Cracked Up

That's me. My second visit to the chiropractor was awesome. My back cracked so easily, and the doctor said something to the effect of, "Oh, yeah, we'll get you fixed up pretty quick." I must be a good patient. :)

Did I mention that my chiropractor is YOUNGER than I am? Yep. Younger. I am officially at an age where EXPERTS IN THEIR FIELDS can be younger than I am. That's so disturbing.

But I am a good patient - I've been doing neck exercises, taking no pain meds, no drinking, paying more attention to posture (I'm using a footrest at work), and trying trying trying to sleep longer... (she says before she goes out to see her friend at a bar) I'm headed out tonight to see Wes and Drew again, but since I have my endoscopy tomorrow (1 PM), I'm still on my all-water bar diet. No food after midnight. No liquids after 6 AM. And yes, I'm going to work in the morning. (AH!) Tomorrow will be LOADS of fun.

Luckily I have good friends to drive me all over town for my appointment tomorrow. Thank you my friends...

Hmph.

I have a dangly mirror cover. How the heck do I fix this? I've looked but I don't see a way to pop the mirror off of the visor, nor do I see a way to just take the door off and fix whatever spring or hinge is broken. What am I supposed to do?

Girl Time

I had good girl time this weekend. Last night Nicole and I shopped, got some sushi and finally watched Sex in the City, the movie. It was a good time. The movie was enjoyable, but we both agreed the acting was sketchy in spots. BIG's character was kind of weak, honestly, and some of the situations felt expected. But it was a good girl movie... I needed some low key girl time.

Today, Jill and I met for lunch. Oh my, so much fun, and at Canton Dockside, too. I love that place - the view is wonderful. I love you, Jill. Catching up was so wonderful, and as we always say - we must do that more often. (Oh, and I'll take Frank. Don't forget.)

Tonight, rumor has it that Wes is in town and playing at Claddagh. No drinking for me, but I'll probably go for a set. I really miss my friend, and I miss hearing him sing. Need to be in bed at a decent time, though... last night I was up with Nicole until 1:30 and it just about killed me. I've been going to bed between 9 and 11 PM for two weeks!

Tomorrow is my chiropractor's appointment... I seriously CAN'T WAIT. Now back to laundry.

Off-Shore Drilling... Interesting

It's obvious it's time for alternative methods...


Link: http://www.architecture2030.org/news/news_090608.html#DrillHereDrillNow

HT: mom

Doc # 3

This blog is becoming a log of my health... I'm going to have to do something about that. But today I saw my new GI doctor. No colonoscopy needed (yay!) and my endoscopy is scheduled for Wednesday. It's slow going, but we're getting there.

Doc # 2

I had an initial exam from a chiropractor yesterday. He didn't do an alignment (yet), but he did the exam and said that I have both muscular and skeletal problems in my neck and upper back. Those aren't the words he used - he used medical terms - but that's what he meant. He said it's no surprise that I'm having headaches, and that I'm actually have two kinds of headaches - muscular and skeletal. Fabulous.

I have an appointment scheduled for Monday...

Farewell Summer

Yes, I know that summer technically ended earlier this week, but it's official here in Baltimore: tomorrow's high is a mere 64 degrees. I guess I'll have to consider putting away those sandals for good, although admittedly, now some shoe shopping will be required. I need new black boots, black heels (I hate the slingbacks I bought last year), and grey heels (at a minimum). Ugh. I love shoes... but am always disappointed by the shopping with my 5 1/2 size feet.

I need some feedback.

1. What do we think of these... in red? In black?

2. These... in the brown snake color? (It looks grey to me).

3. Or these in black?

4. Are these BK's shoes? (Work people only.)

5. How about these in black?

6. Oooohhh... GREY ONES!

7. Not practical, but these pumps are way fun.

8. Nice.

9. Ahhh... Anne Klein. I wish.

10. I WANT THESE. TELL ME IT'S OKAY TO BUY THEM.

sniff

One Reason I Am Voting for Obama

So Far, So Good

My six day long headache went away for the most part on Sunday, with a bit of a recurrence at bedtime. I didn't sleep as well Sunday night as Friday/Saturday either, but this weekend was still the best sleep I've had in about 4 years. It was amazing. I woke up today and went to work feeling fine with no exhaustion or headaches - truly one of my best days in awhile. The only hitch is that around 9 PM my head suddenly started hurting again out of nowhere. Ice has numbed it for now, but I think an early bed time will be important again tonight.

In addition, my doctor called today, and my blood work looks good. My vitamin D was a bit low but that can be remedied by the amount of D in the multivitamin I've started taking. So just the GI tests left... what fun.

Lastly, Antonio would like to report that he enjoys long walks on the beach around the block and playtime with his momma. He was the perfect dog when I was sick - just cuddly and undemanding - but I know he's happy to have his momma back.

Lately

Well... I attempted to hold off on this post until I know more, but I'm way too honest to post random things and not just come out with it. Not to say that I don't believe 100% what I said about Palin, but there's been more going on this week.

So the short story is that it's obvious that I haven't been taking care of myself. I've been working like crazy, not sleeping, eating anything and not taking time for me. When I'm off I'm lazy - thinking that laziness is relaxation - and it's not. So last Saturday I went out (and had fun, but not too much fun), which resulted in being violently ill on Sunday. It was pretty bad. I haven't felt that sick in a long time. I felt better by Sunday night, but then not so good on Monday, so I called a new doctor (hate my GP) and got an appointment for Wednesday.

On Wednesday I unloaded my rather complicated medical history to her, including current issues, and she ordered a urinalysis (done), blood tests (done), a tetanus (unrelated but precautionary - done), and a colonoscopy and EGD (scheduled). I've been told no more Excedrin, because apparently Excedrin causes rebound headaches which cause you to take more Excedrin... and the cycle continues. So I've been without caffeine, soda, alcohol, Excedrin, fried foods, and tea (even decaf) for six days.

Whether or not I'm going through caffeine withdraw (soda, tea and Excedrin) or whether it's Excedrin withdraw, is any one's guess. I've only take acetaminophen twice (one capsule each time) twice this week just to survive the pain. Yes, I'm drinking plenty of liquids, yes, I am trying to eat healthy except for the few days that my stomach was disagreeing (that was all soup and crackers). Who knows what is going on. But I'm pretty miserable.

Just so you know, I'm not looking for sympathy here, just being factual. This might explain a lot to those of you who know me (or maybe a little to those who don't). I am under a doctor's care.

Yesterday a friend at work cooked me an entire huge bowl of chicken noodle soup to take home.Last night Katie came over and gave me a facial/upper body massage to try to relieve some stress. Yes, I am loved. It's just hard to feel loved when you feel so horrible sometimes.

So last night I went to bed at 9:30-something which is unprecedented for me. But I've been sleeping heavily in between the waking up (normal for me) so I thought I'd give it a try since I was relaxed from the massage. I've been sleeping on a heating pad (with two hour shutoff) for back pain, so I did that with a cold compress on my head. I woke up at 4 AM in pain again... and awake. I seriously paced my apartment for awhile, then finally looked online for some neck and back stretches that I could do. Found two good ones, here and here, and after doing these while listening to a new age CD that Katie left, I felt better to go back to bed.

When I woke up today, it was the first time that my head wasn't pounding. It didn't last, but it was a beautiful break in the pain. I let out Antonio, drank some water, called my parents to let them know I was okay, and went back to bed. Now I'm up and doing the exercises again before laying back down to watch TV or something.

So who the heck knows, right? I'm hoping this headaches business lays off soon, and maybe with these exercises I can de-stress something I have going on in my neck/back/spine. My chiropractor is in Ohio... a bit inconvenient.

So comments are always welcome, but I thought I'd bring you all up to date. I'm surviving. If anyone wants to take Antonio for a walk because he's been doing nothing but laying around, that would be great, but please note that I am not good company. I'd rather you leave afterward than talk because I just don't feel well. I'm not trying to be rude, I'm just being honest. I'm off to finish my back exercises and lay down. Ciao. And thank you for caring. I mean that.

Headache

I have had a headache for 5 days... my forehead feels like it is going to explode. Can't take painkillers because I've been over using them. Anyone know any home remedies (other than caffeine) that will help?

Bristol Palin

So, I've been thinking... thinking and chatting with folks, and I have some thoughts to share. Regarding Bristol Palin's pregnancy, in some ways I don't care. Her decision to have the baby/not have the baby, marry the father/not marry the father isn't really all that important to me. Most of us were having sex in our later teens, so to judge her would be highly hypocritical. It's her business - as it should be.

The grander issue to be contemplated is Palin's history of positions regarding sex-education is schools. Although today, some texts claim that she supports "comprehensive sex education in schools," "according to her response to a candidate questionnaire during her gubernatorial run, Palin does not favor "explicit sex-ed programs" which, in the context of the questionnaire, included 'explicit sex-education programs, school-based clinics and the distribution of contraceptives in schools.'" * Wikepedia, Political positions of Sarah Palin

This I find worrisome. Not because I disagree - which I do - but because of her daughter, Bristol's, pregnancy. To be an opponent of sex-ed programs and then have your high school age daughter turn up pregnant, is embarrassing. The Palins can have any position they want on this issue - it's democratic - but to run for office with such a firm stance on this issue, and have your daughter (who should be one of the highest priorities) get pregnant is hypocrisy. In the case of Sarah Palin, I find this to be not only a professional failure, but more importantly a parental one.

Just my thoughts...

"let me get this straight..."

By Roger Freedman (not me)

I'm a little confused. Let me see if I have this straight...(hope I'm not offending anyone):

* If you grow up in Hawaii, and are raised by your grandparents, you're "exotic, different."
* If you grow up in Alaska eating mooseburgers, you're a quintessential American story.
* If your name is Barack, you're a radical, unpatriotic Muslim.
* If you name your kids Willow, Trig and Track, you're a maverick.
* If you graduate from Harvard law School, you are unstable.
* If you attend 5 different small colleges before graduating, you're well grounded.
* If you spend 3 years as a brilliant community organizer, become the first black President of the Harvard Law Review, create a voter registration drive that registers 150,000 new voters, spend 12 years as a Constitutional Law professor, spend 8 years as a State Senator representing a district with over 750,000 people, become chairman of the state Senate's Health and Human Services committee, spend 4 years in the United States Senate representing a state of 13 million people
while sponsoring 131 bills and serving on the Foreign Affairs, Environment and Public Works and Veteran's Affairs committees, you don't have any real leadership experience.
* If your total resume is: local weather girl, 4 years on the city council and 6 years as the mayor of a town with less than 7,000 people, 20 months as the governor of a state with only 650,000 people, then you're qualified to become the country's second highest ranking executive.
* If you have been married to the same woman for 19 years while raising 2 beautiful daughters, all within Protestant churches, you're not a real Christian.
* If you cheated on your first wife with a rich heiress, and left your disfigured wife and married the heiress the next month, you're a Christian.
* If you teach responsible, age appropriate sex education, including the proper use of birth control, you are eroding the fiber of society.
* If, while governor, you staunchly advocate abstinence only, with no other option in sex education in your state's school system, while your unwed teen daughter ends up pregnant and if you try to make victimized women pay for their own rape kits, you're very responsible.
* If your wife is a Harvard graduate lawyer who gave up a position in a prestigious law firm to work for the betterment of her inner city community, then gave that up to raise a family, your family's values don't represent America's.
* If you're husband is nicknamed "First Dude", with at least one DWI conviction and no college education, who didn't register to vote until age 25 and once was a member of a group that advocated the secession of Alaska from the USA, your family is extremely admirable.

Handsome Man

Palin

Most of you know how crazy I think McCain's choice for VP is... and I've hijacked this from Summer's site because it's a great clip from Matt Damon on how crazy the choice is...

Okay

So I'm probably a little depressed. I hate using that word because I'm not depressed, depressed, but I am working like crazy and doing little else. I won't lie - I'm frustrated that I try to schedule group outings and even after getting most folks' buy-in on a date - ONE person has accepted the evite. Really? What's sad is that if I don't arrange these things, no one will. Sorry friends, but a majority of you aren't good at planning things. So I think I'm giving up on all of you. The people who want to hang out with me will have to call me, but it's frustrating to try to plan around my insanely busy work schedule so that I can see people I care about, but there's little (or no) effort back. I love you guys, but I give up. Wanna be friends? It's your turn.

I'm off to boot up the laptop on my deck...

Ike

Anyone else up and watching this? I didn't plan to watch, but I woke up about 40 minutes ago, and, after remembering that Ike was making landfall, I started watching the news. Now I'm watching a few live blogs from that area... and I admit that I have an awful pit in my stomach as I watch. I still feel guilty for wishing Katrina would hit (because I was curious what a direct hit would do), so this time I'm agonizing over Ike. I really feel for these people... it's getting really bad.

There are 90 mph gusts in downtown Houston (can you imagine?). Folks who decided to stay in Galveston have been calling 911 for help since they've realized the mistake they made. It makes me ill to think about those people... just sick.

THIS SITE has a lot of links that I'm working from... it's going to get worse from here. Pray for these people...

Flashback Friday

I'd really like to flashback to a time when life was calm and I was having fun... that would be great.

Instead... back to work.

Hannah

I feel the need to purge - not vomit - but purge things. Being away all weekend and coming back only to turn around and go to work makes my life feel a mess. The house isn't a disaster or anything, but it's no secret that I've outgrown this apartment, and I feel crowded. Maybe this is all just a result of being in a constant state of doing. I'm usually either working or thinking about working. Grrr...

ANYWAY... here's a video of a few minutes on the beach last Saturday as Tropical Storm Hannah was passing through Virginia. My parents and I each had cameras, and it was quite uncomfortable to face the direction of the pier because the wind and sand would sting your face.



These images probably look nondescript, but the "soft" look of the sand is actually blowing sand. It's moving.Also, my apologies on the last one - I had no idea I was aiming so crooked when I took it, but it shows how much of the beach has been eroded...

Home

I'm home. Weather was wet and windy - especially on the beach itself. I should have some nice pics and/or videos within the next few days. It was a great day to be driving - no traffic, gorgeous sunshine - but now I am dealing with the same problem I had the last time I went out of town: My iTunes is all f'd up. The library file is corrupted and I have to import it all over again. I have no idea why this is happening, but it only happens when people watch my house. WTF?

Not the Smartest Thing I've Done

I'm hitting the road shortly... on my way to that "A" below. Yep, that's VA Beach. Don't worry - Hanna and I go way back. No really.


Anyway, we'll see how it goes. Maybe my coworkers and parents are right - maybe it'll just "blow over." The reports are saying that she's a quick moving storm, that's for sure, but I'm nervous about being less than 300 miles from the place where a tropical storm/hurricane is making landfall, in a place where water surrounds me on two sides and in a storm where the damaging winds extend more than 300 miles from the center.

Yep... sounds like a good time. But just in case: all of my personal belongings should go to my sister; Antonio and Elliott - oh boy - Jill, CJ and Angie can fight over them; my NKOTB collection to Cassie and Marie; my Eddie Izzard collection to Nick; and lastly, my debt should be divided equally amongst my enemies.

Good? Good. Bon Voyage.

I'm Creepy Weird

Eye appointment. Weirdo pupils. Physically fine. Might have this.

Here are some thoughts regarding how my crazy pupils might be a result of my eye surgery. Or read here.

I know... I'm jumping to a few conclusions, but here's a pic of my pupils over 3 hours after they dilated my eyes at the doctor's office today. What the heck is happening with the right one? Creepy, right?

I'm in Trouble

A lot of trouble. I am having very inappropriate thoughts watching Joe McIntyre sing in any/all/every New Kids video. It's twisted because I'm giddy like a 13 year old (the age when I loved them), but have all of these very adult feelings.

Oh brother.

I. Am not allowed. To go dancing (Or Drink Excessively). If this song. Is being played.

PERIOD.



HT: CA

A Long Weekend

Not feeling social. Not ready to go back to work. Glad I'm taking Friday off to go to VA beach for a wedding.

Launder clothes - done
Launder sheets/blankets - done
Launder Vera Bradley purse - done
Collect trash - done
Scrub (like hands and knees) floors - done
Clean bathroom - done
Clip Antonio's nails - done
Walk 'lil D and Antonio - done
Finish season two of Weeds - done
Catch up on The Hills - done
Catch up on BB10 - done (go Dan!)
Reorganize PC cords/put on new surge protector to conserve energy - done
Do same with TV/DVD player - done
Cook for lunches - done
Run/empty dishwasher - done
Vacuum - done
Win Mahjong - done
Play Pharaoh - done
Play Chris Sawyer's Locomotion - done
Start reading pile of Newsweeks - done
Visit with neighbors - done
Visit with 'lil D - done
Visit with friends/play drinking games - done
Replace car remote battery - done
Sleep - done, done and done
Order calendar and Obama stuff - done
Watch Netflix movie: Raising the Red Lantern - done
Buy cat food - done
Brush cat - done
Air out house - done

What I did not do that I should have done:
Work on work (a lot)
Pay rent (tomorrow)
Look over debt payback schedule
Paint toenails
Wash car
Buy Parallel/USB cable for printer (anyone have one they aren't using?)