titansphere.com

Finally I post about Valentine’s Day, which was awesome.

Handsome and I (and George) went to the beach. We stopped in Depoe Bay and shopped for a painting – our gift to one another – and ended up finding something really cool – a waterfall/mountain scene that we’re excited to hang…and it was on sale. Then we also saw a gigantic Chinese fan with a painting on it and just loved it, so we bought it too and it’s going above the cabinets in the kitchen, but is also not hung yet. Pictures when they are placed. Both are fabulous.

After that, we went to the Lincoln City outlet mall and got some clothes. We weren’t terribly impressed by it (Woodburn’s is definitely better) but we went to Quiksilver and found two zip-up hoodies for $5 and $7 (75% off the clearance sticker) that we just love. I also got a couple of shirts at Old Navy for pretty cheap.

We ate at a random pizza place/pool hall and were the only ones there with a fairly disinterested woman working the place; and no free refills on fountain pop – booo! Cheapskates. But, the food was good and we enjoyed ourselves so that’s all that matters. We even had leftovers. Note: Pizza sounds totally un-romantic, I know, but last year we ate at Pizza Hut in Woodburn, if you remember correctly, or reread this post.

When we returned home, we watched a movie – I don’t remember which one sadly – and just dinked around the house some.

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
No, I was supposed to be but I turned out a girl.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
Ooog. A lot in the last 2-3 weeks…did you see this post? (Things are looking up now though.)

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
Yes

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Turkey

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
No, but it feels like it with George and Fidiot!

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
Absolutely.

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM?
Frequently

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
Yes.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
Nope – I hate the feeling of falling.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
Shredded Wheat…but I could go on. Cereal is one of my favorite foods.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Hardly ever, unless they don’t come off unless untied.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
Cookies ‘n Cream or Cookie Dough or Mint Chocolate Chip (I really like ice cream too)

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
Clothes, I think…because I almost always remember clothing when referring to a past event…i.e. ‘it was that day we went to lunch. You were wearing your red hoodie and black pants and I was wearing…’

15. RED OR PINK?
Red

16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
Total fear of confrontation, even when it’s warranted.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
My family members

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
green Rush Hospital scrubs with bare feet.

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
Heroes on in the living room and the fish tank filter

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
Emerald green

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Books, fresh rain, baking cookies, smells associated with my people, cut grass, a simmering crock pot of pot roast.

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
My Handsome

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
NFL football – Go Broncos and Packers!

27. HAIR COLOR?
Blonde

28. EYE COLOR?
Brown with green around the outside…they have been getting greener lately.

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
Yes – they are a must.

30 FAVORITE FOOD?
Mexican

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
Happy endings – definitely.

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
Chocolate Thunder…it was funny but not great. Tom Cruise is hilarious in it.

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
black with white letters

34. SUMMER OR WINTER?
oooh, winter if there’s snow.

35. HUGS OR KISSES?
Both. Can’t live without either.

36. FAVORITE DESSERT?
Probably a good pie or cheesecake.

39. WHAT BOOK(S) ARE YOU READING NOW?
The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama
The Temple of the Winds (Book 4 of The Sword of Truth series) by Terry Goodkind

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
Nemo

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT?
Chocolate Thunder, Burn Notice, UFC Fight Night

42. FAVORITE SOUND(S)
Music, rain, a basketball swooshing through the hoop, crunching snow/leaves, the voices of those I love, the ocean, lapping water

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
ehhh, I’m not in this generation, so I don’t really think much of either. Both have songs I listen to but I would be more interested in The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, or America.

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
Jerusalem, Israel

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
Almost…a near photographic memory.

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
in California

48. HOW DID YOU MEET YOUR SPOUSE/SIGNIFICANT OTHER(S)?
In high school…Handsome transferred in my junior year and we had many classes together.

…please add yours, and good mojo too.

My Aunt Linda suddenly found out one of her kidneys isn’t functioning properly; perhaps not at all. She is having a lot of blood tests run to find out what the problem is and whether or not to remove, fix, or ignore the bad one. Although the other one is healthy, she is (and we are) very scared.

Until I post on Valentine’s Day #10…

Things I have done during my lifetime:

() Gone on a blind date
(x) Skipped school
(x) Watched someone die
(x) Been to Canada
(x) Been to Mexico
(x) Been to Florida
(x) Been to Hawaii
(x) Been on a plane
(x) Been on a helicopter
(x) Been lost
(x) Gone to Washington, DC
(x) Gotten an autograph from someone famous
(x) Swam in the ocean
(x) Cried yourself to sleep
(x) Played cops and robbers
() Recently colored with crayons
(x) Been to the top/BOTTOM of the Empire State building
(x) Sang Karaoke (I did with a live band ~ it was awesome!)
() Paid for a meal with coins only
( ) Been to the top of the St. Louis Arch
(x) Done something you told yourself you wouldn’t.
(x) Made prank phone calls
(x) Been down Bourbon Street in New Orleans
(x) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose & elsewhere
(x) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
(x) Danced in the rain
() Gotten into a fist-fight
( ) Eaten Frog, Pig snout or Rattlesnake
(x) Written a letter to Santa Claus
() Been kissed under the mistletoe
( ) Watched the sunrise with someone
(x) Blown bubbles
(x) Gone ice-skating
() Gone skinny-dipping
() Been deep sea fishing
() Driven across the United States
( ) Been in a hot air balloon
( ) Been sky diving
(x) Gone snowmobiling
(x) Gone para sailing
( ) Lived in more than one country
(x) Lay down outside at night and admired the stars while listening to the crickets
(x) Seen a falling star and made a wish
(x) Enjoyed the beauty of Old Faithful Geyser
(x) Seen the Statue of Liberty
() Gone to the top of Seattle Space Needle
(x) Been on a cruise
(x) Traveled by train
(x) Traveled by motorcycle
(x) Been horse back riding
(x) Ridden on a San Francisco CABLE CAR
(x) Been to Disneyland
(x) and Disney World
(x) Truly believe in the power of prayer
() Been in a rain forest
(x) Seen whales in the ocean
() Been to Niagara Falls
() Ridden on an elephant
(x) Swam with dolphins
() Been to the Olympics
() Walked on the Great Wall of China
(x) Been in a parade
() Played ding dong dichum
(x) Been water-skiing
(x) Been snow-skiing
() Been to Westminster Abbey
(x) Been to the Louvre
(x) Witnessed a Miracle
(x) Been to a Major League Baseball game
(x) Been to a National Football League game

I mentioned a post was in order for this Valentine’s Day.

Our first Valentine’s Day was in 1999 as juniors in high school. If our calculations serve us correct, then, this is number 10. Ten years…it seems both so long ago and just yesterday.

Eric and I have racked our brains for something cheap and entertaining for the two of us to do. Something special that won’t break the bank. Obviously we gotta eat, but we are limited to just that day (Friday we are helping a friend move and Sunday I’ve got dog walking and our good friend’s birthday party). Any ideas?

I’m always fearful when I’m on top of the world because, in my life at least, it is soon followed by a fall from grace. You could go on about needing the bad to appreciate the good…blah blah blah. I appreciate the good times just fine. That’s why they made “normal.”

To make a long story short, I’m in the aftermath. Colors are a little less vibrant and I feel somewhat listless, drifting, and disconnected. There are brief periods of enjoyment, but when I disengage the burden returns. I’m hoping Valentine’s Day (more on this in another post) brings me out of this funk.

1.YOUR REAL NAME:
April Christine Greer

2.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME:(mother and fathers middle names)
(none) Dennis

3.NASCAR NAME:(first name of your mother’s dad, father’s dad)
Casimir Robert

4.STAR WARS NAME:(the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name)
Greap

5.DETECTIVE NAME:(favorite color, favorite animal)
Green Dog

6.SOAP OPERA NAME:(middle name, town where you were born)
Christine Whittier

7.SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd fav color, fav drink, add “THE” to the beginning)
The Blue Milk

8.FLY NAME:(first 2 letters of 1st name, last 2 letters of your last name)
Aper

9.ROCK STAR NAME:(current pet’s name, current street name)
George Feather Cloud

10. PORN NAME: (1st pet, mother’s maiden name)
Echo Rogucki

11.YOUR GANGSTA NAME:(first 3 letters of real name plus izzle)
Aprizzle

12.YOUR IRAQI.. NAME:(2nd letter of your first name, 3rd letter of your last name, first two letters of your middle name, last two letters of your first name then last three letters of your last name)
Pechileer

13.YOUR GOTH NAME:(black, and the name of one of your pets)
Black Snowflake

14. STRIPPER NAME: (name of your fav perfume/cologne, fav candy)
(none) Snickers

As if you thought my blog hasn’t been awfully furry already…I’m introducing bunnies today!

For the weekly featured pet ads I’m writing for WHS, I learned how to handle bunnies…ahem…rabbits this morning. Ann was kind enough to put up with answer all my questions and then some about rabbits.

Interesting things I learned from a 25-year rabbit owner:

• Old phone books and paper towel rolls make great (and cheap!) bunny toys.
• Bunnies’ front teeth don’t ever stop growing. If they don’t wear down their teeth by chewing naturally, owners must cut the front teeth (using wire cutters or the like).
• Behind their front teeth, rabbits have two twisted little pointy teeth.
• Rabbits don’t need shots and very rarely have flea problems.
• Rabbits clean themselves just like cats.
• To catch a rabbit, come straight at its head. They are used to approaching each other that way and don’t like to be chased (gee, I wonder why).
• To relax a bunny, gently pull its ears or rub its nose. Kinda like rolling an alligator on its back.
• Bunnies warn you by stomping their hind legs.
• If provoked, they defend themselves by using those hind legs to rip open the bellies of the attacker.
• Bunnies eat, poop moist bunny pellet piles, eat the poop, redigest it, and poop (again) the hard pellets that don’t make a mess.

In other news, one of my favorite dogs, Braxton, got adopted this week! Yay Braxton!

Oog. I’m so ready to be done with packaging.

It isn’t horrible, but I want my job back. Things are starting to pile up in my work area, I’m getting bored with the tedious task of seal-banding, and I miss my “normal” coworkers. Marlene and Allan are really nice and I enjoy working with them, but I haven’t really talked to Jasmine or Robert since last week. My breaks are all off because we all shuffle to keep the machine going. I’m tired of wearing a muumuu giant shirt and gloves and a hairnet all morning.

I miss my computer and my graphics/print shop! *sniff*

So it’s not something I’d want to do on a daily basis, but working in packaging today wasn’t terribly difficult.

For the first part of the morning, all I did was put little rings of plastic with the words “SEALED FOR YOUR PROTECTION” printed on them around the tops of bottles. Once we got to break times, we all took our breaks one by one and I started filling in keeping the levels of bottles, lids, and product (read soft gels) at acceptable levels. Basically and literally: feed the machine. Then we started running flats of plastic-ringed bottles through a heater to seal the plastic around them. Now they really are “SEALED FOR YOUR PROTECTION.”

A lot of standing, a lot of making sure your posture is decent otherwise you’re gonna feel it. Packaging isn’t tiring work physically or mentally, but my spine let me know when I wasn’t holding myself properly and my feet are a little tired. The nice part was letting my mind wander. I got to think about whatever I wanted all day. Usually my brain is full of work.

All in all, we filled 8,513 bottles of garlic soft gels, which is a decent amount considering they predicted 3,000-4,000. Finished bottles (seal-banded and ready for shipping) are fewer in number…I believe somewhere in the neighborhood of 8×6x9×4=1,728 (bottles per row x rows per flat x flats per stack x number of stacks). The order is 60,000 bottles (or 5,400,000 soft gels), so we’ve got a ways to go. See what I mean? – Lots of time to think.

Others say the room smelled like an Italian restaurant, but I got so used to it I didn’t notice.