Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in Cactaur's LiveJournal:

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Thursday, November 26th, 2009
9:09 am	Happy Thanksgiving and all that Your challenge for the day: make it a point to connect with someone you won't "normally" see today. Be it a phone call or email or visit, go out of your way and say hi and thank you to someone in your life. (Comment on this)
Monday, November 2nd, 2009
1:18 pm	How dare you sir How dare my out of town friends show up in Atlanta and try to meet up with me. HOW DARE YOU. Seriously, there've been several of you lately, and I feel really bad about not being able to make it. The kids are a big, well, not time sink, but time sink right now, and my spontaneity has been sorely lacking. I officially owe you all some time next time we're in localized vicinities. Also, how dare Sebastian get another UTI. >. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Monday, October 19th, 2009
10:16 pm	There was a time Moons ago, I was out for the night with a couple of friends. Some venting took, not a bitter turn, but a rough turn. I did my share of it, and in doing so, was definitely not the witness I should have been. In my weakness, I didn't help where I should have. I should have been a pillar of strength, and instead, I was another hammer banging against the wall. I've honestly regretted that night for a while. I should have been a positive influence. I should have had words of advice and wisdom. I should have followed through on my intentions to follow up on things, and I didn't. Now, I regret it even more. Maybe it was a small tiny thing, that I did. Perhaps it was, in reality, only a papercut's worth of harm. But even if that's all it was, I had a chance to help, and I didn't. And sometimes, that's bitter indeed. ... dammit (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, August 31st, 2009
8:29 pm	Thunderkid are go! 5AM is go time. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Monday, August 10th, 2009
7:44 am	Well that sucked False alarm. Barely dilated, mostly effaced, strong contractions. Getting told to go home at 2:30 AM....ugh. It's better to be at home than the hospital, but still. Ugh. (Comment on this)
Sunday, August 9th, 2009
10:27 pm	brb driving to hospital. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, July 27th, 2009
12:11 am	Yayz Spent my evening 1) trying to convince new and unimproved fussy Rose that she should stop screaming and go to sleep 2) cleaning paint off of toys that will be hopefully sold and 3) waiting for Jody to print stuff for the consignment sales she'll have to be at that she doesn't even know the times for this week. Is it Monday yet? (Comment on this)
Tuesday, July 21st, 2009
11:00 pm	Ramblings yet to be written I've been doing some thinking lately, and I'm coming to some conclusions I don't like. I'll have more in the future, because I think it's important I write it down, but I'm not sure I know how yet. I'm ok, so don't worry, but some things that have been percolating for a while are finally taking form. (Comment on this)
Friday, July 10th, 2009
1:40 pm	The continuing saga wherein I feel like posting So, woke up this morning with a fever. Since I hadn't had a fever up until that point, I had to call in and go see the doc. After more poking, prodding, blood sampling, and general unpleasantry, my doc said he really thinks this is just some odd virus and I'll have to deal with it. He pulled some strings and got my specialist appt moved up, which is good, but in the meantime, he gave me some more Lortab, some stellar anti-inflammatories and wished me well. He also pronounced me non-contagious, which is good. Fun times. Meantime, I'm doing better than I was this morning, but I had to get some work done. And now I've got a headache. But that's ok. I can take a headache. (Comment on this)
8:19 am	ugh again Back to the doctors. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
12:27 am	I've got to admit, it's getting better I'm wiped, but I'm feeling a bit better. Some swelling's subsided, and the narcotics are doing their job, so far. Not out of the woods, but getting there. (Comment on this)
Sunday, July 5th, 2009
11:21 pm	Ugh That friend I wrote about? Her son got marked as critical and already has had one blood transfusion. His lungs tore and he has an infection. He's stably critical, which is at least not declining. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Friday, July 3rd, 2009
3:46 pm	Prayer request Hey, a friend of mine just had her kid about 8 weeks early. Her placenta tore from the uterine wall. Her son is doing alright in NICU now, and she's hanging in there, but she had to have an emergency hysterectomy thanks to the unstoppable bleeding. Anyway, they're both ok, but still not completely out of the woods. Prayers would be appreciated. (Comment on this)
Sunday, June 28th, 2009
10:58 pm	denser and denser So, Rose knocked over a lamp with a CFL today. Busted the CFL. If the family goes dumb or something, I blame Rose. (Comment on this)
Friday, June 26th, 2009
7:08 pm	wherein Cactaur quaffs a potion of cure disease I wish that's what had happened. So, this has been a pretty poor year for health with the family--multiple hospital visits, multiple broken bones (or at least same one multiple times) and the latest is me, catching whatever Sera had last week. I've been fighting something in my throat for a while...tested positive for strep a month ago, got meds, went two weeks ago again, tested negative and sent home, and on Tuesday night, started feeling like ass. Fever. Chills. Lethargy. Fun times. I ended up staying home Wednesday, running a high fever off and on, sleeping a lot and generally being miserable and useless. I phoned in to the doc, pleaded for some medicine and got another round of anti-biotics. Maybe they're helping or not. Last night, I was running a consistent fever for 102.5 for a while, and even tylenol wasn't helping much. Long story short, my throat still hurts, but I think I'm past the worst of it. I'm still not nearly 100%, but the fever seems to have broken, and I'm at least able to be up and about. So maybe this is the tail end of it. Unfortunately, the father of my godson-to-be is being thrown a surprise party tomorrow, and I'll be missing it. Even if I am doing better, I don't want to risk passing it on to a two month old. Part of this year has been a bunch of little stuff piling up. You know, four years ago, the little stuff didn't matter so much. Nowadays, it just seems like I can't sweep if off my plate. Obviously, that means something needs to change. I don't know what, though. Jody and I have, given the stresses we're under with her pregnancy issues, the economy, and our family health, a good marriage. I love my girls to death, even if Sera's threes are more of a pain in the ass than her twos when it comes to her attitude. My spiritual life _definitely_ needs a boost. The fact that I keep mentioning that is a clear sign, but the next step for me is unclear. I know the fact that I've got some close friends going through Rough Times(TM) isn't helping, but there's honestly not much that I can do about it other than just being the good friend I think I'm being. So yeah. I've been very unCactaur lately in letting little things drag me down. I'm going to need a super interior spring cleaning, and hopefully get back to my usual self. I miss me, and I know others do too. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Monday, June 8th, 2009
9:51 pm	Whoa, a flying clock 3 years ago tonight, Jody was contracting and I was wondering if we should go to the hospital. Amazing how quickly she's grown, and tomorrow she'll be three. Happy last day as a two year old, Sera. (Comment on this)
Saturday, June 6th, 2009
11:33 pm	Did I mention That Rose rebroke her leg the day she got her cast off? Within hours? Yeah. Another 2 weeks of a gimp daughter. Not fun. (Comment on this)
Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009
1:42 pm	Goodnight, old friend So, apparently David Eddings passed away recently. I am a huge fan of the Belgariad, Mallorean, Elenium and Tamuli series. They aren't serious literature by any means. They were damn good when I read them in middle school (what was written already, that is) and they helped me enjoy fantasy books that much more. To this day, every couple of years, I'll pull them out and read them. They're entertainment, not classics. Mr. Eddings and his wife never had any airs that they were doing something serious, but knew they were just writing things that were fun to read and would hopefully lead readers to more serious works. It was refreshing to hear an wildly successful author with a sense of humility. He will be missed. I know his wife passed on a couple of years ago, and he missed her tremendously. I can only hope that they're together again in a good place. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, May 26th, 2009
1:42 pm	Etiquitte de Accident So, if you end up backing your minivan into someone else _in the middle of the road_ here's what not to do: 1) Take your time pulling over when there is no traffic blocking you, only starting to pull over after the other car is there, the driver is out and is DONE INSPECTING his vehicle. 2) Concern yourself with your vehicle first and the other person's well-being second. 3) Act like the other party is at fault when there is no conceivable legal or ethical standard which does not point to your responsibility. 4) Drive off before the other driver is even done talking to you. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Monday, May 25th, 2009
11:25 pm	How to be a parent So, Sera is being a 2 year old. Not listening. To the point, tonight, where she ended up being sent to bed early, only to have all her bedroom toys taken away after misbehaving. When she said she had to go potty, via her monitor, I went up to help her, as I am wont to do. She talked about seeing the other kids outside playing, and how she wanted to go play. I told her no, she hadn't been listening and she couldn't do that, but if she was good tomorrow, I'd take her out and we'd play. She proceeded to promise she'd listen. And then promptly didn't, to the point of me calling Jody in because I was so upset and didn't feel I could properly discipline her. Sometimes, I've found out, you just have to get out of the situation. Herein lies the rub. Sera was miserable in her room, but she clearly hadn't learned her lesson. Now, the look on her face when she asked to go play could melt your heart. The Grinch, faced with her, would have stood no chance. The urge to be a "nice" dad and relent was strong. But that's the problem: I can't be the nice dad--I have to be the effective dad. Parents have no authority if they say things and go back on them. "One more time and you won't have any ice cream" doesn't work if they still get ice cream after one more time. Kids then realize they have the power, and will use it to no end. This doesn't mean you have to be a heartless parent, but it does mean that if you say an action has consequences, then the action has to have consequences. Poor Sera wasn't a fan of mine at the end of the day. She looked like her world was ending. And truth be told, after the frustration of the moment faded, I still feel like a tool. I don't want any part of my girl being sad. Unfortunately, it's the only way, sometimes. Lessons are learned from everything. I just need them to be the right ones. Hopefully, Sera will act well tomorrow. Then I'll get her outside and we'll play. And we'll both be happier for it. (1 Comment |Comment on this)