Happy New Year!

Well, it's now 2005. And what have we learned...
Ummmmmmm....

1) If at first we don't succeed, try, try again. For example, George W. Bush technically lost the election in 2000, yet by way of big brother in Florida, he managed to "win." Now we're in a war with Iraq, Americans and Iraqis are getting slaughtered, and there's no end in sight. So, Bush runs again, and this time wins the popular vote, but, only by cheating through Ohio.

2) Anything is possible. I don't know about you, but I've bought myself a lotto ticket! Yup, because if Bust can actually get voted in for a second term, then anything can truly happen. I figure the latest heat wave that we are experiencing is due to the fact that hell has, in fact, frozen over, and thus created major issues in the weather system and that's why we're having 55 degree days in January in Michigan! So, hey, if this can happen, so can my winning the lottery!

3) Best Buy sucks. Yes, they suck. They advertise a cd as being on sale, then when you go to buy it, they only have the "enhanced" version, which is ringing up regular price, and tell you that they won't be getting the "regular" version in during this sale circular. So, like any good internet-using person would do, you go online and and order the cd for in-store pickup. Guess what?!? The cd that was ringing up at regular price is the same one that's on sale only not ringing up on sale! Argh! And to top it off, this is after spending 45 minutes in line at the Customer Service desk where there is a line that's long enough stretch along the full length of I-94 and is growing by the second and dealing with spaced-out clerk number two (there are only two clerks slowly dealing with the ceaselessly growing line).

4) Perspective. Yes, I have gained perspective on many things this past year. For example, the holiday season can frazzle one's brain, make one drive like a lunatic, have less patientce than the Tazmanian Devil, and when you're working in the midst of it all, insanity seems like a more and more acceptable option. Yet, I manage to swerve the idiots on I-94, smile at the customer who wants a digital camera but can't even turn on his computer, and apologize to the woman with twelve rolls of film who wants them in an hour because she needs the pictures for her holiday cards and I can't have them for her in that amount of time because two dozen other people also procrastinated on taking their holiday pictures and now my finishing lab is backed up. Ah, the joy of retail. This insight has usually made me a good and patient customer. However, when the person you're dealing with is an inspid 17 year old who can't give you a rain check on a cd that's on sale but is currently out-of-stock (the day of the ad, mind you) of and tells you to just order it online instead, well, fuck all that perspective. Stupid is just plain stupid.

5) It is possible to ring in the New Year with NyQuil at 9:00 pm on Dec 31st. Don't believe me? Take this nasty chest cold I've got and see how late you stay up! No, no New Year's kiss for me. Just a shot of NyQuill the warm buzz that comes with having a fever.

So, after learning all this, what do I have to look forward to in 2005 and beyond?

Well, my wedding for one thing! And hopefully, in the near future, a couple of nice trips to fun (San Diego) and exotic (Israel) places where my dear friends (Ella, to San Diego; and Katie, Michael, and Honey, to Israel) have moved last year. I miss you already!

And, the not so looking forward to in 2005: my dear ferrets, Ryker and Chief, have both been diagnosed with tumors. Chief had been lethargic, so Rob took them in for a routine checkupu a couple of weeks ago. Chief actually has insulinoma, cancer of the pancreas. He's been put on steriod therapy for now, and he's really perked up with it, though to say he despises the medicine is truly an understatment. The vet found a tumor near Ryker's adrenal gland, though the good news is that he's still active and is not showing any signs typical of adrenal cancer. The fisrt vet we went to (the vet who Penelope went to for her surgery) wanted to do surgery. I wanted to talk to the vet because I had questions and concerns. Both Ryker and Chief are almost seven years old! That's damn near elderly in ferret years. However, both are from local breeders and not Marshall Farms or another "mill" of the like, and therefore both should have longer life expectancies. Still, having them both for nearly their entire lives, and they are my family, and surgery is costly, I wanted to know any and all options, what the likelihood of turmors reoccuring would be, life expectancy after suregery, chances of survival of surgery, etc. To sum it up: I never got to talk to the vet. When we arrived they had papers for me to sign, which I refused until I spoke with the vet, who was in surgery and apparently had 10 others after that. I did not expect her to interrupt her current suregery, but why she couldn't have seen me in-between, especially since mine were scheduled to go in for surgery that day! I was told I'd need to make an appointment to speak with her. Ummmmm, that's what I was doing there! I had an 8:00 am appointment to drop off the ferrets for surgery and to speak with the vet (ok, we were a half hour late, but there was an accident on I-275 and I called to let them know that the freeway was a parking lot and that we were getting off at the next exit). So, I left the vet's unsatisified and pissed off. I took their records with me. Chief and Ryker are now scheduled for a second opinion with another vet on Friday. So, wish the boys luck and hope that all goes well for them.

Well folks, it's about time for me to take another shot of NyQuill and head off to bed. G'Night and best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year!