Piques!!!

Piques!!!
Originally uploaded by locomocos

A word about Piques...

Piques are a pain in my....foot.

They are a little bug that burrows into your foot and lay eggs. It feels like you're walking on a tiny pebble, and it's annoying as hell - and everyone gets them. I tried so hard to only wear tennys and never wear flip flops. I was so scared to touch the ground with my naked foot - for fear of piques.

Last weekend I went to visit a Peace Corps volunteer who lives 2 hours north of Caaguazu in the campo (country) and touched her floor barefoot only twice. Both times to get up to turn her light off before I went to bed. 2ce. And BAM. I got 2 piques. One on each foot. The medical officer will be in the office today, so I'll get her to take them out for me. I will watch how she does it, so I will be able to do it myself from now it. It's just like removing a splinter - so i've heard. Most of my fellow trainees have had one by this time.

Although you remember that story about the girl who was babysitting and thought she had a zit - but it was actually a spider bite that laid eggs and while she was taking a shower the babies burst out of her face? I think that actually happens with pique. But not on your face. One of my fellow trainees let her pique go - and it ended up "bursting". Gross me out.

So after this precious moment on the compu - i'm waiting in line for the doctor. Ugh.

Plus while at the volunteer's site, I was constantly teased about my name. In Spanish, the word "casi" means "almost". So after the tireless jokes (yes - the native people never tired of joking about my name, weight, and my age) I have decided to go by Elizabeth when I become a volunteer. I think it will be alot easier than trying to explain than in English, "casi" isn't a word.

Suerte a mi.

who are these guys?

New Email

Due to a plethora (pleh -thor - ah, like Gabriel, my #1 friend on Trekkies) of emails to my dr.teeth account, i can´t get into my account to clean up the messages sent within 1 week. SO PLEASE - no crap emails anymore. I had to create an entire new account and now I don´t have anyones email addresses.

So PLEASE send me your home addresses (for postcards) and email addresses (by sending it in a quick email) so i can create my new address book. I´ll try to clean up the other account, but at this point - I can´t even login.

email me at
locomocos@bust.com

Once again - no large or junk emails. I beg you. I can only check my email and update my blog about once a week, and I´m paying an arm and a leg at this internet cafe. Be kind. Re-no more.

I am having a good time, but today was the first day i started feeling some homesickness. i was crazy excited to check my emails - but to no avail. Thanks for posting hellos for me on this blog. i almost started crying! Unfortunately I don´t have much time left to post anything good - but I Have bought postcards for anyone who sends me their address!!! Yeah!!!

I washed all my clothes yesterday. it took about 3 hours and my knuckles are rubbed raw. That´s right, raw. Meaning I put my clothes in a bucket of water, and started rubbing them together with some soap to get all the dirt out. After my family situated their chairs around me (I have become their new favorite comedy program) they gave me a scrubby brush (after 2 hours of scrubbing) which aliviated some of the loving blood i was putting into the soapy water. hooray! Of course, at about 8:30 pm, right before we were leaving for a sugar cane fiesta in town, it started raining and my clothes were soaked! not to mention the roads became flooded. No fiesta for me. :(

Saturday after training, we all got together with most of the kids in town, and played soccer, frizbee and pique volley - which is a game like volley ball, except you can´t use your hands! The kids down here are CRAZY good at it! Only feet, heads, a volley ball net, and a soccer ball! Loco!

I´m going to Ascuncion this next week for a meeting at the main PC office. I hope to buy a camera and a flash card to upload photos onto a computer without having to load a program. I think I can do it with a usb type adapter, right?

Well, once again, please email me at my new address at locomocos@bust.com to talk to me. I miss everyone so much and need your home and email addresses again!

I´m in friggin´ Paraguay

I´m at an internet cafe and it is harder than hell to type. I just went to a soccer game in a town next to my village. Seem like an odd post? Well, I´m in friggin´Paraguay!

I don´t have any photos yet, cause I plan on buying a camera next week - but what a whirlwind in getting here!!! What should I have brought? Sheets, Swimsuit and sanity. I am speaking purely spanish with my new host family - and I realize how terrible I am. They don´t speak English AT ALL and my spanish sounds like a 4 year old. not to mention I´m learning the native language, Guarani first - which barely sounds like spanish. Sounds more like Alien crackly language. Tomorrow I spend all Sunday with my host family which consists of my mom (42) dad (47) sister (25) brother in law (28) and their son (2). I live in a "rustico" house with an outhouse and a mosquito net. it´s crazy.

I don´t have much time, but I´m okay, learning to drink the local tea, and dying of heat since i can only wear long sleeves.

I miss you all and I´m okay!

Chow!

4 More Days

Well it is now crunch time. Apart from painting my mom's new house, I haven't been doing much in the way of pre-trip pondering. I'm pretty much packed with a few things still to purchase. I'm taking a myriad of things:

sleeping bag
yoga mat
accordian
knitting needles
cd player and cds (no ipod for me!)
new coat
hat/gloves
multiple pants/shirts/shoes
12 month supply of tampons and lunapads
books
hat/bandanas
swiss army knife from dad
Leatherman A-Ron bought me
(only) 4 pairs of shoes
my loverly stained red hooded sweatshirt


I have decided against my little pillow and have decided to purchase a nice compact travel pillow instead. No use destroying a family favorite.

I'm at the point of return - which means that I could still back out if I wanted to. But really since I got my tooth pulled and a new one installed (thanks to my dad) I figured I past the point of NO return back in July.

Ways to contact Cassie:

1. You can send me letters at

Cassie Doolittle PCT (for trainee - the first 3 months) or PCV (volunteer after I am placed)
Cuerpo de Paz
162 Chaco Boreal c/Mcal. López
Asunción 1580, Paraguay
South America

An estimated 80% of letters arrive which takes 2-3 weeks by airmail.

Please number your letters in case any of them get lost. If I recieve a letter that says #2 and I never got #1, you'll know why I haven't been in contact.



Packages are often opened and items stolen. If you decide to send me something in the mail, make sure it is of little value (like Jiffy Pop). Send nothing worth over $200. A big bonus will be burned CDs. I will constantly be listening to the 10 cds I can bring and will be desiring new music all the time. Remember when we used to make mix tapes and trade them in the mail? Well I can't make you any, but maybe you'll recieve a banana leaf with a magic rock in it or something. PLEASE send me music!

2. Email Me

Most of you have my email address. I will be primarily using my blog for updates, but if you would like to send longer letters my address is

dr.teeth@bust.com

I will check my account as often as I can, but after the first 3 months, I won't be sure if I will be placed in a location with email access

3. Read my blog

I will be posting on my blog as often as I can. It will become my new travel journal. I will be sure to post whenever I get into town, but I would LOVE to see as many comments as possible, even if you just say hi!

I can't promise that I will have the time to read all your blogs. I'm not sure how the internet cafes are set up, and if time is an issue, I hope you all understand why I can't gab it up. I DO, however, appreciate all the support you have given! SEE Quine and Vivavavoom - you guys RAWK! Thank you for remembering me even though I've been MIA!

4. Visit Me

I won't be able to leave the country or recieve guests until after the first 6 months of service. Remember that as Paraguay may not be the most desired area to visit - there are plenty of places in South America that I can easily travel to! I can meet up with anyone - anywhere! I will be visiting Machu Pichu while I'm in the Peace Corps, and HOPEFULLY my mom will allow me to visit Rio de Janerio while there! haha! Not to mention all the other wonderful places like Chile (hint hint vivavavoom!). Let me know if any of you have an interest in visiting and we can set something up!

In case of emergency:

If there is a critical illness, death, or emergency where I need to be notified ASAP please contact the Peace Corps' Office of Special Services at any time.

800.424.8580 extension 1470

If it is after hours, feel free to call my mom and she will be able to pass the information along to me. Her number is 816.587.6924

Last but not least - be patient with communication, but don't forget me. I've been told repeatedly that I will experience depression, constipation, and homesickness. More often than not, alcoholism - but trust me, if I can't poop (or too MUCH poop) there will be very little drinking!


27 months of Cassie the Nun? Who knew!

Back on the Blogroll

I apologize for my short yet necessary break from blogging in order to get my crap together before I ship off in 13 days.

I have been to Colorado to say goodbye to my urban family, and I have come back to Kansas City to say goodbye to my Croatian family.

I am currently pulling my hair out trying to figure out what to pack.

I have a large duffle and am about to embark on purchasing a framed backpack - as my other one is completely inefficient for my 27 month journey. I never knew how expensive it would be to join the Peace Corps.
These next couple of weeks I'll be packing, and unpacking, and packing again until I get it right. I'll also be painting my mom's new house which she bought a month ago. I'll put pictures up, but I think it fair to say that I don't know the first thing about painting a house. Just another first in the next couple years to come.

Yesterday, although sick, I went to see the Kansas City section of the Tour of Missouri. It was quite exciting, and made me want to someday go to the Tour de France. I think when I get back from Paraguay and my Peace Corps issued mountain bike, I will get more into my cycling and even buy a custom bike. It would be great to get one from Josh's brother, but I have a feeling I won't be able to afford a local celebrity like him!

If you get a chance, check out the tour on the Versus Channel. You might see me cheering away!

Please Stand By

Why no posts? Well, within days of each other, both my mom and me lost our computers. I feel like my arm has been cut off. Apparently I will have to *gasp* call people instead of email, and *gulp* look up phone numbers in the phone book. Not to mention no IMDB. Ugh.

I should be getting it fixed soon. But for now, I have been getting ready for my depature date of September 25th. I should be out in Colorado around the 20th of August. I'm buying my plane ticket today *OVER THE PHONE* AHHHHHhhh!

If anyone would like to talk to me, you will have to call me. Weird, huh?

I can't Wait for the new BOOOOOK!!!!

I saw this sticker on a car at my work this morning. I laughed my AZZ off!
Did you all reserve your copies of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows?
You KNOW IT!

It Could Happen....

thanks Josh!

And the WINNER IS:

I leave the 24th of September! I will be doing crop extension which is to motivate Paraguayan small scale farmers to optimize their use of available human, material, and natural resources in order to raise their standard of living and to improve food security.

That's what the invitation says. Sounds like I'm going to be a farmer in South America and learn to speak the native language of Guarani!

Check it out!

Hold Your Breath....

Cross your fingers everyone. I was just going to post about all the hoops I've been going through lately with my medical clearance. I had to get additional shots, blood work, and a health evaluation ON TOP of my physical - to see if the doctor thought I was physically fit enough to do demanding manual labor.

I also have been trying to get in contact with my placement officer as she was requesting additional information regarding my education, finances, and volunteer work.

I was getting to the point of hysteria as no one was calling me back!
My mom offered to give me a down-payment on a little house in Strawberry Hill (the old Slavic neighborhood in KCK where she grew up) if I wanted to stay here and forgo service!

I was going to cry and scream through the ginormous gap in my teeth when lo!

I received this email:

Attention Cassie Doolittle:

Peace Corps sent you an invitation kit on July 9, 2007. Within 10 days of receiving your kit, please call us regarding your decision to accept or decline our invitation. If we do not hear from you within this period, the assignment may be offered to another applicant.

Como say Star Trek?

Star Trek XI?

Hell Yes.

Drunk Friend Dial

Saturday night I hung out with Katherine and while we were watching movies, my phone rang multiple times.

The next morning I awoke to find I had 7 messages and 2 text messages. All from my friend Ed, in Denver.

As I listened to these while driving home that morning, please note: They started around 10pm and ended around 3am.

MESSAGE 1:

Hey sweetie! Just calling to say hi! We’re going out dancing tonight and I was just thinking about you! Talk to you later!

MESSAGE 2:

(muffled dance music) Hey Pooks! Just wanted to tell you we wished you were here! (muffled dance music) Talk to ya soon! Bye!

MESSAGE 3:

(muffled dance music)Where are you? Why won’t you call me back? (muffled dance music) Call me tomorrow! I really need to talk to you! Love ya! Bye!

MESSAGE 4:

(muffled dance music, slight slur, and slight desperation) Okay. I really really need to talk to you. I’m serious. Call me tomorrow!

MESSAGE 5:

(sounds of cars and people in the background, slurry, and agitated) Okay. So I really miss you and just want to talk to you. You NEED to call me back tomorrow so we can talk. Love you.

MESSAGE 6:

(sounds of I don’t know WHAT in the background, really slurry and higher pitched) SCHWEETIE!!! I am about to cry! I mean it! I am on the verge of tearsh! I jus need you to rally call me back and jus tell me I’ma loved! Call me tumorrow! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE call meh tumorrow!!!

MESSAGE 7:

(No background noise, calm, and non slurring) Hey Pooks! I’m just getting ready to go to bed. Call me tomorrow so we can talk. I’m feeling a little down and wish you were here. Talk to you soon. Love Ya.

Yes. Even in Kansas City, I feel loved. No need to feel left out when I get drunk dials like those! The 2 text messages were more of the same thing about calling him ‘tomorrow’, even though it was evident I really needed to call him ‘right back’. I DID call him the next day after I went through all his messages, and I got his voicemail. He didn’t even call me back! Haha! Probably TOO hung over!

I love you Ed! Call me 7 times in the course of the drunk evening, anytime!

Kisses!!

Still Feelin' Crappy

I am still trying to find the humor in this situation, but alas, I cannot.

I am in the depths of despair, and no matter how many jokes I make about using mini marshmallows and chicklets are going to raise my spirits.

It hasn't even been a week? Ugh.

Remember the Toooooooooth!!!

"Be quiet, please, my poor Duke. You haven't much time.

That peg tooth I put in your mouth after the tumble at Narcal--that tooth must be replaced, in a moment, I'll render you unconscious and replace that tooth." He opened his hand, stared at something in it. "An exact duplicate, its core shaped most exquisitely like a nerve. It'll escape the usual detectors, even a fast scanning. But if you bite down hard on it, the cover crushes. Then, when you expel your breath sharply, you fill the air around you with a poison gas..."

Cool remoteness spread upward from Leto's jaw, across his cheeks. The shadowy, hall narrowed to a pinpoint with Yueh's purple lips centered in it.

"Remember the tooth!" Yueh hissed. "The tooth!"

As in Dune - I have decided to replace my baby tooth with a cianide capsule. That way, in case I get into a bind, well, you know not to try and kiss me. They even put it into a little box for me after the extraction.

I'm not to get false tooth (grillz) after 2 months. Since I have a permanent tooth directly above the baby - the dentist wants to make sure it won't be dropping down only to be brutally rebuffed by a retainer.



Dentists are a bunch of assholes. If I had known I just needed to get an extraction - I would have done it before I reached 29. The dentist told my mom when I was 14 that I needed to 'be patient' and then get braces - which turns out to be a bunch of bullshit. Imagine the dentist who tried to sell cosmetic dentistry to a single mom of 2, with an income of $20,000 a year!

I must go eat mashed potatoes and practice not smiling for 2 months.

Jogging? Me?

All right. I did it. I went jogging today.

I have no idea what possessed me to do it. I thought - "Well, I don't feel like biking, and I really don't want to go to the gym, so maybe I'll go down to the park and jog."

I know.

Is this really Cassie talking?

I've been on vacation and eating like a pig with NO exercise for the past couple weeks. I thought it was high time to tighten and lift some things. But by jogging?

Why didn't I just go to the pool and swim it off? Seems like a more acceptable form of exercise - but no. I had to pant and sweat and get shin splints for the sheer joy of running for recreation. I'll stick to biking. Speaking of which, the MS 150 is coming up and as soon as I get some scratch to sign up, I'll be hitting the Donations Box again. Hooray!

Plus I'm really nervous about my tooth issue. I'm getting it pulled on Tuesday and I'm not too happy about it. I also got another letter from the Peace Corps telling me I 'missed' some immunizations, my eye doctor didn't fill out his form correctly, and one of my lab tests was incorrect - so I have to take it over. What gives? Not only will I wear that damn baby tooth around my neck while in South America - I'm going to make a t-shirt that says,

Bureaucratic Bull-Shit - Call Me!

They must really want you to be sure that volunteering in a 3rd world country is really what you want to do for the next 2 years of your life. Maybe it's so that when you're FINALLY done with all the hoops they send you through, you are so GLAD to be going, that high will keep you going when you realize you're living in a hut for 27 months.

I'm feeling a little disgruntled lately, but I'm trying to stay positive. That damn tooth is really going to take all of my remain goodwill. I can't even imagine walking around like Cleavus (that's the female Cleatus - with boobs) talking about my home town of Dog Patch for 2 months.

Ugh.

So instead of dwelling on it, I'm going to St. Louis for the weekend to visit Amber. Hooray for small pleasures!

Home again, Home again - Jiggety Jig!

Well, I'm back from the east coast. I must say, I wish I had more time to spend out there, but alas - my money is all but gone! Lucky for me, I might have a new job next week. It would be working part time at a mechanic shop - running the front reception area. Sound out of character? Well, it's only part time, and I can make my own hours. It would mainly be keeping the books and making call backs. Plus, its close to my mom's house, and I'll be able to ride my bike there.

On a crappy note, I found out from the Peace Corps that I will have to get my baby tooth extracted. No big deal with all the new dental surgery and Grillz, right? Wrong. The dentist said that I would have to live with my newly gapped teeth for two months in order to assess the damage. She said the permanent tooth which is underneath might come down once the baby tooth is gone. If that is the case - no false tooth needed. If not - I'm off to get a gold tooth. Just kidding. A silver one preferably.

I promise to start reading and commenting on blogs ASAP. Sorry I've been so neglectful while hanging with my dad. I'll post my pictures soon, too.

I'll leave you with a good note:


It's always fun to hear about a new movie. Especially a movie of one of your favorite books. Stardust by Neil Gaiman is coming out August 10th. If you get a chance to read this book, I highly recommend it. It has also been made into a graphic novel if you are interested. Don't forget Neil Gaiman wrote Mirror Mask and has a new book out. He really is one of my most favorite authors.

Croatians like to Party!

The Don Lipovic Band - are you KIDDING?

So Far, So Good, So What?

I'm here in loverly Allentown, PA visiting my dad! Sorry if I haven't been online and on the blog roll lately! I'm here for another week, and keep uploading pics - but I've been pretty busy making myself useful around the house, driving my dad and bro to Philadelphia, and going to NYC tomorrow!

I went to the Philadelphia Museum of Art the other day, and of course I had to

run up the stairs

And when I got to the top:

Please note in the first picture as I ran up the stairs - the guy in the far right of corner in the blue shirt. Alas - I fear I am not the only person who has seen Rocky.

haha!

I got to see Sunflowers

And Degas

And Picasso

And Bosch

And Bosch/Bruegel followers

I saw many more - but was only allowed to take snapshots with my camera. I really wanted to complain as THE LOUVRE lets you take REAL photos! Hmph!!! I tried to get a photo of the Duchamp Urinal and 'Nude Decending a Stairway' - but some security guard told me he would throw me out. The jerk. That was only after he got off his cell phone talking with his 'special lady friend'.

Tomorrow I meet up with Josh in NYC at the top of the Empire State Building.

Just kidding. We are going to MOMA and then spending the afternoon with my friend Leslie and his brother, John. I will take TONS of photos!

Giant Hogs Killed by Hunters in Georgia-Truth!

My dad, who used to raise hogs, says he believes this story.

Guitarists hope to ‘Smoke’ world record

This is my cousin's little boy! Isn't he awesome?


Mass performance of classic rock song could set Guinness mark
By JAMES A. FUSSELL
The Kansas City Star


Mickey Barnett is hoping to help set a world record.
Sure, the Shawnee boy may have just graduated from kindergarten and stand only 3 1/2 feet tall, but he can crank out Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water” with the best of them.

And that’s all that’s needed for Mickey and his electric guitar to help make history and grab a page in the Guinness World Records book. At least that’s the plan.

This Sunday thousands of guitarists — including local rockers, hobbyists, parents, teens, senior citizens, people from other states, other countries and, yes, even kindergartners — will try to break the record for the world’s largest ensemble performance of the same song.

Mickey will be one of the youngest participants. He started taking acoustic guitar lessons at 4, then plugged in after receiving his electric three-quarter-sized ax for his sixth birthday. He has been practicing at Funky Munky Music in Shawnee, which is sponsoring the event with Gail’s Harley-Davidson in Grandview.

“He’s basically been devoting his guitar time to ‘Smoke on the Water’ for about a month and a half,” his mother, Betsy Barnett, said. “He’s doing pretty good.”

READ MORE HERE

Ultimate Intimidation

My cousin's husband has a fight coming up on June 8th!

Anyone who watches this should keep an eye out for him!

Read his Article HERE

Holy Crap! He looks scary!!!

What I did on my Memorial Weekend...

Well I of course went out and visted the graves. I really like doing this and I get sad when I see graves without flowers. Makes me think that people don't remember them - or at least don't ever come out to visit. I know it's hard for many people, and others just don't think of visiting a grave as a tradition, but I like it. I don't sit and say a prayer, get pensive, or even cry - I just try to decorate their grave as a little - "You are still in my thoughts" and "I'm glad to have known you, so here are some flowers". Even my great grandparents whom I didn't even know get a visit. I can't help wondering what they were like and how it came to be that they were buried within a couple square blocks of each other.




Other than that I put on new bike racks onto my car -




I put on new grippers on my little Schwinn -



And I got the outline of my tattoo. My guy says it will take an addition 5 hours of coloring to get it finished, although I will most likely have to get a job before doing any more work, as my moolah is limited. Especially after my visit to the East Coast for the next two weeks.




What did YOU do on your vacations (other than see crappy Pirates)...

Summer of Shit

I just saw Pirates part 3. It sucked my butt. I am so upset at the ending of this movie, that I am currently re-writing the ending and am going to film it later this summer, using stop animation.

What a pile.

I was so excited to see this film, that the last 20 minutes made me hold my breath in order to NOT see what I KNEW they were going to do at the end. Maybe if I held my breath, I would've passed out, and then never have seen the ending.

I also predict the last Harry Potter book is going to blow. Basically they are going to kill Harry Potter as he is most likely going to be a horcrux. So that way no one will write additional books and J.K. Rowling can sit and watch the money roll in while adoring young fans end up hating her.

Blech. I'm disgusted. I'm going to go work on my new screenplay ASAP.

Sad Sad World

I am saddened and upset at this.

READ STORY HERE


But this sums up all the freaks that hang around campus while going to CSU perfectly

Panty Thief

Fine Livin'

My weekend was pretty average. I went out on Saturday night with Greg to go see a heavy metal band. This heavy metal was pretty good - and actually had groupies. All of which looked barely 20 years old. The band's oldest member was 24, so I guess it's only natural to supposed that all people at this show were that age and younger. But man, did it make me feel old. I walk in there and the bartender alone didn't look old (or experienced) enough to be handing me a beer. As I turned around I sat a table next to about 6 young college kids, one of which looked like he was 14, weighed 85 pounds, and was wearing a rock bandana. Good thing he had facial hair. Otherwise I would've checked his ID.
heh heh heh....

But the real story is what the heck happened to Westport? Westport is the downtown area where most younger people go drinking. When I was in high school, we would go downtown and hang out at local coffee shops before we ventured onto the Westport Flea Market. As I graduated, I moved down there and lived and went to college. Amber lived there for years and I must say I spent more than my fair share of paycheck at the local record stores.
So, what the hell happened? Each time I've been down there within the time I've moved here, mass tons of kids UNDER 21 have been hanging out, and causing disputes. Last Saturday after I left Greg's show, he called to make sure I got home okay, cause it 'erupted'. He said as he was sitting in traffic some kids got into a fist fight ON his car, as well as all over the main street. I'm imagining like West Side Story, but without all the dance moves.
Last night my mom and I watched the news where 4 people were shot and killed after the metal show on Saturday. Needless to say, I doubt I will be going down there to hang out anymore.
Of course that didn't stop me from going down (during the day) to make my tattoo appointment. I go in on the 29th for my outline. I'm really excited, and Greg's buddy is going to draw it from scratch so it's very custom.

So I guess I'm stuck in suburbia for a little while longer. That is, until I find a new place to hang out. I'll take any suggestions!

She is tolerable, I suppose. But not handsome enough to tempt me!

Okay KC Misery. What is going on? I was politely walking to the grocery store yesterday to pick up some eggs. No - I'm not going to relate the tale from 40 Year Old Virgin where he went home and really wanted an egg salad sandwhich - but I DID really want deviled eggs!

As I was walking past the BBQ smoker thing out in the parking lot of Hen House (what a name for a grocery store - but you can't beat King Soopers) the big guy manning the smoker said either, "Nice ASS" or "Nice Tats". I am inclined after much thought it was the latter. But what if it wasn't? WHAT THE HELL KIND OF PLACE DO I LIVE IN NOW????

I kept on walking and proceeded to my new bank where the teller was asking me about my tattoos as well. Is this a form of politeness? Flattery? Just conversation? Living in Capital Hill for so long has made me unacustomed to having people even mention my body art - as most people have more colorful and a greater quantity than me.

So in true form of being bored in the suburbs, I pondered this new occurance and decided to make an appointment with a tattoo artist refered to me by my friend, Greg. I just sent him an email today, in order to schedule a consultation. As much as I want a new tattoo, the lack of income is seriously deterring me from this path.
But after much deliberation on my other blog, I have narrowed down the decision to this pic:

I would like to vary the colors as I'm not very excited about that gold. I really like reds, greens, and blues so maybe more vibrant and make that koi the typical orange, white and black. And what do you think about that scroll? Keep it, or have her doing something else?

Hmmm.....

Viva Va VOOOOOOM!!!

Check out the new Vivavavoom's blog at

www.abluestateofmind001.blogspot.com

The former This and That is getting more and more hilarious!!!

Recovery and Displacement

After a 2 week hiatus, I am back on the blog roll. Thanks for being patient with me. The last couple of weeks have been harder than I thought. I want to thank everyone for the good thoughts, messages, emails, and calls for Rebecca.

Rebecca and her family loved the below posts and comments. I wanted to leave them up for a couple weeks as they were getting 40 + hits per day.

As for me, I'm trying to move on and get a routine going. It's been pretty hard. Last week was my first week and weekend here in KC. It's been rougher than I thought. I'm still a bit weepy from Matt's death, and keeping busy here at my mom's has been my main priority. I've also tried to get back onto my bike saddle (so to speak).
Now, when I moved back, I knew that Kansas City was different from Denver in many ways. I knew from my mom that it is a lot less bike friendly. Well, nothing prepared me for my first ride along the new Southern Platte 'bike path' near my mom's neighborhood. A pair of sidewalks put in along Highway 45 connecting Parkville to Kansas City. I thought it might be an interesting ride - and I wasn't wrong. As I rode this 'bike path' and got a response from one drive by car, "GET A CAR" and another closer to the end of the path, "NICE ASS!!!! WOOOO!!!" As I turned off the bike path down a busier street to circle back into my mom's neighborhood, I got honked at (as if to say "get off the road") and as I waved at a car to thank them for NOT pulling out in front of me, I got an old man mouthing something close to, "%$#@*# bicyclist!"
Needless to say I won't be riding THAT path without my ipod!

So Saturday I went to see my rock star friend Greg's band play. It was really fun to see him rocking out like a heavy metal superstar. He was really good, and their band was a lot heavier than I thought. But all the same, I felt displaced. Old people, old places, and yet I still feel like I don't fit in. Even at his show, there weren't any people I could identify with. I awoke Sunday morning severely depressed. Although today I'm feeling better and excited to join the bike club tomorrow, I am starting to feel the pangs of relocation. I've already enrolled in a Spanish class, and am excited to visit my dad the first couple weeks of June - after which I'm debating on St. Louis or trucker road trip with Denny. It really depends on my money situation!

So as I prepare to go downtown to ride my bike around the airport in a somewhat less exciting but safer environment, I'll leave you with some pictures Josh made for me.

Memorial for Matt

Rebecca has requested that the time and location of the celebration of
Matt's life be kept amongst her friends and family. (NO MEDIA.)



She is expecting several hundred people and there is no limit on space,
as the facility is being donated. She would like any and all friends to
join her in celebrating Mathew's life. Also she would like the dress for
the occasion to be casual.


If anyone would like to attend, feel free to email me for directions.
It is at 3:00 Saturday, and I'll check my email periodically tomorrow.

Please Pray for Rebecca

Killer angry about fumes from businessSheriff's Office could change search tactics in similar situations

by SARA REED SaraReed@coloradoan.com

Barry Shebs shot and killed Matthew Gulakowski through a small hole near the ceiling of Shebs' unit at a commercial park east of Fort Collins, Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden said Tuesday.

Gulakowski, 35, was found shot six times Monday in his unit at the Mulberry Commercial Park, 2649 E. Mulberry St., about 4:15 p.m., setting off an hours-long search for a gunman in the commercial park. Four hours later, Shebs, 45, was found hanging in his unit, which was adjacent to Gulakowski's.

The case could prompt the Sheriff's Office to conduct investigations differently into similar situations, Alderden said.

Shebs lived in a camper in his unit, Alderden said. It was a zoning violation for Shebs to live in the unit, and the owner of the unit said he did not know Shebs was living there and would not have allowed him to continue living there had he known.

Alderden said a specific time of death had not been established for Shebs.

Shebs fired six shots from a .357-caliber Magnum Ruger revolver through a 4-by-4-inch hole about 12 feet up the wall, Alderden said. There was a loft under the hole, Alderden said, and it appears Shebs was lying in wait for Gulakowski.

Gulakowski was almost done moving his custom woodworking business, Pro Formance Creations, out of the unit when he was shot, Alderden said. Shebs had complained to many people, including the Sheriff's Office on one occasion, about the fumes coming from Gulakowski's business, Alderden said.

The two men also had a disagreement regarding snow removal following one of the heavy snowfalls the area received late last year.

There is some indication that the dispute contributed to Gulakowski relocating his business, Alderden said.

In the complaint he made to the Sheriff's Office on Jan. 11, Shebs said he thought the fumes were military gas, Alderden said, and that he had an "organic gas mask" to protect himself.
Investigators found an 18-page letter in Shebs' unit detailing his complaints about the fumes, the last four pages of which were written Monday, Alderden said. In the letter, Shebs indicated that he knew Gulakowski was moving but that it "wouldn't stop the harassment" and he had to do something to stop it.

Alderden said he was not aware if Shebs had a diagnosed mental illness or history of mental-health problems. Shebs also did not have a local criminal history and only a "minor offense" in Utah, Alderden said.

The discovery of the hole Shebs used in the shooting caused some re-evaluation of the method used to clear the scene, Alderden said.

Alderden said the units with people inside them were evacuated and cleared once and then locked units were cleared from the perimeter in. Immediately following the shooting, deputies knocked on the door to Shebs' unit but did not get an answer and the door was locked, he said.
As they searched, a Sheriff's Office spokeswoman told at least one news outlet that a gunman could be on the loose in the area.

When investigators learned of the dispute between the two men, the SWAT team immediately went to Shebs' unit and found the door had been barricaded, Alderden said.
In retrospect, Alderden said, it might have been better to clear the units closest to the crime scene first.

The discovery of the hole also cleared up a lot of initial confusion during the investigation, Alderden said.

Investigators had a witness who saw Gulakowski being shot but couldn't understand how that witness couldn't have seen the shooter, Alderden said. It also explained why no shell casings were found at the scene, he said.

In a camper in Shebs' unit, investigators also found a television showing a closed-circuit camera feed from a camera that showed activity in front of the two units.

Rebecca and Matt at my Halloween party. I just saw them at my going away party, where Matt was complaining about the friggin' murderer. He was so excited to be moving into an actual shop. I feel really helpless right now.