Month: October 2010

Windows Live

On By Michel McDonaldIn Products I LikeLeave a comment

A couple of years ago I got sick of using Outlook Express as my email client because it didn’t have a junk filter. I started searching for a new email program and after a few failed ones that added banner ads at the bottom of every email I found Windows Live Mail and I’ve been using it ever since.

Today I kept getting these messages saying something about my server not responding and I got sick of it so I thought, I wonder if there is a newer version of Windows Live Mail so I went to Google and found it. I was using the 2008 version and found that there is a 2011 version. Unfortunately for me, that is for Windows Vista and 7 only. They did have a version for XP users which is the 2009 version. Yes, I get to use last years model. But it’s still an upgrade for me considering I’ve been using the 2008 model anyway. I’m still having that issue with the server but it has nothing to do with my email client but more to do with my ISP.

It gets better though because I got a few new programs along with it. Not only did I get Windows Live Messenger — which is basically MSN Messenger which I got with the 2008 version — but I also got Windows Live Call, Family Safety, Photo Gallery and Writer.

Windows Live Call opens Windows Live Messenger so I can only assume you can make Skype like calls. Not video calls, well you can do that too but I mean calls to a persons actual telephone.

Windows Live Family Safety is great for families with children especially if you don’t want your children being exposed to the dangerous world of the internet. It allows you to prevent certain websites from being viewed by anyone on the computer. I haven’t tried it because I’m not a child lol. Well, it’s debatable.

Windows Live Photo Gallery is not unique but it is a useful tool for photographers and anyone who wants to organize their photos, or just look at them. I don’t know. I don’t really have a need for that program.

Windows Live Writer. Now that’s something that I can use because it’s a bloggers tool. It doesn’t have certain things that I would like for it to have like oh I don’t know, a grammar check for example. It has a spell check where it gives you that wavy red underline but nothing for my bad grammar and punctuation. It also has something like 158 plug-ins available that are useful. Some that I already use in my Word Press blog. There are some other plug-ins that I wish were available for it but I’m sure they will become available in the future.

I am using the Windows Live Writer to write this post and if it looks good in my blog then I may consider switching. It works with many websites like WordPress, Blogger, LiveJournal, TypePad, Community Server and many more. I have a Blogger account but I never use it because I hate having to copy/paste posts.

I know I’m late on all of this info but it’s new to me.

Official Book Club Selection

On By Michel McDonaldIn Books, Celebrities, eBook, Nook, People, TVLeave a comment

I started reading this book on October 17th and just finished reading it today.  It took me awhile to read it because it was so big but I enjoyed every minute.

I wanted to read this book not just to read all about Kathy’s life but I also wanted to read it as research for my own autobiography and it helped out a lot.  It also gave me encouragement to include a few things that I was afraid to, but not too many things.

I was touched in chapter 4 when she talked about her brothers friend sexually assaulting her, yes it was only a kiss but he was 28 and she was 13, that is sexual assault, rape and child molestation.  Then she talked about her brother almost molesting her too.  I was actually in tears throughout most of that chapter.

Then when I got to chapter 9 where she was talking about doing Suddenly Susan and talked about her co-star David Strickland I started crying because I liked him.  I heard about the drugs but I didn’t know the whole story.

When I first heard on the news that he killed himself I just remember crying because I loved him on Suddenly Susan.  When I hear that an actor who I loved killed themselves, it makes me sad and upset.  He had some pretty funny lines and he was so cute and I just couldn’t see him killing himself especially when he’s working on a TV show.  It was just really sad.

But then she got to Woz, co-founder of Apple and then she had all these emails in that chapter.  I think I fell asleep about 3 times.  I just couldn’t stay awake.  It took me longer to read that chapter than any of the other chapters.  I don’t know why she put them in there.  I mean, she could’ve just made up a story of how things progressed based on her recollection of the emails but she thought it would be better to just show them.

I was glad when the next chapter was going back to the story though.  By the time I got to the end of the book, there was an interview with Kathy from Random House.  Again, I was bored to tears.

I love Kathy Griffin to death and I was happy that I finally got to read her book.  I laughed, I cried and then I fell asleep.  Despite the boring parts, I still give her props for writing it.  She could’ve left the world in the dark but she chose to let us in on that private part and for that I thank her.

I think that if a person doesn’t like Kathy Griffin for her humor, read this book and it just might change your mind.  Maybe you might all of a sudden be able to remove the very long and very thick stick out of your ass and realize how funny she really is.

Let me tell you how D-list she really is.  I went to put in the tags for this post and let yahoo suggest tags and it didn’t even show her name as a tag.  Hello, how many times is her name listed in this post?  You would think that her name would’ve shown up in the tags.  I thought that she if anyone would appreciate the humor in that.

My Leg Is In Good Shape Considering

On By Michel McDonaldIn HealthLeave a comment

I am a quick healer. I don’t know what it is about me but when I get a bump or a bruise you wouldn’t know I got it by how fast it disappears. That’s one thing that is in my book is how my step-dad was able to get away with child abuse because within half an hour of giving me a bruise, it was already gone so there was no evidence of it which was very difficult to claim that I was being abused with no marks to show for.

I hurt my leg on Sunday and here it is Friday night, Saturday morning, not quite a week but we’re almost there and I’m already walking on both legs.

To recap what happened; I was running for the ice cream truck on Sunday, saw he wasn’t looking in his mirror and since he was driving at the same speed I was running I decided to pick up the pace and that’s when I heard and felt my calf pop. It feels like a constant charlie horse. Imagine having a charlie horse for a week straight.

Ok the first couple of days I was on 2 crutches but the 3rd day I nixed the 2nd crutch because I was doing fine on 1. Then day 4 I’m able to walk with a limp without the assistance of a crutch, although I take it when I go outside and when we went to the store just in case. Although I didn’t need it, I felt it necessary so I wouldn’t have to explain a limp. Although, I was asked what happened, why I was using a crutch lol.

Today I’ve been walking directly on my left foot instead of limping and even though the calf is still tight, or what’s the word, taut? Even though it’s still taut and has some pain I feel I should give it some exercise.  Anyway, occasionally I’ll get a stinging pain then I have to limp for a minute then go back to my foot flat on the ground.

The doctor gave me an estimated down time of 4-6 weeks and I overestimated that to 6-8 weeks just in case, you never know. And I guess my overestimation was a good call because I figured if I overestimate it will be way less and it’s turning out to be way less.

I can’t say it’s over because it’s still like a constant charlie horse but not as painful as one would normally be and I still have to limp when I rest my leg for too long. You can’t just start walking normal after you’ve been sitting or laying down for a few hours.

I have been getting dizzy though which is unusual. I’m very dizzy right now but that’s because I took the medicine. The muscle relaxer. I think it’s relaxing my brain which is why I’m getting dizzy. I also took an ambien so maybe that’s what’s causing the dizzy, it doesn’t usually though so I think it’s a combo. But that means I gotta cut this short.

HA you’re thinking SHORT? Yeah, too late for that pal.

No but seriously, I will continue with the updates again soon.

My Leg 3 Days Later

On By Michel McDonaldIn HealthLeave a comment

Not that anyone requested an update or anything but I’d just like to update that things are going good.

I haven’t had to use both crutches though because I have pretty much learned to walk without them as long as I walk on my toes on my left foot.  If I walk on my toes on both feet then I can walk normal but both legs bent at the knee.  It looks funny but what else can I do eh?

It still hurts like hell though.  I can straighten my left leg when I lay down but not when I walk, especially when I walk because the pain comes.  If I’m laying down and I make my foot move with toes towards me then there is pain.

I really don’t need any pain meds because there is only pain when I do what I said in the previous paragraph.  I don’t have general pain THANK GOODNESS!  I have taken the muscle relaxers at night when it says to.  I don’t know how long that will take to fix the problem if at all but I have 20 pills.

I’m still on ice and I switch to heat tomorrow.  The doctor said ice for 15-20 minutes several times per day for 3-4 days then switch to heat.  The ice isn’t so bad.  I have a thing that you put an ice pack in then wrap it around you leg that I’ve had for a couple of years.  You can freeze the ice pack for cold or heat it up for hot but I’d rather use an electric heating pad instead because it gives constant heat.  The heating pad I have is the same type that you wrap around the leg.

I walked the dog today with one crutch instead of being on my tip toes in public lol.  Walking around that way takes a lot longer but I only walked her in the front of the house.  But, for regular dog walking duties, I’d rather Darrin handle that and give me a break since I’ve done it every day since we got her.

I can do dishes as long as I keep my leg bent which I do anyway when I stand there doing dishes.  Although I usually switch bent legs but this time I can’t.  I have to keep all the stress on my right leg.  But as long as I do one sink load (we have a 1 sided sink, it doesn’t have 2 sides so I have to use a big bowl) then I can fill it up with more dishes and let them soak while I rest my right leg so I can do more.

So I guess that’s my update for now.  No pain unless I purposely cause it by moving my foot or walk directly on the leg.  And I can still do light chores lol.  yay…

Can’t you see how enthusiastic I was by not making yay in caps?  LOL

Nook Update Coming Soon

On By Michel McDonaldIn Books, eBook, Nook, Products I LikeLeave a comment

I just got this email from Barnes & Noble with some great news about my Nook. Nook 1.5 will be available later next month via wi-fi download or through my computer. I’d personally rather update it with my wi-fi connection rather than having to plug it in to do it but that’s me.

I’m thrilled by everything they will have available because I’m kind of unhappy with certain things.

Ok let’s go down the list shall we? I’m actually ok with the speed of the page turns, they could be a little bit faster but I’m fine with it. It’s actually not that slow but you know, faster is a great idea and I welcome that.

Improved search, I think that means when you type a word it searches that word faster. When I read the Colorado Kid, well, when I finished it rather, I did look up the word Haven and it couldn’t find it but it didn’t take that long to tell me that. I wish that when I’m in the bible I could type in the book, chapter and passage instead of having to scroll through all the chapter numbers until I finally get to the number I want. It would be so much faster if I went to church lol.

Customized library B&N organization. I think that is referring to the B&N library not the My Documents library. That really bites because I have more books that I have from other websites than books that I’ve purchased from Barnes and Noble. I think that they might be saying that all my newspapers will be in “newspapers” and same with magazines and books like you see in the Nook for PC software.

What I want is to have folders in the My Documents folder showing the author’s name or the book series. Then I can go in and find the books easier. This way I can have all of the Xanth books in 1 folder so I don’t have to keep turning the page to find the book that I want to read. Right now I’m deleting books that I’ve already read then adding the next book so I don’t get lost in a sea of titles trying to find the book I want to read.

Password protection doesn’t bother me because nobody uses my Nook. Although I would hope that what that means is when I want to buy a book I would have to enter a password. I would hate it if someone got a hold of my Nook then started buying books left and right and put me in the poor house, well, I’m there, the even poorer house. Actually, I think the even poorer house would be the alley behind Winchell’s.

Sync my last page to other devices, that actually doesn’t sound bad if I had other devices. I guess it would be cool if it were sync’d to the Nook for PC because today I could’ve used that option. I was reading and a letter was shown in the book that I could barely read even with the bifocal part of my glasses. I would’ve loaded the Nook for PC program but I didn’t want to have to find the page. Also that program takes forever to load.

I can’t wait for a few of those much-needed upgrades which I have to wait for a MONTH to get. Why couldn’t they tell me when it happens instead of making me stew for a month? Damn them!

Kathy Griffin Has Inspired Me

On By Michel McDonaldIn Books, Celebrities, PeopleLeave a comment

I knew that if I read Kathy Griffin’s autobiography about her life that I would learn a thing or two about how to write an autobiography.

Sure, I could’ve chosen to read a book from someone who was gay bashed by bullies and their own parents (which is the main focus of this book) but well, frankly, I couldn’t find any.  And actually, Kathy’s book is the perfect choice because she was bullied in school and she was almost molested like me.  Although our situations are different, their not too far apart.

In fact, they are pretty much the same except she was only kissed by a 28-year-old when she was 13, I was lead around the house with my balls being held onto tightly when I was 15 before being tongue raped by a 50 something year old ex-prostitute woman who was my mothers best friend.  Great, I just told you the whole story, now what incentive do you have to read my book?

Well, it’s not the only story but at any rate, she has given me more confidence in the way to structure my paragraphs and even adding pictures and other graphics.  Although, I won’t be using a tiara.  Maybe…

I haven’t finished her book yet but I have two-thirds of the book to go.  It’s a very interesting read if you get a chance to pick up a copy or buy an e-book version of it.  Even if you don’t like her you will find her book easy to read, heart breaking and hilarious all at the same time.  I laughed, I cried, I screamed in pain because I passed a kidney stone while reading.  Ok that last part wasn’t true but I did cry for her pain and I laughed at her jokes.

So now that I’m inspired by her writing, even though I’m not finished with her book I feel more comfortable to continue writing at night which is usually when I have more energy to write since I have insomnia.  Why I get energy late at night I have no idea.  It just happens that way.

I’m a Klutz with Crutches

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I’ve never had to use crutches in my entire life. I’ve never had a broken leg and whenever I’ve twisted my ankle it has healed within minutes or hours of twisting it so I don’t really have any experience with it.

Now I am forced to use them with my left calf messed up the way it is and I’m a terror.

I just got out of the shower which by the way, I never fully appreciated the fact that our shower has a little built-in seat. We usually just put our shampoo and body wash on that seat and never sit down while in the shower but now that I have to, I’m using it. So I get out of the shower and dry myself off and I had to sit on the toilet to put my bottom garments on (I’m embarrassed to say their names lol) and I get up to put my shirt on, I knock my crutches over which are leaning against the wall next to the bath tub. The crutches knock over a jar filled with marbles into the tub, breaking the jar and getting marbles all over the place.

Mind you, it’s 1:15am when this happens. Fortunately nobody is asleep at this hour but still, if this had been a house full of people, I’d be getting yelled at right about now.

The jar by the way is one of those old jars with a lid that you keep in a bar on a little bar table and it holds liquor. Like I don’t know, Vodka, Gin, Whiskey or something.  Since neither of us drink, those are filled with other things and placed strategically around the house to use as decor.  Why marbles?  And why was it on the edge of the bath tub?  I will never know.

So… I’m totally embarrassed but for some reason I find it hysterical.  Not because I broke something that was probably worth something to someone, I don’t know how much money it would’ve been worth but I’m sure it holds a sentimental value to Darrin and his brother.  I found it funny because I’m normally a klutz but with the crutches it’s worse.

And this is only day 1 of god only knows how many more days I have to deal with this pain.  The E.R. doctor said it’s possible I could be on the crutches for 4-6 weeks, although I told Darrin 6-8 just in case.  I like to overestimate things because you never know.

He has offered to take care of me which is a switch because I’m usually the one that takes care of him even when nothing is wrong with him.  Although, I don’t feel comfortable making him do something for me so even though I know it hurts like hell, I’ll still walk to the kitchen for something and then carry it in my teeth to the room lol.

I should milk the cow for as long as I can though.  I mean, when am I going to ever get the chance to have a personal steward again?  Well, I am a klutz so it is possible that it’s not the last time lol.

My New Leg Injury

On By Michel McDonaldIn Doctor, Exercise, Health, HumorLeave a comment

I’m sitting here in my room reading “Official Book Club Selection, a Memoir According to Kathy Griffin” on my Nook and I hear the ice cream truck. Darrin hears it too and he tells me to go stop him. I opened the door and saw he’s already across the street, he says run to stop him.

I’m in my bare feet and I’m running and waving like a maniac. They aren’t looking in the rear view mirror either. I think they get off on that.

I pass about 6 houses and figure they aren’t going to look in the mirror and they are driving the same speed that I am running which means, I have to pick up speed to catch up.

That’s when it goes horribly wrong. I pick up speed and just then “POP” my left calf makes this popping sound and I can feel the pop too. Crack one of your knuckles, that’s the popping sound that I heard.

I immediately had to stop because my calf tightened up, sort of like a Charley horse. Not only could I not continue running but I can’t even walk, heck, I couldn’t even stand up straight. My left leg hurts like hell when I have it straight like my right leg. The only way my leg is comfortable is if it’s lifted up in the back, like I’m on crutches. The tendon is tightened so that it hurts when I straighten my leg out.

I look towards our house to see if Darrin has come out of the house to come to me as if I had stopped the truck and he sees me bent over and I used a sort of sign language, as if I’m mimeing like I’m driving a car but rocking the wheel too far to the left and right. That was my way of saying, get in the car and come get me.

He’s not coming and I’m standing there with my leg bent back, I can’t go anywhere but I start hobbling towards the house. I saw the white car coming around the corner and he stops at where I’m at and opens the door and I painfully got in.

He drove to where the Ice Cream truck is because I’ll be damned if I hurt myself in vain. He gets our “Mama Flip” ice creams which is soft serve in a cup with chocolate syrup and sprinkles.

We come home and I’m not only about ready to throw up but I’m also about ready to pass out. He goes in the house to get the crutches that we have had since his mother broke her leg in 2000 and I go in the house with the intentions of laying down with some ice on it with hopes it will get better. It’s not getting better.

I went to WebMD.com and looked it up and it tells me to immediately go seek medical help so we went to the E.R. where I sat for about 3 1/2 hours waiting for them to call me. After 1/2 hour I told Darrin to go home, I’d call him. No sense in both of us being bored and losing internet time lol.

The doctor couldn’t do an emergency MRI or even x-rays but he bends my leg back and forth and moves my foot and he gives me his diagnosis which I couldn’t remember (remember that I have a learning disorder?) but all I can say is he thinks I must have torn a muscle which is what I figured out right when it happened.

He tells me to rest and put ice on it for 15-20 minutes several times per day for the first 3-4 days then after that replace the ice with heat. He also gave me a prescription for Motrin and a muscle relaxer. I can’t say the name of it because I can’t read his writing lol. I have some ibuprofen from when I had the neck and shoulder pain so I can take that until we can get to the pharmacy tomorrow (followed by Subway or Panda, you know, while we’re there lol).

I have to report to my doctor in the next 1-2 weeks to let him know what happened and maybe perhaps get an x-ray or MRI done if it’s still hurting by then. Oh and I get to be on crutches for a while too which in a way is a good thing because now I don’t have to take the dog out, I can’t if I’m on crutches (wicked evil grin).

Unfortunately, I can’t count on Darrin to do the dishes for me and when I make dinner he’ll have to bring it to me. If I leave dinner up to him we’ll be eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for a while. Or soup, he loves making soup lol.

I was afraid I would miss my shows but when I got home it was some hometown sports show plus the Closer is on tonight instead of my Sunday night Fox cartoons. Oh well, I’m glad I didn’t miss them but it would’ve been nice to know they weren’t going to be on so I wouldn’t have been stressing about miss them during my 3 1/2 hour wait time lol.

Anyway, so I’m off to go rest and ice my leg.

My Freaky Spirit Board Story

On By Michel McDonaldIn crafts, HalloweenLeave a comment

For some odd reason, last year I was addicted to the idea of making a spirit board. So I learned how to do wood burning after a friend bought me a wood burner. I bought all this irregular wood (it’s cheaper) along with some other wood burning accessories.

I printed out the pattern that I wanted to make it with and traced it all out on the wood then I burned it on. I cut a planchette from a cheap piece of wood that I bought from Wal-Mart and found that it was too big for my board so I cut it down to half its size.

When everything was cut and everything was burned I was ready to put lacquer on it all. The odd thing is, the planchette was missing. I searched all over my bedroom, all over the tool shed, all over the back yard. I could not find it anywhere.

At first I thought maybe I should just make a new one but then I started thinking that perhaps it’s gone for a reason. If I made a new one who knows what might happen. Is it gone because someone took it? And when I say someone I don’t mean a living person, I mean a spirit who doesn’t want me to use the Spirit Board.

So, I never made another planchette and the board sits in the same spot untouched collecting dust.

I would still like to use it some day and I guess I’m waiting for the planchette to return to me, giving me permission to use it. Does that sound silly? I mean, I could just make another one or I could use a shot glass if I really wanted to use it.

People are always saying that you are opening a portal by using one of these and I don’t know if that is true or not. People are always saying these are evil but I think that all depends on who is using it and how they are using it. I don’t believe in good or evil, I just believe there are ghosts out there and I want to communicate with them.

The reason I haven’t used it yet is just in case there is a possibility that someone may be right and I was wrong. I don’t want to end up bringing some bad juju in my house ya know?

It’s been over a year now and Halloween is coming which is when you would use one of these but I’m still not sure I should even though I want to.

No Treats for Obama

On By Michel McDonaldIn PoliticalLeave a comment

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XivhwO_zWWg

“Opie is extremely picky about who he takes his treats from.”

The only thing that I can think is that this woman and her husband must do a lot of Obama bashing in their home because the dog wouldn’t do what he does in the video if they don’t. They must also tell him that Obama is bad and they have probably taught him to bark at him when he’s on the tv.

Dogs are smart but they aren’t that smart that they won’t accept a treat from Barack Obama.  If I handed my dog a treat and said it was from Barack Obama she would be like “uh yeah… whatever give me the damn treat” because I don’t bash Obama to her.

This goes to show that hatred isn’t just taught to people, it’s also taught to dogs. I bet they also offer treats from gay people and the dog turns his head away.