The Blog of Michael Lee Mitchell

Well, I hope everyone is well. If you haven't notice the website has not been updated in a couple of weeks. It probably will not either. I am not in the Christmas mood. This year. We are having a lot of remodeling work done in the house and it has caused alot of chaos. We have not put up any Christmas decorations. Another reason is I will be learning a new program in the new year to create and maintain a website and just haven't fooled around with it yet. Some breaking news. I am getting really fed up with work lately. So, if I don't get a certain position I have been trying for I will be taking early retirement late next year. For everyone else have a Merry Christmas and remember the reason for the season, JESUS!

My favorite time of year is coming between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Hopefully, I will get a transfer in my job. I will keep you posted. Nothing new with me right now. Except on the medical front. I started taking a diabetes pill, Actos. Not that I have diabetes or pre-diabetes. But, my glucose has been 103 the last couple of times and it should be under 100. So, the doctor stated he wanted me to try this medication for 3 months to see if it helps with that and my fatty liver. They have found that by giving the pill before hand you are 70% less likely to get diabetes. I have also started dieting. Basically eating less. I gave up colas over a year ago and drink just water and tea. Though sometimes it is sweetened tea. The majority of the time I drink unsweetened tea. Well, I hope everyone is doing fine.

Well, this time I am sick with a chest cold. This has not been my year in reference to being healthy. As far as work. I had today off because of overtime and the company not wishing to pay. I have a 4 day weekend. Which is good. Since I have been in bed sleeping most of the day and coughing. I have no sick time left. So, good thing I got sick on my days off.....NOT! I am thinking of taking early retirement. If I do it won't be until sometime next year.

Today is my Dad's 54th birthday. My sister's was Tuesday. It has been a birthday week. Happy Birthday Dad and Stacey!!!

Well, nothing new here. I have been out on Workers Comp due to the side effects of the medications I am on. I have another two weeks on the medication. I can't wait until that day. I don't like being on Worker Comp. But, as for right now I have no choice. I hope everyone else is doing great.

I got my new computer last Friday, an HP, with an AMD processor. I thought about getting a Dell again. However, the quality of my last Dell I was never impressed with. So, far this HP is great. I hopefully will have it back up to where the old computer was within a couple of months.

I have been out of work last Wednesday, today I went in for a couple of hours then left and will be gone again tomorrow. I had a blood exposure at work and taking the PEP (post exposure prophylaxis) medication. This medication makes my stomach sick/nausea. Now it is giving me diarrhea. So, until these things clear up. I am out from work.

First of all this is going to be a rant. I was watching channel 52 ABC family, one of my new favorite shows of Kyle XY, and the the channel goes blank. So, I check the other TV. Yep, it is blank too. So, I call Brighthouse to let them know. After spending 15 minutes on the phone, I get this nice lady who says "I haven't heard of a problem with that channel. But, I schedule you an appointment to have a technician come out to your house to check your cable." I state there is nothing wrong with the cable. Both TV's are doing it and all the other channels are fine. It is the signal. "Well we have to schedule you an appointment for a technician to come and check the schedule." No please don't because by the time they get here someone will figure out the channel is down and fix the problem. Don't you people have someone control room monitoring all the channels? No response. Just let them know the channel is down. Thank you and goodbye. The channel then com...

I just wanted to let everyone know that I will not be posting for a bit. My computer is failing. After about 5 years I guess it was bound to happen. The motherboard is going. So, I broke down and bought a new computer and it should be here next week. Hope everyone is doing fine. Take care and be safe.

Well, the website is finally updated. It will stay that way for at least through September 2006. I have one more week before I am going to check on my property in Tennessee. I will post plenty of pictures. My Mom and Dad are coming with me this time. They want to check Tennessee out. I watched The Passion of Christ yesterday. This is only my second time watching it and I can not watch it without crying. I just think Mel Gibson did a very accurate recreation. How accurate, we will find out and it could be anytime. As far as work. I keep thinking I am not going to make it another 8 years and 5 months. It will be a day by day task. After doing the same job and profession for almost 17 years it gets a little old and I am never amazed by people anymore. [Listening to: Start of Something New - Troy and Gabriella - High School Musical [Soundtrack] (03:17)]

Well, I was supposed to work all weekend. That didn't happen. I went to the emergency room Thursday night and was admitted to the hospital. I finally got released on Saturday Afternoon. I even passed out in the emergency room and bit my lip. I don't remember passing out. But, I do remember the lip because it hurt when I woke up. The diagnosis is unclear. I believe it was either food poisoning or diverticulitis. The emergency room personnel, according to my dad, were treating me like it was a heart attack. I knew it was not that. All because I said my chest hurt. My chest hurt because I had be vomiting for an hour before going to the emergency room. So, finally outcome, I feel better and looking forward to going back to work. I have 3 doctors appointment next week for follow up. Oh and by the way no heart attack that was ruled out almost immediately.

Sorry everyone, I have been extremely busy and I was also doing a few minor upgrades to the computer. I will try to update my website for the next two months next weekend when I am off. Nothing new has been happening. I have been working a lot lately and just tired. I am going back to Tennessee as of this time in July. I will be posting a lot when I do go. I am taking my mom, dad and niece, Alexus.

Well, I have been waiting for a long time to let everyone know about this bit of news. I wanted to make sure nothing happened to stop or delay it again. I wanted to make sure the chicken hatched this time. Well, here it is a am the Proud owner of 15.15 acres in Paris, Tennessee. I paid $28625 for it. The propery is great you can find pictures of it on my website under vacation pictures, Paris, Tennessee. What am I going to do with this property? Well, I am going to build my retirement house there. I have only 8 years and approximately 7 months to go to I am eligilbe to retire. I am looking forward to that. All of my profession is getting to the point where it is ridiculious and I can't wait to retire. What will I do when I retire? Well, after a six month to year just relaxing. I may get a part time or another full time job. Depends on income and how bored I get. So, I have been waiting a while to tell anyone as I wanted to make sure I actually got the property this time and I did. ...

My Uncle Homer died on Monday of last week and we had his funeral yesterday. It was very good. I think the past part was the dinner after words at his sister's house in Brooksville. It was more like a family reunion. I saw family I haven't seen in at least 8 to 10 years.

I watched Mine, Yours and Ours, great movie. Next up is Fun with Dick and Jane and that is all for the new movies. I am off to take my Tricor. The doctor put me on Tricor to try and lower my triglycerides, which are sky high. We will see if it is working in four weeks when I take my blood test. I am also trying to lose weight. I have lost a pound only 39 more to go.

Well, I watched Good night and Good Luck, not a bad movie. I also have watched the new King Kong. I was not bad just a little long. I think the could have cut the scene with the bugs and made it a little shorter. That is what I am doing is watching DVD's this weekend. The next one is Yours, Mine and Ours. [Listening to: I Am Free - Ross Parsley - I Am Free (05:29)]

Well, I just watched a second Nicholas Cage movie in the last two months. First was the Lord of Wars and it stunk. Tonight I watched The Weather Man and this one is a loser too. These last two movies of his stink. There is nothing but cussing and more cussing in these movies. I hope he can pull a winner out of his next movie. He is becoming a terrible actor in my book based on these two last movies. I am watching Good Night and Good Luck right now. I hope it is a better movie. I will let you know. Next, as I was watching the news tonight, I think we need to scrap a lot of things in this Country if it is too survive. I will elaborate more later.

Nothing new going on. Just been working a lot lately. Although I think I will have huge announcement coming up in the next couple of weeks stay tuned.

Well, today is my 37th Birthday!!! Thankfully, I did not have to work today. I just got finished watching the Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I give it 5 out of 5 stars. I am looking forward to the sequels. I think these could be the Lord of the Rings. [Listening to: Track 1 - Unknown Artist - Unknown Album (2/12/2006 8:05:44 PM) (03:28)]

Today is the day before my 37th Birthday. Just think I will be 40 soon. Unbelievable. Nothing new going on in my life. Just working hard and alot lately. I am finally being able to buy my retirement land where I wanted in Paris, Tennessee. It has been a long road and a complicated one. But, by June I hope to have the whole thing done. So I have been working alot of overtime to make sure I have the monthly payments. Other than that I have updated my website and the way my schedule is going to be over the next few months don't look for alot of new blogs and updates.

Sorry I haven't blogged sooner. But, since being back from my vacation I have been busy. This is the first chance I have had to sit down and type something meaningful. I have updated the website. The new theme for this month is Baseball. I have tried to establish that through out. I had a so so trip. Greeneville, Tennessee was not that great. The mountain views were awesome but that was about it. luckily, I am going to be able to finally purchase the land in Paris, Tennessee. So, Paris Tennessee will be where I am retiring too. I should hopefully close on the land by the 1st of June. The pictures of the property are on the Paris, Tenn page. Back to the trip. I also went to Asheville, North Carolina. I liked the city but not their road system. I went to the Biltmore Estate while there and had a great time. There is a picture of me feeling the snow. While in Asheville I toured the Deltec Model home and their factory. These are round houses and I am totally sold on them. I like the de...

Well, I have returned from Tennessee. I will posting some pictures on next months website update. I did not find any land to purchase and I would recommend not going to Greeneville, Tennessee. It was a dirty city and area. The background of the mountains was the only good point. While on this trip I went to Asheville, NC to look at a Deltec home. They are round homes and stand up to Hurricanes and Tornados quite well. I was very impressed at the model home and the factory where the components are made. I enjoyed Asheville, NC except the road system which was very confusing. I went to the Biltmore estate while in Asheville and liked the house alot. Well, that should be my last extended time off for a while. I want to build up my time.

Snow in Asheville, North Carolina, at the Double Tree Biltmore. And right now it is 31 degrees.

Snow on the bumper of truck next to us.

Entering North Carolina.

Leaving Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Just entered South Carolina.

Just coming into to Savannah, Georgia.

Just enter Georgia on I-95.

I went to the Doctor today as a follow up to my endoscope and colonoscopy. The verdict a polyp was removed from my colon and was benign. The growth in my stomach was Helicobacter pylori a bacteria that could cause me to have an ulcer. So, he wrote out a prescription for Prevpac. I take it for the next 14 days go back in 6 weeks and see if it killed the bacteria. Other than that I will have to have a colonoscopy every 3 to 5 years just to make sure there are no more polyps. My labs were showing elevated liver enzymes indicating a fatty liver. The only cure for a fatty liver is losing weight. So, I am going to have to start a modest and I do mean modest diet with modest exercise. I want to personally lose about 40 pounds. I took the prescription to Publix to get it filled they had to order it and it should be here tomorrow. I refused to use Walgreens anymore. I have had several negative experiences with them in the past. I do have to use them for my mail order because that is who the ins...

While recovering from yesterday, I have been watching DVD's, catching up on the latest ones I have bought. So far I have watched: Batman Begins    4 out of 4 stars. The Interpreter    2.5 out of 4 stars. Stealth    1.5 out of 4 stars. Kingdom of Heaven    2.5 out of 4 stars. The Island    1.5 out of 4 stars. The Brother's Grimm    2.5 out of 4 stars. That is what I have done this weekend. I return to work tomorrow. Not looking forward to that and it will be a long week. I look forward to next Monday and Tuesday my days off.

I had to have an endoscopy and a colonoscopy today. This is after several months of my primary doctor telling me that my liver tests in my blood work were coming back abnormal. My primary doctor sent me for a ultrasound of the liver and then an MRI of my liver with another ultrasound. The diagnoses with the ultrasound and MRI was a minimal fatty liver and a benign polyp in my gallbladder. Well, my doctor was going to start me on Tricor to lower my triglycerides. However, after another abnormal liver blood test sent me to a gastroenterologist. He had me go to Labcorp and I gave 9 vials of blood. Well, guess what. Some of the tests were abnormal. But, no hepatitis A, B or C. Which I knew was negative. Well getting back to my scopes today. I had a good experience at the place it was performed and the doctor is very good. He did find a growth in my stomach and my colon. He biopsied both. I do have diverticula in one area and I have hemorrhoids. The later I knew I had. I got to see color pi...

We learned that on Wednesday morning my Aunt Alva Jo had died at a Connecticut hospital. Aunt Alva Jo was diagnosed with liver failure last year. I will miss Aunt Alva Jo and my prayers are with Uncle Wallace and all the rest of my cousins in Connecticut.

My friend, Chris Soleau and Pluto at The Liberty Tree Tavern at Disney World Magic Kingdom (01/07/2006).

My Mom, niece Alexus and Minnie Mouse at The Liberty Tree Tavern (01/07/2006).

My niece and Pluto at The Liberty Tree Tavern (01/07/2006).