Monday, July 26, 2010

MANIC MONDAY


Well, Saturday did not work out as planned... we had a minor family deal that came up.  No puppies.  :-(

Sunday was a blast.  Pun intended.  Our party of 5 wound our way out to the area designated for shooting and set up for an afternoon of banging away.  I did not do all that great with the pistols this time.  But I did get in a couple of hits.  I had much more success with the rifles... one in particular worked astonishingly well for me.  I was able to hit all the lower targets and then the one on top that flips them all back down a again  with a minor amount of misses.  Likely not skill, but a good scope.  I am having a great time learning how to use a variety of guns.  Never thought I'd say that.  (Never say never.)

It was unfortunately very hot and all the shaded areas were taken.  There we sat in the heat, beaten by the sun, each of us taking our turns.  Randy coached me and his son, J offered some suggestions as well that helped.  J was my automatic loader... he loaded the cartridges when I ran out.  I load the pistols myself.  Fun stuffs!

Or at least it was until Randy began getting sick from the sun.  I guess my years of living in California 100 plus temperatures helped me out.  That and the fact that I was wearing shorts and a light top.  He was in a dark top and jeans.  By the time we got home he felt pretty crappy, so we called off the BBQ portion of our family outing.  I went to Subway for one of their new Italian sausage melts... to split.  We had a quiet evening at home, which is not a bad thing.  After a cool shower, a change of clothes and sitting in front of the fan drinking water, he felt much better.


Up at the crap of dawn this morning... after that evening fast for me and off to the boob squisher.  She was nice.  Next in line was a chest x-ray.  I have not done that before, but the tiny doctor said so.  I obeyed.  Only the guy who does them was late, so I got to sit there in the hospital gown thingie for over half a hour waiting.  The only reading material they had were the same Time and Sports Illustrated that I have at home and have read.  I had a car book... in the parking lot and did not feel up to wearing my hospital attire outside to get it.  I did seriously consider it though.


Then upstairs to the vampire lair.  They have a number machine like the bakery.  The waiting room reminded me of the one in Beetlejuice... all manor of strange looking afflictions surrounded me.  I watched two men get into a  fight over one of them using a cell phone.  Yes, a physical fight.  That helped speed up time.  I have to give it to the receptionist at the desk... she made them sit in separate corners.  I'd have tossed them both out.  There is a big sign that says to turn off your cell phone.


I liked my vampire right off.  She was about four and a half feet tall and wide with wacky bleached blond hair and a voice like Froggie from Spanky and Our Gang.  She took five vials of my blood with a intravenous needle.  When she finished, I asked if I had any blood left.  She said a little.  So I asked if it was enough to get me home.  She said "Maybe to the stop sign."  I got a laugh out of that.  A good sense of humor should be used by anyone in the vampire profession.


Home again... I have completed the massive application required for the job I want and am waiting for one last letter of reference to arrive via email.  Then we'll be off to the office to turn it in.  I will be glad to be done with it!  Cross your fingers, say a prayer... whatever you do when you wish someone luck would be great.


How did your manic Monday go?

19 comments:

  1. Shootin's fun! My dad has a 0.25 Remington rifle that just screams. Ever fire a Glock without hearing protection? That rifle's almost as loud even with earplugs. Heat stroke sucks. Glad Randy's feeling better.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Shooting well takes time and patience. Don't give up on it. I will ask Mr. Cube for the link about the new hold that boasts much more stability and thus greater accuracy.

    I wonder how Randy would fare in the Florida heat and high humidity? It can be brutal. Mr. Cube is New Hampshire born and bred and once he gets home from work or does yard work, it's right into the pool for him.

    I love vampires in literature and movies, but I don't like them when they actually come for MY blood. I used to manage an internist's office and it occasionally fell on me to use my phlebotomist training to be a vampire myself. Once, because of a disconnet between the doctor and the mom, I had to stick a teenaged boy twice. I had to make the poor kid lie down and had to use the smelling salts for the first stick. You can imagine the drama for the second time. I felt awful, but I did my job. I was told many times that I had a very light touch, but venipuncture still sucks.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It sounds like you had a great time shooting. I've never fired a gun or rifle, but like you, I try never to say never :-)
    I hope you have puppy time next weekend!
    And I am sending good thoughts your way for the job hunting process.

    ReplyDelete
  4. i was certain i'd see a pup when i clicked on oodles of funch!

    maybe next time.

    ReplyDelete
  5. KenV-- Oh it rocks! I haven't had that much fun in a long time. We used ear plugs. Ha! But I have not fired a Glock yet. I say yet, because we do have one and I am looking forward to that.

    Yeah... Randy was sick but he's much better now.

    Big grins my friend.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Cube-- You are a woman of amazing talents! I don't mind vampires and in fact enjoy watching the process... especially when the blood pulses with my heart. She was an angel with the needle... like butter with a hot knife. I did not feel much at all.

    J was trying to show me a new hold with the pistol clutched close to my chest. But I opted for the old fashioned way. Is that the one you mean? Feels sort of alien to me.

    I have to tell you, I rocked with that scope and rifle. Even Randy was impressed at how quickly I took to it. What fun!!!! I thought of you nearly the entire time and wished you were there too.

    ReplyDelete
  7. laura b.-- thanks! I need those good thoughts.

    Life is a banquet... I am feasting.

    ReplyDelete
  8. billy pilgrim-- I hope so. I really want a pup!

    ReplyDelete
  9. glad you're learning the fun in shooting. funny thing is every time we have friends from overseas come to visit us that's one of the things they ask us to take them to do. :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Between this and the previous posts, I'm glad to hear your doctor visits went well. My Monday? Nothing special. Work, then a nice roast beef sandwich for dinner, and I watched a ballgame. Nothing special, but nice.

    ReplyDelete
  11. lime-- Ha! I can sure understand that!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Suldog-- Thanks. The thing about yearly visits and all those dumb tests is that at this age I've begun to fear hearing something that I do not want to hear.

    You'd think with all the breast cancer I'd fear that most. No. I fear that x-ray of my lungs because of all the shit I've sucked into them. I will feel better when the results all come back good.

    That sounds like a sweet day to me!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I am a bad patient. I question everything and make a total pest of myself. Some of it comes from being on the medical end of the process and knowing some of what happens behind the curtain.

    The shooting grip I just heard about is not the one from the chest. I'm talking about one in which one had pushes while the other one pulls. It is radical and, I admit, I was raised with the hand under pistol stance myself, but the video is worth taking a look at, especially if you're a beginner.

    Glad to hear of your luck with the scopes. They might make a sniper out of you yet ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Cube-- Ha ha! Sniper me!

    Randy told me that women are naturally better shots than men, which is not to say that men aren't as good, but they have to work at it at first. Makes sense to me... females of species are the hunters and the protectors of young.

    My biggest challenge with shooting is the strength... or lack of it... in my upper arms where rifles are concerned. I tire fast, then get wobbly. Randy has me sitting at a table right now for extra support. Clearly that is how I shoot best and it made it so much easier.

    Can you see me sniping with my table? Guess I better get back to my exercises with the resistance bands and build up some muscle!

    I will look at that video. J mentioned that style and said it is hard for him to get, since he was raised the other way. It does not feel natural to him. But I am a new bee so maybe that would help.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Why an x-ray? I generally have to get ultrasounds done with my mammograms, but never an x-ray. Hope all the blood work comes out good! (I HATE having to give blood!)

    ReplyDelete
  16. secret agent woman-- I am unsure about the x-ray. But I am guessing it is because I smoked and not about breast health. I know she said she wanted a base for my lungs. So I do not believe that she thinks something is wrong. However, she was extra cautious with my lungs. But you know, with asthma, it is always possible that there are rattles in there.

    I don't mind the blood process. I always watch and do not look away. It kind of fascinates me.

    ReplyDelete
  17. The style is new to me too, but I've been shooting for many years. I thought a noobie like you might benefit from it. I'm going to look into it myself, and if it helps my already awesome accuracy, well, I'm not going to disregard it. I'm not too old to learn new tricks. I's all about getting the shot and whatever makes that happen is what we want, right?

    ReplyDelete
  18. I used to be a vampire and I always tried to make people feel at ease. When I was younger I was terrified of needles, so I knew what they were going through.

    I hope Randy is okay now.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Cross your fingers, say a prayer... whatever you do when you wish someone luck would be great.

    Well, I'll do those things and add my standard method of wishing someone good luck: "Good luck." Howzat?

    ReplyDelete