2000 I30T

2000 I30T
Originally uploaded by shawnkclaiborne.

So I sent a down payment for my car today. I’m flying to Fort Lauderdale Wednesday afternoon
To pick it up. My brother is going with me, I asked him to go tonight and he agreed. He really needed
A vacation and I’m glad he agreed to go. I have booked our flight already, we are flying delta on a cool
Little 50 seat jet. We both have windows seats, window on one side, isle on the other. Elbow room! 

So I took off work tomorrow, not sure what I’m going to do yet. So we’ll get to Florida at about 5pm there
time Wednesday afternoon. I am going to take off Friday so we can take are time coming hope. I want to drive
down to Miami and look around and we’ll stop at Daytona. We may go drive some dragsters in Atlanta on the
way home. So we’ll have 2 full days and 2.5 nights to drive back 14 hrs so we should be able to have some fun
on the way back.

I am so happy I finally got another car, now I just have to sell mine! But it’s not a rush, just don’t need a 3rd car.

I went out and shot pool with my cousin Ryan last night while Marion went to see Stomp with her family. We both
had really good nights out. Anyway I’m going to go spend some time with my Mary 

Night,
Shawn

2000 I30T

2000 I30T
Originally uploaded by shawnkclaiborne.

So I sent a down payment for my car today. I’m flying to Fort Lauderdale Wednesday afternoon
To pick it up. My brother is going with me, I asked him to go tonight and he agreed. He really needed
A vacation and I’m glad he agreed to go. I have booked our flight already, we are flying delta on a cool
Little 50 seat jet. We both have windows seats, window on one side, isle on the other. Elbow room! 

So I took off work tomorrow, not sure what I’m going to do yet. So we’ll get to Florida at about 5pm there
time Wednesday afternoon. I am going to take off Friday so we can take are time coming hope. I want to drive
down to Miami and look around and we’ll stop at Daytona. We may go drive some dragsters in Atlanta on the
way home. So we’ll have 2 full days and 2.5 nights to drive back 14 hrs so we should be able to have some fun
on the way back.

I am so happy I finally got another car, now I just have to sell mine! But it’s not a rush, just don’t need a 3rd car.

I went out and shot pool with my cousin Ryan last night while Marion went to see Stomp with her family. We both
had really good nights out. Anyway I’m going to go spend some time with my Mary 

Night,
Shawn

2002 I35

2002 I35
Originally uploaded by shawnkclaiborne.

So I’ve got less than 2 hrs left at work. I’ve been here 10:30 hrs already…. I took a nap earlier… Ben said I was snoring… LOL

I love this job sometimes, it’s funny I’m getting paid good to take a nap and no one gives a shit.

So I’m still looking for a car, I missed out on this one auction, but it was kind of an ugly color anyway. I am having trouble spending like 15,000 on a car, but that seems like what I need to spend to get a nice one like I want. I’m approved for the loan and I won’t
have any trouble making the payments or anything, it just makes me sick to think about spending that money. Until I sell my car I will have less in the bank than I owe on my car which sounds pretty normal, but I’m just having issues with that.

I would like to just buy a motorcycle right now and keep my shitty car for another 6 months but Marion would have a fit I’m sure. I just don’t want to get in an argument about that right now. I know it’s not the senseable thing to do but I’ve worked my ass
off this year and I think if I want to spend 5,000 or less on a motorcycle it shouldn’t be an issue because I’ve made that working overtime in the last 3-4 months.

All the holidays are coming up so I’ll be working a lot again before too long. We’ll see, I need to make some connections next week and get a game plan going as far as going to school for real estate. I found an old friends office address and number so I’m making it my goal to hook up with him next week and get something going.

If I could work here at Flash and also get some other job lined up I could really sock back some cash and me and Marion could get a house sooner. Which is a big goal to reach but I would like to be in a nice all brick home in Franklin within the next 5 yrs.

I think we will be one way or another; I’d just like to know we could do something that big without anyone else’s help, it would be a nice feeling of accomplishment.

So I guess I’ve went about a week without writing in my blog, big surprise… I knew it was just a matter of time before I screwed up with that.

My boss has asked me to work every Thursday from 8am-5pm for atleast the month of October so that will be a nice chunk of OT.

I’ve taken off work tomorrow, so I need to plan something out so the day isn’t wasted.I don’t think there is anything else worse than pissing away time off from work and I hate being guilty of that so much.

Anyway, I’ll get back to work now. The picture of the car is one I’m going to bid on Tuesday.

Shawn

Lightning only strikes once my ass, this tree has been hit 3 times.

Lightning only strikes once my ass, this tree has been hit 3 times.
Originally uploaded by shawnkclaiborne.

(I wrote this yesterday afternoon)

So guess what? I think I feel better after working today. I know, it’s sad. But I think being around people I know helps me tune out some of life’s worries. I guess it’s sad that I don’t have any friends outside of work but at least I have some here.

Marion and me are going out somewhere tonight, I asked her out on a date last night. It’s kind of odd asking your wife out on a date but she seemed excited, she called to me today to make sure it was still on. I hope we can find something fun to do.

Well, I don’t have much to say; at least I’m in a better mood.

Shawn

I wish I was in vegas walking down the strip

I wish I was in vegas walking down the strip
Originally uploaded by shawnkclaiborne.

I’m just speechless right now, I feel bored and I have to go back to work tomorrow. Sad thing is that I’ll probably feel better after working for some reason.

I need something exciting to happen with my life, just anything… At this point Anything good or bad would at least be something to mix it up.

I guess I’ll find some way to piss away another hour of life and then I can go
To bed.

Shawn

Mom feeding the geese

Mom feeding the geese
Originally uploaded by shawnkclaiborne.

So it’s 10:20pm and Marion is trying to wash out some of the dark color from her hair that she just added in a day or two ago.
I really like her with dark hair and I’m annoyed that she is already trying to make it lighter… anyway, she’s going to start cutting hair full time in 3 weeks, I’ve very happy that she finally went for it. She’s just flipping out and on top of my weird ass day I’m just ready to go to bed. I think I find sleep to be an outlet for stress, I can just go and fall asleep and it seems that things will be better when I wake up. I know that’s kind of childish but it seems to help me sometimes.

I was in Kroger’s today shopping and some sad soft rock song (something shitty) came on the radio and pushed me further into depression. There are just so many sad things going on in my life right now that I can’t do anything about, then there are other things I can do something about but it’s just figuring out how to fix the problems.

I’m really having a hard time with my mom’s issues lately. Having my brother tell me in tears that mom can’t even clean her own self up after using the bathroom really hit me hard. I’ve been really sad about that the last 2 weeks. It’s just sad that I can’t even take my mom to town now to do anything, what If she’ll have to use the bathroom before we get home? It makes me really angry that she is in this state she is in, I’m not angry at her or anything, it’s just the situation that makes me so upset. But I know there are lots of things in the life you can not change. I’m just really having a hard time dealing with this lately. I’m not trying to be selfish, but it’s hard to keep things going ok in my life when my mom is like that, and it’s just
making me unstable.

Anthony, a friend at mine at work lost his mom to Alzheimer’s 10 or 15 yrs ago. I talk to him sometimes, it’s nice to be able to talk to someone who understands, but I lost it at work the other day and it was very embarrassing. I don’t know that I need to do, but I need to figure something out and soon. I just can’t take it anymore..

Shawn

My old front yard

My old front yard
Originally uploaded by shawnkclaiborne.

Well a friend of mine who know a lot about nissans said for me not to buy that 2002 altima I’ve been looking at.

So I guess I’m back to the great car search…. I have found a 2000 Camry and a 1999 toyota Avalon. The Avalon looks like a nice car, I’m not sure if it would get much better mileage than my maxima, but it looks a lot better than the Camry that’s for sure.

I’ve already been at work 3.5 hrs; today is going by pretty fast. I think I’m going to try and just take a 30 min lunch so I can leave at 5:30. Someone today Im’ed me and asked if I was doing ok, I guess it’s apparent that I don’t really feel like being here today and I really don’t.

So I burned the shit out of my mouth last night with a 300 degree grilled potato. I know I bitch about everything but it really hurts like a mutha. So I really didn’t get to enjoy my dinner at cookout, I really hated dragging in over there so late. I asked Marion if they were going to do anything for the holiday and she acted they never do. So I agreed to work and I hated missing out on it… Oh well, my dad really needed my help today building an addition onto his house down in prim springs, but you know… when someone asks for help the day before when you agreed to come in and work 2-3 weeks ago you just can’t drop everything for them, even if you want to…

Anyway, that kind of ticked me off…. I know he has other things on his mind but if you need help you need to ask Someone every now and then. I guess I’m in a lot worse of a mood than I originally thought I was this morning…

I need to eat something, I just don’t know what, everything around here is bad for me too… I’m going to see about joining the Franklin Athletic Club, I figure if something costs me enough I’ll be determined to stick to it.

Anyway, maybe I’ll write something later, this day is just sucking.

Shawn

Hillsboro Acres

Hillsboro Acres
Originally uploaded by shawnkclaiborne.

So it’s about 12:30 on this wonderful day.

I’ve only got 7.5 hrs more to go…. Damn

So we’ve all been sitting around work today talking, we’ve been having a good time. I am looking forward to tomorrow, I can check on my stocks I’m watching and after tomorrow I’ll have 2 days off. I’m not quite sure what I’m going to do with my days off, but it will just be nice to have the time off.

I need to go see family this week. The cookout at my in-laws last night was nice, Marion Drank a little too much though, but I guess it’s nice to kick back like that. I always have To work of drive home so I never get to do that. I think I’ve been drunk once and that Was when I was 17, I got a good buzz like a month ago, but I was fine.

We had a good time last night though, it would be nice if I was off work today. But here I am. My dad, mom, and brother are down at dad’s property down in Primm Springs, Tn.

I don’t really don’t have too much to talk about it, I just want to keep my blogg current. If I stop then I’ll quit writing for another 6 months. I doubt anyone reads this thing anyway. I just get comments posted from get rich quick or porno sites it seems. Oh well, At least I get to vent somewhat and I guess it’s worth it in that aspect.

I’ve been thinking it might be smart do buy an acre or 2 next to my dad’s property, I don’t really want to live out there, but if we had a sudden decline in income it could be useful. I
think if I could buy an acre with cash, put up a 2-car garage just to have some storage And something to fall back on that would be nice. Marion would probably think it’s a dumb Idea though. I’d really like us to get a house in Franklin around the area her parents live. It would shave drive time off for both of us. There is a really nice house in Hillsboro Acres, it’s 184,900 though. I would want to have a very big down payment before we got into something like that though. 140-150 Loan would be ok, but I just don’t want to get over Extended.

Marion is going back over to her parent’s house today, I think they are going to have another
cookout today. So when I get out of this place tonight I guess I’ll be heading back over there.
Maybe I’ll get some dinner.

Have a good day, here is a pic of that house.

Shawn

919

919
Originally uploaded by skclaiborne.

So it’s about 4pm on Sunday afternoon.

I slept in till about 10 this morning, which felt pretty good.

Marion made pancakes and we watched TV.

I was just kind of sitting around bored until she started moping the
Floor so that inspired me to clean something myself. I tore up tons
Of receipts and papers that needed to be thrown away, vacuumed
All the floors and just tried to neaten up the place some.

I got to thinking about how bad we need to paint and get new carpet,
It’s just one of those things we’ve learned to live with, but it would make
Our hope look much better.

So anyway, I’m at work right now. I’ve got about 3hrs more to go.
Marion is going to the store to buy some food and beer to take over
To her moms house. I’m going to meet her over there tonight, they are
Having a cookout.

I know it’s kind of odd but I like hanging out with my in-laws, I love
All my family them included. I am going to go see my mom sometime next
Week and go visit aunt Sadie. I need to go see grandpa soon, he’s not
In the best of health. Something troubles me about going to see someone
When they may not be alive much longer, you’d think you want to go see
Them more because it may be the last time, but it’s making me nervous as
Hell.

I’ve got to work from 7am-8pm Monday and 9am-6pm Tuesday, I’ll have
Wednesday and Thursday off though. Then I’ll have off Tuesday-Thursday
The following week unless something changes. I think it’s getting about time
To take a short vacation, I don’t think I can make it back around to March
Again this next year.

Hopefully this Thursday I’ll get to go look at that altima if I don’t back out
Of it.

Anyway, I’m going to get back to work.

Shawn

2002 Altima

2002 Altima
Originally uploaded by skclaiborne.

So I’ve been feeling awful restless today, I’ve been looking at cars thinking about what I need to get and
What would be the smart thing to buy. I’ve pretty much decided to go with a 2002 Altima with a 4cylinder
Engine and an Auto Transmission. I’m going to try and take real estate classes soon and I need a roomy
Car with good gas milage. I think I can sell my Maxima for 3000 and try to get a Altima for like 12k or so.
I found a really awesome Lexus I would love to buy, but Car insurance would go up 400 bucks a year and
I don’t think it’s worth it. I really hope I get a motorcycle next year, I haven’t had once Since I was 17. I
Know I don’t really need one but it’s not like I have any hobbies or anything that’s fun so I think It would be
Fun to go riding again.

I would like to just take a week or 2 off work and just take off and ride wherever Just hop on a interstate and
go. I haven’t seen enough of the USA yet. I’ve only been in TN, AL, GA, MS, FL, KY, CA, NV and AR.
I may have been in SC but if I was I don’t remember it I was way too young.

So I just figured out a way to save my company $2,000.00 a Month if phone bills for the next few months.
We dial tower sites through a server each night up to 11 times to check on their status. I found that 139
Towers were taken out in the Hurricane so we are wasting $68.80 a night dialing these sites that are laying
On the ground, they aren’t going to answer…. I’m sure they’ll tell me it’s a great Idea and then not do a
Damn thing with the information. It’s great being smarter than all my bosses and them being too ignorant to
Fix issues that could save our company Monday.

Marion colored her hair dark again, I’m very happy about that. I find her much more attractive with Dark
Hair than blonde. We went out to Outback last night and had a good time; I got one of my favorite drinks J


So I’ve started watching stocks, I’m trying to figure out how to play the game, I think I’ll figure it out somewhat
Before too long. I’m just learning on paper for the time being, I don’t know enough to risk real money yet. Atleast
It seems fun for the time being, I want to order a couple of books about the subject. I still want to look into the
Tax lien certificate thing I’ve researched.

I’m kicked back listening to yahoo radio right now, as much as I hate my job at times it’s nice to be sitting here
Chilling out instead of mowing a yard of digging a ditch out in 95 degree weather or some shit. I think I’ve worked
Myself so much the last couple years It’s helped me appreciate more simple things in life to some degree. I just
Have a lot more on my mind lately, a lot deeper things than in the past, I think it’s good in some ways and depressing
In others.

Marion and myself are going out to dinner with her parents tonight, I am supposed to pick where… that’s always
A problem with us… You don’t even know.

Later,

Shawn

My mom just hit stage 6...

Mom
Originally uploaded by skclaiborne.

Stages of Alzheimer's Disease
Page outline> Stage 1: No impairment> Stage 2: Very mild decline> Stage 3: Mild decline> Stage 4: Moderate decline (mild or early stage)> Stage 5: Moderately severe decline (moderate or mid-stage)> Stage 6: Severe decline (moderately severe or mid-stage)> Stage 7: Very severe decline (severe or late stage) > Related resourcesExperts have documented common patterns of symptom progression that occur in many individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and developed several methods of “staging” based on these patterns. Progression of symptoms corresponds in a general way to the underlying nerve cell degeneration that takes place in Alzheimer’s disease. Nerve cell damage typically begins with cells involved in learning and memory and gradually spreads to cells that control every aspect of thinking, judgment, and behavior. The damage eventually affects cells that control and coordinate movement. Staging systems provide useful frames of reference for understanding how the disease may unfold and for making future plans. But it is important to note that all stages are artificial benchmarks in a continuous process that can vary greatly from one person to another. Not everyone will experience every symptom and symptoms may occur at different times in different individuals. People with Alzheimer’s live an average of 8 years after diagnosis, but may survive anywhere from 3 to 20 years.The framework for this section is a system that outlines key symptoms characterizing seven stages ranging from unimpaired function to very severe cognitive decline. This framework is based on a system developed by Barry Reisberg, M.D., Clinical Director of the New York University School of Medicine’s Silberstein Aging and Dementia Research Center.Within this framework, we have noted which stages correspond to the widely used concepts of mild, moderate, moderately severe, and severe Alzheimer’s disease. We have also noted which stages fall within the more general divisions of early-stage, mid-stage, and late-stage categories.Stage 1: No impairment (normal function)
Unimpaired individuals experience no memory problems and none are evident to a health care professional during a medical interview.Back to top
Stage 2: Very mild cognitive decline (normal age-related changes)
Individuals may feel as if they have memory lapses, especially in forgetting familiar words or names or the location of keys, eyeglasses or other everyday objects. But these problems are not evident during a medical examination or apparent to friends, family or co-workers.Back to top
Stage 3: Mild cognitive declineEarly-stage Alzheimer's can be diagnosed in some, but not all, individuals with these symptoms
Friends, family or co-workers begin to notice deficiencies. Problems with memory or concentration may be measurable in clinical testing or discernible during a detailed medical interview. Common difficulties include:· Word- or name-finding problems noticeable to family or close associates· Decreased ability to remember names when introduced to new people· Performance issues in social or work settings noticeable to family, friends or co-workers· Reading a passage and retaining little material· Losing or misplacing a valuable object· Decline in ability to plan or organizeBack to top
Stage 4: Moderate cognitive decline(Mild or early-stage Alzheimer's disease)
At this stage, a careful medical interview detects clear-cut deficiencies in the following areas:· Decreased knowledge of recent occasions or current events· Impaired ability to perform challenging mental arithmetic-for example, to count backward from 100 by 7s· Decreased capacity to perform complex tasks, such as marketing, planning dinner for guests or paying bills and managing finances· Reduced memory of personal history· The affected individual may seem subdued and withdrawn, especially in socially or mentally challenging situationsBack to top
Stage 5: Moderately severe cognitive decline(Moderate or mid-stage Alzheimer's disease)
Major gaps in memory and deficits in cognitive function emerge. Some assistance with day-to-day activities becomes essential. At this stage, individuals may:· Be unable during a medical interview to recall such important details as their current address, their telephone number or the name of the college or high school from which they graduated· Become confused about where they are or about the date, day of the week, or season· Have trouble with less challenging mental arithmetic; for example, counting backward from 40 by 4s or from 20 by 2s· Need help choosing proper clothing for the season or the occasion· Usually retain substantial knowledge about themselves and know their own name and the names of their spouse or children· Usually require no assistance with eating or using the toiletBack to top
Stage 6: Severe cognitive decline(Moderately severe or mid-stage Alzheimer's disease)
Memory difficulties continue to worsen, significant personality changes may emerge and affected individuals need extensive help with customary daily activities. At this stage, individuals may:· Lose most awareness of recent experiences and events as well as of their surroundings· Recollect their personal history imperfectly, although they generally recall their own name· Occasionally forget the name of their spouse or primary caregiver but generally can distinguish familiar from unfamiliar faces· Need help getting dressed properly; without supervision, may make such errors as putting pajamas over daytime clothes or shoes on wrong feet· Experience disruption of their normal sleep/waking cycle· Need help with handling details of toileting (flushing toilet, wiping and disposing of tissue properly)· Have increasing episodes of urinary or fecal incontinence· Experience significant personality changes and behavioral symptoms, including suspiciousness and delusions (for example, believing that their caregiver is an impostor); hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not really there); or compulsive, repetitive behaviors such as hand-wringing or tissue shredding· Tend to wander and become lostBack to top
Stage 7: Very severe cognitive decline(Severe or late-stage Alzheimer's disease)
This is the final stage of the disease when individuals lose the ability to respond to their environment, the ability to speak and, ultimately, the ability to control movement.· Frequently individuals lose their capacity for recognizable speech, although words or phrases may occasionally be uttered· Individuals need help with eating and toileting and there is general incontinence of urine· Individuals lose the ability to walk without assistance, then the ability to sit without support, the ability to smile, and the ability to hold their head up. Reflexes become abnormal and muscles grow rigid. Swallowing is impaired.

New_Orleans_Courtyard_II

New_Orleans_Courtyard_II
Originally uploaded by skclaiborne.

Today has been pretty boring, slept till 10am, surfed the net, made a grilled cheese and heated up some soup. Watched some TV, I don’t even remember what I watched.

Took a shower, got dressed, and drove to work. I got at work at 12:02, it’s now 1:24…
So I guess my day is just beginning since I’ve only been up 3.5hrs. I get off today
At 5pm, I think Marion does as well.

We went to see 40yr old Virgin Tuesday night, it was pretty funny. I wouldn’t pay
To see it again but I would rent it when it comes out. Had some pretty funny scenes.

I went to see my great aunt Sadie yesterday, she is doing well. We talked about the hurricane and the damage down in New Orleans, Marion and myself wanted to go down there but never did, I am sure a lot of the old buildings got washed away, it really stinks
that we never got a chance to visit before it was destroyed. I know they will rebuild but
it probably won’t be the same.

Well It’s 3:16 now, I’ve been training my boss for the last 2 hrs, why can’t I be
A manager and make 70k a year, I know this business better than her… That
Ticks me off sometimes.

Anyway I have less than 2 hrs left at work, I guess I’ll get going. Good thing I filled up
Yesterday with $2.57 a gallon gas, or I’d be paying 8 bucks more for a tank today.

Later,
Shawn