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I figured it out!

June 5, 2007 By 10 Comments

I have been having Flickr angst. I have been trying to figure out for DAYS how to add “Notes” to my photos. I’ve googled, I have looked in the forum, I have posted in the forum and finally, I found the original software that Flickr used as their inspiration (Fotonotes, if you are wondering).

I should have, um, LOOKED AT THE BUTTONS AT THE TOP OF THE PHOTO I WANTED TO ADD NOTES TO.

Duh.

It’s sorta like the time I went screaming around my house in a frenzy yelling “Where are my GLASSES?!” and my son said, “Mom, you’re wearing them!”.

Oops. My bad.

Suckasuckastupidity aside, though, I FIGURED IT OUT! Without bugging people n’ stuff!! YAY!!! I was so thankful to the offers of help (Especially from the designer of the page), but I am trying to reserve those emails, phone calls, crying and gnashing of teeth sessions for when I have BBP (Big Blog Problems).

You know this conversation is somewhere in my future:

“Hi! Jessica?! Yah, it’s Loralee. Umm…I just was trying to figure out how to create a sideblog archive and I just got a call from the CIA. Apparently, when I tried to insert my code I turned off the power at Dick Chaney’s house and Homeland Security is getting a little huffy. Do you have a sec?? SUPER! Thanks Buckets!!!!”

See? Why bother on small things like Flickr when the fate of Dick Chaney’s voltage is at stake?????

OH!!! AND!!!! YAY!!!!

I figured out how to put a link in a photo. I know, I know. One small step for the rest of the blogging world, one freaking HUGE FEAT for Loralee!!!!

desk.jpg

Click to embiggen. (I got a WEE BIT excited about the Notes function. Ehem. Sorry.)

Filed Under: Bits of Information, Photos, Stupidity, YAY 10 Comments

Transplants

April 21, 2007 By 27 Comments

Welcome, welcome!

I know what you are thinking. “Wow. Such a brave, daring, bold move, Loralee!” Ok, I deserve it. As one reader put it “I was expecting your url to be something like ‘www.superstealthysecretblog.com’”. So, I realize that this is rather anti-climatic for many of you. It’s sort of like a Kindergartener announcing they are running away from home and they go to the end of the driveway with their blankie and a PB&J.

When I bought my URL, I didn’t have determined, weirdo people trying to find me all the time or I probably would have ditched the Loralee and Looney Tunes altogether. My main reason in making the hoopla was that I have people that bookmarked my blogspot site and haveno concept of search engines, nor will they ever, so just changing to .com is enough of a deterrent. I love the whole “Looney Tunes” thing and really wanted to keep it.

Don’t be afraid to link or change or rolls or links on your page to this blog. I have a pretty good ip blocker on this site and my old one and am not expecting any trouble.

This site isn’t done, I have a lot to tweak and add. Jessica (“Kerfloppy”) redesigned my banner (GORGEOUS, huh?) and she is going to play around some more, but I wanted to get back to the meat and potatoes of blogging which is to actually post n’ stuff. So, here we are. Let’s move on to something I really want to talk about. (I will bitch mightily about WordPress and its photo function at a later date. GRRRRR!)

Michelle, Brigitte and I participated in a 5k this morning!

MY FIRST 5K!!!!

Note how I did NOT say, “I RAN my first 5k this morning!” (Yah, that was NOT going to happen) I did manage to run about a third of it. It was cold and rainy and the beginning of the course was up a VERY steep hill. My poor lungs just couldn’t quite take it, so I walked at a brisk pace for a lot of it. I haven’t been to the gym in a couple of weeks so I am proud that I finished the darn thing at all. My time sucked a duck six ways from Sunday.

45 minutes.

Sigh.

At least I managed to beat Michelle’s 5-year-old, Gracie across the finish line. Her 8-year-old, Abby kicked my butt, but I guess I have to have a goal to aspire to, right?

The run was to support organ donation. This is a very important issue that is close to my heart. It also affected the lives Bridgy and Chelle. Bridgy’s mom, Josie, was the recipient of a liver. We were all very worried for her when she got it, but she is doing very well now. She even participated in the run/walk today. She came in last, but she DID IT! Bridgy and I met her at the finish line with open arms.

Chelley had a beautiful niece that was tragically killed last Easter in a car accident and her family unselfishly donated her organs.

I was not able to donate any of Matthew’s organs when he died because he had to have an autopsy. I thought they were able to use his corneas and heart valves, but I was mistaken. The day I found out was very hard on me. I cried and cried. When we were asked about Matthew donating in the hospital I hesitated for about 15 seconds. It shocked me because I feel so strongly about it, but even I hesitated. It is a hard thing to sign consent to as a parent, but I really regret that they weren’t able to have Bug donate anything. It would have helped me to know his death had at least helped another little baby somewhere.

The reason I am so pro-organ donation is that one of my best friends passed away in 1994 while waiting for a heart/lung transplant. Scott Wolfer was the first friend I made at my high school. He was two grades ahead of me, but in my math class. I talked to him because he was wearing a “Phantom of the Opera” t-shirt. We were fast friends from then on. I don’t know why we clicked so well, probably because I was a shy, fat girl with unfortunate double-processed hair, and he was blue and wore an oxygen tank all the time. We were OK being rejects because we had each other. I wish I had a photo of Scott to post, but my box of high school memorabilia was destroyed by rain.

We had five wonderful years of friendship and I will never forget him.

Maybe it is because I was so young, but even when he was on oxygen 24-hours a day, I never really thought he would die. But he did. He died waiting for a call that never came. It will be 17 years this June since my friend passed away. He was only 21. So many people die waiting to receive transplants.

I hope this post puts a more personal face on something that is often far removed from public awareness. If you haven’t given thought to being an organ donor, please reconsider and sign up. Have your donor status put on your drivers licence and make sure your friends and family know of your wishes. You can’t imagine what the agony of waiting and hoping is like and you don’t know the blessing and impact you could have on many, many lives.

Filed Under: Adventures, Death, Exercise, Friends, Goals, Health, Matthew, YAY 27 Comments

Good, Bad and Somewhere in the middle

March 28, 2007 By 17 Comments
Boo
*I’m tired of my stomach being in knots and feeling like it is Joan of Arc being burned at the steak. Ulcers suck. I want them to go away.

*The whole running/gym thing is discouraging me today. I’ve worked my ass off to get to where my husband (And others) can just run after never going to the gym.

*I have been suffering from “Face leprosy” for months. It is a breakout on my chin and lower cheeks that is just pissing me the hell OFF. I have never had skin this bad for this long. I blame stress and feeling like suck. BUT. I have been religious in caring for it and it is only marginally better despite great skin products. I am getting really tired of feeling if I leave the house without foundation on people will do a double-take before running away and screaming, “Dear God, what is that THING?!”

*I love my car and we so needed it, but good HELL it takes a big chunk of our budget. I am a bit panicked. EEK. I think I have been the most kick-ass wife in dealing with being poor. It doesn’t take a ton to make me happy. Give me a Diet Coke and the ability to go to dinner with friends and I’m good. I don’t want to go back to the point of going through the couch cushions to look for change for a Slurpee. I don’t have to have a ton, I just have to have enough. Please let it stay that way.

*”The Messiah” is almost over for me. I am worried that it is going to make me sad. I’ve been working so hard for it, I don’t know what to do when it’s over and done. I got an invitation to audition for an opera company in SLC in April and for one glorious, wild moment I thought I would. Then reality sank in and I have to say, it was a pretty hard moment for me.

*I had half of my face drilled yesterday. Another dentist appointment. SO grand. I have two more to go. Apparently, even though I switched to Diet Coke three years ago, the 10 years of hard-core, regular Coke drinking did major damage to my teeth. It is worse because I haven’t been to the dentist for 3 years because of major dental phobias and I didn’t have insurance. (YES, now you all know! Throw rotten tomatoes and shun me. Do your freaking, judgemental worst. It can’t be worse than the treatment I get from the dental hygienist, OK?) The dentist never uses enough numbing agent to begin with and I always feel the drill. Then he does overkill and paralyzed half my face for hours. I now know what I will look like if I am ever the victim of a stroke. It is not pretty, my friends.

YAY
*My new blog page is coming along really well. I am digging many things about how Kerfloppy is organizing it. She rocks the house.

*James made his theatrical debut as a cowboy hat-wearing cow. He was the best cow in the whole herd. I’m “Udderly” proud to be his momma. (Sorry, I just could.not.help.myself.)*It is Easter time. THAT means it is time for Russle Stovers Chocolate-covered Marshmallow Eggs. MMM… God bless the fabulous deliciousness that is thine. MMM…*My friends rock my world. Without each of them I would be lost. Ok, I would be lost more than I am now and “Living in a van down by the river”. Actually, I guess now that my van is dead it would technically be “A station wagon down by the river”, but you get my drift.

*I heart fries from Wendy’s.
Everyone always harps on how freaking terrible and bad they are for you. Well, I ORDERED THEM ANYWAY. Even though I only ordered the small size and didn’t finish them all, and even though my relationship with fries (And all fast food) is very long, complex and complicated, it was one of those moments that just makes life completely happy, content and worth all the flippin’ hassle, That’s a pretty big freakin’ accomplishment for fries, huh? :)

*I’m filming a new video with Karen and Bridgy tonight. It’s been awhile since I’ve done a fun one. I hope it works out how I want. Heh. heh. heh.

MEH.
*Small gym towels suck. I can see being economical and not having bath sheets, but could you please get ones a bit bigger so they cover my boobs and ass at the same time? Thanks.

*I’m freezing. I want it to be deep spring.

*I am trying to find a new ring tone for my when my parents call. It is going to be “Darth Vadar’s Theme” from the original Star Wars movies. Heh.

* My twin sister isn’t going to come see me in The Messiah. I don’t really care, I guess. I’ve been to see her in tons of stuff. It doesn’t matter that she has a ton more professional opera credits under her belt than I do, it will always be a flippin’ competition to her. She is suffering because she can’t really sing anymore so I do understand, but still…To have even invited her is a huge step for me. I’m still putting it under the “Meh” category because I knew she wouldn’t come. No big surprise there.

* I am dying to see “Wild Hogs” and “Blades of Glory”. DYING, I tell you. (No need to tell me my movie choices suck. My friend Brian can adequately summize this on behalf of all of you. And he has over the years. Quite well. REPEATEDLY.)

*My eyebrows look pretty hot today. Cool.

Filed Under: Bitching, Bits of Information, Musings, Snippets, Suck, YAY 17 Comments