Christmas in Atlanta 2010

Well, for some reason beyond my comprehension, someone wished really hard and managed to get a white Christmas in Atlanta.
Normally, I'd be as excited about this as the next person.  Provided I was at home enjoying the scenery from the comfort of my home.
However, as it turns out, I am currently shaking the overtime tree rather vigorously. Because of departmental "shortcomings", each shift has only two people. And when one's shiftmate has roughly two weeks of vacation to use and is quicker than ones self in requesting said vacation time, it leads to massive amounts of overtime, albeit forced.
My current rotation has me off on Fridays and Saturdays.
Well, Christmas Day was a Saturday this year, so the company paid holiday was Friday.
I've been working since the Sunday prior, so with shiftmate off on vacation for the week, I get to work my days off. And come back on Sunday and Monday because that's shiftmate's normal off days.
Well, as you might remember, I'm not particularly fond of snow.
Especially when work's involved, ie when it snows while I'm at work and effectively traps me there because my relief can't get in.
So there I am, working on Christmas Day, when it starts to snow. And stick.
But it's only making the streets wet, so driving isn't a hazard yet. It's continuing to come down, and I'm sweating bullets about whether or not relief will be in.
Thankfully, relief arrived and I flew my happy ass home. 
Well, so to speak anyway.
I drove with conditions in mind.
Temperatures, which were right above freezing, are now dropping, making those wet roads a major hazard.
Thankfully, I don't have to be at work again until 3pm tomorrow, meaning that with projected daytime temperatures in the mid 40's, it'll all be melted by the time I have to go back in.
Remember that, kids. Grandpa Merlin doesn't do snow and ice well.
I know I'm going to be missing birthdays because your mother didn't have the common sense to have ya'll in warm weather, but these things cannot be helped. I love ya'll regardless.
Perhaps one day all my nagging of your mother will bear fruit and ya'll will move down here where it's warm (okay, most of the time - it's still better than KC, especially regarding volume of snow. Here you get a pretty picture and it's gone, there it stays for months and keeps coming - see blizzard)  
Or, I'll win the lottery and it'll be a complete non issue.
I'm voting for the lottery win myself.
And that's got me thinking of just what I'd do if I were to win.
So come along if you will, for a Christmas fantasy story, about what I'd do.
First thing, get the money. Seriously, I want it accessible. And lets say, since it's my fantasy, that the jackpot is about 200 million for Mega Millions. (Which it is, I just checked).
Okay, so I've won. Now I have to decide whether to take the lump sum or the annuity.
If I take the lump sum, I'll get approximately 50 - 75 million before taxes. Taxes would then take approximately 50% (ballpark figure), leaving me with 25 - 37.5 million. No further taxes on that money, apart from sales taxes.
Or, I can take the annuity - this is a guaranteed payment yearly of 1/20th of the jackpot, spaced out over 20 years. However, taxes come out of this each year. So, ballparking it as 200 million that makes a yearly payment of approximately 10 million, of which 50% is taken for taxes, leaving 5 million. Over a 20 year span, I would eventually end up with 100 million.
Now, I believe that in the case of an annuity, it's part of my Estate.
So that's also a factor. Decisions, decisions.
I elect to go for the annuity.
Now, I have by this time engaged an accountant, a lawyer and probably a business manager. So, it's time to spend money. First, no matter what time of year it is, I'm going to grab Grandpa Don and drag him to the airport, where we will be hopping on the first flight to see you. While en route to the airport, I'll be arranging Uncle Ian's transportation to KC.
Thats the best thing about fantasies. No matter what, everyone does exactly what you want them to. So we fast forward, and your mom's prepared because she was in the top 5 of the people I called when this happened.
We arrive at the door, and everyone's ready to go. Despite Grandpa Don's bitching (and even in a fantasy, that's gonna happen) we're going to Disney World. I want to show you both the Magic Kingdom, the way it really should be seen. No holds barred, Ultra VIP treatment.
So after spending a million or two creating that fantasy within a fantasy, reality beckons.
Of course, I'm buying you a house somewhere warm. That, there's going to be absolutely no argument about. I'm not saying Texas warm, I'm saying where ever it is, there will not be measurable snowfall for an extended period.
And trust funds would be established for ya'll. College too.
You'd be able to meet Polgara and HRH Cleopatra too. That would be nice.
So I'm thinking compound, myself. That's where you have a large area of land that's yours, and you essentially subdivide it by building separate houses with a common area in the center.
You'd be in one house, I'd be in another, Grandpa Don and Uncle Ian in theirs, Grandma Lisa & Grandpa Joe in theirs... and it'd be on a lake. With mountains in the distance.
(Hey, it's my fantasy, I get to do this)
And that's how I'd spend the first year's money.
Fast forward to year two... travel. I'd buy an apartment on The World - specifically, since this is fantasy, the six bedroom penthouse, seen here. The World is a luxury liner that offers a unique opportunity to explore the world. You buy an apartment, like a condominium, and you travel to different world ports, where you can depart, and rejoin the ship at a later date in another port. I'm not explaining it clearly, it's late and I'm tired. 
Regardless, that's how I want to travel.  And with the size of that apartment, company isn't an issue, so when you're out of school, you'll be travelling. Just so you know.
Auntie Mame, that's me. Give me the money and I'll show you how to live.
Anyway... it's late, I'm tired, and that's enough of this fantasy for now.

Merry Christmas, Andrea & Aiden, and Jessica and Chris, and to all, a good night.

B'sidhe has died

B'sidhe has died. 
The past couple of days have worked out that I encountered an opportunity for overtime.
My hope was that I'd be able to pull together enough to pay for B'sidhe to go to the vet and that I'd be able to cover whatever procedure would be necessary. 
Unfortunately, the timing wasn't right. 
B'sidhe died. I was doing some cleaning and I found her in the bathroom cabinet. 
She was with me for 17 years...

B'sidhe

B'sidhe is dying. I know that deep in my heart I expected this one day...I just didn't expect it today.
She's the cat that came into my life the day I lost Pyewacket to some speeding douchebag.  
It's so hard to believe that happened over 17 years ago....just a couple of days ago, she was her usual self, climbing where she knew she wasn't supposed to, giving everyone (Polgara and Cleopatra) absolute hell, and doing her "I'm lonely, where's everyone" yodel.
Now, in just a couple of days, she's lost a serious amount of weight, she's lethargic, refusing treats, and the biggest shocker of all, she was going to allow Cleopatra to steal treats literally right from under her nose. One thing you never ever do is try to steal food from B'sidhe. She didn't hiss, she didn't swat at her, she was just going to allow it to happen. That's what's freaked me out the most.


I'm going to take her to the vet tomorrow, to determine what's wrong aside from old age.
Then I'll have to make a quality of life decision. I don't know what to do. 
If the Dr says she's in pain, do I spare her pain and have her put down then? 
Of course, best case scenario is that the vet will say that she's just old and a vitamin shot will do the trick.  
Unfortunately, finances are also a major part of this.
I simply cannot afford to pay out thousands of dollars for treatment that may or may not work. 
Hell, I can't even afford that for myself.
And the even bigger bitch is that her vet, Dr Gordon, retired years ago.  He was affordable and would have given me a straight answer to this issue, and would have worked with me financially.
Now, I'm looking at trying to make a vet understand that I appreciate honesty above all else, and that they'll be *very* sorry if they try to talk down to me.
Crap.  I'm digressing. I'm going to try and get her to eat something now.
I'll post more after I know more.

Welcome, Aiden Kelly

You'll have to forgive me for not getting this done sooner, Aiden.
I'm personally putting it down to "second child syndrome"... the fact of the matter is that I had Andrea's pictures within minutes of her birth.
Your pictures? I finally got some today.  Two weeks after your arrival.
Regardless, here you are! 


Aiden, Chris and Jessica




Mr. Aiden Christopher




Andrea, Jessica and Aiden



Aiden & Daddy



Aiden Christopher




Daddy, Andrea, Mommy & Aiden  



Aiden Christopher

Aiden & Chris (aka Daddy)  

Mommy & Daddy

Aiden

Gramma Lisa

Picture update on Aiden

Wow.  That's all I can say. Wow.
You've been here almost 24 hours, and I have a total of TWO pictures of you.
Actually, let me rephrase that.  I personally have ONE picture of you, Grandpa Don has two.
He sent me the one of you and your mom and sister, and he's got your closeup picture, which I'm supposed to be receiving shortly. 
Regardless, only TWO pictures? 
C'mon, Jessica, Chris, Lisa, and Joe!  TWO pictures? 
Jess, you're excused because you just produced Aiden. 
But the rest of you?  Get serious! 
Just because I couldn't make it up there for the birth doesn't mean I should get shut out of the picture sharing!
So SHARE already!!
It's not like you're using actual film, ferchrissakes... it's DIGITAL!
I WANT MY PICTURES!!!

Welcome to the world, Aiden Christopher Kelly, born today

Well, your mom's relieved, you finally decided to make your appearance.
Don't know many details at the moment, my phone's kinda screwed up and has no sound.
So when your Grandpa Don texted me that you were on the way, of course I didn't get the message until 6 hours later. 
However, he did tell me you were 9 lbs - you'll discover this over the course of time, however best you also learn it from the beginning. Grandpa Don doesn't do details well.  If I'd gotten Grandma Lisa on the phone, I coulda found out your birth weight, your size, and your birth time.
So your birth chart will have to wait until I talk to her.

Regardless, welcome to the world, kid. And Jess, if you're reading this, WHERE ARE MY PICTURES?????  

I'm the crazy Unca Merlin your big sister Andrea's gonna warn you about.
Proof I'm crazy?  Your baby pictures are going up just as soon as I get them.
Ask Andrea. I did it to her too.

Welcome, Aiden Kelly

Yeah, Andrea, I know... this is supposed to be all about you. Well, things change, and part of the things that change would be the arrival of your new baby brother, Aiden.
Today's October 20th, and he should be arriving soon. 
(At least according to your mother, who, lets face it, would know better than just about anyone except Aiden, and as of right this moment, he's not saying anything, just positioning himself for his arrival) 
Your mom says that she's lost the mucous plug and has been having contractions, but this is just pre-labor.  The fun won't be starting for another couple of days at least (I'm betting on October 21st or 22nd myself) since the moon's not yet full. 
I'm betting he's going to make his appearance during the October full moon.
I was right about your birth, and I do have an impressive track record regarding predicting arrivals - and before you start in on me about what the moon has to do with it, let me remind you that the moon does exert a gravitational pull on the Earth - and it does affect labor. 
So anyway... Aiden, I'm your Grandpa Merlin.  I'm not going to be able to get there for your arrival, but trust me, soon enough you'll meet me and your Grandpa Don.
I'm the one who sent up all the bears you'll see around your and Andrea's bedrooms (that is, when you develop cognizance that is) - and why I'm probably constantly getting dirty looks from your mom when I'm there.
Oh well, since you're my grandchild by "adoption", just as your sister Andrea is, I get to spoil the two of you like there's no tomorrow and I don't have to answer to your real grandparents or parents about it.
And incidentally, if I'm wrong about your birthdate, I apologize.  But we'll have to see. 
Love you, little man.

Lady Sintana has died.

Wow.  Honestly didn't think hearing it a couple of days ago that it would continue to affect me the way it has. She passed in hospice, surrounded by her immediate family.
The obituary was of course, complete and utter bullshit served for history and publicity. David (Lord Merlin) was listed as her husband, and while they did legally marry under Georgia law some years back, it was solely to put her under his insurance.
Under Wiccan law, she married and divorced at least 4 other times that I can immediately remember. Those men were her husbands.
But that doesn't look good when writing about an icon.
And I'm not denying her Icon status - she truly was a pioneer who deserves to be remembered.

However I believe people should remember the woman as well as the witch.

Her past is something that is about to undergo some serious editing, in preparation for history.
I was there, at the beginning. I heard the stories first hand.
How she handled her abusive 1st husband by pouring boiling water on his privates -
The particulars of her long term relationship with Sandy, and her bisexuality.
How she was introduced to Wicca by her dresser, who was one of the Brittani tradition.

The stories of Ravenwood - warts and all, will be cleaned up for publication. 

I don't want that to happen. With the sanitizing, comes the forgetting of Jolene. And she deserves more than that.

Boy howdy I know I'm on your list, kid but here's why

It's been forever since I blogged, or since you've seen me or Grandpa Don, and there's been so much to happen. 
First off, you're getting a little brother or sister.  Remember to share Theodore with them.
He's really yours, but I know you'll want to share him with the new one.
And if you feel like it, you can share Pinky with him too... Pinky would love that.

Anyway, on to what's driving me back to the blog aside from guilt at not writing for you -
I've had an ephiphany of sorts.  I have this enormous block of knowledge that I've spent a lifetime acquiring - and the time has come to use it.

Simply put, I've decided to develop a class called "Magick for Dummies".  By no means meant to be a comprehensive exploration or education on the subject, but instead disseminating information about it and demonstrating that it does indeed exist. 
There's honestly no religious component to it either, unless it's self assigned. 

Regardless, I have a feeling that there's going to be controversy about my decision to teach this particular subject too ...  however I have a right to teach from my experience and knowledge base.  And I'm not doing advanced studies, taking on apprentices or anything like that.

I really feel that something like this needs to be taught.