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December 29, 2004

Splitting My Social Strata

Okay, maybe that's too wierd a title for such a simple occurence, but hey, it's my blog. Here's the deal.

I've decided that I want to use this blog for my deeper musings, writings, politics, Christianity, and things like that. You know, news about the Astros and that kind of thing, and editorials that I write now and then. Well, it's kind of difficult when I've got my personal stuff mixed in, and I hate to say but my blog lately has just been all about me, not deeper stuff like I set out for it to be. *sigh*

Well, I'm going to try to fix that. From now on, this blog will be my "Writings" type of blog, and I am moving my personal, everyday stuff back over to my Xanga blog. That way I can seperate the fluff from the beef, hopefully.

So, my Xanga blog is now my "bio" blog, with all the news of what's been up with me, my family, and my friends lately. So from now on if you want news of me, you can find it there instead of here. I'll have a link on this blog to my Bio Blog for ease of navigation. ;-)

One more thing. Please don't stop coming to this blog just because I'm reopening another one! The reason I'm doing all this is so you will have two places to go to read about me and such, to keep you from boredom. *wink* I'd much rather have you critique my writings, thoughts, and essays than read my personal jabber. So there.

Anyway, they will both be there!

Here's my Xanga "bio" blog's link. Please update your bookmarks. :-)

Grant's Bio Blog "The Quarterdeck"

Posted by Grant at 10:21 PM | Comments (10)

December 27, 2004

What a Christmas!!!

Yeah, I mean w-h-a-t a Christmas too.

Imagine waking up Christmas morning sick as a dog hanging upside down from a chinaberry tree, and at about 6:00 am vomiting what seems like forever. It really sounds devastating, but I assure you, that was rosy compared to the ending. ;-)

So anyway, I'm sick as can be, and vomiting something awful. In fact, I am not going to tell you how sick I actually was, because I don't want my blog to resemble a hospital wing. That is what is going to happen anyway, but at least I can spare you the gruesome details.

I end up spending the whole day on the couch, and my family was sick too, but only with the cold I had before I got the wretched whatever-it-was. So we were a pretty mum lot, and it sure wasn't a Merry Christmas.

I was truly in a bad way. Towards the early part of the afternoon, my heart began to feel strangely strained, and a very cold chill set in around it. I thought maybe I was having a heart attack, but it wasn't persistent pain like a heart attack is. Then my lungs started slacking off, and I had the worst time trying to breath!! The third (and probably the worst) symptom I had was my brain sucking for dear life for blood, which it wasn't getting enough of.

Pretty morose eh? Well, Mom wanted to take me to the hospital, and I felt like going for sure, which is bad, because I don't go to the hospital unless I'm at death's door.

I started sipping fluids, mainly cranberry juice and Vitamin C drink, and I was actually able to keep it down!! I began to feel better, and the breathing got easier, my brain felt better, and my heart perked up. I felt good enough that we watched three movies that we had gotten for Christmas that afternoon. I wasn't feeling well, but the terrible symptoms were gone for awhile.

It was getting time for bed, so I headed to take my bath. The bath felt good, it was after I got out of the tub and was getting dressed that it happened.

Wave after wave a awful nausea hit me, and I threw up everything I had managed to keep down during the afternoon. I remember not being able to breath - almost screaming to get some air - and the dizziness came over me. Everything turned a lucious shade of black, and then there was nothing.

When I woke up, nurses and doctors were tapping me and prodding me, asking me questions, like "What's your name?", "How many quarters are in a dollar?", "How old are you?", and "Who's the President?".

I had been rushed through the ice cold Christmas night in an ambulance to the hospital. Yay.

The doctor told me what probably happened. Dehydration has many different levels, and I was near the worst. Also, the heart, brain and lungs need potasium to operate, and I had vomited mine up. With my important minerals depleted and badly dehydrated, my body went into shock, and KABOOM I went on to the bathroom floor.

Well, they checked me for head trauma, because they thought I had a concussion. They tell me things I don't even remember. They tell me I insisted that I was 17 years old, and that it was October the 12th. Okay.....

Once I checked out to be okay, they rehydrated me with some warm, yummy IV goodies, and I went home around 12:30 pm that night. Praise the Lord that I was alright and I didn't break my neck when I blacked out!! So it wasn't an entirely dull Christmas, just not the way I wanted to spend it. ;-)

I'm still not feeling all that great, but I am a whole lot better than I was Christmas. I have to work tomorrow too. :-(

Enough with the troubles. Let's see what I got for Christmas.

Quite a roundup!!! I was just looking at my Big Book of Grilling and forgot I was sick. I want to COOK!!! Heeheee.

Posted by Grant at 04:25 PM | Comments (8)

December 24, 2004

Christmas Eve

Well, here it is at last. Christmas Eve is here, and the world is once again calm, in my little realm that is. Outside is the perfect, quitessential Christmas Eve weather. Bitter cold, with thick and plush clouds lining the sky. Even the clouds look cold, all wrapped in fleecy folds. The trees are still and stern, leafless and stark. Everything is perfectly wintery. An unforgiving wind blows from the North, now rushing, now whispering, now almost still. I love this kind of weather. It looks like the British Isles outside, and all that is needed to complete the picture is a Scottish shepherd wrapped in his plaid cloak with his black and white sheep dog at his side, looking over his herd of huddled sheep. This is James Herriot weather.

The setting sun throws a golden drip of sunlight through the thick clouds, hinting at something warm, like a luminous window in a blizzard. Open the door, and you are within the glow and warmth of my house! Smells of Christmas cheer yet to come emanate from the kitchen. A fat apple pie slides into the oven's toasty depths, to be roasted and ripened for Christmas day. A pot of Mother's delicious Potato Cheddar Bacon Soup begins bubbling on the stove. The splendid tree, decked in all its finery, glows happily over the sparlking pile of presents under it's piney needles.

*sigh*

I'm so cozy. I sure hope you are too!!

Tonight the fun shall begin. The rustling of papers will mingle with the clink of sparkling cider glasses, and what joy will be dispensed all around!

In fact, I am already enjoying an early present that arrived yesterday. Such a lovely Sandalwood Patchoali Vanilla soap! It was so nice to get it last night after I came home from work all tired. It's perky smells spiced up my whole night, all the way from the snowy woodlands of Minnesota! I am temped to use it tonight, but I like to have it to smell. To be sure, I would smell like a Christmas cookie, and that would add to the cheer of the night, but for now I shall be it to sniff at my pleasure.

*sighs again*

What a wonderful country we live in. What wonderful friends we have. What a lovely night. Thank you Lord, for your Gift of Eternal Life!!!

It's a splendid night. It's more perfect than if I had planned it myself. I am hungry!! Off to the night of gaity and joy!!

Have a Merry Christmas!!!

Posted by Grant at 05:36 PM | Comments (4)

December 16, 2004

Job Update

Just a quick update:

All the prayers for this job situtation by all of my brothers and sisters in Christ has really been an encouragement to me, and has helped me have peace and follow the Lord's will.

The Lord didn't exactly give me that particular day off as of yet, but He did let me have the wonderful and glorious surprise of having my Mom's birthday off, so we were able to spend a happy and sweet day together as a family. Praise the Lord for that sweet surprise!!

As it turns out, most of the other members of our family are having scheduling conflicts as well for this party, and it looks like it will either be called off completely, or it will be held earlier in the day. In the latter case, I could do both the party and get to work, which is a blessing from heaven!! So, thank you all so much for your prayers and love and encouragement!!

More later, but I've got to get to work. ;-)

Posted by Grant at 03:18 PM | Comments (4)

December 08, 2004

First Job

Well folks, I have just started working at my first job. That's right, I finally got a job. I am now working as a part-time cashier at Walmart. Although the pay is really not enough for the purpose, it works fine for now! The people that work there are very friendly, and the atmosphere is very warm and fun. The environment is very great, and the company is very sound. I still have reservations.

First of all, the hours are not working out. It turns out that I am working almost all nights, which doesn't work. Our family does most of our activities and things together at night, and this is simply sapping us of energy, staying up late. It is especially hard on Mom, who has to pick me up every night.

Second, I was told that they were very flexible with their part-time employees, and would work around my schedule. Well, I don't act like most of the part-time employees, and ask for every other day off. Yesterday I asked for one day off.

On the 18th we are planning to go into Austin to have a Christmas party with all of our two brothers and their families, one of the most important days of the year to our family. When I asked for that day off, I got this pained look, and something like "Well, I'll see what I can do, but look, this is retail, so no promises" from the manager. Hey, I didn't ask for the moon and stars!! One measly day...

So, I've already arrived at a crisis at this early stage in this job! It is kind of humorous, but still frustrating. So, if you guys could, would you please pray for me in this area.

I'm almost positive that if they don't give me that day off, I'll have to quit, which is humiliating to me with my sense of duty, but a course which looks pretty clear. I'm hoping and praying they give me that day off, and maybe they will! I'm just certain that I'll have to quit if they don't. They love to have me working on Saturdays. Ugg.

This is really important. If only you knew how important this time of year is for our family to reach out and love, heal, and laugh, you wouldn't think this was so silly.

Please pray!!!

Posted by Grant at 11:21 AM | Comments (4)