The difference between "Ooohh" and "Aaahhh" is usually about 4 inches So the movie of the weekend was The Grudge with Sarah Michelle Gellar, et al and I thought it was rather okay. I just say okay because I am a bit against the Americanization of most foreign films because obviously, something gets lost in the translation. I�m looking forward to seeing Ju-On, the original Japanese flick because I thought the whole story was so terribly Japanese that I thought the Americans-studying-living-abroad-and-getting-dumped-into-this-Japanese-legend was a bit . . . eehhhh. Anyhoo. Yes, it was decidedly creepy which thrilled me, and I shuddered and cackled and shivered when appropriate. I don�t think this film did too well at the box office and I can see why � it doesn�t fit in our �USA! USA! USA!� mentality when dealing with things we don�t necessarily like. The Karen character was dragged into this scene as an unwilling participant, and would suffer greatly for it, yet there was absolutely nothing she could do, and no way she would EVER prevail. That doesn�t work in Schwarzenegger�s America, now, does it? The Japanese culture seems to be more mythic and spiritual to realize that most things are out of the control of the puny humans. And that little kid screeching like a cat scared the jibblies out of me. Last night the hubby and I watched a couple of episodes of an Japanese animated series called Agent Aika which features nudity, gun fights, deviant sex, jet fighter dogfights, and girl-on-girl karate action with LOTS of shots of white panties. Gary loved it. Actually, I liked it too. I�ve recently had some days off due to my taking over another guy�s shifts, so not having to work Monday or Tuesday has been a bit odd. It did, however, allow me to run those kinds of errands that you can only do on a weekday off, like visit the MVD. I finally got the truck title, so now that bugger can die anytime it wants to, and I suppose now the damn thing will run for another 3 years. I had lunch with the hubby, and I got a massage (ahhhh!) and my nails done (ohhhh!) so I was feeling like a new person. Tuesday I went to the gym for the first time since the surgery. I really could have gone like a month ago, but . . . who the hell wants to? I did pretty well on the weights, which makes me happy that my muscle tone hasn�t gone completely to pot. Cardio, however, was a total BEAR, and I must have been wheezing because everyone was staring at me. I however had my MP3 going and I was daffily mouthing all the words and smiling so I didn�t care. I also picked up the bloody expensive cat food from the vet. We give this to all 3 cats but it�s mainly for Max, who is suffering from renal failure, and this food keeps him from throwing up as often. But this stuff is $25 for a ten pound bag, and I�m getting at my wit�s end about this. Then I took Gypsydog to the groomers to get her nails clipped, which turned into a rather traumatic experience. They nipped her on several claws. I didn�t realize that the quick in the dog�s nails grow WITH the nails, and if you don�t get them clipped often enough, you get bleeders fairly often. And her claws are BLACK, so you can�t see the quick anyway. So she started running around in circles, leaving little drops of blood EVERYWHERE, and I eventually had to lie down on top of her, pinning her to the floor while holding her in a bear hug while the cute technician (he WAS cute, in that goofy way that I love so well) put styptic powder on the boo boos. She managed to break loose and knock the canister over, throwing styptic EVERYWHERE and I was covered with fur from head to toe. The funny thing was that she was okay with my laying on top of her; she just didn�t like her leg being grabbed, because she figured that bad man was going to hurt her again. Yet she still took cookies from him. I was apologizing left and right but everyone laughed and told me I should bring her in more often. I guess they�re used to goofy-assed dogs going crazygonuts everywhere and wreaking havoc and upsetting the house Great Dane. And damn those dogs are freaking HUGE. That�s not a dog, that�s a pony. Hook it up to a cart. What were those things bred for, anyway? Sheer fear factor? Update on the SIL: She�s doing well and has been moved to a regular room. She even was able to sit up for a little while and eat a bit, but the hospital narcotics make her nauseated. They hope to come home soon. Oh, and I got a bill from the imagers who did my PET scan to the tune of $2800 because my insurance wasn�t paying up. So I called the insurance company and got some poor schlep on the line who doesn�t know a PET scan from his elbow. Apparently there�s discussion as to why this test (which is rather expensive) was MEDICALLY NECESSARY. I asked the bloke if he knew what this test looks for and he said no, and I explained briefly how the test shows metabolic activity, i.e. the possibility of cancer, and he said that I needed to get my pulmonologist to contact the insurance company to explain that. So I call my pulmonologist�s office and relayed this to nurse. She replied with �They want to know WHAT? Gimme their number. I�ll call you back.� She calls back in about 30 minutes and tells me they�re processing the claim now. I like knowing people with power, or at least enough gumption to fake it. And I�ll have what she�s having.
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