You know you're laughing.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Doo De Doo
Yes, I know it's been 2 weeks. I just haven't really had that much to say. After crashing, hard, from depression for a couple of weeks, I finally got brave enough to talk to my doctor about it and get some help. I'm feeling much better, better than I have in a very long time, actually, so that's good. I feel stable and energized and like I can cope with everything appropriately again, and it's been years since I felt like that. Once again, Dr. Landry saves the day.
It was super important to me to take something that a) wouldn't turn me into a zombie and b) had minimal side effects. I think we've found that with Pristiq. The only real side effect I'm having right now is freakishly dilated pupils, and they (they being the internet and Dr. L) tell me that it will stop pretty soon. Another side effect is that I've been having pretty crippling cramps in my legs and arms for a couple of days. I just assumed that I was dehydrated (since I'm almost always dehydrated). Nope. Apparently the Pristiq lowers the amount of potassium in my blood. Most people don't even notice that, but my new asthma inhaler (Symbicort) also lowers potassium, so I've been hit with a double whammy. Luckily, potassium is cheap, and that's an easy problem to fix. A small price to pay for sanity and the full use of my lungs.
I'm leaving in the morning (Ok, noon, but that's early for me.) for a quick trip to the Dallas area. That should be fun, and then on Saturday we're having "Thanksgiving" at my dad's house. They want me to make my super-yummy-delicious-twice-baked potatoes, but I really don't think about white potatoes being a holiday food. -wrinkles nose- I asked my dad if I could do sweet potatoes instead and he seemed to be happy with that, as long as there are marshmallows on them. Well, duh. For actual Thanksgiving, I think we're going to Amarillo/Panhandle to see Justin's family, but no promises. It really depends on how our finances are, whether there's ice on the road and how well Justin thinks the car will do on a semi-lengthy trip.
It was super important to me to take something that a) wouldn't turn me into a zombie and b) had minimal side effects. I think we've found that with Pristiq. The only real side effect I'm having right now is freakishly dilated pupils, and they (they being the internet and Dr. L) tell me that it will stop pretty soon. Another side effect is that I've been having pretty crippling cramps in my legs and arms for a couple of days. I just assumed that I was dehydrated (since I'm almost always dehydrated). Nope. Apparently the Pristiq lowers the amount of potassium in my blood. Most people don't even notice that, but my new asthma inhaler (Symbicort) also lowers potassium, so I've been hit with a double whammy. Luckily, potassium is cheap, and that's an easy problem to fix. A small price to pay for sanity and the full use of my lungs.
I'm leaving in the morning (Ok, noon, but that's early for me.) for a quick trip to the Dallas area. That should be fun, and then on Saturday we're having "Thanksgiving" at my dad's house. They want me to make my super-yummy-delicious-twice-baked potatoes, but I really don't think about white potatoes being a holiday food. -wrinkles nose- I asked my dad if I could do sweet potatoes instead and he seemed to be happy with that, as long as there are marshmallows on them. Well, duh. For actual Thanksgiving, I think we're going to Amarillo/Panhandle to see Justin's family, but no promises. It really depends on how our finances are, whether there's ice on the road and how well Justin thinks the car will do on a semi-lengthy trip.
The Swine Flu & Other Stuff
I got my H1N1 vaccine yesterday. I haven't noticed any real side effects, except that the injection site is slightly swollen and itchy (still) and I've had a pretty persistent headache since just after I got it. So, not too bad. No fever, no aches, no oinking. Excellent. If you can, get vaccinated. (Although I wouldn't recommend the inhaled nasal vaccine, because it's a live virus, and if you're sick or immunocompromised at all, you'll regret it.)
I'm mad at my OB/Gyn because he allowed one of his patients to be treated very badly by an anesthesiologist last week. This is not okay with me, under any circumstances, but especially these specific circumstances. I'm pretty sure I'm going to fire him over this. So, there's that.
I've decided to wait to have gallbladder taken out until summertime. There are a few reasons for this:
1. I'm scared, and a big believer in procrastination in the face of fear.
2. I might be uncomfortable (all the time) or even in a lot (LOT) of pain (occasionally), but it's not going to kill me (almost certainly). And while the surgery itself can be covered by payroll deduction, the ultrasound is going to cost me $100 (plus $100 deductible) and I'd rather not spend that $200 on something that's intangible right now. There are other things that I want/need in the near future.
3. If I have surgery now (or in the next couple of weeks), Justin will be in school a) the day that I have the surgery and b) most of the days when I'm recovering. I'm not interested in having (minor, but still painful) surgery at a time when he a) won't be able to take care of me, b) won't be available to drive me to/from the surgery center, and c) doesn't need all the extra stress of my surgery when he should be worrying about school.
Moving on, Justin is doing very well in school. He's actually taken care of real patients at this point. He's officially allowed to give people drugs now. The whole thing is very stressful for him, but I think it's going to get (at least temporarily) better for awhile.
I'm mad at my OB/Gyn because he allowed one of his patients to be treated very badly by an anesthesiologist last week. This is not okay with me, under any circumstances, but especially these specific circumstances. I'm pretty sure I'm going to fire him over this. So, there's that.
I've decided to wait to have gallbladder taken out until summertime. There are a few reasons for this:
1. I'm scared, and a big believer in procrastination in the face of fear.
2. I might be uncomfortable (all the time) or even in a lot (LOT) of pain (occasionally), but it's not going to kill me (almost certainly). And while the surgery itself can be covered by payroll deduction, the ultrasound is going to cost me $100 (plus $100 deductible) and I'd rather not spend that $200 on something that's intangible right now. There are other things that I want/need in the near future.
3. If I have surgery now (or in the next couple of weeks), Justin will be in school a) the day that I have the surgery and b) most of the days when I'm recovering. I'm not interested in having (minor, but still painful) surgery at a time when he a) won't be able to take care of me, b) won't be available to drive me to/from the surgery center, and c) doesn't need all the extra stress of my surgery when he should be worrying about school.
Moving on, Justin is doing very well in school. He's actually taken care of real patients at this point. He's officially allowed to give people drugs now. The whole thing is very stressful for him, but I think it's going to get (at least temporarily) better for awhile.
This -n- That
I'm posting primarily to distract myself so that I don't buy new jeans and a sweater dress over at OldNavy.com. We'll see if it works.
1. You may remember that about six weeks ago Justin and I got new glasses. It has not worked out well. After wearing mine for less than a month, I left them at home, safe on the coffee table, one night when I went to work. When I spoke to Justin later that evening he told me they were broken. Not just a little broken either, completely irreparable. The metal stem that holds the earpiece on has been twisted off. We have no idea how it happened, but I suspect the cats are to blame. (Aren't they always?) In any case, I was able to glue the earpiece on, which works when I'm wearing them, but they can't be closed to fit into a case. This worked for about 2 days, until, one night at work, I was watching TV in the breakroom when a montage of ankle rolling came on. (Why!?) There is nothing that freaks me out more than ankle rolling, so I reflexively threw my hands up to cover my face, breaking the newly mended glasses. -sigh- Back to EyeMasters it is.
2. We've been invited to a Halloween party on Friday. It kind of sucks, because I'm super excited about the party (whee!), but before I received the invitation I agreed to work a 12 hour (ugh) daytime (double ugh) shift that day. Suck, suck, suck. I'm going to put it in writing, right now: I will NOT take any more day shifts. It's too hard to switch my sleep schedule back and forth and it takes a full week for me to feel rested again. It also irritates Justin. On top of my work, Justin has clinicals that day for school, and I'm not really sure how he's going to get there, I'm going to get to work, and we're going to meet up for the party. But we -are- going damnit, end of story.
3. I found out that the deductible on my insurance is less than I thought it was, and that the hospital will do payroll deduction for medical bills (something like $25 per check) and so I'm going to try and have my gallbladder out before Christmas. It's just getting worse, I'm sick all the time, and, thanks to the nice ultrasound guy, I have seen with my own eyes that there are a whole pile of stones in there. I'm scared about having surgery, but excited about the possibility of feeling better.
4. The new inhaler I got from Dr. Landry last month is not working. It's also having the same side effect as the old one (chest congestion), and my insurance doesn't cover it. I'm going to have to call and ask for something else. This is mostly a reminder for me to do that, because I keep forgetting.
So, what's going on with you this week?
1. You may remember that about six weeks ago Justin and I got new glasses. It has not worked out well. After wearing mine for less than a month, I left them at home, safe on the coffee table, one night when I went to work. When I spoke to Justin later that evening he told me they were broken. Not just a little broken either, completely irreparable. The metal stem that holds the earpiece on has been twisted off. We have no idea how it happened, but I suspect the cats are to blame. (Aren't they always?) In any case, I was able to glue the earpiece on, which works when I'm wearing them, but they can't be closed to fit into a case. This worked for about 2 days, until, one night at work, I was watching TV in the breakroom when a montage of ankle rolling came on. (Why!?) There is nothing that freaks me out more than ankle rolling, so I reflexively threw my hands up to cover my face, breaking the newly mended glasses. -sigh- Back to EyeMasters it is.
2. We've been invited to a Halloween party on Friday. It kind of sucks, because I'm super excited about the party (whee!), but before I received the invitation I agreed to work a 12 hour (ugh) daytime (double ugh) shift that day. Suck, suck, suck. I'm going to put it in writing, right now: I will NOT take any more day shifts. It's too hard to switch my sleep schedule back and forth and it takes a full week for me to feel rested again. It also irritates Justin. On top of my work, Justin has clinicals that day for school, and I'm not really sure how he's going to get there, I'm going to get to work, and we're going to meet up for the party. But we -are- going damnit, end of story.
3. I found out that the deductible on my insurance is less than I thought it was, and that the hospital will do payroll deduction for medical bills (something like $25 per check) and so I'm going to try and have my gallbladder out before Christmas. It's just getting worse, I'm sick all the time, and, thanks to the nice ultrasound guy, I have seen with my own eyes that there are a whole pile of stones in there. I'm scared about having surgery, but excited about the possibility of feeling better.
4. The new inhaler I got from Dr. Landry last month is not working. It's also having the same side effect as the old one (chest congestion), and my insurance doesn't cover it. I'm going to have to call and ask for something else. This is mostly a reminder for me to do that, because I keep forgetting.
So, what's going on with you this week?
Oh YUM.
Not to brag (well, maybe a little), but I made the -best- dinner tonight. The full, original recipe can be found here, gotta love that Pioneer Woman. So here's the breakdown, for those of you who don't follow links:
1 small bag of Irish potatoes. (This is about 15 or 20 little potatoes.)
4 large heads of garlic.
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup semi-dry white wine
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Quarter the potatoes, and cut the ends off the garlic, to expose all the cloves. Arrange them around the pan and drizzle with the olive oil and wine. Take extra care to coat the top of the garlic cloves. Kosher salt and pepper to taste. (I also used a little seasoned salt.)
Toss to coat.
Cover tightly with tin foil and bake at 375 for 45 minutes.
Uncover and bake for 20 minutes.
Broil on 500 for about 5 minutes.
This is when the "official" recipe ends. But here's what I did to make it a full meal:
During the last 10 minutes of cook time, I shredded up a rotisserie chicken (into large pieces), then when the potatoes and garlic came out of the oven, I mixed them with the shredded chicken. You will have to (of course) remove the roasted garlic cloves from the papery skin, and take care to smash them up a bit when you mix the chicken with the veggies. The garlic gets mild, sweet and nutty as it roasts, which is delicious, so even if you think it will be too strong, use it! I've been afraid to cook with fresh garlic for years, because it's typically not a flavor I enjoy if it's very strong, but roasted, it's a completely different flavor.
1 small bag of Irish potatoes. (This is about 15 or 20 little potatoes.)
4 large heads of garlic.
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup semi-dry white wine
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Toss to coat.
Cover tightly with tin foil and bake at 375 for 45 minutes.
Uncover and bake for 20 minutes.
Broil on 500 for about 5 minutes.
This is when the "official" recipe ends. But here's what I did to make it a full meal:
During the last 10 minutes of cook time, I shredded up a rotisserie chicken (into large pieces), then when the potatoes and garlic came out of the oven, I mixed them with the shredded chicken. You will have to (of course) remove the roasted garlic cloves from the papery skin, and take care to smash them up a bit when you mix the chicken with the veggies. The garlic gets mild, sweet and nutty as it roasts, which is delicious, so even if you think it will be too strong, use it! I've been afraid to cook with fresh garlic for years, because it's typically not a flavor I enjoy if it's very strong, but roasted, it's a completely different flavor.
As Promised
So when I found out that people were throwing a fit over a -completely- innocuous picture that she posted on Twitter, I was pissed. The critics say that she's showing too much cleavage. And yeah, there is some boob there, but it's a tank top, not a corset and panties. Meghan is a curvy girl. Unless she puts on a turtleneck, there's probably going to be cleavage going on. She commented that she was spending the night at home with a book. Looks like pajamas and bedhead to me. People need to get over it. No one's complaining about Jeff Flake's shirtless photos. In fact, he seems to be getting a lot of brownie points for that.This is a ridiculous double standard.
Rant Over.
Bookshelves
I'm taking a suggestion from Random and posting pictures of my bookshelf. It's really dusty, because, well, I live in West Texas, and even if I dusted yesterday (and you can't prove I didn't!) it would be dusty again by today. Also, I forgot my Zyrtec this morning, so I only managed to dust the first two shelves before turning into one solid histamine reaction, so that's what you've got pictures of. You didn't want to see all the chick-lit and Terry Pratchett books anyway. Here goes:
This is my top shelf. From left you see a picture of my feet, Other People's Love Letters, Cautionary Tales for Children by Edward Gorey (Shannon, you need this book.) Lyrical and Critical Essays by Albert Camus, My French Whore: A Love Story by Gene Wilder (It's soooo good!), The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath, which was a graduation gift from my best friend in high school (Yes, I was that girl.), The Song of Songs, The Dictionary of Superstitions (because I'm highly superstitious) The Chronicles of Narnia, Ophelia by Lisa Klein (Hamlet, told from Ophelia's viewpoint), PostSecret, The Joy of Sex (Which I didn't know was up there, and I should have moved it, because my dad is here all the time.), Human Sexuality: Diversity in Contemporary America (Which is a textbook, and therefore father-friendly.), and Mosby's Medical Dictionary. (Because Justin is in nursing school and I'm a huge geek, and wouldn't let him sell it back. Plus, I might be superstitious, but I also believe in science.)
Moving on to the second shelf:
From left: A picture of a dandelion (Yes, I took that, and I'm very proud of it.), The Quotation Dictionary (Which belonged to my Aunt Eva Pearl who used it when she went around giving Dale Carnegie talks.), The Red Tent by Anita Diamant, Bedlam: A Year in the Life of a Mental Hospital by Dominick Bosco (This book is non-fiction, and the scariest thing I've ever read.), The Secret History by Donna Tartt, The Witch of Cologne by Tobsha Learner, The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Complete Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (As I said, I'm a huge geek.), Love & Desire (This photography book is less pornographic than it sounds, but not much.), The Complete Sherlock Holmes, Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris (if you haven't read his stuff, you should.), and Listography: Your Life in Lists. (This is a really fun book, who doesn't love to make a good list? I filled it out on an airplane a year ago.).
There you have it, my bookshelf. You'll have to remember there are three more (dusty) shelves, and about a hundred books under my bed right now, but I think these are a pretty good representation of what I could be reading at any given moment.
That was fun. Thanks Random.
Come back tomorrow, when I'll talk about the "scandalous" Twitpic that Meghan McCain posted yesterday.
Bum Bum BAHHM!
Ok.
The hospital I work in is recently remodeled, very stylish and generally doesn't give anyone that creepy "I'm in a hospital" feeling on their skin. That said, whoever paid for the remodel, didn't think that it was important to pretty up the non-patient areas, so the ground floor (really the basement, I don't know who they think they're kidding with that G) basically looks exactly like you'd expect a hospital built in the 50s (or maybe the 70s) to look. Plain white, slightly shoddy tile on the walls, ugly linoleum and no windows. (I told you, it's a basement.) It's all together a very different environment than the cheerful "there are no sick people here!" schtick that the rest of the building has.
Adding to the creepy, institutional feel of the place is the fact that along the hallway are a series of doors with large, yellowing signs proclaiming THIS DOOR MUST BE LOCKED AT ALL TIMES and THIS DOOR IS NOT TO BE OPENED. Every time I've been down there alone, I've walked on the opposite side of the hallway to avoid something jumping out from behind these doors. What could they possibly keep in there? Is this secretly the psych ward? Zombies? The logical part of my mind knows that it's probably just trash bins or something, but it still creeps me out. Did I mention that the cafeteria is downstairs? During the day, this negates the creep factor a bit, since there are loads of people getting meals down there. Safety in numbers, you know.
Anyway, a few nights ago I had to venture down to the ATM machine in the middle of the night, and so I boarded the elevator, completely forgetting that the basement would be even creepier after hours. I walked down the hallway totally pretending that I wasn't prepared to flee at any moment, and nearly jumped out of my skin when a transporter came running, full tilt down the hall. I may or may not have let out a strangled little "eep!" Or possibly a big faah!!! Anyway, regaining my composure and trying not to think about what he possibly could have been running -from,- I made it to the "pantry" which is what they call the vending machine room where the ATM lives. I got my cash and, feeling somewhat triumphant, headed back to the elevator.
Blocking my way was one of THE DOORS. It was open, in a direct violation of the DO NOT OPEN signs. Crap, crap, crap. I let my the reasonable part of my brain (yes, I do have a reasonable part) take over and walked past the room. Not being able to resist facing my fear, I looked to my left and I found this:
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That's right, folks. A single, pink, helium-balloon. There was nothing else in there. Every time I think about it, I dissolve into giggles, because it's so weird and ridiculous. Justin thinks the lonely balloon makes it even creepier, but I love, love, love it.
I'm still not going down alone at night again.
The hospital I work in is recently remodeled, very stylish and generally doesn't give anyone that creepy "I'm in a hospital" feeling on their skin. That said, whoever paid for the remodel, didn't think that it was important to pretty up the non-patient areas, so the ground floor (really the basement, I don't know who they think they're kidding with that G) basically looks exactly like you'd expect a hospital built in the 50s (or maybe the 70s) to look. Plain white, slightly shoddy tile on the walls, ugly linoleum and no windows. (I told you, it's a basement.) It's all together a very different environment than the cheerful "there are no sick people here!" schtick that the rest of the building has.
Adding to the creepy, institutional feel of the place is the fact that along the hallway are a series of doors with large, yellowing signs proclaiming THIS DOOR MUST BE LOCKED AT ALL TIMES and THIS DOOR IS NOT TO BE OPENED. Every time I've been down there alone, I've walked on the opposite side of the hallway to avoid something jumping out from behind these doors. What could they possibly keep in there? Is this secretly the psych ward? Zombies? The logical part of my mind knows that it's probably just trash bins or something, but it still creeps me out. Did I mention that the cafeteria is downstairs? During the day, this negates the creep factor a bit, since there are loads of people getting meals down there. Safety in numbers, you know.
Anyway, a few nights ago I had to venture down to the ATM machine in the middle of the night, and so I boarded the elevator, completely forgetting that the basement would be even creepier after hours. I walked down the hallway totally pretending that I wasn't prepared to flee at any moment, and nearly jumped out of my skin when a transporter came running, full tilt down the hall. I may or may not have let out a strangled little "eep!" Or possibly a big faah!!! Anyway, regaining my composure and trying not to think about what he possibly could have been running -from,- I made it to the "pantry" which is what they call the vending machine room where the ATM lives. I got my cash and, feeling somewhat triumphant, headed back to the elevator.
Blocking my way was one of THE DOORS. It was open, in a direct violation of the DO NOT OPEN signs. Crap, crap, crap. I let my the reasonable part of my brain (yes, I do have a reasonable part) take over and walked past the room. Not being able to resist facing my fear, I looked to my left and I found this:
That's right, folks. A single, pink, helium-balloon. There was nothing else in there. Every time I think about it, I dissolve into giggles, because it's so weird and ridiculous. Justin thinks the lonely balloon makes it even creepier, but I love, love, love it.
I'm still not going down alone at night again.
TMI? Maybe.
I'm not exactly a seductress. Yes, I know, you're all very surprised. Don't get me wrong, I'm not an innocent Amish girl or anything, but frequently when I try to channel Bette Page, I fail miserably. (Much like the woman in this video.) Not to give too many intimate details away, (or cause anyone who might be related to me to scratch out their eyes) but I will tell you that in the (very) recent past an "event" ended with someone in the room saying "what are you doing?!" and someone else saying "I'm turning you on, I'm turning you on!!" *sigh*
Oh well, it's funny now...at least to one of the parties involved.
AND, for the record, NO ONE WAS NAKED. So stop thinking about it!
Return of the King?
Does anyone else see the face of Elvis in my massive, ugly blood work bruise? (It's not just me, Justin sees it too.)
What if I make a diagram?
I'm pretty pleased with my Elvis bruise. Primarily because had it been an image of the Virgin Mary, there'd be a gaudy shrine in my front yard. I also might have had to remove my arm and auction it on ebay.
Pancake Bunny?
I don't know why this bunny has a pancake on it's head, but I like it. Perhaps I need more sleep.
More weird art by Dan Lacey Here.
More weird art by Dan Lacey Here.
The New Doctor
I went to establish myself as a patient (I think that's a funny term) today with my new PCP. I was nervous, because the last time I had my very own doctor for things like the flu was 6 or 7 years ago, and she was kind of...bitchy. Since then I've just gone to the doc-in-a-box clinic, which always takes forever and exposes me to so much crap that I usually go home sicker than I was before I went in.
So, my appointment was at 8:30am on Wednesday. I got off at 6:30, found my way over to the office (across town) and hung out, reading, in the parking lot for the next 90 minutes. It was COMPLETELY worth the wait. Those of you who follow my Twitter (over there ==>) already know that I luurrrve Dr. Landry, now I'll tell you why.
His office was comfortable, I didn't wait in the lobby for more than 5 minutes before I was called back and his staff were all super nice. (As an added bonus, I've lost 5 pounds since my work physical. Yay!)(Yes, I'm aware that 5 pounds is practically nothing, but it's not like I've been making any effort to lose weight, either.) The doctor himself was very pleasant and answered all of my questions. He appeared interested in me, as a person, not just any symptoms that I might be having, and he actually listened when I told him that I'd been having problems with some medication. He also told me that if I was feeling sick or needed to be seen for some reason, that I could always walk in at 8am or 4pm and someone in his practice would be available to see me without too long of a wait. It was the best experience I have -ever- had with a physician, and I feel almost elated. (It's similar to the feeling after a great first date. But in a totally appropriate, non-sexual tension kind of way.) I had no idea that a doctor's visit could be like that. I vote that we put Dr. Landry and Terroni in charge of health care reform. Especially the parts regarding actual patient care, not just money, which is what everyone else seems to be focusing on.
So, my appointment was at 8:30am on Wednesday. I got off at 6:30, found my way over to the office (across town) and hung out, reading, in the parking lot for the next 90 minutes. It was COMPLETELY worth the wait. Those of you who follow my Twitter (over there ==>) already know that I luurrrve Dr. Landry, now I'll tell you why.
His office was comfortable, I didn't wait in the lobby for more than 5 minutes before I was called back and his staff were all super nice. (As an added bonus, I've lost 5 pounds since my work physical. Yay!)(Yes, I'm aware that 5 pounds is practically nothing, but it's not like I've been making any effort to lose weight, either.) The doctor himself was very pleasant and answered all of my questions. He appeared interested in me, as a person, not just any symptoms that I might be having, and he actually listened when I told him that I'd been having problems with some medication. He also told me that if I was feeling sick or needed to be seen for some reason, that I could always walk in at 8am or 4pm and someone in his practice would be available to see me without too long of a wait. It was the best experience I have -ever- had with a physician, and I feel almost elated. (It's similar to the feeling after a great first date. But in a totally appropriate, non-sexual tension kind of way.) I had no idea that a doctor's visit could be like that. I vote that we put Dr. Landry and Terroni in charge of health care reform. Especially the parts regarding actual patient care, not just money, which is what everyone else seems to be focusing on.
I Like This:
“And so we ignore our greatest gift, which is our ability to enter into solidarity with those who suffer. Those who can sit in silence with [others], not knowing what to say but knowing that they should be there, can bring new life in a dying heart. Those who are not afraid to hold a hand in gratitude, to shed tears in grief and to let a sigh of distress arise straight from the heart can break through paralyzing boundaries and witness the birth of a new fellowship, the fellowship of the broken.”
-Henri Nouwen
-Henri Nouwen
Itchy
I spent the last week fully convinced that I had MRSA. You should not be surprised to learn that my primary concern was not imminent doom, but how to get rid of it before my gynecologist appointment on Thursday. Seriously, nobody wants -anything- gross going on that particular day. Especially since a disgusting skin disease is not going to help in my attempt to convince Dr. K that I need some form of permanent (or at least semi-permanent) birth control. In case you're holding your breath, I'll just tell you in advance that this will be a failed attempt. I've tried every year for the past 5 years. You'd think that the fact that I've been consistent in my 
In any case I do not have MRSA, just some sort of contact dermatitis from either the harsh detergent that they use on my work scrubs or possibly my shaving cream. A little hydrocortisone cream seems to have (mostly) cleared it up. Continued care and I won't feel compelled to wear legwarmers to my doctor's appointment. Or maybe I will. The 80's are coming back, right?
Cheap Date Night
Justin and I are not as broke as we used to be, but still poor enough that occasionally we have to find super cheap entertainment for our date nights. Here's tonight's cheap date:
The supplies:
Remember these?
We also needed warm water, but that's not a very interesting picture.
Nothing's happening....So Justin tried an alternate method:
Finally it "hatched."
And now we have a whole flock of monsters.
(This isn't the whole date. The capsules were surprisingly less fun than we remembered from our childhoods. We also have a pile of Netflix movies.)
The supplies:
Remember these?
We also needed warm water, but that's not a very interesting picture.
Nothing's happening....So Justin tried an alternate method:
Finally it "hatched."
And now we have a whole flock of monsters.
(This isn't the whole date. The capsules were surprisingly less fun than we remembered from our childhoods. We also have a pile of Netflix movies.)
Life List: Learn to Like Coffee
I've been anti-coffee for years. I don't like bitter flavors and I don't like hot drinks and I don't have the patience to wait around for something to brew. For a short time, I couldn't even stand the smell of the ground beans on the coffee aisle at the grocery store. However, coffee has become a statement in this country, much the same way that tea is an institution in the UK and Ireland. There is nothing that can't be solved with a cup of tea (there) or a cup of coffee (here). There's also the fact that every time someone offered me coffee and I refused, they acted like I was crazy or had an immature palate. Plus, I'm a sucker for accessories, and coffee shops always have great mugs, etc. So I decided that I'd either have to learn to like it, or suck it up and drink it even if I didn't.
Step 1. The coffee make at work makes surprisingly good coffee (for coffee). When I switched to a night schedule, the first few nights I really needed the caffeine boost to get me through, and in the beginning, I never had money for the soda machine. I'd mix half a cup of coffee with half a cup of milk and more sugar than any person has a right to ingest after the age of 10. Every week I upped the coffee and cut down on the milk (and after that first night switched to Splenda). So now my coffee looks (and tastes) more like coffee and less like a milkshake.
Step 2. Justin has wanted a coffee maker for years. We had one for awhile, but I (accidentally, I swear!) broke the pot and we had to throw the whole mess away. A couple of weeks ago, we ordered a Keurig.
It makes one cup of coffee at a time, so I don't have to worry about scorched coffee sitting around in the kitchen, and I don't have to wash a pot. As an added bonus, it brews the coffee in individual pods (k cups!), so I never have to clean up coffee grounds. (Bleh.) It brews in about 2 minutes, and is -exactly- the right temperature, so I don't have to wait for the coffee to cool off enough to drink. 
There are hundreds of flavors of coffee, and K cups that make hot cocoa and various sorts of teas. It's very fancy. I like Timothy's Donut Blend coffee with Italian cream flavored creamer and I feel just like a grown up.
Step 1. The coffee make at work makes surprisingly good coffee (for coffee). When I switched to a night schedule, the first few nights I really needed the caffeine boost to get me through, and in the beginning, I never had money for the soda machine. I'd mix half a cup of coffee with half a cup of milk and more sugar than any person has a right to ingest after the age of 10. Every week I upped the coffee and cut down on the milk (and after that first night switched to Splenda). So now my coffee looks (and tastes) more like coffee and less like a milkshake.
Step 2. Justin has wanted a coffee maker for years. We had one for awhile, but I (accidentally, I swear!) broke the pot and we had to throw the whole mess away. A couple of weeks ago, we ordered a Keurig.
It makes one cup of coffee at a time, so I don't have to worry about scorched coffee sitting around in the kitchen, and I don't have to wash a pot. As an added bonus, it brews the coffee in individual pods (k cups!), so I never have to clean up coffee grounds. (Bleh.) It brews in about 2 minutes, and is -exactly- the right temperature, so I don't have to wait for the coffee to cool off enough to drink. 
There are hundreds of flavors of coffee, and K cups that make hot cocoa and various sorts of teas. It's very fancy. I like Timothy's Donut Blend coffee with Italian cream flavored creamer and I feel just like a grown up.
Gotta Get Outta Here!
The Texas Board of "Education" has voted to remove Neil Armstrong, Caeser Chavez, Thurgood Marshall, Stephen F. Austin (?!), Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks and Franklin D. Roosevelt (among others) from history and social studies textbooks. They also plan to add references to Newt Gingrich and Rush Limbaugh (among others) because "liberals outnumber references to people that identify themselves as conservative."
There are a lot of reasons why this is ridiculous, but don't they realize that it’s not surprising that a social studies text would tend to focus more on the people who push for social change? (Generally people classified as 'liberals.') You don’t tend to get into the history books by maintaining the status quo unless you fail spectacularly at it. (-cough-RickPerry-cough-)
Another proposed change in the social studies standards, known as the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, includes referring to the United States as a republic instead of a democracy in order to insinuate that "republican" is better than "democratic." Brainwashing much?
Here are some more great accomplishments that my (and I use that term loosley) state has made:
Texas is ranked
*49th in teacher pay
*1st in the percentage of people over 25 without a high school diploma
*41st in high school graduation rate
*46th in SAT scores
*1st in percentage of uninsured children
*1st in percentage of population uninsured
*1st in percentage of non-elderly uninsured
*3rd in percentage of people living below the poverty level
*49th in average WIC benefit payments
*1st in teenage birth rate (With my very own Lubbock in the lead)
*50th in average credit scores for loan applicants
*1st in air pollution emissions
*1st in volume of volatile organic compounds released into the air
*1st in amount of toxic chemicals released into water
*1st in amount of recognized carcinogens released into air
*1st in amount of carbon dioxide emissions
*50th in homeowners’ insurance affordability
*50th in percentage of voting age population that votes
*1st in annual number of executions
This is a popular bumper sticker here:
There are a lot of reasons why this is ridiculous, but don't they realize that it’s not surprising that a social studies text would tend to focus more on the people who push for social change? (Generally people classified as 'liberals.') You don’t tend to get into the history books by maintaining the status quo unless you fail spectacularly at it. (-cough-RickPerry-cough-)
Another proposed change in the social studies standards, known as the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, includes referring to the United States as a republic instead of a democracy in order to insinuate that "republican" is better than "democratic." Brainwashing much?
Here are some more great accomplishments that my (and I use that term loosley) state has made:
Texas is ranked
*49th in teacher pay
*1st in the percentage of people over 25 without a high school diploma
*41st in high school graduation rate
*46th in SAT scores
*1st in percentage of uninsured children
*1st in percentage of population uninsured
*1st in percentage of non-elderly uninsured
*3rd in percentage of people living below the poverty level
*49th in average WIC benefit payments
*1st in teenage birth rate (With my very own Lubbock in the lead)
*50th in average credit scores for loan applicants
*1st in air pollution emissions
*1st in volume of volatile organic compounds released into the air
*1st in amount of toxic chemicals released into water
*1st in amount of recognized carcinogens released into air
*1st in amount of carbon dioxide emissions
*50th in homeowners’ insurance affordability
*50th in percentage of voting age population that votes
*1st in annual number of executions
This is a popular bumper sticker here:
Perhaps someone should market one that says "Living in Texas? Get out while you still can!"
Life List
I'm taking a cue from Maggie and putting together my life list. This isn't everything that I want to do, but it's a good start at getting it down on paper. I tried to only list things that I think I'm actually capable of accomplishing, eventually, and a few things that I already have. (It's encouraging if you can mark a few things off from the start.) Here goes:
Learn to speak French
Crochet an afghanVisit India
Live in a home I'm proud of
Decorate said home perfectly
Learn to walk safely in heels
Assist in surgery
Develop a signature style
Go to a fancy spa and get the works
Visit theWinchester Mystery House
Get perfect porcelain veneers
Work on a political campaign
Find just the right perfume
Learn to like coffee
Live through a moment when real history is made
Take my nieces to Europe
See Willie Nelson in concert
Win a hand of Blackjack in Vegas
Learn to make activated charcoal soap
Live in a blue state
Attend Carnaval in Brazil
Bask in the sun on a beautiful beach
Have a drink named after me
Direct a musical
Own a professional grade camera
Learn to take really good pictures
Learn to make Nan's cherry cobbler
Have a llama and a donkey as pets
Grow a vegetable garden
Learn to make margaritas from scratch
Go on a real honeymoon
Throw a rockin' Halloween party
Personalize my own nail polish color
Go to Disneyland
Go to the Tony awards
Hit 50 thousand visitors on my blog
Sing karaoke
Ice skate in Rockefeller Center
Go one full year without falling down
Develop my digital photos
Own a mac, see what the fuss is about
Get a professional bikini wax
Read all of Ovid's Metamorphoses
Own a hybrid (or fully electric) vehicle
Visit Monaco
Hold hands with Neil Patrick Harris
Purchase designer sunglasses
Avoid losing designer sunglasses
Learn about my great-grandparents
Visit Salem at Halloween
Live in France for a year
Learn to make a really fancy dessert
Host a holiday dinner at my house
Learn to speak French
Crochet an afghanVisit India
Live in a home I'm proud of
Decorate said home perfectly
Learn to walk safely in heels
Assist in surgery
Develop a signature style
Go to a fancy spa and get the works
Visit the
Get perfect porcelain veneers
Work on a political campaign
Take my nieces to Europe
See Willie Nelson in concert
Win a hand of Blackjack in Vegas
Learn to make activated charcoal soap
Live in a blue state
Attend Carnaval in Brazil
Bask in the sun on a beautiful beach
Have a drink named after me
Own a professional grade camera
Learn to take really good pictures
Learn to make Nan's cherry cobbler
Have a llama and a donkey as pets
Grow a vegetable garden
Learn to make margaritas from scratch
Go on a real honeymoon
Throw a rockin' Halloween party
Personalize my own nail polish color
Go to Disneyland
Go to the Tony awards
Hit 50 thousand visitors on my blog
Sing karaoke
Ice skate in Rockefeller Center
Go one full year without falling down
Develop my digital photos
Own a mac, see what the fuss is about
Get a professional bikini wax
Read all of Ovid's Metamorphoses
Own a hybrid (or fully electric) vehicle
Visit Monaco
Hold hands with Neil Patrick Harris
Avoid losing designer sunglasses
Learn about my great-grandparents
Visit Salem at Halloween
Live in France for a year
Learn to make a really fancy dessert
Host a holiday dinner at my house
The Best Thing Out of England
If you aren't listening to Florence & The Machine, you should be.
The music makes me want to dance around in a really primal way, which may not be attractive, but -feels- amazing. Better than chocolate. Better than sex. Better than drugs. (Just guessing on that last one.)
Speaking of drugs, there's a PSA playing here that says "7 out of 10 high school students say they've been offered illegal drugs." How much of a loser was I in high school, that nobody offered me drugs? In fact, no one has -ever- offered me drugs. 7 out of 10? Clearly I hung out with the wrong crowd. (Or the right one...)
The music makes me want to dance around in a really primal way, which may not be attractive, but -feels- amazing. Better than chocolate. Better than sex. Better than drugs. (Just guessing on that last one.)
Speaking of drugs, there's a PSA playing here that says "7 out of 10 high school students say they've been offered illegal drugs." How much of a loser was I in high school, that nobody offered me drugs? In fact, no one has -ever- offered me drugs. 7 out of 10? Clearly I hung out with the wrong crowd. (Or the right one...)
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