OFF THE TOP

IT'S ONLY JUST BEGUN

noreply@blogger.com (grafikgirl) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 04:28:00 +0000

I know I haven't written in a while...I've been busy working extra hours at my job and also buying and building up my DJ/Karaoke business. I've spent quite a bit of time on ebay looking for good deals on lights. I have had some luck. I am also working on getting a better digital camera so that I can post some pictures on my site of some of the gigs and also of the small town I live in. I promise I should have everything ready to go within a couple weeks.

Money...Money...Money...and with school starting soon I have to make sure to budget new clothes and supplies for my son into the equation also.

Make sure to check out the StarStruck tab, and the Fun Stuff tab on the top of this page. The video log is coming soon also. I still have big plans for the site. In due time...all in due time.

ABSORB THE POSITIVE....THROW CRUMBS TO THE REST. peace....tylastarstruck

noreply@blogger.com (grafikgirl) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:25:00 +0000

Here's wishing everyone a safe and Happy 4th of July!

IT'S ON...IT'S BEEN ON...AND IT'S STAYIN ON

noreply@blogger.com (grafikgirl) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 23:14:00 +0000

I'm excited about my upcoming "StarStruck" gig at McSki's in Watseka. I ordered more karaoke and DJ music. I also found a cool LED sound activated light, on Ebay, to get the crowd hoppin. We have a small singing contest there once a month, so I have lots to keep me busy until Saturday.

Today I started typing in all the new songs, using Microsoft Exel, and I found myself dwelling on the pathetic evil doers that continue to haunt me. I try not to dwell on the negative, but apparently it was time, once again, to decipher the things I had stored, yet pushed back, in my mind.

Pathetic evil doers, by the way, are those who make up lies about others, in an attempt to destroy reputations, and who go out of their way to find flaws in those people that give them nothing to gossip about. I know....sad but true. When evil doers attack, you usually "hear it through the grapevine", because the cowards never have the guts to say things to your face. So then eventually you find out what lies so and so has been spreading and that 3 or 4 other bitches are spreading the same lies. So, What do we do?

Well, some might just blow a gasket and kick some ass. I myself find the old "hide and watch" technique quite useful. Kickin back...collecting bits and pieces of the puzzle, all the while acting like I don't know a thing. This takes a bit longer, and the"evil doers", being inferior in the intelligence department and all, will really think they have you fooled. But by waiting patiently, it's almost certain that I will find the source, the evil lie supplier, and of course kick their ASS. This way, I have not wasted my time with the little puppets that spread the lies and are convinced the source is their friend, when in fact they are, as I just stated, PUPPETS. Puppets in a show that is about to be cancelled. LOL :)

FYI: This article is just a deeper, more artistic way of describing the small town gossip protruding from a few sorry wannabe's. Think of it as poetry. :-) Don't worry about me though.....I've got plenty of ammo...and I didn't have to make up any lies to get it.

T.C. N.R D.C W.B.

WHERE HAVE ALL THE GOOD GUYS GONE

noreply@blogger.com (grafikgirl) — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 21:39:00 +0000

Geez, I really have to start writing in this blog more often. Problem is finding and deciding what to write about, so this post is just a rambling of what has been going on lately in my small town life.

My 8 yr. old son is out of school for the summer and I am trying to plan some fun things for us to do together. Swimming is about the extent of the activities available here in the summer, so we will have to travel a bit for more exciting activities. My step-father bought my son a super nice set of beginner golf clubs, but he will have to teach him how to play because golf is not my strong sport.

My social life still completely sucks, that is where dating is concerned. I've known for quite some time that there does not seem to be many nice, single, cute guys in this small town of 5,500 people, but this is ridiculous. I went out to a couple of bars Saturday night. It was the first time I had been out in the bars, besides work, in four months. I found, once again, that I am not missing much. I never go to the bars looking for men, I just really enjoy talking to all the people and seeing some I haven't seen in awhile. I admit I got a bit drunk Saturday night, but it looked like the same old shit to me. I've got to find a better way to meet people.

I am happy to be getting an implant tooth to replace my original tooth that broke two years ago. I am not missing the front teeth but one directly to the left. Last week I went to an oral surgeon and they put a titanium screw into the bone. The bone will then grow and heal around the screw and when it is healed well enough they can attach the tooth. It could take up to four months for the healing, but because my bone is in such good shape I'm hoping the tooth will be finished within two months. Think this will help my dating scene??????

The implant tooth is expensive, but because my other teeth are in such good shape it is definitely the best choice. A flipper, which is removable, would have been much cheaper, but I just kept picturing me eating or singing and the darn thing flopping out. :)

I hope everyone is doing well and thanks for all the comments you have left on my blog. I plan to try (TRY) to update more often. Thanks for taking the time to read. Best Luck!

DAVID COOK WINS AMERICAN IDOL 2008

noreply@blogger.com (grafikgirl) — Thu, 22 May 2008 01:01:00 +0000

WOW! Another great season finale from American Idol producers. Our "Top 12 Season 7 Idols" performed two number together, while the top 6 contestants got the coolest gigs. They performed together and solo with other famous musicians like Donna Summers (Syesha Mercado) , Brian Adams, ZZ Top (David Cook), Graham Nash (Brooke White), and One Republic (David Arculeta). The Jonas Brothers and Carrie Underwood also performed.

But all good things must come to an end, and after more than 90 Million votes, the most ever in "American Idol" history, David Cook walks away as the new "American Idol". A well deserved victory and I am so very HAPPY!!! Yes, Yes, Yes. Finally another happy ending...someone I wanted to win won. Gotta go!

ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE

noreply@blogger.com (grafikgirl) — Fri, 09 May 2008 12:46:00 +0000

I've had a bit of writers block lately. I was very inspired when I first started this blog in January, but now I am a bit lackluster. So, how about an update into my little world in this little town?...

First of all, I've been getting some more work done on my teeth. Don't worry, I'm going to my local dentist this time. All was good until I had a back molar tooth removed that apparently liked its home inside my mouth, because it did not want to come out. "It's as stubborn as it's owner" my dentist said, and he was right. The healing process from that has been quite brutal, but I am finally feeling better without the pain medication.

I've also been taking some classes, required by the state, in order to get my drivers license back. I don't have many class hours to take and am hopeful about being reinstated by the end of summer, but I better not hold my breath.

And lets not forget about the two-faced evil doers that like to spread lies in my small town. Yes, I must still have some contact, but always remember...."keep your friends close....and you enemies even closer"

I sense that soon I will be given another chance to create the life I had always intended to lead. And I promise that I will achieve what I was meant to do, what I want to do, what the world needs me to do.

DAVID COOK FOR IDOL SEASON 7

noreply@blogger.com (grafikgirl) — Tue, 06 May 2008 01:20:00 +0000

David Cook is definitely worthy of the title "American Idol". His performances have been consistent, unique and flawless. I picture David's career taking off like a rocket whether he places first or third, but he is Number 1 in my book.

LOCAL RN BEAST

noreply@blogger.com (grafikgirl) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:39:00 +0000

A while back I wrote an article about a confidentiality leak which occurred at our local Mental Health Center. The Registered Nurse in question had not been licensed for long and had already worked at a Nursing home, the local Hospital, and the Public Health Department. Although the Mental Health Clinic already had concerns about the RN, after my complaint, she was put on suspension pending further investigation. I'm quite sure she is no longer employed there.

Unfortunately, this leak, turns out to be the least of the problems this person has caused me. For reason, beyond my comprehension, this same RN thought she would help others by illegally accessing STD records for certain individual. Her brilliant idea was to inform everyone in town if someone she checked out had a incurable sexually transmitted disease.

I guess this doesn't sound like a bad idea, even though it is illegal, but there is a major flaw in the plan. The database is designed to protect the confidentiality of the patients and certain information must be known about the patient to ensure that the right records are accessed.

The crazy RN, unfortunately, checked me out for STD's. I really wouldn't have minded, except she did not have my accurate place of Birth and therefore did not have the right records. What's even worse...the McClanahan that was born in Watseka, which is not me, had a long list of STD's, one of which I believe to be AIDS.

I do not have AIDS or any other STD's for that matter...but thanks to this RN and a jealous, control freak co-worker, most of the town now thinks I do. I got tested for everything under the sun, four months ago, after I found out about all the rumors, but when you have an RN going around telling everyone otherwise, my negative test results might as well be toilet paper.

As far as the co-worker, a fellow bartender, she spreads the lies every chance she gets. Mainly to the guys, because she can't stand the fact that I get more attention than her. If all the guys in town think I have AIDS, well, I won't get much attention then will I?

Once I realized that I will never be able to undo the damage the lawbreaking RN has done, I consulted my Attorney. I want to make sure the RN can not do this again, to anyone else, and I am seeking damages, as I feel I must move to ensure that my 8 year old, beautiful son is not affected by the lies. This has also ruined my personal life. I am a beautiful girl, but I haven't had a date in 6 months because of the inaccurate information the RN has spread.

If anyone knows more about the STD database, as far as how it works, or if you think this has happened to you, please leave a comment. I know this article is unnerving, but it is true.

DESTINY CONTROLS US

noreply@blogger.com (grafikgirl) — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 14:32:00 +0000

I have written very few personal articles about myself since starting this blog in January, but aside from my "American Idol" reviews I have not been inspired to write for some time. I have had a lot of things on my mind and feel that I should put them in writing. I am not afraid to share thus this will article will be a rant about my world.

After my mother, Rosellen, passed away in October of 2005, of a massive unexpected heart attack, I went through a very difficult time. We were very close and I shared everything with her. Aside from my brother she was virtually the only family I've ever really known. My father had a drinking problem when I was young, therefore my mother divorced him when I was 6 years old. We moved around a lot until I was 14 and I never maintained a relationship with my father.

I had a nervous breakdown a couple months after my mothers death and landed in the hospital for almost three weeks. On top of not being able to see my son or spend Christmas with him, because of the hospitalization, I also had to cancel all the classes I had enrolled in for that Semester, at Parkland College, as they would not release me from the hospital in time.

Two weeks after being home from hospital hell, I had a couple drinks, at a bar in a nearby town, on my way to meet a friend in Kankakee, IL. When I left the bar I started feeling really, really woozy,(still not sure what caused this) so I decided I should just go home instead. Two minutes away from my house a cop flies up on me out of nowhere, scares the hell out of me and pulls me over. Someone had called and said that I was driving drunk. Well yes, legally I was drunk, but at my weight one drink is legally drunk. So, to top it all off, I was given a DUI and treated like the dirt on the bottom of a shoe.

I am not against the DUI laws, although I feel they are a bit strict, but at that point I honestly had to ask "What in the hell am I even on this planet for...a f**kn punching bag?" Once again, all that I had worked for was flushed down the toilet because of one bad choice and an unidentified caller. If it were not for my son I very well might have ended my time on earth.

That was, needless to say, a very bad 3 months for me, but it was not the first time I had been knocked down, and it may not be the last. I would like to believe the saying "Life is what you make it", but that just isn't true. In fact, many things are beyond our control.

The funny thing is that I have somehow managed to keep my heart and mind open, despite the hardships life has presented me with. I'm still smiling. I have more to share with you, about this small town I live in, but I will save it for tomorrow. Thanks for reading.

THANK YOU MILEY & BILLY RAY CYRUS

noreply@blogger.com (grafikgirl) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 22:19:00 +0000

On Wednesday April 9th, 2008 "American Idol" aired its second annual "American Idol Gives Back". The show focused on raising money for underprivileged children in the United States and Africa. Last year 76 million dollars was raised and this year, the last I heard, the tally was over 60 million.

I would like to send a special thank you to Miley Cyrus and her father Billy Ray Cyrus for their effort in bringing awareness to the poverty that is right under our nose. Miley joined her father in his home state of Kentucky and revealed the difficult living conditions in Appalachia.

I am not a prejudice person as I judge people depending on who they are on the inside, not the outside. But I was quite disappointed last year when throughout the entire show only two white children were shown out of the many poverty stricken areas.

I understand that there are other country's suffering, and in most cases, there appears to be a more urgent need, but if we do not help our own children, there will not be a better tomorrow. Our children are the future of our Country. They will one day take care of us and this Country. How is sending millions of dollars to Africa going to help our children have a better tomorrow? IT WONT!

I do want to save all the children, regardless of race or location, but for as long as I can remember, and I am 36 years old, I have watched all these shows about saving the children in Africa. Millions of dollars are donated, then the next year they show the same poverty stricken situations. This has gone on for 26 years of my life and yet they still need more money. Well, we need jobs in the US with decent pay and benefits. I just don't get it.

I have been poor all my life, so I have every right to this opinion. I have worked my ass off for the few luxuries I have, and I'm sure many of you have done the same. I was not going to donate this year, but then I watched the clip of Miley and Billy Ray in Kentucky, and I changed my mind. Thank you to the Cyrus family. We can only pray that all those donations do not end up back in the pockets of those who asked for our help to save the world....when we can hardly save ourselves. Photo: www.disneysociety.com

MICHAEL JOHNS ELIMINATED FROM AMERICAN IDOL

noreply@blogger.com (grafikgirl) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 01:27:00 +0000

After an emotional, celebrity filled, "Idol Gives Back" last night, which has raised over 60 Million dollars so far, our final eight contestants faced elimination on tonight's show. Syesha Mercado, Michael Johns and Carly Smithson landed in the bottom three.

Michael Johns (left photo) was officially eliminated by viewer votes based on his performance Tuesday night. He sang "Dream On" by Aerosmith and none of the judges were impressed. Michael has a great voice, but I must agree, that regardless of the sentimental value the song might have, his voice did not do the song justice. He even messed up one word and missed the defining high notes. He made the same mistakes when he sang the song again for his final performance.

"Dream On" was one of the first songs I learned to play on guitar when I was 16 (a long time ago) thus my expectations were very high. I hope Mr. Johns has a fruitful career in the music industry. Be careful....it's a jungle out there.

JASON CASTRO-"Somewhere Over The Rainbow"-VIDEO

noreply@blogger.com (grafikgirl) — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:20:00 +0000

Jason Castro gave his best performance to date last night on American Idol. He was well practiced, prepared and even seemed to be serious about impressing his fans. Jason performed "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" while playing Ukulele and the judges loved it, as well as myself.

CHIKEZIE ELIMINATED FROM AMERICAN IDOL

noreply@blogger.com (grafikgirl) — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 01:07:00 +0000

Another night of eliminations leaves us with only 9 American Idol contestants.

Chikezie (photo) was the first tonight to land a seat in the bottom three. He performed "It's Only For One Night" on last nights show. Chikezie has a wonderful voice, but he would be more suited singing in Vegas, or on Broadway. He has come a long way, but I fear this will be the end of the road for the motivated singer.

Syesha Mercado, to my surprise, took a seat next to Chikezie in the bottom three. Wearing her signature neck covering scarf, she took the news with a smile. I wonder if the scarf is for style, vocal chord warming, or hickie covering. SORRY, just wondering. Syesha gave a flawless performance last night singing "If I Were Your Woman". I had never heard this song before so I'm assuming many others, under the age of 30, were also confused with her selection. Certainly did not win her many votes with the viewers.

Kimberly Locke, who was in the top 3 of "American Idol" Season 2, performed her single "Fall" before the last of the bottom three were named.

The last to take a seat in the bottom three, for the first time, was Jason Castro. But in the end, Syesha and Jason were safe and it was Chikezie that was sent packing. Travel on Chikezie and Good Luck!

DAVID COOK'S SUPERB PERFORMANCE OF "BILLY JEAN"-VIDEO

noreply@blogger.com (grafikgirl) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 01:45:00 +0000

The table has turned quite a bit since the original "Top 24" Season 7 American Idols were chosen. Some once thought to make the top 10 are already gone and those that were hibernating in the background are now front runners and setting a strong example for those, not so motivated Idols.

David Cook gave another stellar performance, on tonight's show, with his rendition of Michael Jackson's "Billy Jean". Although I am no longer a fan of Jackson, since his alleged involvement with young boys, I must say there is no denying Michael's talent as a singer/songwriter. David Cook brought a life to "Billy Jean" like no other. Slowing the melody and adding a touch of rock turned this song into a sort of Rock Ballet. One that could possibly go down in history as one of the best arrangements by an American Idol Contestant ever. His performance gave me chills and made me smile all at the same time, which is quite achievement as my book goes.

On the down slope of the Idol mountain would be David Archuleta and Ramiele Malubay. Both seem to be stuck in the rut of bad song choices and lack of originality. Ramiele's performance tonight, was as stiff as the video they showed of her singing as a young girl. And the outfits have got to go. UGH! Right along side of these two is Jason Castro who does not seem to take his position seriously and performs almost like a "Saturday Night Live" parody of an American Idol contestant.

The other contestants are well on their way towards perfection. Even Chikezie has stepped up his game, and his attire. This has been the worst season, in my opinion, as far as fashion is concerned. The singers are dressing very bland, but whats worse, is that even one of the back-up singers on tonight's show was wearing a bright green shirt with some writing on the front. Quite tacky, I must say, for a show that has Millions of viewers and grosses billions of dollars.

THE PERFORMANCE THAT GOT AMANDA OVERMEYER ELIMINATED

noreply@blogger.com (grafikgirl) — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 02:52:00 +0000

Amanda Overmeyer's last performance on American Idol Season 7 video. "Back In The USSR"

AMANDA OVERMEYER ELIMINATED FROM IDOL

noreply@blogger.com (grafikgirl) — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 01:17:00 +0000

This week, American Idol Season 7, once again left me wondering where the idea derived that this year has the most talent ever. The only thing different is that instead of Sanjaya we have "Joplin wannabe" Amanda Overmeyer.

In the style of the Beatles, contestants sang competing for a spot in the top 10. The top 10 are also guaranteed to tour with American Idol 2008.

My favorite performances were David Cook singing "Day Tripper. He always brings something new each week. Brooke White made me smile throughout her whole performance of "Here Comes the Sun", and Carly Smithson gave a flawless yet original rendition of "Blackbird".

On elimination night, shockingly, Carley Smithson was the first to be sent to the bottom three. Next Kristy Lee Cook, once again, made the bottom three. Last but not least, Amanda Overmeyer joined Carley and Kristy in the bottom three. I'm watching the show as I'm writing this and my guess is that Amanda or Kristy will be going home. If America chooses talent over costume, I'm quite sure that Amanda's Idol ride has finally ended.

Before Ryan Seacrest announced which of the bottom three would be sent home, Kelly Pickler, from season 5, performed the single "Red High Heels" from her debut album "Small Town Girl".

In the end, I was right. America voted and Amanda Overmeyer's journey has ended on American Idol. Amanda went much further than I ever anticipated. She seems to be a very nice person, but the person did not come close to matching what appeared on stage and I find that either strange, fake or both.

Rock On Amanda and Good Luck to American Idol's Top 10 contestants.

DAVID HERNANDEZ ELIMINATED FROM AMERICAN IDOL

noreply@blogger.com (grafikgirl) — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 01:13:00 +0000

In the styles of Lennon/McCartney the top 12 American Idol contestants sang their hearts out last night in the hopes of avoiding elimination.

Althought I am not a big fan of Amanda Overmeyer, I must say "Touche'". It was the most stable performance I've seen from the rock-n-roller since the first auditions. David Arculleta, on the other hand, gave the worst performance to date. The competition gets more difficult as contestants are more limited to their song selection.

Kathryn Mcphee, a guest performer tonight, gave a beautiful performance of "Don't want to leave her now". Mcphee was runner up two years ago on Season 5 American Idol. While whats his name? Oh, Taylor Hicks, took the title. Neither contestant has attained much success since the show.

The bottom 3 performers, based on viewer votes, were Syesha Mercado, Kristy Lee Cook and David Hernandez.

David Hernandez received the unfortunate news tonight that he had the lowest votes and was therefore eliminated from the top 12 and also from the big stage.

Good Luck with your future adventures David. Your talent will prevail.

SMALL TOWN BS UPDATE

noreply@blogger.com (grafikgirl) — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 19:42:00 +0000

I recently wrote an article about issues I've encountered in my small town lately. The post talked about the effects of gossip and how I believe that confidential information has been disclosed by an employee of the Iroquois County Mental Health Center. This article is an update to the post Pathetic Small Town BS.

Since the article, and my phone call to the clinic, an Administrator from the facility has contacted me regarding my allegations. This person was very caring, understanding and eager to look into the issue, as confidentiality is as important to them, as it is to me.

I explained to the administrator how and why I have the allegations. I would not give the name of the person I think is violating my rights, because I do not have enough evidence as of yet, but by the end of the conversation, the administrator and I had the same person in mind. Apparently there has been complaints.

I explained to the administrator that there has to be a way they can check and see who and what kind of information this person has been accessing. I told him that I have very good reason to believe that this same person has accessed other "certain types" of medical records not relating to mental health, but I am not sure if they were working at the Mental Health Clinic, or a different facility in town, at the time. This person has bounced around quite a bit for such a short time working in the Health profession.

Because the lawbreaking health care worker did not have my accurate information, for instance, place of birth, the medical information provided was very, very false. The said information is very scary, but sooo not true. One phone call to my physician of 23 years would provide proof of my medical history.

My main concern is stopping this person. I'm sure I'm not the only one the inexperienced RN has ran checks on, but I am determined to put a stop to her little operation. Oops, I gave a couple of hints, didn't I?

Putting a stop to this activity will satisfy a part of me, but the damage this person has caused, by handing out false information, can never be undone. The mental health information they leaked was at least somewhat true, but the false medical history they spread around this town, of only 5,500 people, will be forever damaging to myself and my 8yr. old son. She planted the seed and it will continue to grow, no matter how many leaves I pluck away. I wish I could put up a billboard at the edge of town with proof that the RN has provided FALSE information, but that would probably just make matters worse.

In the end, I really do not care what other people think of me. What matters is the truth and what is in my heart. Anyone who really knows and cares about me, knows the truth and that my heart is pure. These people are the only ones that really matter. It's the effects it might have on my son that worries me the most. All because a drug using RN wanted to give bar-hoppers something to talk about. I will not feel bad when all those years of school are flushed down the toilet...kind of like my reputation.

DENTAL NIGHTMARE UPDATE

noreply@blogger.com (grafikgirl) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 17:02:00 +0000

I just wanted to post an update to my "Would Free Health Care Be Like This" article.

My mouth is finally healing after my visit with Dentist Patrick Dermesropian at Bradley Dental Clinic on Tuesday. I still cannot eat on that side of my mouth and the fillings still look horrible. They are not silver or white, but a combination of both.

I cannot floss between my top two back teeth because the fillings are overlapping and the floss can't get in between them. The filling are very rough and do not even have bite marks, like my teeth had before.

I am not grateful for the dental work Illinois Medicaid paid for. I am a firm believer in "If your going to do something, do it right, or don't do it at all". Dr. Patrick definitely does not live by these standards in his life. And I feel very sorry for the other patients whose teeth he has attacked.

WOULD FREE HEALTHCARE BE LIKE THIS?

noreply@blogger.com (grafikgirl) — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 22:26:00 +0000

If this is the kind of work that a young dentist would perform, for patients that use the Illinois Medicaid card for insurance, I would hate to think of what a country with FREE Healthcare would be faced with.

Who would have thought that the girl in the picture at the top of this blog could have a mouth like this? Yes, it is me. I am not proud of my dental situation, but I am willing to embarrass myself in order to bring awareness to this issue. Beware because the next picture is worse.

Let me just start by saying that I am not proud of the fact that I am not financially able to provide medical insurance for my son and I. But in a Country where the rich keep getting richer, and the middle class are getting poorer, a single mother has little chance of full financial freedom, especially if fathers can't or don't help with support. My son and I are happy and get along rather well, so no pity please.

Now, about the pics. I recently went to my local dentist to start fixing some teeth that had been in need of attention. They took x-rays and he did a great job explaining the work I needed done, but it was going to get quite expensive. I decided I would do as much as I could afford each month. It would take a while, but it would get done and I would not be in dentures anytime soon.

Between appointments at my regular dentist a friend told me about a new dental clinic that opened in Bradley, Illinois that accepts Illinois Medicaid. This sounded like a great idea to me. I could go there and get the two extractions I needed and any fillings, then go to my regular dentist for any cosmetic work the clinic would not cover. Big Mistake!

The dentist who worked on my teeth at Bradley Dental Clinic, Patrick Dermesropian, took a quick look at the x-rays, a quick look in my mouth then proceeded to tell me of a tooth he could not save. "There is decay down in the root" he said. Well, because my local dentist had already told me that he could save this tooth I told him to just leave that tooth alone. He then said the two bottom molar teeth needed to be removed and I agreed. He said that Medicaid only covers fillings or extractions on teeth in the back of the mouth and then asked me what I would like him to do. "I guess just go ahead do the fillings" I said. He decided he would start on the left side and asked if I would like him to go ahead and pull the molar on that side while he was in there. I said yes.

Everything was just moving so fast and I was trying to decide if this was a good thing or not. I did not have a good feeling and he did not tell me which teeth he would be filling. I turned to him and asked "What color will the fillings be?" "They will be white" he said. This gave me some comfort and I tried to relax.

Dr. Patrick managed to drill and fill 5 teeth plus pull a molar, all in 40 minutes. When he was done he provided me with no care sheet or instructions, he just handed me a script for amoxicillin and tylenol 3 and told me to come back in 10 days. I was still in shock from gagging on a piece of something that was lodged in the back of my throat, my jaw was throbbing and I was just ready to get the heck out of there.

When I got out to the car, a friend had drove me, I looked on the rear view mirror to change the gauze from the whole where my tooth once was, and I almost started to cry. "Oh my God, what did he do to my teeth?" I said to my friend. My friend looked and did not know what to say. I was so upset, but I'm stubborn and did not cry until I got home

The photo above was taken the day after he worked on the bottom left side ofmy mouth. The photo here on the right is what he did, on the same day, to the top left back teeth. My teeth look worse now than they did when I went in. What was once decay in the crevices of my teeth, now looks like I've eaten a piece of dirty bread that is stuck in my teeth. As you can see from the photos, especially the one of the top back teeth, there is still decay. This tooth will never survive with decay still lurking, so this dentist has wasted taxpayers dollars. I know this photo looks bad, but his work actually looks even worse than the pictures reveal.

I called the clinic, after I took a couple of tylenol 3 and calmed down. I told them that it was the worst dental work I had ever had done and that the dentist told me the fillings would be white. I also stated that the dentist should have asked me before putting metal in teeth that are clearly visible while speaking/SINGING. I would have rather saved my money and had them done right, which I will be doing anyway. They want me to come back and try to rectify the situation. If I do return to the clinic it will not be for dental work, but to confront the young, inexperienced, lazy dentist.

Is this the quality of work we expect from those in the health profession. Just because I was not the one paying this Deranged Dentist, does not mean he was not getting paid.Because he is on a fee schedule I suffered the consequences. He did not bother to tell me I would have a mouth full of metal because he wanted to do the work and make a quick buck. He did not care one bit how my mouth looked when I left that office.

If Hillary is elected, and passes her Free Healthcare plan, I pray I never get a finger cut off. And if I do, I might as well stay home and sew the damn thing back on myself.

ADD CUSTOM ICON TO YOUR URL

noreply@blogger.com (grafikgirl) — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 15:14:00 +0000

Adding an icon to your url address distinguishes your blog/site from the many others out there on the web. If you look above, at my site, you should see stars next to my url. This icon appears when my site is accessed and also in the favorites folder of any readers. This article will provide you with the information and steps needed to add you own icon. This information will work for blogger and I cannot guarantee it will work for other platforms.

CREATING YOUR ICON: The first thing to do, of course, is find an icon that suits your site or create your own. It is important not to choose an image with too much detail because it will become a blur. The less detail the better. Simple shapes or a couple letters work best for this. If you have your own graphics program you can create your own. After designing your icon just export the image as a .ico file no larger than 20px by 20px. If you do not have a program that will do this, another option would be to go to flavicon . There you can either download one of their stock icons, or flavicon will also convert a graphic to a .ico file for you. The last option I have for you is to read my SPECIAL OFFER at the end of this post.

UPLOADING YOUR ICON: After you have your image, it's in the .ico format, no larger than 20x20px, you now have to upload the image to the web. The image needs a web address in order for it to work in blogger. I use Google Aps. In Aps, when you go to "edit web pages" there is a scroll box on the right. This has a list of any images or documents you have uploaded. If you use Aps, just click browse in this box and find your .ico image on your computer. Once the file appears in the box just click on it and you will find the image url in the address bar. If you do not have a image hosting service, sites like flickr hosts images. I'm sure a Google search will provide you with several file/image hosting services. Your image must be uploaded to the web and have a url address in order to move on to the next step.

ADDING YOUR ICON TO YOUR BLOG: If you've been able to conquer the above tasks, this step is smooth sailing. First just add your image url to to code below. Just substitute your image URL for the "add icon url". Be sure to leave the single quotation marks. . Then you will have to add the < > symbols at the beginning and end of each of the two lines. Blogger won't let me past the entire code for some darn reason. Spent an hour and still couldn't do it.

link href='ADD ICON URL' rel='shortcut icon'/

link href='ADD ICON URL' rel='icon'/

Once you have incorporated your image url into the code above, log into blogger, go to layout then edit html. The HEAD tag with <> around it should be right at the beginning, so you should not have to scroll down. Just past your code directly below it and save template. You're done.

You will need to restart your browser and it may take a few minutes for server to make the change, so don't panic if your icon is not there right away. Wait a while, then if it does not appear, go back and make sure your code and image url are accurate.

Now, about the SPECIAL OFFER I mentioned earlier. I am a Graphic Artist and use CorelDraw 12 for my design purposes. For the first 15 people to comment on this post, I will design a flavicon for you in the proper format and specifications, then email it to you for upload, absolutely free, no strings. Just leave a comment. The only condition is that you either provide me with a piece of clipart to go by or specific details of what you want the icon to look like. Remember, simple is more in this case. Be sure to leave an email address and allow me 24 hours to get the image to you. I hope many of you will take advantage of this offer. Most sites charge for custom icons.

GOODBYE CARRICO AND LUSHINGTON

noreply@blogger.com (grafikgirl) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 03:34:00 +0000

"American Idol" viewer votes has now narrowed down the Top 24, to the Top 16, as four more contestants were eliminated tonight.

Alaina Whitaker, Alexandrea Lushington, Jason Yeager and my favorite, Robbie Carrico, said goodbye to their idol experience.

Alexandrea Lushington and Robbie Carrico should still be in the running as far as I'm concerned. If America wanted to get rid of a rocker, then Overmeyer should have been the one to bite the big one. Her performance was worse than any of the other contestants.

I am not an Amanda Overmeyer hater...I swear...but the girl who once seemed so tough and cool, now looks like a scared cat on Halloween, about to be plowed by a Harley Davidson. And the worst part is, she's not a very good singer and makes a lot of mistakes. America must be votting for the worst.

Now that hottie, Robbie Carrico, is on to bigger and better things, I leave it up to my second pick for the guys, sweetheart, David Archuleta. As for the girls, so far, Brooke White and Carly Smithson are killin it each week.

Good Luck to the 16 that are left...And I will miss Alexandrea and Robbie.

JACKSON'S PLAYGROUND IN JEOPARDY

noreply@blogger.com (grafikgirl) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 02:30:00 +0000

As if Michael Jackson hasn't humiliated himself enough over the past fifteen years, he has now allowed his financial troubles to become headline news. Jackson's childlike estate, "Neverland Valley Ranch", is said to go up for auction on March 19th of this year, unless the former "King of Pop" pays an estimated 25 Million.

Mr. Jackson bought the estate in 1987 and turned it into a Zoo/Amusement Park. "Wacko Jacko" entertained children there for years and in 1993 was charged with the molestation of a young boy. He settled out of court for a sum in the Millions. Jackson was again charged with molestation in 2003. This time it was a 13 year old boy and Jackson was later acquitted. Michael rarely visits the estate since the second court battle.

While in Germany, November of 2002, between the molestation charges, Michael decided to dangle his small child, Prince Michael II, from a hotel balcony. Luckily, he wasn't wearing his sequence glove, but I do see a pattern here.

One would think that the contents in one room, of Jackson's Mansion, would cover the 25 Million he owes. Apparently the expenses resulting from court issues and attorney fees over the years has taken a toll on the singers bank account. Jackson has surely borrowed against all that he owns, therefore he no longer owns it.

Start saving your money folks. This will be one auction you won't want to miss.

PATHETIC SMALL TOWN BS

noreply@blogger.com (grafikgirl) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 03:46:00 +0000

This will be one of very few personal articles I will write, so don't let me scare you off. I just need to vent.

How can one live in a town of only 5,500 people, for twenty-three years, and only have a hand-full of friends that really know and actually care about them? Well, this is my life.

First let me say that this town has always started gossip about me. If I'm dating I'm a slut...If I'm not then I'm a lesbian. Hell, I even caught crap about the articles I wrote about the flood. Why? because my site hit so far up in the search engine and I used a picture from another site. I was trying to help the victims and what does the town think "she must be doing something illegal". Bullshit.

This probably happens everywhere, but in smaller towns people must just be so damn bored with their own life that they feel the need to find things wrong with other people Guess they just want someone to talk about or it makes their life seem a little better. Of course, their life stays shitty, so why not drag me down too. At least in larger cities you can go somewhere where you are unknown. Hell, I can't even go to the freakin Dentist without the receptionist having an attitude. And I don't take kindly to that.

So, the most recent scenario is this....For the past four year's have to take a pill twice a day, for a chemical balance in the brain. I've never harmed a soul or even threatened to for that matter. But I have had to be hospitalized a couple times to adjust the medication. At least half of Americans take some kind of medicine for stress or other behavioral issues. But in my town...I'm NUTS!

Saturday night, a new co-worker that I barely know, goes into a drunken stupor about how I need to stay on my meds for my step-dad and BLAH BLAH BLAH. Well, she seen the side of me that only comes out when I've had ENOUGH. She wouldn't shut up about it so I just let her have it. I explained that she barely knows me or about my chemical imbalance. She insisted she knew a lot. I told her she shouldn't listen to everything she hears in this town and that if she really wanted to know about me to come talk to me, then, maybe, I would accept her advise. She was basically insisting that she knows my life better than I do. Nothing worse than a drunk know-it-all that doesn't know crap.

Then, out of the blue, she insists it is not a chemical imbalance that I have and shoots off a diagnosis. She then informs me that I missed my doctors appointment! So now I'm really pissed. I told her the only way she could know that would be through someone at the Mental Health Department and I went on to say that this is a complete violation of my confidentiality rights and I am now going after someones job. "Don't do that" she said...."she hasn't been working there very long." and I said "She deserves to be fired if she's that fuckin stupid. And mental illness is a Chemical Imbalances, Dip shit" excuse the language. just keepin it real. So she proceeded to call my step-dad to tattle on me (I'm 36 yrs. old), which got her nowhere, and I went back to packing up my DJ equipment. But I did not forget about the confrontation like they asked.

The Iroquois County Mental Health Department, in my area ,denies that any information regarding my wellness has escaped the lips of their employees. Well, this time I have a bit of proof. In addition to the half wasted co-worker, I did not tell one single soul of a doctors appointment that was scheduled a couple weeks ago. I made sure no one knew, because the last time I missed an appointment people I worked with somehow found out. Well, I missed the appointment on purpose, and kept my mouth shut about it. (I have plenty meds) Just as I suspected, they found out again.

Living in a small town and all, I am pretty sure I know who the little, or should I say Fat rat is. The sad think is that I have know her for years and once thought we were friends. She is not doing me a favor by leaking information, she is just adding salt to the wounds and giving these assholes a reason to look at me like I'm gonna snap at any given moment. Soooo untrue. In addition the law breaking Mental Health employee/former friend couldn't pass a piss test to save her life. She has been on drugs as long as I've known her and even told me one time that "I want to find work as an RN, I just know I can't pass the piss test." And I have problems? Well, she got the job and is still breaking the law. Oh, but her family is loaded, so she could piss piles of cocaine and no one would even notice.

The truth of the matter is, that if I was just some below average looking nobody, that kept her mouth shut, didn't go anywhere and just obeyed, no one would ever bother me.

Instead, I am a very smart and attractive woman with more talent in my pinky finger than some have in their whole body. I always speak my mind. I am nice and have never done anything to intentionally hurt another human being, but I won't take shit off of anybody either. I am independent and have had to take care of myself the majority of my life. I don't use men for money, I've always found a way to make ends meet on my own, legally and fully clothed. I haven't done any drugs since my twenties besides a little pot about a year ago. And have never been charged with anything more than a traffic ticket or mistimener.

Now, who else in this pathetic, nosey, jealous little community would like to put their cards on the table. I have nothing to hide. But I bet you do.

AVRIL LAVIGNE VIDEO-HOT

noreply@blogger.com (grafikgirl) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 20:44:00 +0000