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January 31, 2005
True or False? You Decide.
We played a game last Friday at work during a departmental meeting as a way of introducing new employees (me). I had to tell 2 truths about myself and one lie. The others had to guess which of the 3 items was a lie. It was most interesting, except I suck at lying. But it got me thinking about other funny and, perhaps, strange things that have happened to me in my life. Are they true or false? You decide.
1. I once shook the hand of Robin Williams "Mork from Ork" style. I even got my picture taken with him. Nanu nanu! Shazbot!
2. I once sat on a plane with Vincent Price. That man gives new meaning to giving someone an evil eye. Mu hah hah hah haaaaaa!
3. I can do the voices of Cartman, Scooby Doo, and Beavis. RESPECT MY AUTHORITAH! (Okay, most of you already know this one's true.)
4. I was once in a snowmobile accident. That tree came speeding out of nowhere and just cut me off! Where's a policeman when you need one?
5. I have a cat whose name is "Hideous Rebellion". He's somewhat rebellious, but not at all hideous.
6. I was once hit by lightning. It was a very electrifying experience, I must say.
7. I once received a standing ovation for singing karaoke. (That happened a long time before American Idol.)
8. I once swam with a shark. I also once ate shark. Delicious, except now his descendants are after me and this time, it's personal.
9. I once met Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and found out she does love rock and roll.
10. I once had metal rods surgically implanted in my body and no, I don't set off the airport metal detectors. And no, this isn't why I was struck by lightning. But I do occasionally receive radio communications from the Lunar One orbiter.
Posted by Amy at 12:50 PM | Comments (7)
January 29, 2005
Too Close For Comfort
My family had a bit of a scare today. The medication Mom has been on to slow her heart rate after the surgery (it used to speed up way too much), made it slow down too much this morning--a side effect of the medication. In fact, her heart was pretty close to stopping completely. She had felt dizzy and lightheaded and even passed out a few times. She called for my dad, but he was all the way on the other side of the house and he almost didn't hear her. Luckily he did and when he found her, her heart was only beating about 20 times a minute (normal is around 70-80bpm).
So my dad called 911 and the paramedics rushed her to Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak. They worked on her and put a temporary pacemaker on her and now, everything is looking very stable. Her heart rate is set at 71 and her blood pressure and respiratory rate are back where they should be.
Mom's scheduled to have a permanent pacemaker implanted on Monday and I told Dad to get her one of those panic buttons that you can wear around your neck that calls 911 automatically through the alarm company (like in the "I've fallen and I can't get up" commercials). He's also going to install an intercom system in the house. And I told Mom: "No more near death experiences, ok?" She agreed.
Posted by Amy at 09:48 PM | Comments (3)
January 28, 2005
Excuse Me?
This is something I need to get off my chest and vent. It's a little long, but after I do this, I'll be over it, so bear with me.
You see this picture? This is Don with our karate sensei, Mr. Scott. It was taken when he received his black belt. Don is one of the best instructors in the school. I say this not because I'm his wife but because there are several instructors and each teaches slightly different from one another. But Don knows exactly what Mr. Scott wants to see. My motto is: When in doubt, ask Don. He's ALWAYS right.
So here's what happened: Last night after class, I was practicing forms with 3 other students for the upcoming test. Don had taught us a particular form in which one of the moves includes punching at a 45 degree angle across the body. One of the students, whom we'll call "The Student Who Shall Remain Nameless", emphatically insisted that Don taught him to punch across the chest so that your right arm is punching toward your left.
He wouldn't listen when I told him that was NOT what Don told him. He wouldn't listen when the other two students I was with blurted out at the same time, "No he didn't!" He wouldn't listen to me when I explained to him that Don would NEVER have told him any such thing. He wouldn't listen when I said, "So what your telling me is that I don't know what my own husband told me to do??"
See, the problem with The Student Who Shall Remain Nameless is that he has a huge tendency to make things up that are completely wrong, and believes that that is, in fact, what he was taught. Now, I'm no black belt yet either, but I know what Don told me to do in this form. And if I had my wedding ring on at the moment (no jewelry allowed during practice), I would have said, "You see this ring? This says I know him better than you." He's known this form for probably twice as long as The Student Who Shall Remain Nameless has even been in the school. The Student Who Shall Remain Nameless specifically asked Don about this move months ago. The way he remembers now it is exactly the opposite of what really happened. I know, I was there.
I would love to see Don make us practice this form the next time The Student Who Shall Remain Nameless comes to class so that when he says he told him to punch wrong, then Don can hold out his 2nd degree black belt and say, "You see this? I earned this. You haven't. Punch 45 degrees."
Posted by Amy at 09:36 AM | Comments (0)
January 27, 2005
WHEW!
I'm almost through my first week here at Quicken Loans and I'm pretty exhausted. I've had brain dump after brain dump and it's not going to let up for a while. I've got another one scheduled for today and one that will take most of tomorrow. Then, I have to go through product training to get me familiarized with all the different mortgage products we have out there. And then, I have to go through the big official 2-day company orientation (which will probably be another big brain dump). I was so tired yesterday that I had to skip my karate class. I was so mentally whipped that I could have crashed as soon as I got home at 6pm. Don't get me wrong...I love it here. But there is just SO much to learn and know!
I can't wait to get paid!
Posted by Amy at 10:28 AM | Comments (0)
January 24, 2005
My First Day
Today was my first day at Quicken Loans. I didn't actually do any work since 90% of my time was taken up by new-hire orientation (learning how to use the phones, email, computers; learning about the company benefits, rewards and incentives, etc.) and getting myself situated at my new workstation.
I found out that I can get a discount on a home loan or if I refer a friend to Quicken Loans for a home loan and they close, my friend gets $300 off their closing costs and I get $200 bonus. If I refer a friend to work there and they get hired, after 90 days, I get a referral bonus. SO ALL YOU READERS OUT THERE: LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT TO APPLY FOR A JOB OR A LOAN AT Quicken Loans! The company was voted #1 best place to work in Michigan and the benefits and monetary rewards are REWLIOUS!
Everyone I met is really nice and very friendly. My boss, Matt, took me out to Panera Bread for lunch. We chatted about what it's like there: the work culture, the people, how I could add to the team, that sort of thing. He told me that everyone's anxious to get me started on multiple projects. So it should be an interesting first week!
Posted by Amy at 09:52 PM | Comments (1)
January 19, 2005
It's Vinx, Mon!
Last night, Don and Ryan and Danielle and I went to see Vinx at the Ark. He plays a type of hand-drum (which I can't remember the name) and sings with a unique style using sounds that he makes as well as harmonizing with himself via a special machine. It's something that's very difficult to describe and something you have to hear to know what I'm talking about. He's played with Sting and also would have been an Olympic runner for the USA, had we not boycotted in the 1980s.
His performance was particularly good last night as he played a some of my favorite songs and told many humorous jokes. He's a very laid back and personable guy and a great performer, best seen in a venue such as the Ark. I think next time, Don and I will have to buy him a drink.
Posted by Amy at 12:07 PM | Comments (2)
January 17, 2005
Today Is A Great Day
Well, this is turning out to be a fantastic day! Mom's out of the hospital and I got a new job! I just got the call a few minutes ago from the HR person at Quicken Loans informing me that of the 3 candidates they narrowed it down to, I stood out the best. Yay! The pay scale is not as much as I thought (though it's most definitely adequate), but I understand that employees get good bonuses, plus the benefits are so awesome that it amounts to much more. Quicken Loans is supposed to be the best place to work for in Michigan and the number 12 best place to work for in the country. I won't have all the exact details until I get the offer in writing (probably in the next day or two), but for right now, I'm just so excited to be employed!!! Man, they sure didn't waste any time making their decision, did they?!
Oh, and an update to Don's phone situation...he was using his old phone in place of the one he lost in the river, but it wasn't working very well at all. So he bought another Treo 600 to use while he waits to see if he won the auction on eBay for the Treo 650. Needless to say, he's in a better mood now.
Posted by Amy at 06:41 PM | Comments (6)
Resting Easy
Mom's been discharged from the hospital today. She's doing so well with her recovery just 6 days after surgery. Her appetite is pretty much back to normal, she's taking short walks (today she walked halfway down the hall and back with no problem), and her heartbeat has been good and regular. She seems very strong now--stronger than I would have expected this soon. And best of all, she's in much less pain from this operation than from past ones, thanks to the surgeon.
Dad's taking her to Kalamazoo for the next week or so to recover. At first, she resisted the idea because she was afraid that the kids would make too much noise and she wouldn't get enough sleep. But they'll be either at school or at the babysitter's house for most of the day. And she'll have her own family cardiologist (my brother-in-law, John) to monitor her condition and her meds, not to mention 2 other physicians to wait on her every need. How many people can say that after getting out of the hospital? Later, Dad will bring her back home and my brother and I will try to help out taking care of her so that Dad doesn't have to carry all the burden. He needs a vacation too.
Posted by Amy at 03:00 PM | Comments (1)
January 16, 2005
Deeee-troit Basketbaaaaalll!
Don and I went to the Pistons game last night. (Here's a picture of the scoreboard, championship banners, and the Pistons' blimp.) They played the Philadelphia 76ers. It took us forEVER to get there cause the Palace is so far away from where we live and there was an ENORMOUS amount of traffic. I thought it was traffic for the game, but it turned out to be for something else (no idea what for). So by the time we got there, I was carsick and we had missed the first period and a half. But we got our hotdogs and pretzels for dinner (we were starved) and got to our seats.
There were some pretty cool plays, like when we stole the ball a couple of times and when Big Ben Wallace (gooonnngg!) made a great slam dunk or when Chauncey B-B-B-B-Billups (greatest player in the league--plays B-ball like Steve Yzerman plays hockey--a great team leader) made his signature 3-pointers. And let's not forget the great Rip Hamilton, 2nd greatest player in the league, or Lindsay Hunter who ran his ASS off to steal the ball a few times.
The game was going really well for a while and the Pistons were showing the 76ers what basketball was all about. In fact, at one point, I think we were ahead by 15 points or so when suddenly the 76ers managed to get ahead by 2. (That Allen Iverson's a bugger of a good player!) But that's when our defense kicked back in and the Pistons showed them why they are the NBA world champs. Tayshaun ("Stretch") Prince made an incredible block with those mile-long arms, got the ball back with 24 seconds left in the fourth period, made the short shot and got the foul which gave him 2 free throw shots to win the game 99-95. Deeeeee-troit baaaaasket-baaaalllll!!!
Posted by Amy at 12:28 PM | Comments (0)
January 13, 2005
Second Interview
I had my second interview with Quicken Loans today. I think it went well. They had me write an article for them to test out my writing ability. I wrote about how one could save money and recover from holiday spending by using applying for a home loan. Did a lot of research and had a bit of help from Don (thank goodness--he understands this stuff way more than me). I'm really happy with the way it turned out. (In fact I think I'll use it in my portfolio.) The interviewer told me that he thought it was very well-written and it was different from what the other candidates wrote, but different in a good way, as he put it. I also gave him another article that I wrote about how to save money in general, which he thought was also extremely well-written. Plus, he liked that I showed initiative by sending him something extra. I doubt the other candidates would have done so.
Anyway, there are about 3 other candidates they're interested in and he said it would be a difficult choice to make. But I have a good feeling and I'm pretty confident they'll hire me. (I HOPE!!) There's a good chance that whomever they pick might do a one month contract with them, sort of a trial period, that would lead to a permanent position. I know it'll be me. I just KNOW it!
Posted by Amy at 09:20 PM | Comments (1)
January 11, 2005
Mom's Surgery
Well, Mom went in for her surgery this afternoon at the U of M Hospital here in Ann Arbor. She's had congestive heart failure for most of her life and has had numerous surgeries to contain her disease. One surgery repaired a faulty valve in her heart...something I understand that was only supposed to last her just so long before she would have to have this surgery to replace the valve with a mechanical one.
The operation didn't take very long...only a few hours. The doctor, who specializes in this particular surgery and who performs hundreds of these every year, says she did great. We saw her in the Intensive Care Unit this afternoon just after the operation. She was intubated and still unconscious due to the anesthesia. But they wanted to take the tube out today and she should be conscious and alert tomorrow. They'll move her out of the ICU the day after tomorrow.
I think she'll recover just fine, though I know she'll be weak for quite a while. But, with a little luck and Mom's characteristic determination to get better, we'll have her back home in a week or so.
Posted by Amy at 11:47 PM | Comments (3)
January 07, 2005
He's Going For The Extra Point!
Whoosh! Flop! Rrrrrrrrr! Where is it? Punt. Oh nooooooo! Ker-PLUNK!
Let me 'splain. Don and I were enjoying a leisurely boat ride with Charly, on this our 2nd and last day here in beautiful, sunny Florida, and we were on our way back to the house when Don suddenly lost his BMW hat in the wind. It flew off his head and landed in the river. We turned around to go fish it out and just as Don was leaning over the back of the boat to grab it, he hands me his Treo 600 phone and says, "Where is it? Where is it?" I leaned over, pointed and said, "There it is!" And before I could back up, Don had swung his legs around the back of the boat, knocking the phone out of my hand and I watched in slow motion as it bounced and flipped over the edge of the boat. In my head, I was saying (also in slo-mo), "Ohhhhhh nnnnooooooooo!!!" And....ker-PLUNK!! Right into the river.
So we sacrificed a $600 phone for a $30 hat. Oh well. Seems like every time we come down to visit Char, someone leaves just a little lighter. And now, all we have to show for it is a wet $600 hat.
Posted by Amy at 04:47 PM | Comments (7)
January 06, 2005
AAAAAHHHH!!!
It's so wonderful to get away sometimes...especially in the winter! Don and I are visiting our friends, Charly & Tara Caldwell, in sunny Ft. Myers, Florida. As you can see, they live right on the water and it's a gorgeous 80-degree day today. I wasn't sure I was able to go until 2 hours before Don was going to leave. Fortunately, he was able to get me a ticket and here I am!
I was pretty sick yesterday with a chest cold. My throat was so sore that I couldn't even speak. I was hoping that coming here would help me get better and it's working pretty darned well! I already have my voice back and am feeling quite a bit better.
Meanwhile, I hear all the schools in Ann Arbor are closed today because of snow. (We left last night during a snow storm.) Wouldn't it be great if our return flight was postponed a couple days?
Posted by Amy at 03:39 PM | Comments (0)
January 05, 2005
A Rare Sight
Road trip to Kalamazoo...$20. Christmas gifts for the family...$350. Having your brother do the dishes instead of you? Priceless.
Here's something I thought I'd never see in my entire life...My brother, Koset, doing the dishes! Me and my sister were the ones who always had to do the housechores, never my brother. Even now, when I visit my parents at their house for dinner, I still feel like it's my duty to do the dishes. It was such a pleasure to visit the family and not have to do them this time! Thanks, bro!
Posted by Amy at 11:55 AM | Comments (0)
January 04, 2005
It's A Jeep Thing
Well, today's the day Don and I go pick up the new Jeep Liberty Sport. We're trading in the Subaru WRX for something cheaper so that we can save up more money to buy a bigger house. I'll be really sad to see the WRX go since it was SO much fun to drive. But I think I'm really going to enjoy this Jeep 4x4.
We got a great deal, thanks to our friend Pablo, who works for Chrysler Marketing. We got a discount through him for our 3-year lease. I believe we'll be paying about $3,500 less per year for this Jeep than for the Subaru since the car and insurance payments both go way down. And, in fact, since the dealership had so few left, we're getting one with some upgraded features for the same low price! Whee haaa!
Posted by Amy at 12:10 PM | Comments (1)
January 03, 2005
Happiness Is A Warm Puppy
As they used to say in the Peanuts cartoon strip, "Happiness is a warm puppy." That's true when it comes to this puppy. This is Magnet ("Mag" for short). He belongs to the Rose family, but he's my most favorite dog.
Not sure what breed he is. All I care about is that he's the most sweet, loving and adorable dog in the whole world! I wish I could take him home with me. But I doubt he'd be accepted by our 3 cats or by Don who's definitely not a dog person. But at least I can visit him often when we go to Greg & Sue's house and he always greets me with joy and love.
Posted by Amy at 04:18 PM | Comments (0)
January 01, 2005
Happy New Year! It's 2005!
Wow, can you believe it's already 2005? Of course, every year I say the same thing. It takes me all year to get used to what year it is and then it's already a new year.
Don and I went to a party up in Brighton last night with Greg and Sue Rose. I don't know about Don, but I had a pretty good time. I had some champagne to ring in 2005, played some Euchre (haven't played since college but I still love the game), and got a little drunk, which is kind of rare for me. Usually, I don't drink much at all and even if I do, I sometimes get sick before I get drunk. I know, I'm a lightweight. And today, I'm still a little hungover.
This afternoon, we're going over to Greg & Sue's house to watch the Wolverines kick some major butt in the Rose Bowl. I know, I know, I'm a Spartan, but who cares? GO BLUE!
Posted by Amy at 01:49 PM | Comments (0)