatar is. One thought perhaps it was a star wars creature.

It's a bomber hat! Also known as a trooper's hat. Guess if you don't live in Minnesota, Northern Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, or Canada you probably don't see these on a regular basis. Sadly I don't actually own one because my teens would have an absolute fit of apoplexy if I wore one in public. But after the sub zero temps we've had this winter I say "ego be damned!" and I'm getting one next year - fur lined no less. So, mystery solved. And I still want Aretha's inauguration hat.

Remember to listen

Remember! Wednesday is my big radio debut!
You can listen online. 9am, CST, 107.1 FM Minneapolis.

What if?

I read this concept in the comments on another blog, so I have to give credit where credit is due. But I just wanted to expound on it.

Of all the reasons America needs to develop a national system of healthcare, this one fits in nicely with our current economic downturn.

Wouldn't it be great if all folks could pursue work they are passionate about, work that truly contributes to the betterment of our society without the worry about health care benefits?

Imagine if all Americans were free to run restaurants, write, make art, open small businesses, farm, build cabinetry, be a barista, have a day care, fix cars, etc. without the need for employer purchased healthcare. Wouldn't our economy be better off if we didn't ALL need to work for the large employers with the medical perks? Wouldn't our GNP rise if Americans were free to take those part time jobs? Wouldn't every business's bottom line improve if no one lost production time because of an illness that could have been nipped in the bud with good healthcare? Wouldn't we Americans be freer with our cash if we weren't crushed under medical bills?

You'd think so, wouldn't you?