Blog re-named…

Boy, this is a monumental day for all … well, me.  I have re-named my site from “My Life Is Just One Big Cell” to “From the Strange Mind of Mike” because I have realized that my life isn’t just one big cell… I have very good life.  I have an amazing family, amazing friends (whom I wish read this blog!), and an amazing girlfriend that has been a very big influence on my life.

It was an inspiration after thinking about her today that I decided to change the name of the site and perhaps the direction… I want to be able to share things I see and observations I make from the world… Hopefully more in-depth than the ones I post on Twitter… (I wish more of my friends would join Twitter and follow me, but I digress!)

So, here it is … the newly named blog.  I am keeping the old content, however, but moving on from my ‘cell’ days to the days ahead.

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Black Friday – Day of Mourning

Black Friday – Day of Mourning… why?  It shows just how materialistic America is.  Here are just a couple of stories I ran across on Digg.com:

2 shot dead at Toys R Us

Worker dies at Long Island Wal-Mart after being trampled in Black Friday stampede

So, just to get some sort of “deal” 3 people in the stories above had to die… I am sure these aren’t the only stories from “Black Friday.”  This sort of behavior is pure EVIL.  Thus, is why I do not and will not participate in it.  I can participate on it online because at least it is safe… I don’t have to worry about losing my life over something so not important…

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Another death in the Family

My Aunt Doris died on July 26th and I (well, we) would have not known if I had not got a letter in the mail with a copy of her will.  It came as a shock; however, I haven’t really felt sadness because I barely knew her.  My mom used to talk to her on occasion and she would ask about me.  I remember Aunt Doris and Aunt Nora coming over from England in the early 80’s with their husbands (I do not even know their names… I think one was Uncle Dick, but I don’t know to whom he was married.)  They were over in England, the sisters of my grandmother on my Dad’s side.  My grandmother on my Dad’s side, I did not ever get to meet as she died in 1968 of breast cancer.  I, of course, was not born until 1973…

The most contact I had with her (or Aunt Nora) was sending them high school and college graduation invitations.  Both of them sent me 20 British pounds for my college graduation, which I never cashed in for US dollars because I thought it was so cool to get some British pounds…

I am so appreciative that I was included in the will (and I am sure that I am in the will in my dad’s place).  It’s not so much the inheritance, but feeling included in the extended family in England.

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Bella the Cat

I adopted Bella on this past Sunday (Sept 21) from Cats in the Cradle Rescue Organization during an adoption event at PetSmart in Alpharetta.  She’s approximately one year old and so-so adorable!  There was another interested party but we (Dana and I) staked our claim and I filled out the adoption application and the foster owner, Debbie, couldn’t have been more excited about us adopting Bella.

Since this was my first animal, Dana and I had to wonder though the PetSmart and buy everything… litterbox, scratchpad, food, food and water bowls, a carrier, litter, collar… Dana was having fun picking this stuff out.  (people love to help me spend my money… I’m looking at you, Kevin! haha)  We got through at PetSmart and it was time to go home with my new pet!

Once we got home with her, she proceeded to put out her food and water, fill the litterbox, and get her collar ready to put on Bella… but while our backs were turned, she got out of the open carrier and hid… and she hid WELL.  I found her Monday after work in closet… I thought I had looked everywhere!  I didn’t make her come out but I did pet her to let her know that everything was okay… later I did bring her out and showed her the food and water bowls… she looked at me like I was crazy and went back upstairs and found another hiding place.

I was awoken early on Tuesday morning by the sound of moving blinds… she had come out and she’s moving around the kitchen.  I went downstairs and fixed my door blinds and went back to bed as there was no sign of her.  I went back to bed and about an hour later, she did it again… and the same thing, no sign of her… so I decided to sleep on the couch… and again, about an hour later, she did it once again, but this time I was prepared.  I caught her in the kitchen and I pet her a bunch for about 30 minutes and I got her to purr! 🙂  But then, I had to go get ready for work and she hid again!!!


She still looks a bit scarred but she’s still adorable…

Dana arrived at my house before I got home from work and found her and had been bonding with her.  I got home and she had gone upstairs but I found her and brought her downstairs.  We all pet her and did some more bonding with her.  Now, she’s always around! haha….


Getting more comfy, are we?

I stayed home from work (well, I worked from home) on Wednesday because Dana was sick and it’s contagious and I didn’t want to spread it at work… so, we did get some more bonding in.  I bought Bella a ‘jungle gym’ from Target and put it together.  She hasn’t played on it yet, but I am sure she will.

Yesterday, still fearful from getting sick, I worked from home again.  Bella stayed around almost all day.  She did go upstairs to her favorite window and sat in the window sunning and watching what’s going on outside.  She loves to do that.  I did get her to be a bit more playful last night.


She has found herself a favorite perch on the back of my couch… 🙂

Today is the first day I have left her alone after she came out of hiding… I hope she doesn’t tear up my house!

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Health Update

I had an appointment yesterday with an Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor… I just had to put my ear ringing on the new patient form, so I got to take a hearing test (oh, boy!!!) but it went well and I am borderline normal/perfect.  The doctor that gave it to me said it was like having 20/30 vision.  Not quite perfect, but very close.  (and this wasn’t even why I was there!)

I finally saw the doctor I was there to see.  He did an exam and determined that I will need a sleep study.  Due to a few issues (including snoring), I am not getting good quality sleep.  This may be causing some of my tiredness during the day, etc.  This wonderful sleep study is to be scheduled soon.  I get to sleep in a room they have arranged like a hotel room.  Well, I have spent quite a bit of time in hotels this year, so it should be natural now! 🙂

He also gave me a prescription for Flonase for nasal congestion.  I am pretty sure that’s due to allergies, etc.


My last physical resulted in two no-so-bad issues:

1.) My LDL Cholesterol (the “bad” Cholesterol) was 113 and the doctor wants it under 100, so now, I have to take Lipitor in addition to the Tricor… 113, I thought, was normal… unfortunately, the government has changed the guideline to 100… Because it’s necessary or because it’ll sell more medication?

2.) My blood-sugar was 100, which is supposedly 1 unit above normal for fasting level… I am going to have to have it checked again.

In 6 weeks, I have to go back and get my Cholesterol and my blood-sugar re-checked.  Fun, fun, fun.

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