Prognostication
Well the doctor's appointment was an adventure. He gave me some medicine for an irritated stomach. Said it didn't sound like a full-blown ulcer, but it could develop into one if it goes untreated. I have been stressing a lot over work and other things, for quite a while. He also did some blood work to check for infection or any kind of liver trouble. He had mentioned to me the possibility of an enlarged liver, but said it felt OK. They're supposed to call me Monday with the test results. So... I'm taking this medicine to see if this helps. If it doesn't, OR it gets worse, OR something shows up in my test results, I'll have to go back for more tests, x-rays, and an ultrasound. So, I don't know for sure, but it's kind of a "try this and see" thing right now. Hopefully, it's nothing serious.

One thing I know is that I have to stop letting things bother me. A lot has just been going on lately, and I've been anxious sometimes and stressed. That, of course, increases your chances of developing an ulcer and all other kinds of health problems.

NOW for the funny part... funny now, at least. Let me preface this by saying that I've never, EVER had a problem taking a shot, giving blood, or anything, NEVER! I just donated a pint of blood a few weeks ago and had no trouble whatsoever. BUT, right after he (assistant) had taken the two viles of blood, one for the liver test and one for the infection test, I began to get light-headed very quickly. I was sitting in a chair and he wet a paper towel and put it on my head. Wasn't helping. Everything was becoming blurry. He yelled at a nurse to bring me some water. They poured it in me. Didn't help. I was fading fast, everything was very dark and blurry. He said, "Let's lie him down." So they lifted me out of the chair, and helped me to another room where there was a bed. I don't know how I was taking steps. I was clinching my fists trying not to pass out, because well I didn't want to and besides, it's embarrassing. Finally I get to the bed, and ram my leg into the foot stool. I remember the nurse saying, "Can you lift your leg up?" I don't think I could. Finally I was lying there half on the bed, when the nurse grabs me under both arms and pulls me up fully on the bed. All this time I'm blurry, barely aware of anything going on. Then the assistant grabs both my legs and puts them over his shoulder. Finally, after a few seconds, the blood begins rushing back to my brain, and I can see better. Wow, that was a little scary. lol I can laugh about it now, but man, that's never happened to me before. And it was weird, because it didn't start until he pulled the needle out of my arm. I just remember thinking, "I'm about to know what it feels like to faint", and clinching my fists to stay awake. Oh well.

KYLE emailed me and asked if I could help film the HARTSELLE band tonight. So I said I would. That's about all I know. Oh yeah, got my truck back. I'll have to wait until it's cool to see if the heat is fixed. He said all they did was undo the heater hose and blow it out with an airhose, that it was a little bit clogged. Also got my door fixed. It's been a busy week, again.

"Oh yeah, I said life goes on, long after the thrill of living is gone..."

Recollection
I'm so glad it's Friday! This week has actually gone by pretty fast. You know, life just seems to get busier and busier. I almost know it wasn't that long ago when I seemed to have hours of free time several nights a week. I don't know what happened. And now if I ever do get some free time, it seems like I just pass out for a couple of hours from exhaustion and lack of sleep. Well, it's good to be busy.

It was funny last night when everyone came into AB's, I was like "Well hello fellow bloggers." ROFL JON was asking DAVINA if she surfed the net much, like he was going to give her our blog addresses. I was like "Don't do that, I'll have to delete my blog." ROFL She did say she'd read my blog when I sent her the link.

We got into this discussion last night at GREENBRIER about the BEAR BRYANT bobblehead that the University is about to start selling, or maybe they already have, to raise money. Anyway, it's like $39, and I'm sure it will become a collector's item. But we were talking about whether or not it is disrespectful to have a bobblehead of a deceased person. I tend to believe it is a little disrespectful. Anyway, later at AB's, it was kinda weird cause KEVIN mentioned BOBBLEHEADS. He was like "Why are bobbleheads so popular?" I have no clue.

Alright, back to work for a little bit.

Marsh, McCormick, Broflowski, Cartman...

"Yo I'm the big booty type, I like 'em thick with thay mind right. Bangin' personality, conversate when the time right..."

Soporification
Well I had a fairly long, interesting night. Had dinner at GREENBRIER with a female friend. Then I went by the POST OFFICE, ran to GOODY'S and to the MALL to do my birthday shopping for MOM. Then KYLE called and wanted to go up to APPLEBEES. So I stopped by there. By now, it was about 8:45. Sat with DAVINA. Then KEVIN, STACY, JON, and ERIC came in, so we scooted two tables together and all sat together. Had some good conversation, as usual. JON prefaced one of his comments with this disclaimer: "I don't want this to end up in anyone's blog." ROFL Anyway, I just drank some LEMONADE and had a small chocolate sundae, since I'd already eaten.

KYLE was asking me where I ate, and he was like "How did that happen?" So I said, "Well I was just hanging out at DAY PARK, and started getting a little hungry." ROFL Kidding, of course! More funny stuff was said, but I am getting sleepy now. I did see an interesting hair accesory. It was a yellow pencil with like some fishing lures tied around it. I thought, "Well that's handy. You can write something, or cast your line and catch a few fish." lol Not sure what kind of lure is was... maybe like a gold spinner or something. ROFL Oh, I almost forgot... JON found a small curly hair on the side of his sauce container, after he'd finished eating.

Ok, I'm sleepy. More tomorrow. Thanks for readin'.

"You're so heavy, you're so misunderstood. And I spent all my wishes wishing times were good, when I still could. Wait around here for someone else to take me past the good side..."

Examination
I scheduled a doctor's appointment for tomorrow at 10:45. I'm a little anxious as to what might be wrong, but better to find out now I suppose. I did find out my longtime family doctor has closed his office. He is only working like two days a week now at one of those quickie med-clinic places. So I got an appt. with a doctor in Hartselle who I saw this spring.

In other news, put my truck in the shop today. The dealership gave me a loaner to drive. He said they should be done by tomorrow. Got to get the heat fixed, and also the hinge or pin or something on my driver's side door is wearing out. So I may get that replaced, too. It would be weird to drive without a door, I think. And I told him to go ahead and change the oil while they have it. So right now, I'm cruising around in a sleek, white 1998 Chevy Lumina. lol All I need is a handicapped tag.

Was just looking at hits, and I got a hit from someone who did a GOOGLE search for "men's panties." ROFL Oh man, I can't imagine. But the thing is, when I clicked on it, there are like 8 pages of sites that popped up, and most of them appear to be porn. Then right in the middle there, on page 3, you see Bone's Blog. lol I was trying to figure why I had ever used that phrase, but it was something JON was telling me they were joking around with KYLE about. I posted it on September 2nd, if you want to look it up.

Otherwise, I've got to write out several bills today, and go mail them. I need to fold and put up clothes that I washed earlier this week. lol And I really, really need to run. Later tonight, planning to go pick something up for Mom's bday tomorrow and go out to eat.

"You know how you said happiness can't be found lookin' back. If you don't mind, maybe we can talk a little more about that. Go on, go on. You were sayin' how a fool can only fool you so long. It's true. It's so true. When they do you like that, what else can you do, but go on..."

Clarification
OK, I didn't say I wanted to institute an open-door bathroom policy. I was just quoting some SEIN. lol But it's funny, since I live alone, I usually never shut the door when I'm "in there." So sometimes, if I have someone over, I'll just walk in and start unzipping and be like "Oh, I guess I better shut this." lol Seriouslah.

Yes, I have started a theme with the entry titles... along the lines of that Adam Sandler bit where everything ends with a -tion ("shun" sound). I dunno, just something different. Just a little modification. lol

Do you remember when you first got a car? I never changed the oil... maybe 2 or 3 times the entire time I had the car. Now, all of a sudden, these quickie-lube places have popped up on every corner and you're supposed to have it changed every 2500-3000 miles. I don't know, maybe it's always been that way, and I just never noticed. Personally, with my vast knowledge of the automobile (oh wait), I don't think it's necessary every 3,000 miles. I think more like 5,000 is plenty. Of course, taking car advice from me is almost as bad as taking relationship advice from me. It's kind of like taking sports betting advice from RUSH LIMBAUGH. Woooooooooo!!!! Boy, was that experiment a mistake. At least DENNIS MILLER lasted the whole year on MNF. Of course, he probably said offensive things, too, but no one could really understand any of his references. lol The Balkan Islands and Robert Redford? Barney and Boxer Rebellion? What the crap?

I don't understand these projects. Who's next on the NFL pregame? Collin Powell? Oprah Winfrey? Martha Stewart? Maybe she has some insider tips. lol What about Alf? He does all the commercials with the athletes anyway. lol

I just read KEVIN'S (one of JON'S friends) blog. Man, he really pegged KYLE. lol Woooooooooo!!! That was great.

"I don't know how it happened, but it did. I don't know why it's over but it is. And I can't put it back by hangin' on. I don't know where it went to, but it's gone..."

Summation
Stacy's mom has got it goin' on... la la laa... that's such a whacked out song. lol

Well I just got in from an evening full of activities and flipped the baseball game on. Go Red Sox. I guess I'm pulling for the Yankees overall. I'd have to be for the Braves, Marlins, and Red Sox in the other series. It seems the A's and Braves choke every year at some point though.

Went and shot BILLIARDS with KYLE earlier. We shot eight games. I think it was pretty even. We both played fairly well. Then I went to church, and afterwards I did my weekly thing helping Dad. Tried calling BUNNY, but didn't get an answer. Haven't heard from her in a few days.

Otherwise, I've made plans to go birthday shopping for Mom tomorrow night. I think I have to work Saturday, until 1:00, then I'm going to watch the Bama/Georgia game at 2:30. I emailed JACK today to tell him I didn't think I could go to the SOUTHERN MISS game, because of work. Ugh!!!!

"The Bubble Boy" SEINFELD is on. lol "Moors. Uh no, I'm sorry, the correct answer is Moops." ROFL

I was looking at the hits the other day on the blog. I got a couple from people searching for song lyrics. One was for "i was waiting for an indication but it was hard to find" and the other was for "Tell me Baby Girl Cause I need to know". lol I mention this in my profile, but I always enjoy a good lyrics/song question, if you don't know words to a particular song or if you know some words but can't think of the song, drop me a line.

"Hello, and welcome to Movie Phone. If you know the name of the movie you want to see, press one now... Using your touchtone keypad, enter the first three letters of the movie you'd like to see.... You've selected Agent Zero. If this is correct press one... Uh, you've selected Brown-Eyed Girl. If this is correct, press one.... Why don't you just tell me the name of the movie you want to see."

Quotation
"Where do you think this relationship is? If you are thinking of instituting an open-door urination policy, let me disabuse you of that notion right now, my friend." lol (Jerry, to George, in the finale)

Not much going on this afternoon. I took a quick nap, got a few minutes peaceful sleep. People have been calling all afternoon. Just hopped out of the shower. About to go meet KYLE for some BILLIARDS I think.

DAVID emailed me today to see if I wanted to go to BHAM tomorrow night. I'd really like to, but I have to do BDAY shopping for Mom, and there's just about no way I can fit it all in. Need to get my oil changed also.

Busy night, tonight. Will try to post before I go to bed. Just thought I'd give you a random Sein quote to get you thru the evening.

"Well I know it wasn't you who held me down. I know it wasn't you who set me free. So often times it happens, we live our lives in chains. And we never even know we have the key..."

Illusion
Wow. I feel like SANDRA BULLOCK in that opening scene of HOPE FLOATS, where she is on the talk show and finds out her husband is having an affair. That's the look I have on my face right now.

Needless to say, it hasn't been the best day. Well, Birdie, I know how you feel. I just hope Harry Connick doesn't show up at my door. lol Now, Sandra... that would be a totally different story.

Anytime I hear or see on TV about someone having an affair or cheating or lying, I have always wondered, how do you just continue lying to someone, over and over, day after day, week after week? Especially someone you supposedly care about. And then you try to make that person feel stupid or wrong for even questioning you or suspecting something in the first place. How? It's beyond me. I guess it's because that's just not the kind of person I am. Maybe it gets easier the more you do it, I don't know. I don't wanna know.

Bottom line... ALWAYS trust your instincts.

Ok, I'm gonna go to the top of the AmSouth building and see how this knit shirt I have on today would work as a parachute in an emergency situation.

"So she tells him she must go out for the evening, to comfort an old friend who's feeling down. But he knows where she's going as she's leaving. She's headed for the cheatin' side of town..."

Maturation
Well the thermostat project didn't fix the heater problem. So now I have to go to a real mechanic I suppose. Has anyone just lost heat in their vehicle before? I'm thinking it is a clogged hose or heater core. But I may not be mechanically inclined enough to replace that.

You know, I was thinking last night... For some reason, the whole story about the guy who shot at his 20-year-old son got me to thinking about living at home and living on your own. I have dated/gone out with probably about five or six girls in the last year or so. Some lived on their own, some still lived at home, and some were off at school. And it is clear that, regardless of age, there is a definite maturity-level attained by those who are on their own. There is just no substitute for the experience you get and maturity you gain from being on your own. You have to buy the groceries, pay the bills every month, take care of repairs, clean, vacuum, do laundry, etc. I think it helps prioritize your time and money. Maybe that's one reason I think the relationship would go a little better. Money seems to be one of the things people argue about, and I think if both people have been on their own, they are hopefully more responsible with their money. There's no substitute for the responsibility you gain.

Anyway, the bottom line is, there is a definite difference in maturity, at least in the cases I've experienced. It seems like when I've dated girls who still live at home, they tend to be concerned with insignificant things and argue over silly things. No doubt there are exceptions, and probably quite a few, but I think that is the case more often than not. It's just cool to be with someone and not have little trivial things to deal with. One thing I never have understood is why two people in a relationship sometimes seem to be fighting against each other, instead of fighting for each other. Anyhow, I think it would be a good rule of thumb to be on your own at least a little while before getting married. Or in my case, a long while. lol

Well, that's today rant. Enjoy. How 'bout a lil' JCM...

"That's when a sport was a sport, and groovin' was groovin'. Dancin' meant everything. We were young and we were improvin'. Laughin' laughin' with our friends. Holding hands meant something baby. Outside the club Cherry Bomb, our hearts were really thumpin', say yeah yeah yeah..."