Tough Guy

I am reading the book 'Tough Guy' by Bob Probert.  'Probie' was a hockey player with the Red Wings in the late 80s-early 90s--and then played with Chicago until he retired in 2002.  He was an enforcer and averaged a fight every four games.  He also was an alcoholic and drug addict.  He drove his cars, motorcycles, and boats at illegal high speeds.  He lived life on the edge, both on and off the ice.  He died on 5 July 2010.  He was 45 years old.

Probert was described as 'larger than life.'  He gambled, partied, and caroused his life away.  Basically, he put his friends, teammates, family, wife, and children through hell.  And he enjoyed life on his own terms.  This book is making me quite depressed.  I was looking for a fun hockey read and I am coming away with the feeling that this was a life that was lost to excess.  As I near the end of the book, while he is extremely honest about the things he did, I get the impression that he never understood that he did anything wrong.  He probably had regrets for what he put others through, but like the puppy who pees on the living room rug, he just doesn't know WHY he's being scolded.  After all, he was having FUN!  Very sad.

And this leads to my 'Things to be Thankful For This Thanksgiving' moment.  How could I ever NOT be thankful for my husband--a man who is stubborn as hell and not always easy to get along with, but also, the most giving, caring, good-natured, and gentle man I have ever known.  Some people might call K dull and boring, but to me he is reliant and laid-back.  Throughout our marriage, he has done his best to provide everything I have ever needed and most of what I have wanted.  I never have had to worry about 'what is he doing' when he left the house--I trust him without any reservations.  As I have said before, we met on the first day of kindergarten and were friends long before we 'got together'--and God knew that was the way it needed to be.  I don't know if I could have appreciated K earlier in my life.  As it is, I had too many moments in the passing years when I didn't always see what a good man it was my great fortune to have.  I love him with all my heart--my mate for life.  And I am truly thankful.

I do hope all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving and remember to thank 'the powers-that-be,' God, the Universe, or whatever higher power you may believe in, for all of the things you have to be grateful for.  That is what Thanksgiving is supposed to be all about.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, everyone!!!!!

Beyond Understanding

I don't understand why men get absolutely goofy by women's breasts.  They completely get gobsmacked--they can't speak, they drool...just unbelievable.  It isn't as if women act this way when seeing MEN'S bare chests...

Never mind.  :D

Fun and Laughs

This probably has been ALL over the intertubes, but I just saw it for the first time.  When you go to the Google search page and type in 'where is chuck norris' and then you hit the 'I feel lucky' button, fun and amusing things happen.

And the results are:

Google won't search for Chuck Norris because it knows you don't find Chuck Norris, he finds you.

No standard web pages containing all your search terms were found.

Your search - Chuck Norris - did not match any documents.

Suggestions:

• Run, before he finds you
• Try a different person

I got a definite chuckle over this one.  :D

This Sounds Terrible, But...

I could never be a nurse because I hate sick people.  I know that sounds awful, but bear with me.  I can empathize and sympathize with the sick, I just find it very difficult to take care of someone who is sick.  And I've come to the realization that I can't deal with sickness because I feel so powerless against it.  I always can bring the sick their juice and soup and aspirin, but there really isn't a damn thing I can do to help them get better--and I hate that.  I also have a big, big problem cleaning up after a sickie--vomit and other bodily fluids have never been my favorite things to look at or smell.  I do have the tendency to get sick myself whenever I have to clean this stuff up, so I wouldn't do well in a hospital setting.

Feeling like this just didn't happen--I didn't feel any differently when my kids were young.  I never was the nurturing mother that I probably should have been when the girls were sick--I didn't rock them and pet them and sing to them like I should have.  But, once again, I just felt so damn terrible that I couldn't DO anything for them.  And I always have felt better--for the most part--if I was just left alone while sick, so I pretty much leave others alone whenever they are bedridden.  Of course, I DO make sure the sick one is doing as well as can be expected--I DON'T just leave him/her to fend for his/herself.

So, where is this post coming from?  K is sick today.  It seems as if he has some sort of stomach bug with fever.  No other symptoms, just running to the bathroom very often--even though he hasn't eaten hardly anything since yesterday.  I hope he's better soon.  Poor baby.  :(

I Want To Know This Person

While I haven't had a stranger make a comment about my psoriasis, several family members HAVE--and I don't care WHO makes a rude comment, it hurts.  This person is my hero--and probably had way too many rude comments made and decided to 'get back' at people who make them.  It also is very, very funny.  Via Not Always Right.

Convenience Store | North Battleford, SK, Canada

(I have psoriasis, a hereditary condition which leaves me with large red patches on my scalp. This occurs while I am waiting in line at a convenience store with a woman standing behind me.)
Customer: “What’s wrong with you?”
Me: “I beg your pardon?”
Customer: “Those ugly blotches all over your head. What do you have?”
Me: “Oh, it’s a highly contagious flesh eating disease. Very painful.”
Customer: “Oh my gosh! Really? How contagious is it?”
Me: “Well, you probably already have it.”
Customer: *rushes out of the store in a panic*

What Did We Do Without Computers/The Interweb?

Growing up, I was always told that the only people in the US with our last name were the ones in The Father's immediate family:  Him, his brothers, and their sons.  About 30 years ago, I accidentally found one more person with the same name.  He was adopted from Scandinavia, his parent were deceased, and he had one much older sister.  As of today, I can't find anyone other than him and his children--and my uncles, cousins, etc--with my maiden name here in the States.  That is freaking awesome!

Now, in Europe/Scandinavia, the story is much different--the last name seems to be more prevalent.  On Facebook, there are a number of people with the name--and there is a 'page' dedicated to everyone with the name.  When I search on FB, I'm able to find well over 100 people who have the name, whether they were born to it or married into it.  Still, it doesn't seem as if it is one of the most common names ANYWHERE in the world.  This is much, much different than having 'Johnson' or Smith' as a last name.  ;)

One thing that I have learned in my interweb travels is that there are several well-known and beloved people who have had the name through the years.  During the Finnish Revolution, there was a man who became famous because of certain battles and one city has a swimming pool and statue dedicated to a man who did much charity work.  Right now, there is a photographer who travels the world taking world-class pictures (actually, there might be two photogs) and there is a Grand Prix race car driver with the name.  Both Sweden and Finland have an abundance--relatively speaking--of people with the name.

Another very awesome thing that I found out is that there is a lake, river, mountain pass, river valley, and some mountains in the Russian Kona  peninsula with the same name.  Who would have thought?  Unfortunately, there is little to no info on WHY this area is named what it is--and I don't know how I could possibly find out.  Russia STILL isn't a fountain of info and I don't speak/read the language, so I am pretty much out of luck.

I know there are a lot of people who don't understand the fascination that genealogy holds on me.  They feel as if you should concentrate more on the here and now.  But, it gives me a connection that I never felt while growing up.  When my family came here to the States, there was a sense of putting away the past and the 'old country' wasn't talked about.  I was too young to ask questions of my great-grandparents and I never 'had' grandparents, so any sources of information were missing in my life.  (I only had one grandparent while growing up and we were never close.)  And even though I had three great-grandparents during my early years, they only spoke Finn, so I couldn't have communicated with them even if I would have thought of it.  So, with the help of the interweb, I am able to add a few more pieces to the puzzle that is my family.  And that gives me a happy.  ;)