So... Well, along with the hole in my arm where they drew blood I now also have a piece of paper to show for my $138 at the Endocrinologist the other day.

Seems now my thyroid is a bit on the hypo side, rather than hyper, so he's reduced my meds. Maybe now I'll lose some weight, but holy crap, I feel like crap! I could barely stay awake at work yesterday :-p Yes, I had to work the holiday. bleah...

Anyhoo! We have seen Pirates of the Caribbean twice already, and I must say, we quite enjoyed it. Obviously, or why go back the second time right?! Both of us enjoyed it I will add. James as much as me, if not more!

ITs funny really, when the first one was released he refused to see it, just because it has Johnny Depp in it, and because I"d seen it so many times and kept going on about it. Not that he doesn't like Johnny Depp, but I guess he gets jealous that I don't go on about him as much. But then he only wears his pirate garb once in a blue moon so what's he expect? :-p LOL!

But then of course as soon as he caved in and watched the first movie, he loved it, and then was nearly as quick as me to see the second one, and was just as anxious to see the third. Then didn't blink an eye when I made plans with friends for usto see it the second time!

I'm debating on costumes for Dragon Con. If I can lose some weight and get into my garb I won't have to make anything new really, I could likely have a different costume for each day, and not have to buy anything. Oh the wonders of having a previous life as a goth chick and Rennie. I've got garb for all sorts of genres, vampires, Sci-Fi, pirate wench, hobbits (a lot of it can mix and match you know...the Sci-Fi Matrix outfit can double for a vampire with just some super red lipstick and black nail polish, and the Rennie wench can also be a hobbit lass with a bit of tweaking). That is of course, if I can lose about 20 pounds before then. If not, maybe I'll go as Jabba the Hut :-p

Now...do you think I can fit in a Spiderman 3 + Pirates of the Caribbean double feature at the drive-in this weekend? Probably not...

*sigh*  ¶ 7:49 PM 2 Comments

  Culture Shock Do you know just how weird it is for me (as a Canadian) to have to pay for medical services here in the US? At home in Canada there are very few "regular" services we'd have to pay for. Certainly not a routine visit to a doctor, or even specialist.

Yesterday I had a follow up appointment with the endocrinologist. It was supposed to have been in February, but I kept having to re-schedule either because of work, James' surgery, and it kept getting put back and son on. So finally 5 months after my Graves' Disease diagnosis, I got back there. With no insurance. Ouch.

$138 later, I honestly think I should have something to show for it. But I don't. Just a small spot in the crook of my arm where they drew blood, and a little piece of paper with a new prescription on it. $138.00! And I haven't filled the prescription yet! It would have cost me nothing back home. Nada. Zip. Niente. Zilch.

So I asked the doctor, what can I do about all this weight I'm gaining. Know what he said? "Stop eating". :-p ugh...but apparently my thyroid is a teensy weensy bit smaller than before. Unlike the rest of me.

*sigh*

I go back in another 6 weeks for more blood work, then another visit 6 weeks after that to discuss the results and maybe lower my methimizole dosage. By then I'll have my insurance though. Which is good, because I'm paying so much for medical insurance that I can't afford anything else!

bleah...richest country on the planet, and they can't give everyone affordable health-care. I'll starve to death before we get this thyroid thing under control I tell ya! It's nutz!  ¶ 6:54 AM 0 Comments

  Bead For Life This link was posted at one of the message boards I frequent, and I quite like the looks of the jewelry, plus I like the fact the beads are made from recycled materials, and the money goes to a good cause.

Happy shopping! Bead For Life  ¶ 7:24 AM 0 Comments

  ooooooo, I almost forgot! There's also Pirates of the Caribbean III opening in just less than 2 weeks, can't wait for that.

Plus, the 7th Harry Potter book release on July 21, and the 5th movie Order of the Phoenix on July 13th. (its going to be a busy July!) The trailer looks absolutely brilliant!

What else have I missed...? I'm sure there's more, but I just don't remember now.

Can I lose 40 pounds before my 40th birthday?

Can the local grocery stores ban cookies and cakes for the next 3 months? :-p Maybe I should call Jenny...  ¶ 8:16 PM 3 Comments

  Planning ahead... How far in advance do you plan things? A couple of days? Weeks? Months? For the next few months, I seem to have quite a lot of things planned. It is going to be a busy summer!

I've somehow managed to find myself on the planning committee for Pagan Pride Day. See what happens when you make a few suggestions as to how to make the day fun! You end up as the Entertainment Co-ordinator. :-p Our event, which will be called "Catawba Valley-Highcountry Pagan Pride Day" will have a website of our own, but at the moment it is still under construction. We have yet to find a venue either. But we have a name, and we've picked a date, so I guess we're on our way. October 6th, btw, if you'll happen to be in the neighbourhood. I'll let you know which neighbourhood as soon as we find one! ;-)

The planning of course is taking up a few weekend hours over the course of the summer. Plus, along with that, every other Sunday or so is spent with the host group, of which I have also found myself a member, Spiritual Pathways. Its a local Pagan group that gets together for discussions and sometimes fun stuff. Usually there's food involved. Of course.

I'm also hoping to get home for a visit sometime this summer, likely in July. I don't get paid vacation at my new job this year, but they will allow time off. So any trip I take not only costs me for the travelling, but lost wages, so I'm not going far, or often this year!

I also want to get to the Granfather Mountain Highland Games, which is July 12 thru 15. Also, co-incidently the same weekend as the Highcountry Pagan Wilderness Weekend. The Highland Games won out simply because we can go up for just the day, and wouldn't have to kennel the dogs. And because there will be men in kilts. ;-) Of course. I do however want to see about getting myself a bodhran drum, if there are any vendors there with affordable ones. And then somehow learn how to play it before Pagan Pride Day! ;-) *snarf*

In June we have the Big Damn Shindig that is Can't Stop the Serenity. This will be the second year for this event, and it benefits a great cause. Events are planned so far in 47 cities around the globe. I'm very much looking forward to it. Plus, we're also looking forward to getting together with the Charlotte Browncoats to go view Nathan Fillion's new movie Waitress next weekend.

And, TA DA! on August 30th I will be celebrating my 40th birthday! I'm getting old, so to try and keep my youthful sense of fun, we're heading down to Atlanta, GA for Dragon*Con on Labour Day weekend. ;-) I plan on partying all weekend long, and will likely make a fool of myself in public. Yay! And there may be costumes. *snarf*

So, what are your plans this summer? Anything?  ¶ 2:18 PM 1 Comments

  Gas Out - Fake Out I recently received the email yet again telling everyone not to buy gas on a certain day because then the oil companies will get the hint and will lower prices.

Hogwash.

Its a hoax, and its been going 'round the internet and email since the 1990's. It didn't work the first time, and I'm quite sure didn't work the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or or or either. It won't work this time. All its doing is clogging up everyone's email. Please, give it a rest!

If you're so concerned about the price of gas, buy a smaller freakin' car :-p Or better yet, WALK! Ride a bicycle!

See, this is what gets me about Americans complaining about the price of gas. Its cheaper here in the US Than Anywhere Else on the Planet! My friends and family in Canada and the UK and elsewhere are *really* paying through the nose. And here in the US we grumble about $3 per gallon. And then continue to drive monstrosities that get 6 miles per gallon. UGH! Ok ok...its really difficult to afford the $3 per gallon when we only make $7 an hour...but seriously, get a smaller car then! Sheesh!

Do you know how many pizza delivery guys I know who drive monster SUVs and pickup trucks? Its just crazy!

Most of the gas here in the US comes from Canada, and yet Canadians are paying twice what Amerians are. For the same dang product, drilled from Canada, and piped to the US.

Check this out...

Spike in gas prices across country; some in Vancouver pay about $1.28 a litre
2 hours, 49 minutes ago
By By Merita Ilo

ADVERTISEMENT

TORONTO (CP) - A spike in gas prices is putting an extra squeeze on drivers' wallets.

The latest hike, which has motorists in the Vancouver area forking out $1.28 a litre at some pumps, was being blamed on the kidnapping of six oil workers in Nigeria, low gas inventories and growing demand for gasoline in the United States. Whatever the reasons, the result is the same for Canadian drivers.

"Consumers are exhausted and frustrated," said Bruce Cran, the president of the Consumers' Association of Canada.

"We've got no satisfactory explanations as to why these huge price rises take place year after year," said Cran, whose group received hundreds of calls Tuesday from consumers frustrated with steadily rising fuel costs.

Gas prices rose sharply across Canada to as much as $1.28 a litre in the Vancouver area and $1.10 in Toronto.

According to MJ Ervin & Associates Inc. a Calgary-based consulting firm, the national average price of gas on Tuesday was reported at $110.2 a litre, up five cents from the average price in March.

Average prices in some other cities were $1.16 a litre in St. John's, N.L., $1.22 in Victoria, $1.17 in Montreal and $1.09 in Ottawa.

Analysts blamed the recent hike on strong demand and low inventories in the United States, tension in the Middle East and Nigeria, production cuts by OPEC and problems at oil refineries.

"At this point it doesn't even matter any more what the reasons behind the price rise are," said Cran.

He said his group was surprised the constant price hikes have not led to civil unrest.

"We're probably too nice in Canada," he said.

"We don't see riots. I don't know at what figure Canadians turn nasty."

The "there's nothing we can do about it" attitude was obvious at several Toronto gas stations Tuesday.

Toronto cab driver Ali Hasnoo said rising gas prices are inevitable and for him, it's just the cost of doing business.

He covers about 200 kilometres every 12-hour shift so for him, it's a cost that amounts to about $30 a day.

"You get used to it eventually," he said.

"There's nothing you can do. There's no alternative. You can't use any other substitute for gas so basically you have to buy it."

Some analysts predict the higher gas prices are here to stay.

"Because of the decline in the gasoline inventories (in the U.S.), the difference between what it costs to buy oil and what it costs to buy the refined product has skyrocketed . . . almost to record-high levels," said Bart Melek, Global Commodity Strategist with BMO Nesbitt Burns Economic Research.

Six foreign oil workers were kidnapped and a Nigerian sailor was killed when dynamite-wielding militants attacked an oil vessel early Tuesday.

A Nigerian spokesman for California-based Chevron said four Italians, one American and one Croatian were abducted.

The company had shut down an oil station, decreasing production by 15,000 barrels a day.

Liberal MP Dan McTeague thinks the solution to the current situation of rising gas prices in Canada is to stimulate competition in the petroleum industry and "to get some new players in this field."

Otherwise, he said, we'll continue to have these problems every couple of weeks "with the industry coming up with its usual summertime excuse of warmer weather means higher prices."

Canadians are not the only ones to suffer at the pump.

The average price of a gallon of gas at U.S. pumps rose to US$2.96 on Tuesday, nearly 80 cents US a litre.

That is up more than a penny from Monday and more than 29 cents from a month ago.

Driving the U.S. market are concerns that an inventory report, expected Wednesday, will again show an increase in crude oil stockpiles, and a decrease in gasoline supplies.

Last week's U.S. Energy Department report showed an unexpected drop of 2.8 million barrels in gasoline stockpiles and said U.S. refinery use declined to 87.8 per cent of capacity.

Refinery problems cause a bottleneck in the refinery supply chain. Oil inventories build behind the refineries, causing the price of oil to fall. On the output side, gasoline supplies fall, typically causing prices to rise.

"Until we start to see refineries come back from the maintenance season ... the market's going to continue to be led by gasoline," said Erit Wittenauer, an energy futures analyst at A.G. Edwards & Sons in St. Louis.

"There's a fear built into the market that there won't be enough gasoline for the summer driving season, " Wittenauer said.

Now, my maths skills totally suck, so doing the conversion would make my head explode, but a US gallon equals 3.79 litres, and the Canadian dollar is about 89 cents US. In the UK, they're paying about 89p per litre. One US dollar = about 50p GBP.

The only thing this "don't pump gas on May 15th!" may do, is increase sales on the 14th. :-p

Well...I must go walk the dogs...talk amongst yourselves. ;-)  ¶ 7:17 PM 1 Comments