Ramblings of the Mildly Insane

WTF was this guy thinking (please note, this is a link to a video file - it is graphic, PLEASE BE PREPARED to see it - I wasn’t and I ended up shaking and crying…)

via mags via sam

“Pain In The Ass Passive Aggressive Nightmare”

This is not a bonafide teli-ism as I did not come up with it, but it was so damn funny, I couldn’t help but steal it and blog it. (credit goes to J. and S.H. for this one)

I was supposed to be a doctor. A neurosurgeon to be exact. I knew deep down I wanted to work on people’s brains and make them better (which may explain my weird affinity for abnormal/criminal psychology).

My teachers all told me that if I wanted to become a doctor, I’d have to study and become really good at math and science. So, that’s what I did. I studied and got straight A’s, by the end of fifth grade I was already reading and writing at a senior level and had a 4.0 unweighted GPA - I was going to do anything and everything in my power to see my dream come true.

But life happened, and my sister, being as wonderful as she is, took over my dream when I was too tired and weak to dream anymore. She may not be a neurosurgeon, but she’s a nurse - and she even works in the ICU. She is so strong and I am so proud of her. I’ve heard on a couple different occasions now someone saying to me “when I grow up I want to be just like you” and I think to myself - “when I grow up, I want to be just like her.”

She wants me to try and study medicine again, but that’s a moot point, the fear still paralyzes me.

For those who do not know, I have two sisters. Two of the world’s greatest siblings. Now, before you all start to think this will become a “leave it to beaver” moment - you’re almost wrong. We had our problems, we fought, we cursed each other out, let’s just say the WWE Smackdown had nothing on us (and I’m still amazed that we can all look back on the “bar stool incident” and laugh). But I wouldn’t be alive today without them.

Di-panny (not her real name, just what I call her) is the oldest of us three and you know what she did? She took care of me - and she still does. When she came over today to grab her check, she brought me a Valentine’s day gift, a cute little red and white unicorn with wings, and some medicine for my cough.

She knew I was so sick that I couldn’t even breathe (or sleep) and I literally just felt like hiding from the world. I feel so bad because I was a bad sister. I was short with her and rude on the phone when we spoke (i.e. complaining about how crappy I felt and why the world sucked), yet she still thought enough about me to bring me something to make me smile. She reminds me so much of my mom.

I definitely need to step it up in the sister department. I think I’m going to take some breaks to work on a present for her. I don’t know what yet, but I’ll come up with something.

If you don’t already have a sister, go out and get yourself one - quick - they’re the best things that can happen to a person.

What’s really scary is that at any given point and time, the folks at DirecTV can know exactly where I watch t.v. in my own home. Although it may seem trivial - think about it, they can compile studies on where “the most t.v.” watching ocurs in the average home. They probably already do, but it really just dawned on my today as I was checking my bill online when I noticed “Receiver Package #1 Information - MASTER RM” (each room has it’s own id card…)

Today’s my daddy’s birthday and we had a brief phone conversation to commemorate it:

Me: (phone rings, I answer) Happy Birthday Daddy.

Daddy: (long pause) So you’re still alive?

Me: Why wouldn’t I be?

Daddy: Well, Maxine called me and wished me a happy birthday, that’s when I realized I didn’t hear anything from you. I thought something was wrong with you or you were sick.

Me: Why would you think I was sick? I was just waiting until after 9pm so your cell phone minutes would be free

Daddy: Ooooooh. Well, you’re usually the one who remembers everybody’s birthday and when I didn’t hear from you…

Me: Aaaaw, I’m sorry, but I really was just thinking of your cell phone bill cuz I know it’s your only phone and I don’t want to use up all your minutes.

Can’t believe my daddy would actually think I’d forget his birthday (hello - it’s the day after Valentine’s Day) - next year I will pay no concern to cell phone minutes or sleep and call him at 12:01am like I do for everyone

Either that, or I have another stalker :D.

This morning, I got a bunch of pretty pink and (hot pinkish?) red carnations with a note that says

Teli, On this special day, will you be my Valentine?

Hmmm…now who could that be? Well, it may be my sister. Normally she’s my Valentine and I’m hers b/c we’re usually not involved with anyone. It used to be, dinner, movies, laugh about how we don’t need men cuz we can take out our own garbage.

But, something leads me to believe it’s not her b/c she’s not the flower sending type (I’m usually the one who gets them flowers - yea, I try to be a good sister). And I just received some more flowers. A dozen red roses that smell absolutely divine with the same message. So the plot thickens. Who’s my secret admirer?

I think it could be the unnamed one. If it is the unnamed one, thank you - you know who you are and I know you read my blog.

It’s time for me to start looking at different billing software options. When I first started out as a freelancer, I didn’t have to worry about such stresses, but now as business is continuing to grow at a very steady pace, I find myself needing to utilize my time wisely.

I certainly don’t want my customer service skills to suffer (I regularly hear “wow, you’re so cool” from my clients and I don’t want that to stop ^_^). I notice as my time is pushed to the limits, I tend to become grumpier and I don’t like being grumpy LOL.

So, since I have a redesign of my website (buniek) coming up soon - it’s been sitting there collecting dust - there are a few things I’d like to do. I honestly don’t know which direction to go in with regards to the site, I’ve toyed around with the idea of adding a “mini blog” that deals solely with web related stuff for the layman (i.e. my average visitor) which will help them with understanding the design process, what it entails, costs, tips, etc. - but then I still have this blog to maintain, more than a few personal projects on the stove, and of course, the client projects - so time is in short supply these days.

I think I may end up putting up a one page blurb (biting the style of house of pretty) saying, “I’m too busy to build my own site…” and be done with it. But I probably won’t.

The other thing I’d really like to do is move my invoicing, billing, payment, customer service, etc. online. I’ve been looking at the multiple types of software for this purpose, but it seems that all of them lack something that I’d like to have and some are just plain overkill for my needs.

I want to invoice my clients through the site - i.e. say, “hey Joe, your invoice is ready, login to see it, print it, and pay for it - all right there” and life would be sweet. Right now, I have a nifty combination of Legal Billing, Microsoft Money (it came free with my Sharebuilder account), and Dreamweaver (yes, I’m archaic, I actually manually do the invoices). Unfortunately, that’s not very productive and it’s definitely time for me to become more of that.

I’d also like to have a communication interface so I can talk back and forth with my clients, add details/remove details from the project instead of being lost in a sea of emails. I have well over 2,700 emails in my inbox (surprisingly, only 2 are spam). Filterting mail to specific folders has worked for a while, but it’s starting to drive me a little nuts.

So, what I need:

• Web based
• Preferably PHP and opensource (I like to look at what I’m using)
• Invoicing feature (being able to email the invoices would be nice too)
• Payment integration (I’d like to integrate with PayPal and iKobo)
• Lightweight (I don’t need super business enterprise versions of anything - I’m not there yet)
• Communication suite - with ability to prioritize messages (give my inbox a break)

There are a few other things I’d like, but those are incidental and so begins my search…

O is for the only one I see
V is very very extraordinary
E is even more than anyone that you adore can
LOVE, it’s all that I can give to you

Love, is more than just a game for two
Two in love can make it, take my heart, but please don’t break it
Love, was made for me and you…

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone. Don’t forget to give your significant other a huge smooch, and if you don’t have a significant other, treat yourself to something special today. Enjoy your gift from me to you - don’t say I never gave you nothin’

* and for you sick twisted types, the gift was a smile - hopefully

I was having a conversation with “the unnamed one” and I explained to him why I would most likely not be able to pick him up at the airport - but the discussion seemed lost upon him.

Maybe this presentation can explain matters more clearly…forewarned is forearmed

With thanks going to Amber

I owe my soul to the company store…er, the design business. It seems that every moment I look over my shoulder, I have yet another project to work on. Somehow, although I’m not taking new clients, I’ve managed to land yet another massive project. Ooops, there goes my planned endeavors for my own personal sites.

It’s not all bad though. I have a special treat planned for my readers for Valentine’s Day. It’s nothing major - heck, some of you may not even catch it, but for those that do, I hope it brings a smile to your face (or at least a giggle…teeheeheee).

Now, back to Tennessee Earnie…