Drum and Bugle Corp. Competition

I'm just getting back from a Drum and Bugle Corp. Competition in Johnsonburg, PA. It was pouring down the rain and there were lightning strikes, so the start of the competition had to be delayed approximately a half hour. Because of the delay, I wasn't able to stay long enough to see all the band compete. Such a pity. The three I did see were very talented.

Here are a few photos from the event. If you see your child and want the photo removed, please let me know. If you have names, please send them and I'll add them right in.

Thanks!

G
                                                   
 
   

America's Got Talent

OK, I'm finally watching last night's AGT and try to review it before the votes are announced. Did anyone else watch it? I'm fast forwarding through the acts I'm not a fan of. Six minutes left to find three more acts worth sending though. I believe that the acts are manipulated to make sure the judges' favorites go through. There is no doubt about that comment. OK, stop the blasts. Here's why I think that. Andrew DeLion. HUH? Big Barry has absolutely NO TALENT, but was put through over Andrew who has real talent. WHY would that happen? Because it made sure Barry would be voted out and one of their favorites would be put through. Andrew will be brought back as a wild card. Howard talking about him really showed the judges are getting more than a little flack about it. Andrew should have been put through. I think the show made a big mistake here and now people are positive it's fixed. Hate to write that because I've loved this show from the day it started. Getting rid of Piers and adding Howard Stern as a judge was the perfect move. He brought all his millions of fans to the show, just to see what he'll say. He also brought his millions of haters, just to see what he'll say. Those people will tear apart a show and making it so obvious that America is being manipulated might have been the wrong move.

I adore the Untouchables.
Fire Juggler, not so much.
Inspire the Fire, not a chance. (The lead singer doesn't have a strong enough voice to carry the song they chose this week & one of the dancers fell.)
Cristin Sandu, he fell. Can't say anything else about him. He's out.

Elusive, cute kid, but he's not going to make it. I'm bored and I grew up in the 80's.

Jake Wesley Rogers -- He's not Buddy Holly! Not liking his song choice, but do we have any singers yet? Maybe.I'll have to see the other acts.

All Wheel Sports (what about the gymnasts??) I saw this act at Cedar Point in Ohio. Left early and I would NEVER pay to see this. Not a chance of winning the whole thing. Again, another maybe. Need to see the rest of the show.

Word Spit and the Illus -- GAG! Haven't liked them from the start. They were put through because they will be voted out. I couldn't understand a single word he was "singing."

Jacob Williams -- Can't touch Tom Kotter.

All Beef Patty -- Middle America will NEVER vote this guy through. It's unreal. Yeah, he has a voice, but I have to ask myself, would I pay to see this guy? No.

Spencer Horsman -- Decent, but I give him a no tonight even with no other talents, he can't win.
Lightwire Theater --  Hmmm ... who does this remind me of? How about Team ILuminate?? Sadly, there was no talent tonight, so I have to give them the last spot.

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My Four Choices:

Untouchables                       AMERICA

Jake Wesley Rogers            AMERICA KICKS TO THE CURB

Jacob Williams                    AMERICA PICKS

Lightwire Theater               AMERICA PICKS

There we go, I might be wrong on some, but those seem to be the only real talent.

Hubby picks:  Untouchables, Jake Wesley Rogers, All Wheel Sports, Lightwire Theater

UPDATE:  Flipped over to the results show to see how close we came to thinking like the rest of America. Lets see: Jacob Williams (My Choice & will annoy hubby with my insight for the rest of the week), Lightwire Theater (Both our choices), Untouchables (Both our choices) and to round out the night All Wheel Sports (Hubby's choice to laud over me).


Next week's show is going to be amazing! I already have more than four acts I love. Of course, get rid of Horse, the Canonball guy and the TV lyrics guy. Those are without even seeing the show.

 

 

 

G

It's Friday the 13th!

Hope everyone is enjoying their Friday the 13th! I had a banner day, got out of the house with a fun trip to the hospital for more tests! Woo Hoo!!!

Until next time!

G

More health fun

Life is really hard these days. I guess they are most days, but when it gets to a point where standing up isn't possible, I suppose that "hard" can be preceded by a "really." It's the way things are, I suppose.

I was sent to yet another pain clinic where yet another doctor poured over my mountainous records and decided to try an occipital nerve block. That means, he jabbed a needle into the bottom of my skull on the right side. Always fun. Within two minutes, I was on the exam table, writhing in pain. Probably not a sign that it's going to work. The nurse takes off the vital signs machine because it's beeping really loud and constantly. Probably because I'm hyperventilating. I'm told to go home and keep track of how much better I feel following week. Yeah, right.

We're 40 hours from home, but I'm out cold within second of getting into the truck and only wake up when we get home. Long enough to stumble in and drop into bed. Next thing I know, it's Friday afternoon and Randy has had to give me pain shots to keep me from yet another hospital stay. It's about 30 hours after the injection before I'm even semi-normal. Of course, I don't know that I'm ever normal.

The real fun begins the next day, when my right eye starts to go numb. Then it's my temple, ear and nose. By the time I get back to the pain clinic, my cheek is numb. He says that isn't possible for the cheek to be related to the injection, that part of the brain's functions. Wonderful! Can it get any better? Have I had any recent scans? Yes, I have been scanned, x-rayed and more enough so that I probably glow in the dark by now.  He wants me to see a neurologist ASAP. Anyone who knows anything about neurologist knows ASAP means maybe 4 months, 3 if it's a real emergency.

The nurse calls me the next day and I have an appointment a week and a half later. That is fast. Never heard of such a thing, but at this point, I'll go with it. As anyone who knows me knows by now, I've tried some interesting things over the past 20+ years. Lets see, 4 or was it 5 neurologists all over this State and out to the Cleveland Clinic. At least a dozen different regular doctors, 5 pain clinics, a faith healer, Reiki healing, massage therapy, physical therapy, a past life regression punctuated by a goat hoof rattle -- Don't ask, it's better not to ask. I'm getting pretty tired of all of it. Nobody can help me. Most give up quickly, some take a little longer, but they all end up punting me to another place. Making me someone else's responsibility relieves them of having to try and fix me anymore. I do have a really great PCP. He's doing the best he can. I'm just one of those cases that nobody has been able to figure out. I haven't received the full body transplant I've asked for more than once. Some day. I've asked for a Native American medicine man and a friend is working on that. Maybe a voodoo priestess? I've always wanted to get to New Orleans..... 

Anywho, here I sit, watching more mindless TV, praying, demanding, bargaining, etc.. with whoever is listening at this moment in time to help stop it or even make it a bit less painful. Again, no such luck.

I'm open to all sorts of suggestions, give it a try and let me know your thoughts. I need help ~ desperately.

Fed Ex Frustrations

My cellphone died over the weekend and the helpful Verizon associates were shipping me a new one overnight. It was to arrive today. I got up at 8 a.m. and sat here til I had to get ready to leave for another doctor's appointment at 1:30 p.m. My son then sat here, waiting. Sometime in the TWO seconds I wasn't sitting on the porch the driver supposedly came to my door and then went to my neighbors. Of course, knocking on the door or maybe ringing a doorbell was beyond this person's ability.

I get on the phone at 1 p.m. and Bryan (employee #876992) gets on and is oh so sorry. He called the driver and my package would be delivered NO LATER than 3 p.m. today. OK, fine. I go to the doctor and it takes quite a while with the numerous health issues.

Well, 3 p.m. arrives and my son gets a call, that there will be NO delivery today. The driver's too far away. It will be delivered tomorrow. Ah, Right! Tomorrow is a national holiday and I know very well, there will be no delivery on that day. Why lie again?

Well, I get back on the phone and this time it's Jesse who answers. I give him the option of putting me right through to a manager because I was beyond livid. He assured me he could help me and he was oh so sorry. Well, after five minutes, he realized he was over his head and transferred me to the "manager" that I asked for to begin with. Connie gets on the line. "Are you a manager?" I ask. "Well, no, I'm a customer service representative and she's oh so sorry," she admits. Yet another lie from this company. Don't they know what the truth is? I don't want to talk to her, give me a manager. She puts me on hold for 20 minutes with horrid elevator music. No, music is too strong a word for the noise I had to endure.

Then John gets on the line. He sounds like he at least shaves. Are you a manager? Yes, he replied. I give him a minute to read the notes that I know are on the screen about me and how furious I am and I'm sure a few colorful metaphors. He said they OUTSOURCE their calls and the people I talked to didn't know what they were doing. Why are they employed then? He's oh so sorry. If I hear those three words again, my head may just explode. He said the driver was here at 12:50 p.m. and he even spoke to my neighbors? Ah, they all work and there is nobody home anywhere near us at that time of the day. So, yet another lie.

After 20 minutes of arguing with him, he says he'll call the driver and see where he is and maybe "I can go pick my package up there."  He calls back and says that the driver will be here at 4 p.m., which is only 45 minutes away. Right! I had to express my doubt and the fact that every single person in his company has lied to me today. He starts screaming at me if I don't stop, then I won't be getting my package. So a manager at Fed Ex is threatening me that he will make sure I don't get my new phone. This is the type of people in charge there? I would NEVER USE FED EX again. From now on, I will make sure to request a different delivery provider. I can't be the only person they lie to and play games with. Threatening me went way over the line. Is that what the corporate office really wants to portray?  Feel free to share your problems with this "customer service" giant. Let them know what they do is not right.

I'm a reporter, my phone is my life. Without it, I can't get in touch with sources, do interviews or anything else. Everything is on that phone. There are some sources that aren't to be named and I don't write their info anywhere but in my phone under a pseudonym. It is vital I have a phone 24/7.

So, here I sit on the porch, it's pouring the rain, waiting for a driver that I know very well won't show up.

UPDATE:  It's 4:30 p.m. and the driver pulls up, gets out of his van and starts screaming at me. OH YEAH? You're coming to my house and scream? Game on. He admitted he never rang the door bell and tried to say he talked to some guy standing on the street. Wonderful. Amazing he didn't just give the box to that stranger. Oh, if you're on Facebook, feel free to join the rest of us who have been mistreated by this corporation.