Victim of Fraud

Now I'm going to have the Eagles' "Victim of Love" running through my head all day, but I like that song, so I guess that's OK. Back to the topic:



I was looking at our joint bank account online and noticed that there was a $96.00 hit for check number 1009. So, since I am the keeper of the checking account and I know I didn't write a check for $96.00, I first called Ray to see if he was up to no good. He was not. Looking back in my check register, that check number corresponds to a check that I wrote for a graduation gift back in May of 2006. Last year, I continued to watch for this check to clear, but it never did. And since it was written not to a graduate that I really know, but only because the parents had said graduate send us an invitation, I voided out the check in my check register and moved on, happily keeping my $25 for myself.



Aside: Why do people think it's OK to send graduation announcements/invitations for their kids to people who they rarely, if ever, see or talk to? That really irks me. Not to reveal who these people are, but just because you and my husband share about an 1/8 of your blood, please don't think you need to waste a stamp sending us an invitation for a child that I've never met in the 12+ years that Ray and I have been together. Now, on the other hand, I don't share a single drop of blood with my "niece" and "nephew", Ella and Bradley. However, when it comes time for them to graduate, there will be hell to pay if I don't get an invitation. Weddings are a different thing all together. I am not offended to receive a wedding invitation in the mail for distant relatives or long lost friends. At least if someone sends you a wedding invitation, they assume that you MAY come. (Nobody goes to graduations for people they barely know.) Plus, for a wedding, I get to choose whether I go or not. And if I do go, I get something for my troubles. Food, maybe some drinks, and definitely some wedding cake. So, if I go, I bring a gift. If I don't, no gift required. Simple quid pro quo, and I like it that way.



So, in between the time I started this post, and while I typed off subject, and heated my lunch, and ate half of my lunch, the Credit Union has called me back. Here's the deal: Check #1009 that posted to our joint account for $96.00 was actually Check #1009 from Ray's individual account. He had written it last week for our football board dues, and when the teller at LaCap cashed it, she posted it to the wrong account. And while this mystery is solved, I am still marveling a little bit at the strange coincidence that the only check number that is outstanding in our joint account just so happens to the the same number as the only check that has ever been posted incorrectly (maybe the bank system has edits for not posting the same number to the same account more than once, who knows - who cares?). Some people would call this a sign. Maybe I'm supposed to resend a check to that graduate...

If I were Amber on Big Brother 8, I think I'd take this as God's way of telling me that on October 9th (10/09), I will try out for, and be selected to be on America's Next Top Model, and that I'm about to launch my career as a cover model for various fashion magazines - because I'm charismatic, outgoing and not as small as I look!



Hey, Amber: "What kind of love have you got? You should be home, but you’re not. A room full of noise and dangerous boys -still makes you thirsty and hot. Victim of love, now you’re a victim of love. What kind of love have you got? "



Editor's Note: Apologies for those of you who may not understand each and every reference in this post. I fully admit that it is one gigantic non sequitur. Out of the 8 people who may read this post, I'm thinking that there are possibly 3 who will get it all. And I'm sorry for all of the Latin.

Happy Anniversary!

Thirty-three years ago today my dad took the plunge again with Wife #2. He and Sylvia were married at Broadmoor Methodist Church (neither one of them being Methodist, of course!) and then they were off to Jamaica for what was, I'm sure, a romantic honeymoon (although I get ooged out if I think about that too much).
Once they returned stateside, they moved into a 2 bedroom, 2 story apartment in Dallas, then into a house in Dallas, and finally (in '76) moved to Baton Rouge. I'm sure all was blissfully happy for the young couple and their German Sheppard, Heidi. Five (not so) short years later, the "#1 Son" was born, and all was going swimmingly. Until...
October of '81 when the 2 stepdaughters (that would be me and Margaret) descended upon Baton Rouge and life was turned a little bit upside down for everyone. It was touch and go there sometimes, but things picked up a bit when "Baby Girl" was born in '86 (of course none of us had ANY idea what a little toot she was going to be!!!).
Now, here we are, all mostly grown up (the little toot is graduating from LSU in May), and mostly pretty darn happy.

So, thanks, Dad and Sylvia for choosing each other all those many years ago. And thanks for putting up with each other and with us! I love you guys!

Now, Dad, GO CLEAN UP THAT ROOM!!!

August 24, 2007

Sympathy Diabetes?

I think everyone has heard of the term "sympathy pains". It's most commonly thought of when a woman is pregnant, and her husband (boyfriend, significant other, sperm donator, etc.) seems to experience the same or similar feelings that she is experiencing. According to "the Internet" there are these things called mirror neurons:

Mirror neurons are a layer of brain cells which act as a reflection, both of our own actions and moods, and of actions and moods which we observe. In the cases where people report feeling "sympathy pains", there is some evidence that the firing of the mirror neurons is actually having a real effect on the neurotransmitters released in the brain. There is no way that the observer can possibly feel something with the strength or immediacy of the principal individual, but it is entirely possible to provoke something of a "pain" response through such signaling.

OK, maybe and maybe not. But let me tell you what's happening with me.

Ray was recently diagnosed with Diabetes Type 2. This basically means that his body's insulin is not reacting correctly in the way it maintains his blood sugar. Having high blood sugar can be a dangerous thing, leading to blindness, loss of limbs, stroke, and even death. In order to learn how to manage his condition so that he can continue to count to 10 using his toes, he had to attend 3 half day sessions at Ochsner. As the loving and devoted wife, I, of course, went with him. And I'm glad I did. It was very interesting and informative from the standpoint of both a diabetic's wife and a lifelong fatty. The dietician gave us some really good and easy to use methods of eating in a more healthy manner, and we've been really working hard to put them into practice. We've also kicked up the level of exercise we're getting on a daily basis - which is an important way to manage your body's use of insulin. So, with all of this, slowly but steadily Ray's blood glucose readings are coming into a normal range, and a little bit of weight is coming off of both of us. The "normal" range for a fasting blood sugar reading should be between 70 and 100. The first day we went to the pre-class appointment, they gave us both blood glucose meters. Ray's reading was something like 150 and mine was 84. 84 - hot damn! I literally jumped up and down in the office in front of the nurse (really). I figured with all of my girth and inactivity I was going to be a diabetic for sure. But, nope, it was 84 and I was as happy as could be - I couldn't wipe the stupid smile off my face for the rest of the doctor's visit.

So now, with all of this healthy eating (I've eaten more fish in the past 2 and 1/2 weeks than I've eaten in my entire life, and we've now moved into the realm of soy burgers, "chik'n" and breakfast wraps - yummy); the increased exercise (I'm swimming between 30 and 60 minutes each day 6 times a week); and the continued monitoring of my blood glucose, you'd think I'd be one healthy human, right?

WRONG! For the last 2 mornings, my blood glucose readings have been 108 and 120, consecutively. Now, maybe this morning was due to the fact that I had 2 frozen strawberry margarita's at Outback last night, but I don't think so. I think that Ray, my good for nothing husband, has given me diabetes. That's right, the bastard has figured out that diabetes is like a cold - if you can give it to someone else, you won't have it anymore. Because, boys and girls, guess what Ray's reading have been the past few mornings? 90, 90, and 101. He hasn't seen the northern side of 115 in I don't know how long.

So when we have to go back for the follow-up with the Diabetes Educator in October, I guess I may as well have her sign me up for the program. The only positive note that I can give to this situation is that, as I did this morning, I can now say to Ray at any point in time, "I'm in a pissed off mood, and it's because of my diabetes, so leave me the hell alone!"