It’s My Imagination

Things That Make Me Crazy

May 16, 2008 on 9:01 am | In Family, Some of This Some of That | No Comments

I mentioned the other day that I’d been missing my Dad. He passed away just over 2 years ago and I have to tell you, there are so many things that can occur on a daily basis that bring him to mind. One thing that drives me absolutely insane is that I still, yes still, receive mail for my dad. I have place stop mail orders through the post office for both 1st class mail and for junk mail and yet, I still receive it.

When he passed away, my sisters and I hired an attorney to handle the court paperwork for the estate. Our dad didn’t own much, but to keep from having to deal with estate probate we had papers filed that allowed creditors 90 days to make any claim, after that time, the estate was considered legally closed and no claims could be filed. Yesterday I received a bill addressed to my dad for around $500! Are they kidding me? The man died, how do they think he’s going to pay it? I wrote deceased on it and “return to sender” on the envelope and sent it back. I can guarantee you that I’ve never heard anything about this bill before and I truthfully don’t know what it was for, it was difficult to tell from the letter. I almost threw it away because I seriously thought it was junk mail.

Trust me, we didn’t inherit anything from my dad. We sold what we could in order to cover funeral and attorney costs. Don’t bother sending me a bill two years later, there is no money and it is extremely annoying.

Tags: estate probate

Time Alone

May 15, 2008 on 7:45 pm | In Some of This Some of That | 2 Comments

I arrived at my scheduled doctor appointment 20 minutes early today. This was my first visit with this doctor’s office, so I knew I had paperwork to fill out. I also wanted the appointment to begin right on time, if not early, because I knew I’d have to head straight to my daughter’s school to pick her up a the end of her school day.

My appointment was scheduled for 2:15 this afternoon and I had the new patient paperwork turned in by 2:10. I wasn’t called back until 2:25. I had my blood pressure and temperature taken and then was left alone to sit and wait for the nurse practitioner. I waited, and waited, and waited some more. At 2:50, I got on my cell phone and called my daughter’s school to ask them to have her wait in the school office until I got there and explained I would be running late. At 3:00, I stepped out of my little exam room and asked a nurse when I would be seen as I needed to leave to pick my daughter up from school. She asked me what time she got out of school and I informed her that the school day ended 5 minutes earlier. Lo and behold, I was immediately seen by the nurse practitioner and, after a 3 minute exam and 2 minutes of prescription instructions, was on my way. I guess they thought I could use the time for personal meditation.

Truthfully, if my head hadn’t been hurting and my allergies acting up and I hadn’t been watching the clock tick away, I might have benefited from some meditation. As it was, I was unable to relax and the time to myself was making me feel worse. Of course, looking at all the little animals painted on the walls wasn’t helping. I felt like I was at a pediatricians office! If I’d wanted to mediate, I would have gone to www.heartmath.com to align my mind, body and heart and then maybe I would have been able to relax enough to focus on meditation. But, then again, I wasn’t there to meditate, I was there for help in feeling physically better.  Why do they leave patients sitting in exam rooms for so long?

I wound up being given a nasal prescription as well as a few samples of eye drops and an OTC allergy medication. Hopefully, after trying all of these new things out, I’ll feel better and may even check out the webinar scheduled for next Wednesday, May 21 at 8 PM EST. Then I can learn techniques to make meditation more fulfilling and effective.

Tags: meditation, www.heartmath.com

Band Tryout Update

May 15, 2008 on 7:19 pm | In Family | 1 Comment

The band director almost forgot to give my daughter her tryout today!  I guess she was the only one from her elementary school that was trying out and he simply forgot!  Anyway, I was running late due to a doctor’s appointment, so she was able to stay after school and play for him.  I think this allowed her to be more relaxed because the other students had left for the day.

The tryout itself wound up being easier than she thought it would be.  Of course, with all the practicing she did over the last two days, she was prepared for something more difficult.  I say, it’s better to be over prepared!  She only had to play three scales and then he opened her own music book to an arbitrary page and had her sight read a piece of music.

The band director told her that she had done very well and, while he couldn’t tell her anything just yet, he felt good about her playing level.  We should know something in the next couple of weeks.  Please keep your fingers crossed!

Tags: middle school band

Hopefully Getting Rid of the Pain

May 15, 2008 on 10:45 am | In Some of This Some of That | No Comments

Once again I woke up with a sinus headache. It really seems to be a perpetual state for me since we moved to Texas. I think there is so much pollen in the air and, lately, the pollen has combined with grasses to make me feel like crap on a daily basis.

I’ve been taking a daily dose of an over the counter allergy medication. Normally it does help, but my sinuses have really been putting pressure on my head lately and I just can’t take it any more. I’m not a fan of going to the doctor, but I made the phone call this morning for an appointment. I’ve never seen this doctor before and I don’t consider it to be an emergency, but I was happy that they were able to get me in this afternoon.

It’s not like I’m going in to see a lap-band doctor, I’m simply going to a family practitioner, but it still makes me nervous. I have a pretty high tolerance for pain and tend to put things off and just deal with it on my own. When I woke up with this headache again this morning, I think I was just tired of it and of feeling like this. I hope with a doctors help, I can bring an end to this head pain.

Tags: lap band doctor

Today’s the Big Day

May 15, 2008 on 10:22 am | In Family | No Comments

Today is the day and I am definitely more nervous than my daughter!  She will be trying out for the 7th grade Honors Band this afternoon.  She worked hard the last two evenings playing scales, memorizing fingerings, and working on her tone.  I think if she just stays relaxed she’ll be able to do a really good job.

She’s required to play 8 different scales as well as do some sight reading.  I’m anxious to hear how it goes.  I offered to attend, but she said she’d feel nervous if I were there.  So, I will just have to wait.

Keep your fingers crossed, I know this means a great deal to her.

Tags: school band

Supernatural Powers

May 14, 2008 on 11:50 am | In Some of This Some of That | 1 Comment

If I could have any supernatural power, I think I would like to have the ability to read minds. I’m always finding myself wondering what others are thinking!

There’s a new movie coming out in select theaters for 2 nights only, May 20-21. In DeathNote is not rated, but is at least an “R” rating. The movie is based on a supernatural action-mystery manga and the main character, Light Yagami, has the supernatural ability to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. Light comes up against Detective “L” who believes that he too is fighting evil. Are they really fighting for justice or have they been deceived? Could one of them actually be evil?

This movie sounds very intriguing and will be in limited release. My daughter has recently been introduced to the manga books and it would be interesting to see how it can translate to the big screen. There will be a 20 minute feature before the movie, showing how the manga translates to live action.

Tags: DeathNote, manga

Middle School Band

May 14, 2008 on 11:25 am | In Some of This Some of That | 4 Comments

My daughter entered band in 5th grade while we were still living in Illinois.  When we moved to Texas, we discovered that students don’t begin band until 6th grade.  So, my daughter was a year ahead.  I took the time to speak with the band director and was assured that she would be given the opportunity to continue learning on her instrument.  What he didn’t tell me was that to do so, she would need private lessons.

My daughter has been so bored in band this year, it’s been a bad experience.  The last month or so, things have improved slightly, but things have moved at such a slow pace.  I hired a private instructor who has been working with my daughter the last few months, but it hasn’t helped too much, she’s still bored.

Tomorrow, my daughter will try out for the middle school honors band for next year.  She has to play several scales and do some sight reading.  I’ve been encouraging her to practice, but she, like me, is a procrastinator.  She did practice a little bit while I was gone last week, but, when she was told yesterday by the band director that her tryout would be on Thursday, she panicked.

Last night, I asked her to play her scales for me and before I knew it, she was sitting, with her instrument on her lap, crying.  She told me her private instructor had given her some negative feedback and has been telling her for a couple of weeks that her instrument isn’t fitted properly.  I have no idea why she would be saying that, and the negative feedback has got to stop!  My daughter’s self-confidence was crushed!

I sat with her last night and helped her re-build her confidence.  We sat together, working through the scales, for about an hour, until her lips were too tired to play anymore.  By the time we were done, she had successfully played 5 of the 7 scales and done some sight reading.  I promised her we would finish practicing tonight so that she’ll be amply prepared for tomorrows try out.  She was smiling when we finished and I think she’s going to be just fine.  I am considering firing her private instructor though.

Tags: school band

Remembering My Dad

May 14, 2008 on 9:14 am | In Family | 2 Comments

I have spent yesterday and this morning working on my daughter’s 7th grade class schedule. When I was in school, 7th and 8th grade weren’t so important, but now, if she takes the right classes in 7th grade, she can get high school credit in a couple of her 8th grade classes. She can be on track for a great high school career.

This morning, I attended a meeting put on by the middle school counselor for the 6th graders. They filled out their “6 Year Plan”! It’s just difficult to believe we have to be thinking about high school and even college right now, but it’s also such a smart thing to do. I’m very proud of my daughter and how maturely she is handling all of this.

It’s at times like these that I really find myself missing my Dad. He passed away just over 2 years ago and I miss the fact that he can’t be a part of all of this. I know he would be so proud of his granddaughter and how well she’s doing in school. I also know he would love to go out and watch her play softball, her favorite pass time. It’s just hard sometimes, to know that he will not ever see her play, nor will he be at her high school graduation.

With Memorial Day just around the corner, I’m finding myself thinking about him more. He’s buried in a National Cemetery just outside of Seattle, WA. It’s so far away that I can’t go visit. I know he is in my heart, but somehow, I would feel closer to him if I could visit his grave. Is that strange?

I discovered this Free Offer Link where I can submit a free online tribute to my Dad sponsored by the National Hall of Records. It’s available until Memorial Day. My family can then visit the site and leave their own comments. I think it is such a nice way to deal with these feelings I’m having lately of missing him.

I hope none of you have suffered the loss of a parent, but if you have, (((hugs))) to you.

Tags: Memorial Day, National Hall of Records, nhor.org

Fame Contest

May 12, 2008 on 3:33 pm | In Blogging | 1 Comment

FeeFiFoto is having a Fame Contest and the prize is your very own photo embedded on the FeeFiFoto landing page. A great way to advertise if you ask me!

Simply head over to choose your item that you would like your photo displayed on and then leave a comment on the blog. Simple as that!

Good Luck!

Tags: contest

Back to the Orthodontist

May 12, 2008 on 11:15 am | In Some of This Some of That | No Comments

My effort to get caught up on the computer and email, but real life can slow me down sometimes!

I spent this morning catching up on the real mail that arrived while I was away and the giant laundry pile that accrued while I was away. In the middle of that, my husband came home from the office in order to pack his suitcase and head to the airport for his trip to Toronto.

On top of trying to catch up, I have to get my daughter back to the orthodontist. Two small attachment, or ramps, that were built onto her top teeth have fallen off. They are designed to keep allow her top teeth to be pushed out in front of her bottom teeth so that the braces can do their job. Unfortunately, with me being gone most of last week, I couldn’t get her in to see the doctor until today. I’m getting ready to pick her up from school so we can have lunch and then we’ll go to her appointment.

I do have to say though, at least I don’t have to worry about who is paying the orthodontic bill. We have good dental insurance and it will pay about 1/4 of the total bill which is more than many dental plans will pay. I can remember a time when my husband had been laid off and I wasn’t working, we had no insurance. It was too expensive. Our daughter was so young and I was always worried that she might get sick or one of us would have an accident and need medical care. I wish I’d known about United American Insurance Company back then, but I didn’t.

So, while I’m working hard to catch up, at least I’m not feeling stressed about who’s paying the orthodontist!

Tags: United American Insurance Company