I'm taking a short break from yard work because I overheated the push mower's motor. Oops! My bad. It's just that I absolutely hate and despise using the weed-eater so I'd rather try to get really close to the fence line and sidewalks with the push mower...which means trying to cut through really thick over-grown grass with it. Thereby overheating the stupid thing.

Anyway, I feel like I'm doing something bad by being on here. I told Gran I was gonna go work on a school assignment while I was waiting for the mower to cool down...but I'm on here instead. Muhahahaha!

After we get the yard done we're going fishing! I've not been in ages. But see, my Aunt and Uncle who live just 2 miles away have a big fish fry every summer...but this year my Uncle's health is bad enough that they really can't do much of their own fishing. So we've (Mom, Danielle and I) volunteered to go down to their pond and fish for them. I think I'm gonna try to fish from the little boat they have instead of from the bank, just because I wanna try it.

Let's hope I don't go overboard!

We're all outside today. Mom's using the riding lawn mower in the orchard, Gran's out using a hoe to cut down weeds, Papa's creating ledges on the porch railings so Gran can set her potted plants on them, and I was using the push mower. The only one not outside is my sister cause she's a wuss. :P

Anyway, I'm gonna go back to it. Later!

This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/99250.html. That entry has comments.

Oh man, I feel amazing! Yesterday I went into town to give blood at the local drive. Things went along just fine and I gave and then hung out with my sister and a couple of other high school students. They had bussed them over to the donation site to give and it was late in the day, so my sister and I just stayed there until school let out and I could take her without getting her in trouble.

And then we went to the salon and I got my hair cut. Nearly 11 inches! And when I get home this morning after work, I plan to put my hair in the mail and send it out to the UK. They have a program called the Little Princess Trust that make real hair wigs for kids suffering from hair loss. You should watch the video on the homepage! It's really touching.

Anyway, I donated blood to save lives, and hair to save self esteem and confidence. Everyone should give to organizations like these when you can. :D

Pictures! A couple from each donation, plus a bonus doggie shot! Enjoy.



This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/98909.html. That entry has comments.

So since I'm getting my car this Wednesday (yay!) I decided to hit town early today to get some things taken care of. And on my way to the courthouse to get a paper showing that I paid my property taxes this year, I got behind a couple of slow moving vehicles.

The four legged kind.

I ended up following a couple guys on horseback for about a block, block and a half through town and around the courthouse square. It was hilarious! They just calmly moved along as cars stopped so they could go through. They even stopped their horses and waited at the stop sign, but the other cars waved them through it. I made sure and stayed a safe distance behind them so I wouldn't spook the horses, but honestly, they looked pretty relaxed to be trotting along through all the traffic.

Small country towns, man. Gotta love 'em. XD

This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/98108.html. That entry has comments.

I got a car!!! Ok, so it's not actually in my possession yet, but it's MINE. My uncle already bought it and I just have to go get it.

It's not the first car I posted about, because when he contacted the seller of that one, someone had already put a deposit down, so that one went to someone else. And I don't have pictures of this car, because the seller took it immediately off Craigslist once my uncle bought it. However I did Google it and this is what I found:

( Drive on )


These shots may not be entirely accurate for my car, especially the interior, as those can vary from what I've seen. Still, not too shabby!

It's a 2005 (red) Buick Century. And it only has 44,000 miles on it! It's almost like a brand new car, my uncle said. I can't believe my luck!

This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/97735.html. That entry has comments.

Yeah. So today, this happened:




Wintery weather - 1, Me and my car - 0

Thanks to this incident, I had an afternoon full of firsts. First car wreck, first time totaling a car, first ambulance ride, and first concussion. Yay? :/

Needless to say, I'm pretty sore. I'm lucky though, because the police officer told my mom that if it had been my front end instead of the back that hit the trees, my injuries would've been a whole lot worse. Of course, I don't remember him saying this due to the knock on the head I took and by that point I was in shock. I don't remember calling work, but I do remember calling Mom. I also didn't catch the names of the two men who stopped and stood outside in the cold until the police arrived, but I'm extremely grateful that I wasn't alone that whole time.

I do know that I handed them my phone at some point, because I couldn't tell Mom where I was, and they told her that I was very confused. That I kept asking or saying the same things over and over. And when Mom got there, I got worse because I don't remember not being able to tell the officer how old I was, or that I asked Mom what had happened to me. Apparently I forgot that I was in a wreck.

The confusion scared me more than anything. I've never in my life been that disorientated. But the nurse at the ER said that it was completely normal considering I hit a couple trees at 50 MPH and that it was a really good sign that by the time the ambulance packed me up, that I was coming around and becoming more and more alert. Getting out of the cold helped a lot I think. My back glass was gone and it was below freezing out there. Brr!

But I'm alright. I'm home and I'm safe. Sure I don't have a car now, but that's a minor thing for the most part. I'll make due. I've been home for a couple hours now and I've eaten some dinner. I've called the concerned relatives and my co-worker (who I apparently scared half to death with my rambling phone call) to assure them that I'm alright. And as soon as I post this, I plan to go get a shower and then go to bed.

This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/96518.html. That entry has comments.

I'm sharing some of the juicing recipes I'm finding, not only in case others want to try them, but also so I can keep up with the ones I want to try myself. Enjoy!

Apple-Beet-Carrot Juice
1 Apple
2 Beets
3 Large Carrots
1 Piece Ginger (thumb sized)
4 cups Spinach/Kale

Bountiful Brassica Juice
2 Broccoli stalks
1/2 head or 2 wedges Green Cabbage
2 cups or 6-8 leaves of Kale
1 organic Granny Smith Apple
1/4 Lemon (peeled)
1” Ginger root

Bruschetta Juice
2 medium sized Tomatoes
1-2 cloves Garlic, peeled
20 fresh Basil leaves

Carrot-Apple-Ginger Juice
3 organic Carrots
2 organic Apples
1 small piece of Ginger (about 1")

Carrot-Kale Combo
1 Green Apple
3 handfuls Spinach
6-8 Kale leaves
4 large Carrots
1 piece Ginger (thumb size)

Dracula's Dream Juice
2 Beets
2 organic Carrots
1 cup organic Strawberries
6-8 Kale leaves/2 cups

Cranberry Citrus Juice
1 cup cranberries
1 orange, peel removed
1 organic apple
1 cup butternut squash, cubed
4-6 leaves collard greens (about 1 cup, packed)

Gazpacho Juice
4 Plum Tomatoes
1 large Cucumber
2 stalks Celery
1 Red Bell Pepper
1/4 small Red Onion
2 cups Parsley, leaves and stems, roughly chopped and packed into the measuring cup
1 Lime

Green Grape & Pear Juice
1 cup of green grapes
1 pear
1 lime
2 cucumbers

Mean Green Juice
1 Cucumber
4 Celery Stalks
2 Apples
6-8 leaves Kale
1/2 Lemon
1 tbsp Ginger

Minty Citrus Juice
2 Oranges
½ Pink Grapefruit
1 Carrot
2 Celery Sticks
1/3 Bunch of Mint

Sunset Blend Juice
1 large Sweet Potato
1 medium Carrot
1 Red Bell Pepper
2 large Red Beets
2 Golden Delicious Apples
1 Orange, optional

Sweet N Tart Citrus
3 cups Cranberries
2 2 x 2” pieces Ginger
3 Oranges
2 small Ruby Red Grapefruit
2 Limes

Taboulleh Juice
1 big bunch Parsley (approx. 4 cups)
1 Tomato
1/4 Red Onion
1/2-1 Lemon (peeled)
1/2 Cucumber
1 tsp Olive Oil
Dash Sea Salt and Black Pepper

The Watering Pineapple
1 cup Watermelon
1 cup Pineapple
1 small Beetroot/Beet
2 Carrots
2 sticks Celery
1 cm or 1/2 inch of ginger (more if you like it extra zingy)

V28
3 large Red Beets
2 medium Carrots
2 stalks Celery
4 Plum Tomatoes
4 cups Parsley, leaves and stems, roughly chopped and packed into the measuring cup
1 Jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed
12 Red Radishes

Watermelon-Pineapple-Ginger
1/3 pineapple, cored and skin removed
2 large watermelon slices
1” ginger root

Watermelon Lime Juice
3 cups diced Watermelon (seedless)
1 Lime (peel removed)

This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/96395.html. That entry has comments.

I was at work the other night and the woman who came in to replace me started telling me about this juicing thing she was gonna try. She told me about a documentary that she watched called Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead and she convinced me to watch it.

After watching the video, I immediately ordered a juicer. It should arrive tonight and tomorrow morning when I get off work, I plan to hit the grocery store and stock up on produce. I'll begin my juice fast on Monday.

I'm really excited about this! I plan to try for a goal of 10 days to begin with, but since I need to loose at least a hundred pounds to be healthy, I think I may eventually push for the full 60. But I'm gonna gradually step up my goal. If I can make it for 10 days, I can do 15. If I can do 15, I can do 25. Etc.

To take part in this fast, you have to have a juicer and lots and lots of fruits and vegetables. Your base juice will be the Mean Green which is 6-8 kale leaves, 1 cucumber, 4 celery stalks, a handful or two of spinach leaves, 2 apples, 1/2 a lemon, and an inch sized slice of ginger root. This is the juice that cleans your system out so well, detoxes you, and helps reboot your system. You can of course do all sorts of other juices too, with tons of juice recipes available online.

To help me, I've joined a community website that Joe Cross, the man behind the documentary is involved in. It'll help me through the tough days I think, if I can log on and receive feedback and support from people trying to do this with me.

Because no one lies to you - this fast is hard. They say the first 3 to 4 days are the toughest. We as humans are used to eating solid foods. Taking that away from your body suddenly, as well as stopping all processed chemicals, sugars, and caffeines will normally put you into withdrawal. You can have headaches, feel fatigued, and become irritable. But, if you can pull through til about day 5 your energy will start returning and you begin to feel wonderful. Your mental processes become clearer, your body will become energized, and you'll begin to develop cravings for your fruit and veggie diet instead of for processed meals.

Even if you only do a 5 to 10 day detox fast instead of a longer one to loose weight or to become healthy, this fast will do you a world of good. It completely cleans your system of chemicals that shouldn't be there and digested food particles that become trapped in your intestines.

As I said, I can't wait to try this! My blood pressure issues lately have been a real pain to deal with and I know full well that I'm addicted to caffeine. To solve these two problems and then to loose weight and become more healthy would be a dream come true for me. I think I might've convinced my sister to do this with me as well, so I'm extremely happy for her. She's younger than me, but at least 50 pounds heavier and it's a struggle for her to do any sort of exercise at all. If we try this fast and start walking down the road, this can at least be a start.

I plan to update my journal during my progress as well, complete with pictures and my weight when I start day one....and I'll probably update those every week.

This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/96058.html. That entry has comments.

I had no idea when I signed up for a new site how addicting it would be! I just joined Pinterest.com recently. I had to give them my email address and be put on a waiting list to get in, but it only took about a week or two and now I'm a member.

The concept is to "pin" photos of things you like on topic boards that you create. This is sort of like creating a personal cork board of things you love. You can then follow others, they can follow you, and you can "like" pins, repin them, and surf around for different subjects to check out, etc.

It's really neat! I've created a couple boards already (Manda's Must Reads, Fantasy Wishlist: Jewlery, Fantasty Wishlist: Travel, Hairstyles To Try, Nail Ideas, and Tips & Tricks). Oh, and it's easy to pin things, because all you have to do is add the "Pin It" bookmark to your bookmark toolbar and when you see something you want to link to or a cool picture, just click it and the rest is easy.

I'd definitely recommend this site! Go check it out and sign up! For more info, there's a really good beginner's guide here. Enjoy! :)

This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/95429.html. That entry has comments.

Hola! I'm back already.

So I decided that since I haven't been using DW or LJ much lately, that I'd redesign some things so that it'd feel fresh. And it's nearly a New Year, so that's also a good reason to move some things around. So I started by incorporating new layouts for both journals. Then I chose different mood themes...and then redesigned my profile page. Sadly, due to code issues, the profile layout I used doesn't quite work properly as intended on DW, so I had to remove the icon I was featuring. Still, I think it looks kinda neat.

Also! As a little Christmas gift to myself, I bought myself paid accounts again at both journals so I can finally use all my icons again. YAY! I'm pretty happy about this because I normally only have a few to choose from and it drives me nuts.

I'm providing screenshots so people don't have to click a ton of links to go find all these new looks that I'm talking about...that and I'm bored. :P Enjoy!


( LiveJournal Stuff )

( Dreamwidth Stuff )

This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/94973.html. That entry has comments.

First, yes, I disappeared again. I know, I know, you’ve heard it all before. But I really have been very busy lately...I just finished up the fall ’11 semester, which means finals. Very nasty things. Still, I did fairly well. My final grades are in, and I got an A in Basic Diagnosis Coding and a B- (ew) in Medical Office Procedures. I need to do better so I can keep raising my GPA back up though. Once you have a solid 4.0, it’s hard to accept anything lower. But yes, school is going well, otherwise.

In fact, I got my new textbooks Thursday! Even though I’ve only been on winter break for about a week, I’m already itching to crack them open and start reading. The two classes I’ll be starting on the 9th are called Basic Procedure Coding and Medical Billing & Insurance Procedures. Nifty, huh? For these, I got four textbooks: 3 paperbacks and 1 ebook. Take a peek at these babies:


- Understanding Health Insurance: A Guide to Billing and Reimbursement (ebook)

- HCPCS 2011 Level II: Medicare's National Codes

- 2011 AMA CPT Professional Coding Book

- Basic Current Procedural Terminology/HCPCS Coding, 2011 Edition


These are all really cool books and they’re nice additions to my coding and medical texts that I already have available for these courses. I know, it seems a little weird to get so excited over new textbooks, but I’ve always loved books – collecting them, reading them, swapping them – I’m just nuts about them! Of course, anyone reading this that knows me knows that already. :)

Anyway, I was planning to make this a really long post, all about school, work, and whatever...but I think I’ll break it up into smaller posts so it’s easier to digest. It also gives me an excuse to come back and post about the rest. Hear that? I don’t plan on staying away so long this time!

This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/94556.html. That entry has comments.

I found this video on Youtube and thought I'd share it here. I don't know the people that took the video or the people in it, but this can give anyone that's never been to our neck of the woods an idea of what it's like here. (Meg and Erin, I'm lookin' at you, kids.)

Anyway, enjoy!



This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/93466.html. That entry has comments.

I really got into this week's discussion board topic for class! I had to watch TV and then talk about it. How cool is that???

Discussion 2 Assignment:

Watch a movie or TV show that deals with the medical field. Examples: ER, Bones, Trauma Center, Patch Adams etc.

Post the name of the show and three(3) points that are relevant to this chapter - The Health Care Team. Explain why each point is relevant. The shows/movies can be either fictional or reality based.

For those who do not watch or own TVs, you can download episodes of medical shows on the internet. Try going to ABC.com and watch a full episode of Grey's Anatomy.

Respond to the topic and reply to a minimum of two (2) fellow students' responses

My Post:

For this discussion, I decided to fall back on my absolute favorite medical show, House M.D. This show is a fictional portrayal of a hospital and its staff and how they deal with their jobs and their personal lives. Although this show is fictional, if you look closely enough, you can see a pretty accurate representation of a real hospital staff and its many different types of employees.

The show plainly demonstrates how things in a real hospital are set up. At the top, you have the administration, whose job is to make sure things in the hospital run smoothly. In the show, this is Lisa Cuddy’s job. Administrators are constantly checking in with each department head to make sure things are going well and that there aren’t any issues that might need to be resolved. The main character, House, is the head of the diagnostics department. In order to do his job, he must stay in contact with Cuddy, as well as the physicians that work directly under him. As those doctors work with the patients, House usually helps them, gives approval for courses of treatment, and vetoes decisions he doesn’t think will work.

He also stays in contact with members from other departments when a patient his staff is treating present with issues that they could help with. For example, House stays in close communication with his friend Dr. Wilson, who works in the oncology department, as he sometimes deals with patients showing cancer symptoms.

During the course of an episode, viewers also see various types of nursing staff and technicians working in the background. House and his colleagues must communicate daily with these staff to help diagnose, test, and treat their patients. In the show, the doctors do a lot of testing themselves, but in a real setting, it’s mostly the nurses and technicians that work one on one with a patient as they try to figure out their illness.

As I said, the characters get very entwined in each others’ personal lives, which can also happen in a real work environment as well. But unlike the characters on House, the medical staff of a real hospital or clinic needs to always remain professional in front of their patients, despite any sort of issues they may have with co-workers.

Fictional or not, this show demonstrates the need for any person working in a medical setting to be able to communicate well with those working around them. No matter which type of job you have, the running of a hospital, clinic, or even a private practice requires that you work in a team to accomplish your goal of successfully serving your patients.

This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/93242.html. That entry has comments.

On September 11, 2001, I was busy failing at my first attempt at college. I was running late to my first class of the day, hurrying across the Southeast Missouri University campus as quickly as I could. I remember now that campus was strangely quiet for that time of morning, but at that moment I didn’t really give it much thought. It was early after all, and not many people had 8 AM classes like I did.

When I entered the building where my class was, I remember seeing a little crowd of people in the hall watching a ceiling mounted TV and crying. I slowed down enough to catch sight of a lot of smoke around a big skyscraper before going on to class. When the teacher came in he told us what had happened, and that class would be cancelled that day.

I remember hurrying back across campus to my dorm to turn the TV on and by the time I got to my room, the second plane had hit. It must've happened just before I got to my floor because the news reporters were still in shock. I sat and watched and cried non-stop as footage rolled of people jumping from burning floors, bloodied and ash covered crowds milled around the streets, and then as both towers came down in huge clouds of debris. I called my mom and told her I was driving home, that campus had been shut down for the day and that I couldn't stand being up there by myself, without my family. At the time I had been hearing rumors that large colleges were going to be the next targets hit and I was terrified. The world was coming to an end and I was a 2 hour drive away from the people that meant the most to me.

During the drive, I kept the radio on. Between news reports, every station I tried was playing nothing but the National Anthem and other patriotic songs over and over. Even though I started out feeling like I was fleeing for my life, by the time I got on the interstate all I felt was an overwhelming pride in my country. This feeling only intensified during the days and weeks that followed and still remains in the minds and hearts of the American people when they speak about that day.

This pride in ourselves as a country and as a people, and in all the heroes of that day is what makes this anniversary so special. Because we’ve proven that no matter what you throw at us, the American people keep going. We may mourn the dead but we also celebrate the living and we strive to make our world a better and safer place than it was on that day. We’ve proved our resilience in our efforts to rebuild and to move on.

Ten years later finds me entering my third semester in an online university. This time I’m succeeding and excelling in my efforts. And I’m still just as proud of all the Americans that helped to save others on that day. I still get teary-eyed at the thought of those that died and those that lost loved ones. But ten years has taught me a lot and I will no longer run in fear from those that try to strike terror into our hearts. The days of running are over. Now we look to the future.

This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/93156.html. That entry has comments.

So. I'm uninsured, have been for ages. So I have to pay full price for my anti-anxiety/anti-depression meds, which if you add in the cost of my birth control by the month is about $140.00.

And I just don't have it right now. I've been off the birth control for almost a month now (cause I didn't have the money last month either) and now I've been off my Lexapro for four days now.

And withdrawal has started. I've been having some odd sensations at work tonight, so I decided to look up the symptoms. This is what I found:

Lexapro® (escitalopram oxalate) and other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs for short) are known to cause withdrawal symptoms in those who quickly stop their medicine.

Symptoms of Lexapro withdrawal can include but are not limited to:

- Irritability
- Agitation
- Dizziness
- A burning or tingling sensation
- Anxiety
- Confusion
- Headache
- Insomnia
- Tiredness

I bolded the ones I've been experiencing off and on tonight. Also, I found a forum where patients were discussing their own symptoms and I found this:

Yes, there are countless lists of side effects from withdrawing from this drug. I'm surprised you don't get the shocks/reboots. That's where you seem to daze off for a second then snap back to reality having to regain your balance and feeling slight nausea for a second.

I get the jitteriness/uneasiness from any kind of withdrawal from paxil / lexapro / hydrocodone / caffeine / nicotine / etc.

So yeah. I'm so glad I get paid on the 7th. It's still six more days to wait though, and I'm sure the symptoms will get worse. But the whole dazed thing and then getting dizzy is really odd. Right now it's manageable though.

This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/92483.html. That entry has comments.

Courtesy of the Prospect News, of Ripley County Missouri.
Article written by Tiffany Hancock

The Humane Society of Missouri Animal Cruelty Task Force, in conjunction with the Ripley County Sheriff's Department, worked all day Wednesday, Aug. 24 to rescue 106 dogs and 3 cats from the home of Jerry and Dana Dobbs on Z Highway, near Tucker, MO.

According to the Humane Society, "Many of the animals were emaciated and suffering from severe mange. Due to the severity of the mange, the exact breed of the dogs could not be immediately identified."

The Humane Society added that, "All the animals are suffering from skin infections, eye injuries and internal and external parasites."

The animals were mainly medium-sized, mixed breeds ranging in age from elderly to a litter of one-week-old puppies. The dogs were found in outside pens, a barn, and a[n abandoned]* trailer. Rescuers believe little to no veterinary care has been provided to the animals. There were also several decomposing dog carcasses and scattered dog remains found on the property.

Because the dogs were in distress and in immediate jeopardy, Sheriff Ron Barnett with the Ripley County Sheriff's Department obtained a warrant for removal of the animals.

Dana Dobbs, resident of the home, and former animal shelter owner, said, "Jerry and I have a tremendous love for animals, dogs especially. In our area, there are many abused, abandoned and homeless dogs. Out of the goodness of our hearts and overwhelming compassion, we have tried to provide shelter, food and proper medical care for these dogs. Unfortunately, there has been a misunderstanding and someone has accused us of mistreating and neglecting these pets. I can assure you this is not the case.

"Jerry and I have sought and continually seek homes for these pets, given constant veterinary care and above all have sought help from large organizations. If there is an error on our part it is only that our hearts are too big," Dobbs added.

All of the animals will be taken to the Humane Society of Missouri's Headquarters in St. Louis, Mo. for medical analysis and to be fed and taken care of.

Monte Phillips, Ripley County Prosecuting Attorney, commented that, "The Humane Society is funded by private donations. It's really wonderful we have them or we wouldn't have the ability to save these animals."

A disposition for permanent custody of the dogs will be held Sept. 7 in Doniphan. If custody is awarded to the Humane Society of Missouri, and as soon as the dogs are healthy, as many of the dogs as possible will be made available for adoption.

* part added by me

Omg. So the college made a little mistake a week or so back and accidentally let us into our Term B classes early. While they were scrambling to fix the problem and lock us back out, I went in and got all of my upcoming assignments and put them as Tasks in Outlook. I do this with all my schoolwork to keep myself organized.

But omg. I mean whoa. You guys. This term is gonna kick my butt! Take a look at week one's reading assignments:


Anatomy & Physiology II –

Textbook: Human Anatomy & Physiology
Chapter 16 Endocrine pages: 594-633
Chapter 17 Blood, pages: 634-660

Anatomy & Physiology II Lab –

Textbook: Human Anatomy & Physiology
Ch. 18, The Cardiovascular System: The Heart, pages: 661-693
Ch. 19, The Cardiovascular System: Blood Vessels, pages: 695-751
Textbook: Laboratory Simulations in Physiology
PhysioEx lab manual pages: 63-72

Pathophysiology & Pharmacology –

Textbook: Human Diseases, A Systemic Approach
Chapter One: Introduction to Disease
Chapter Two: Immunity and the Lymphatic System
Chapter Three: Infectious Diseases
Textbook: Principles of Pharmacology for Medical Assisting
Unit 9: Drug Sources, Schedules, and Dosages
Unit 10: Forms of Drugs and How They Act

Pathophysiology & Pharmacology Lab –

Textbook: Principles of Pharmacology for Medical Assisting
Unit 4: The Metric System
Unit 5: Household Measures
Unit 6: Temperature Equivalents

What the holy hell??? This is ONLY the reading assignments and ONLY week one. Then I have to watch the weekly lectures/presentations for each class, check out any supplemental links for additional information, do my written assignments for each class (which includes a research paper for P&P), perform 2 sets of lab exercises for the lab classes, and then I have quizzes in P&P, A&P, and A&P Lab. Oh, and each class, including the 2 lab classes, requires you to post a minimum of four separate times on the discussion boards each and every week and your initial post normally includes some sort of research.

OMG I'M GONNA DIE!

I honestly don't know if I can do this. I'm trying to work ahead though, since I know next week will be really busy for me and I don't wanna get behind in week one, or it'll totally screw me up for the entire 8 weeks. Harry Potter is the 15th, my 10 yr high school reunion is on the 16th, we leave for Cape Girardeau the 17th cause my sister gets her wisdom teeth out the 18th and then we'll drive home after the surgery. Guh.

So yeah. This looks fun. I'll talk to you guys again in about 8 weeks, cause I'll be pretty much tied up til then I think.

This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/92231.html. That entry has comments.

Today is my friend Katie's birthday. She would've been 28 years old today had she not been killed in a car accident on March 20th, 2009.

I thought of you with love today but that is nothing new
I thought about you yesterday and days before that too,
I think of you in silence I often speak your name
All I have are memories and your picture in a frame
Your memory is my keepsake with which I’ll never part
God has you in His keeping I have you in my heart.

You'll always be missed Tater Tot.



This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/91648.html. That entry has comments.

I've been officially accepted into the Medical Billing and Insurance Coding Diploma program with Herzing University Online.

Here be my classes:

( Herzing University Diploma in Medical Billing and Insurance Coding Program )

I'm so excited! I can't wait til classes start. I'm already logged onto the online classroom system and I'm about to start the tutorial, which is a requirement...so technically, I'm already doing homework. Yay!

This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/90888.html. That entry has comments.

Things left over from my previous list...

1) Call my Admissions Adviser on Monday.
2) Go into town and pick up a few things. On Wednesday.

Things added for today...

1) Fill up woodshed before we get iced in.
2) Empty dishwasher.
3) Make bed.
4) Balance checkbook.
5) Vacuum dining room.
6) Clean out inside of my car.
6) Go over booklist.


***RELAX***

This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/90688.html. That entry has comments.

Lets see. So far in the last 24 hours, I've...

1) Completed and filed my 2010 taxes.
2) Filled out my FAFSA online.
3) Completed the entrance counseling for an online university.
4) Filled out and signed the Master Promisary Note for financial aid with the university.
5) Printed out the Admissions Application for the university.
6) Checked all the tires for the vehicles in our household.
7) Sent my resume to a possible employer.
8) Printed new copies of my resume.
9) Took a 20 minute walk for exercise.


Still to do, I have...

1) Doing my laundry.
2) Cleaning my bedroom.
3) Running an online job search.
4) Shaving my legs. (Heh)
5) Clean my birdcage out & bring the birds back in.
6) Call my Admissions Adviser on Monday.
7) Go into town and pick up a few things.

Whew! No wonder I'm so tired. And no wonder I forgot to eat today. Yikes.

This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/90621.html. That entry has comments.

Update: Police to update Holts Summit murder investigation


Huh. Well this sucks. Apparently this guy was my cousin. I never met him, but it's odd knowing a relative of yours was just murdered.

This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/90213.html. That entry has comments.

Hi from my Kindle! I got this bad boy for Christmas and I love it...esp. since it means a (limited) Internet connection for a girl with a broken computer. Hopefully I'll be getting that fixed soon.

Anyway, that's all for now. I'm still not used to typing on this tiny keyboard. C-ya.

This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/90026.html. That entry has comments.

DEATHLY HALLOWS IN 29 MINUTES AND COUNTING!!



Just sayin'. :P

This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/89678.html. That entry has comments.

I just wanted to make this post, because I thought there might be people out there that would like to know how I do my book swapping...and how they could get started doing the same.

I belong to a total of three book sites, two of which you can swap books on.

1) The first one I'd like to mention is called Goodreads. It's free to join, and you can list books, tagging them as read, to read, wishlist, etc. You can also rate the books you've read and add reviews, join groups and discussions, and check out your favorite authors. They also have cool first reader and member giveaways that you can enter to get free and early release books...the only thing they ask is that you post a quick review once you've read them. (I've won two early release books from them myself, and enjoyed them both.)

On GRs, you can look over the books listed for swap and request them from people (USA users only). When that person approves the request, you get charged for shipping & handling of the book(s) when they print out the shipping label. This way, you pay for the books your get, and it's free to ship books that people request of you.

For more information on how GoodReads works, check out their help section or you can take a peek at my profile.

2) The second swapping site I joined is called BookMooch. Things work a little differently here, because it's not a site where you catalog your books...it's for swapping them only.

At BM, it's free to join, and you begin by listing books in your inventory that you wouldn't mind sending out to other people. Personally, I would start by only listing about 10 books or so, because I listed about a hundred when I joined and was soon overwhelmed with more requests than I could handle! Here, when people request books from you, you'll be rewarded with a point a book (unless it's an international request, which they give you more points for). These points matter, because you can't request books from others unless you have the points to spend for them.

Anyway, as you send out books, you get points for them, which you can then use to request books from other people. On this site, you pay the shipping costs to send books out, but the books you request are free to you.

BM is a little bit harder to get used to after using GRs, but it's still a good site. You can find out more by checking their Wiki page or looking up my profile if you'd like.

3) Now I'd also like to mention the third site I belong to, although it's not a swapping site. I love it because while GoodReads is alright, this site has much better ways to catalog the books you've read, own, want to read in the future, etc. It's called LibraryThing.

LT is free to join, just like the other two sites, but it does have restrictions on their free accounts. The free accounts can only categorize about 200 books, and if you read as much as I do, this is nearly nothing. However, the paid accounts are based on donations, so you can either set up a yearly account for as little as $10 or buy a permanent account for as little as $19. Personally I think the cost is worth it, because it's a very detailed site and fun to use.

They also have a help section and give their users profiles.

In my own opinion, I like these sites for different reasons. I prefer GRs for a place with a warm community of book lovers, where you can have discussions about books and answer quizzes and trivia about them, and share quotes. I prefer BM for swapping, because it's international and you have many more options for how and when you send things. And lastly, I prefer LT for simply keeping track of books I've read, ones I want to read, etc.


So in summary, here's a quick comparison of these three sites -

Swapping: GoodReads / BookMooch
Cataloging: GoodReads / LibraryThing
Discussion Areas: GoodReads / BookMooch / LibraryThing
Free to Send Books: GoodReads
Free to Receive Books: BookMooch
Free to Join and Use: GoodReads / BookMooch / LibraryThing (<- can pay for better features)
International Swapping: BookMooch (<- omg, I got a book from Australia today!)
Book Contests/Giveaways: GoodReads / LibraryThing
Book Trivia/Quizzes: GoodReads

Hope this helps anyone that likes to read and might want more information on swapping. And if you choose to join any of these sites, or are already a member, friend me on them please! :)

This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/88026.html. That entry has comments.

It's banned book week! From September 25th to October 2nd people are standing up for their freedom to read. Literature is knowledge and I believe that the only thing that can be gained from banning or censoring books is ignorance.

Here's the ALA (American Library Association) list of most challenged books by decade. How many have you read?

ETA: Just for the heck of it, I'm marking the ones I've read (☻) and the ones I own but haven't read yet(☺).

[source1] [source2]

( 1990-1999 )

( 2000-2009 )

Personally, I've read 22 of the first list and 15 of the second. I own several more from both lists that I haven't read yet, but once I've finished those...I plan to read many, many more!

( Aww, cute Banned Books 2010 Logo )

This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/87642.html. That entry has comments.

So I might need some advice from you guys that have tattoos. I'm seriously starting to consider getting one for my birthday. How should I go about finding a good artist? I basically know what I want, but I need to find someone that I can trust to do a good job. Because I don't make this decision lightly...if I'm gonna have this on my body forever, I want it done RIGHT.

I know there are sites out there with first timer advice, (which I'm looking for and reading now) but I'd like to get a "real person's" opinion as well, which is why I'm asking.

Thanks. :)

ETA: Ok, I wanted to post the pics of what I have on here, mostly to remember where they are..don't wanna loose them. Plus, I'd like to get general feedback on the tattoo idea.

Background: I love frogs! Always have. When I was young, to starve off the boredom of living miles and miles away from anything, I used to get a five galleon bucket and go catch frogs. Mostly little ones because they hopped the most and were hardest to catch, but I'd gather up eggs, tadpoles, adults, any frog I could get my hands on. Then I'd proudly show off my day's catch to the neighbor kids and then I'd go release everything back where I got it.

I was an odd child.

When I got a little older, I started to slowly collect frog stuff. I still have quite a bit of it - stuffed frogs, a frog pillow, several ceramic frog nick-knacks, frog key-chains. The frog thing is still very much alive and well despite the fact that I've moved onto collecting rubber duckies.

I've also started my old habit back up again. Lately, anytime it rains, I go out frog hunting. I'll catch one or two frogs a week. I don't keep them for long. Just long enough to give them names, pet them a little, take a few blurry pictures, maybe listen to them sing and then I release them exactly where I found them.

My point is, when a relative mentioned that a friend of hers had a tiny frog tattooed on her toe, it just sort of clicked. I'd always thought that I might one day get a tattoo but I had no idea what to get. Well, why not get something that I'd loved and been around since I was little? Something that I still enjoy? Something that represents life, soft night noises, woods, water, moist earth? Everything I enjoy about living in the middle of the woods and what it's like to do so can, for me, be summed up in this one little animal.

So that's what I'm going to do. But I don't want the more popular frog tattoos of the poison dart frogs or brightly colored tree frogs. In order for this to truly represent my childhood and the frogs that I'm familiar with, I want a lifelike Gray Tree Frog, the most commonly found frog in my area.

I've gathered some pictures of them that I plan on printing out for the artist so he/she can get a good idea of the coloring I want. I'm not sure yet on what pose I want the frog to be in, but I have time to decide on that. Underneath those pictures, I've included an example I found online of someone's tattoo. It's very lifelike in my opinion...I just love the way it seems to pop right off the wearer's skin. I think the shadowing plays a big part in that, so I want my artist to understand that I wan something as real as possible. Something that looks like there's an actual frog sitting there on my body.

( Pics )

Anyway, that's it. That's why I want what I want.

ETA pt 2: Duh. I somehow forgot to mention that I used to have a pet frog, too. Elmer, the albino clawed frog. He was aquatic and ate fish food and tiny little dried shrimp. :D

This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/87424.html. That entry has comments.

James Herriot's Cat Stories by James Herriot

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary: Between these covers, teller and tales finally meet in a warm and joyful new collection that will bring delight to the hearts of readers the world over: James Herriot's Cat Stories. Here are Buster, the kitten who arrived on Christmas; Alfred, the cat at the sweet shop; little Emily, who lived with the gentleman tramp; and Olly and Ginny, the kittens who charmed readers when they first appeared at the Herriots' house in the worldwide bestseller Every Living Thing. And along with these come others, each story as memorable and heartwarming as the last, each told with that magical blend of gentle wit and human compassion that marks every word from James Herriot's pen.

My Review: Very cute book! I'm a big cat lover and this book was so wonderful to read. Every story reminded me about why I love felines. Fantastically written book, and it was extremely easy to loose yourself within the stories.

I highly recommend this book to all animal lovers out there.

This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/87236.html. That entry has comments.

She's My Dad by Iolanthe Woulff

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary: "Don't hate, Nicholas. Hate destroys everything. Don't let it destroy you..."

For decades, ultra-liberal Windfield College has been a thorn in the side of Northern Virginia's hidebound elite. When a teaching position unexpectedly becomes available, the school hires a former male graduate - now a transsexual woman named Nickie Farrell - as an assistant professor of English. Hoping to find peace, Nickie keeps her secret under wraps until ambitious lesbian student reporter Cinda Vanderhart outs her. And Cinda has noticed something else: both Nickie and a young townie waiter named Collie Skinner have a genetic quirk which causes their eyes to be different colors. Convinced that the similarity is no coincidence, Cinda begins an investigation to discover the connection between them.

Meanwhile, in a death-bed confession as she succumbs to years of brutality at the hands of her disgraced cop husband, Collie's mother Luanne reveals that his birth resulted from an illicit affair she had with a long-vanished Windfield college senior named Nick Farrington. Shattered by his mother's death, Collie turns for comfort to Robin Thompson, a gentle-hearted Christian co-worker at the upper-crust Foxton Arms restaurant. As Nickie is stalked by a pair of homicidal sociopaths, Robin finds herself entangled not only in Cinda's investigative machinations but also a murderous plot by former U.S Ambassador and tycoon Eamon Douglass to eradicate the hated college with a suicide detonation of a Cesium 137 dirty bomb. Lives and secrets hang in the balance until everything comes to a head on the morning of Windfield's annual spring picnic: April Fools Day.

Filled with richly-drawn characters and building to a stunning climax, SHE'S MY DAD is a story about the destructiveness of hate, the power of love, and the redemptive triumph of good over evil.

Like her title character Nickie Farrell, Iolanthe Woulff is a transsexual woman. A fifty-nine-year-old Princeton-educated English major, she lives in Palm Springs, CA, where for several years she wrote a column in a local magazine about the challenges of gender transition. As the eldest child of author Herman Wouk, storytelling has always been dear to Ms. Woulff's heart. Her hope is that besides providing a suspenseful read, SHE'S MY DAD will help to dispel some of the widespread misconceptions about transsexual people.

My Review: Oh my gosh, this book was amazing! I just couldn't put it down once I'd started it. The subject matter was one I was already familiar with, but it's written in a way that people who don't already have knowledge about transgendered men and women (or the GLBT community in general) can easily understand.

Essentially, it's a story about hate and what it does to people when left to fester out of control. Its this author's first work, but it's very well done, and I'd recommend it to anyone that's ever felt discriminated against for any reason.

This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/86919.html. That entry has comments.

Tongues of Serpents: A Novel of Temeraire by Naomi Novik

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary: A dazzling blend of military history, high-flying fantasy, and edge-of-your-seat adventure, Naomi Novik’s Temeraire novels, set in an alternate Napoleonic era in which intelligent dragons have been harnessed as weapons of war, are more than just perennial bestsellers—they are a worldwide phenomenon. Now, in Tongues of Serpents, Naomi Novik is back, along with the dragon Temeraire and his rider and friend, Capt. Will Laurence.

Convicted of treason despite their heroic defense against Napoleon’s invasion of England, Temeraire and Laurence—stripped of rank and standing—have been transported to the prison colony at New South Wales in distant Australia, where, it is hoped, they cannot further corrupt the British Aerial Corps with their dangerous notions of liberty for dragons. Temeraire and Laurence carry with them three dragon eggs intended to help establish a covert in the colony and destined to be handed over to such second-rate, undesirable officers as have been willing to accept so remote an assignment—including one former acquaintance, Captain Rankin, whose cruelty once cost a dragon its life.

Nor is this the greatest difficulty that confronts the exiled dragon and rider: Instead of leaving behind all the political entanglements and corruptions of the war, Laurence and Temeraire have instead sailed into a hornet’s nest of fresh complications. For the colony at New South Wales has been thrown into turmoil after the overthrow of the military governor, one William Bligh—better known as Captain Bligh, late of HMS Bounty. Bligh wastes no time in attempting to enlist Temeraire and Laurence to restore him to office, while the upstart masters of the colony are equally determined that the new arrivals should not upset a balance of power precariously tipped in their favor.

Eager to escape this political quagmire, Laurence and Temeraire take on a mission to find a way through the forbidding Blue Mountains and into the interior of Australia. But when one of the dragon eggs is stolen from Temeraire, the surveying expedition becomes a desperate race to recover it in time—a race that leads to a shocking discovery and a dangerous new obstacle in the global war between Britain and Napoleon.

My Review: This is the sixth novel in Novik's Temeraire series and I enjoyed it just as much as the previous five. The copy I read was an ARC (Advanced Reader's Copy) so there were some mistakes and editing issues, but it was still fantastic.

The storyline was rich with the adventure and historical accuracy that we've come to expect from Novik's work. And of course, the dragon's were charming and engaging, as always.

I'd recommend this book to anyone that enjoys historical fiction with a little bit of fantasy thrown in.

This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/86590.html. That entry has comments.

Midnight Pearls: A Retelling of "The Little Mermaid" by Debbie Viguié

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Summary: In a quiet fishing village, one lone fisherman rescued a child from the sea seventeen years ago. He and his wife raised the girl, Pearl, as their own daughter, never allowing themselves to wonder long about where she came from -- or notice her silver hair, usually pale skin, and wide, dark blue eyes.

Pearl grows from a mysterious child into an unusual young woman, not always welcomed in the village. As all the other girls her age find husbands, she has only one friend to ease her loneliness. One very special, secret companion: Prince James.

But their friendship is shaken when trouble erupts in the kingdom -- a conspiracy against the royal family combines with an evil enchantment from beneath the sea. Now, just when Pearl and James need each other most, bewitching magic and hints about Pearl's past threaten to tear them apart...forever.

My Review: This was a quick read, but a good one. I liked the re-take on an old tale, enough that I think I'll check out a few more stories from this author. Very creative and worth a look.

This entry was originally posted at http://katfusion.dreamwidth.org/86516.html. That entry has comments.

Title: The Boleyn Inheritance
Author: Philippa Gregory

Summery: Returning to the scene of The Other Boleyn Girl, historical powerhouse Gregory again brings the women of Henry VIII's court vividly to life. Among the cast, who alternately narrate: Henry's fourth wife, Bavarian-born Anne of Cleves; his fifth wife, English teenager Katherine Howard; and Lady Rochford (Jane Boleyn), the jealous spouse whose testimony helped send her husband... and sister-in-law Anne Boleyn to their execution. Attended by Lady Rochford, 24-year-old Anne of Cleves endures a disastrous first encounter with the twice-her-age king -- an occasion where Henry takes notice of Katherine Howard. Gregory beautifully explains Anne of Cleves's decision to stay in England after her divorce, and offers contemporary descriptions of Lady Rochford's madness. While Gregory renders Lady Rochford with great emotion, and Anne of Cleves with sympathy, her most captivating portrayal is Katherine, the clever yet naïve 16th-century adolescent counting her gowns and trinkets. Male characters are not nearly as endearing. Gregory's accounts of events are accurate enough to be persuasive, her characterizations modern enough to be convincing. Rich in intrigue and irony, this is a tale where readers will already know who was divorced, beheaded or survived, but will savor Gregory's sharp staging of how and why.

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Thoughts: I loved this book! I adore historical fiction and Philippa Gregory is just so good at what she does. She always researches her subjects very well and then fleshes out these historical women as charming, engaging, and flawed creatures - each struggling to exist in long ago periods of time. This is the first Gregory novel I've read, but she's found yet another life-long fan in me, that's for sure.

Title: Fragment
Author: Warren Fahy

Summery: In this powerhouse of suspense—as brilliantly imagined as Jurassic Park and The Ruins—scientists have made a startling discovery: a fragment of a lost continent, an island with an ecosystem unlike any they’ve seen before . . . an ecosystem that could topple ours like a house of cards.

The time is now. The place is the Trident, a long-range research vessel hired by the reality TV show Sealife. Aboard is a cast of ambitious young scientists. With a director dying for drama, tiny Henders Island might be just what the show needs. Until the first scientist sets foot on Henders—and the ultimate test of survival begins . . .

For when they reach the island’s shores, scientists are utterly unprepared for what they find—creatures unlike any ever recorded in natural history. This is not a lost world frozen in time, an island of mutants, or a lab where science has gone mad: this is the Earth as it might have looked after evolving on a separate path for half a billion years.

Soon the scientists will stumble on something more shocking than anything humanity has ever encountered: because among the terrors of Henders Island, one life form defies any scientific theory—and must be saved at any cost.

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Thoughts: What can I say about this book? It's just insane, that's what it is! It's suspenseful and intriguing and very descriptive of it's oddball alien lifeforms. And the violence described is pretty cool too. Anyone that likes science thrillers will like this book.

Title: The Handmaid's Tale
Author: Margaret Atwood

Summery: It is the world of the near future, and Offred is a Handmaid in the home of the Commander and his wife. She is allowed out once a day to the food market, she is not permitted to read, and she is hoping the Commander makes her pregnant, because she is only valued if her ovaries are viable. Offred can remember the years before, when she was an independent woman, had a job of her own, a husband and child. But all of that is gone now...everything has changed.

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Thoughts: This is a fantastic book. It's haunting and confusing and gut wrenching as Offred slowly becomes defiant and bold and you constantly worry for her safety. I really enjoyed this one.

Title: The Red Tent
Author: Anita Diamant

Summery: Her name is Dinah. In the Bible, her life is only hinted at in a brief and violent detour within the more familiar chapters of the Book of Genesis that are about her father, Jacob, and his dozen sons. Told in Dinah's voice, this novel reveals the traditions and turmoils of ancient womanhood—the world of the red tent. It begins with the story of her mothers—Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah—the four wives of Jacob. They love Dinah and give her gifts that sustain her through a hard-working youth, a calling to midwifery, and a new home in a foreign land. Dinah's story reaches out from a remarkable period of early history and creates an intimate connection with the past. Deeply affecting, The Red Tent combines rich storytelling with a valuable achievement in modern fiction: a new view of biblical women's society.

Reviews: "The oldest story of all could never seem more original, or more true." - James Carroll, author of An American Requiem

"Diamant vividly conjures up the ancient world of caravans, shepherds, farmers, midwives, slaves, and artisans...Diamant's Dinah is a compelling narrator of a tale that has timeless resonance." - Merle Rubin, Christian Science Monitor

"The Red Tent is a fine novel. This earthy, passionate tale, told also with great delicacy, is, quite simply, a great read." - Jane Redmont, National Catholic Reporter

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Thoughts: I started reading this last night, and I actually had to force myself to stop and go to sleep. It's very gripping, right from the start and you can't help but wonder what happens next with every turn of the page. Not because it's suspenseful or anything, but just because you long to hear more of Dinah's story, the story of her mothers', and the story behind the story from the Bible. A great read, whether you're a religious person or not.