Saturday, October 29, 2005
Leeches
I don't know how it slipped my mind, but I went to the doctor about a month or six weeks ago or so, complaining of headaches and lightheadedness, tests were run, and it was determined that I was extremely anemic. So anemic that the doctor almost put me in the hospital. I was put on an iron supplement (not the usual over the counter kind) which I'm taking THREE times a day. Which means I have to eat lots of fiber or suffer the consequences. I was even tested for hereditary hemachromatosis, the "Celtic blood disease", which can cause anemia, but is actually a condition wherein the body stores way too much iron. Generally, it can only be treated by - I kid you not - bloodletting. Luckily, that wasn't my problem. My problem was regular, run of the mill anemia caused by poor diet. In other words, I don't eat enough meat. I'm not wild about red meat, and chicken doesn't have as much iron as beef. So I've been trying to eat a bit more, eat more spinach, and cook in a cast iron pan. I go to the doctor's on the 31st to have my blood re-tested. So I guess I have leeches on the mind. Both kinds, actual blood suckers and then the wallet suckers, doctors and labs.
Saturday, October 22, 2005
world's shortest personality test
shamelessly stolen from Deawn's blog (www.deawn.blogspot):
| Your Personality Profile |
 You are nurturing, kind, and lucky. Like mother nature, you want to help everyone. You are good at keeping secrets and tend to be secretive. A seeker of harmony, you are a natural peacemaker. You are good natured and people enjoy your company. You put people at ease and make them feel at home with you. |
Thursday, October 20, 2005
just a few thoughts
Well, I got very busy at work, and forgot all about going to the DO, dammit! I needed a good rub, too.
The latest installment in Madelina's Medical Maladies comes under the heading of "too much of a good thing". Last Sunday, Logan was feeling good, better than usual, so we had a nice romp that lasted most of the afternoon, fooling around, napping, spooning, talking, reading, watching tv, more fooling around, & etc. Lots of etc. Apparently, Dr. Hantes took a few extra stitches than he should have because I've been walking around all week feeling like a newlywed. Some people question why I stay with Logan considering the combative nature of our relationship. So for those inquiring minds, I have two words: well endowed. 'Nuff said. I have an appointment scheduled with Dr. Hantes so see if there is any actual damage. Logan said he felt something strange, sort of scratchy and plastic like. My fear is that some of the mesh used to repair what got "to' up" (due to four natural childbirths) is poking through, which means another surgery to fix it. *heavy sigh*
Other than that, I've been feeling pretty good, though the lower back pain is flaring up. I wish I was one of those freaks of nature who actually likes exercise. I would just as soon poke pins in my eyes as hop on a treadmill, go for a walk, lift weights, or any other physical exertion that doesn't involve "horizontal refreshment". I have to find some way to get motivated, though, because exercise (and subsequent weight loss) is really the only way to fix back pain. I only know one person who has been helped by back surgery, but I know several who have been made worse.
Lately, I've been having random thoughts about odd topics:
1. Women are either stupid or crazy (or perhaps both) for wearing high heels. Pundits say 90% of all visits made to podiatrists are made by women. I switched to "sensible shoes" back when I was pregnant with Brighid, and haven't gone back to heels. I own one pair of dressy black flats, which I've only worn twice (to a wedding and to a funeral), and wear casual shoes the rest of the time. At home, I'm usually barefoot.
2. Everyone thinks he has good taste, whether he really does or not. I find trying to keep up with the latest fashions tedious. Even back when I considered myself cool (Now, I just consider myself grown up.), I dressed in an eclectic manner, prefering "vintage" (aka at least a decade old as far as fashion went) to trendy. A simple black suit and classic white shirt can take one just about anywhere.
3. I am one of the least fickle people you will ever meet. I still have a crush on Bob from Sesame Street and Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees.
4. When I was much younger, I used to believe in ghosts. After my parents died, and I became aware that my parents weren't trying to contact me from the beyond, I became less inclined to believe in ghosts, and began to seriously question the existance of an afterlife or even God. The one thing that makes me 99 & 44/100ths % convinced rather than 100%, though, is this experience: before I was pregnant with Brighid, Logan and I had a huge fight. He got mad and went outside, and I was laying on the bed in what was still his mother's old room (nothing had yet been touched since she died), face down, crying. I was startled to feel someone touch my back, shaking, me, saying, "Jane, it's ok." I jumped in fright, looked around, and saw no one in the room. Odd. Or was I dreaming?
5. Used car salesmen and TV evangelists can often be mistaken for each other when the mute is engaged on the television.
6. Altoids raspberry sours are wonderful. Also good are tangerine sours and apple sours.
7. I must be getting old. Lately, I've had an intense desire to smoke a joint and listen to Pink Floyd. And I only did that once as a young adult. As a teenager, I only smoked pot a couple of times with the guys who lived across the street, Tommy and Brian Lewis. We sat on my front porch, in front of God and everybody, toked up, and listened to the radio which seemed to be playing Eddie Money and Walter Egan a lot, when it wasn't playing Captain & Tenille, Peter Frampton, or Chicago.
8. I'd rather have a hot tub than a new car, though the new Passat looks mighty nice.
The latest installment in Madelina's Medical Maladies comes under the heading of "too much of a good thing". Last Sunday, Logan was feeling good, better than usual, so we had a nice romp that lasted most of the afternoon, fooling around, napping, spooning, talking, reading, watching tv, more fooling around, & etc. Lots of etc. Apparently, Dr. Hantes took a few extra stitches than he should have because I've been walking around all week feeling like a newlywed. Some people question why I stay with Logan considering the combative nature of our relationship. So for those inquiring minds, I have two words: well endowed. 'Nuff said. I have an appointment scheduled with Dr. Hantes so see if there is any actual damage. Logan said he felt something strange, sort of scratchy and plastic like. My fear is that some of the mesh used to repair what got "to' up" (due to four natural childbirths) is poking through, which means another surgery to fix it. *heavy sigh*
Other than that, I've been feeling pretty good, though the lower back pain is flaring up. I wish I was one of those freaks of nature who actually likes exercise. I would just as soon poke pins in my eyes as hop on a treadmill, go for a walk, lift weights, or any other physical exertion that doesn't involve "horizontal refreshment". I have to find some way to get motivated, though, because exercise (and subsequent weight loss) is really the only way to fix back pain. I only know one person who has been helped by back surgery, but I know several who have been made worse.
Lately, I've been having random thoughts about odd topics:
1. Women are either stupid or crazy (or perhaps both) for wearing high heels. Pundits say 90% of all visits made to podiatrists are made by women. I switched to "sensible shoes" back when I was pregnant with Brighid, and haven't gone back to heels. I own one pair of dressy black flats, which I've only worn twice (to a wedding and to a funeral), and wear casual shoes the rest of the time. At home, I'm usually barefoot.
2. Everyone thinks he has good taste, whether he really does or not. I find trying to keep up with the latest fashions tedious. Even back when I considered myself cool (Now, I just consider myself grown up.), I dressed in an eclectic manner, prefering "vintage" (aka at least a decade old as far as fashion went) to trendy. A simple black suit and classic white shirt can take one just about anywhere.
3. I am one of the least fickle people you will ever meet. I still have a crush on Bob from Sesame Street and Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees.
4. When I was much younger, I used to believe in ghosts. After my parents died, and I became aware that my parents weren't trying to contact me from the beyond, I became less inclined to believe in ghosts, and began to seriously question the existance of an afterlife or even God. The one thing that makes me 99 & 44/100ths % convinced rather than 100%, though, is this experience: before I was pregnant with Brighid, Logan and I had a huge fight. He got mad and went outside, and I was laying on the bed in what was still his mother's old room (nothing had yet been touched since she died), face down, crying. I was startled to feel someone touch my back, shaking, me, saying, "Jane, it's ok." I jumped in fright, looked around, and saw no one in the room. Odd. Or was I dreaming?
5. Used car salesmen and TV evangelists can often be mistaken for each other when the mute is engaged on the television.
6. Altoids raspberry sours are wonderful. Also good are tangerine sours and apple sours.
7. I must be getting old. Lately, I've had an intense desire to smoke a joint and listen to Pink Floyd. And I only did that once as a young adult. As a teenager, I only smoked pot a couple of times with the guys who lived across the street, Tommy and Brian Lewis. We sat on my front porch, in front of God and everybody, toked up, and listened to the radio which seemed to be playing Eddie Money and Walter Egan a lot, when it wasn't playing Captain & Tenille, Peter Frampton, or Chicago.
8. I'd rather have a hot tub than a new car, though the new Passat looks mighty nice.
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
de D.O.
MMMMM. There is a soft tissue clinic tomorrow. I think I'm going to go after work. For 30 minutes, an osteopathic doctor in training will manipulate my "soft tissue". heh heh It's really not the same as a massage, but it can be almost as relaxing. And did I mention, it's free? I'll have to report back on the 13th how it went. Here's what the wikipedia has to say about osteopathy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osteopath
What I like about seeing an osteopathic doctor is that he will do manual adjustments instead of always immediately prescribing medicine. Once, I had a bad pain in my shoulder. It was caused by carrying a heavy backpack on one arm. Nothing had helped, not aspirin, not ibuprofen, not a heating pad, not hot baths, not alcohol. He felt my shoulder for a few minutes, then crack!, and my shoulder seemed to fall back into place, and the pain was gone. I started carrying the backpack correctly, hooking a strap over each arm, and the pain never returned.
Well, lunch is over, and I need to go train some more with Janis, as today is her last day in our department, and I have to take over the reins tomorrow. She is so gonna be put on speed dial.
What I like about seeing an osteopathic doctor is that he will do manual adjustments instead of always immediately prescribing medicine. Once, I had a bad pain in my shoulder. It was caused by carrying a heavy backpack on one arm. Nothing had helped, not aspirin, not ibuprofen, not a heating pad, not hot baths, not alcohol. He felt my shoulder for a few minutes, then crack!, and my shoulder seemed to fall back into place, and the pain was gone. I started carrying the backpack correctly, hooking a strap over each arm, and the pain never returned.
Well, lunch is over, and I need to go train some more with Janis, as today is her last day in our department, and I have to take over the reins tomorrow. She is so gonna be put on speed dial.
Monday, October 10, 2005
Weekend Update
Well, it's official. I was offered the position, and I accepted it. I start on the 12th, so I'm training until then. My current job is most likely going to be posted today, so as soon as my boss hires my replacement, I get to train her. Most likely it will be a her because few men ever apply for this type of position. That, and I've told three friends about the job, and they are all women.
Thursday night, Crystal came over and helped me clean out my old dead Taurus(which is going to be junked today if Logan finds a suitable buyer), and then worked some more on cleaning Brighid's room. Next time she comes to clean, she should finish up Brighid and Weyland's rooms and maybe start on the bathrooms. The kitchen will likely take several hours, and I need to wait for my next paycheck in order to be able to have her over before we tackle that.
I just found out my raise is going to be more than I was originally told at first, which is good. But it's crass to talk about money, right? So enough of this.
I've been furiously trying to tie things up at my desk, getting old issues resolved, so that the new person doesn't have to worry about old stuff and can jump right in easily. So I've been busy busy busy, not engaging much in IMing with Eric, though I did talk a little with Susan today. I spent some time at her house Saturday evening, watching Monster-In-Law since Jane Fonda is not allowed in our home. We had pizza, spinach salad, and "slippery dicks", Bailey's Irish creme liquer, butterscotch Schnapps, and half-and-half. Oh, my. They were fabulous. I could have drunk several of them (which would have made me drunk), but limited myself to two. Susan opined as slippery dick would be a marvelous ice cream flavor, that, or slippery nipples, which is Bailey's and butterscotch Schnapps, but no half-and-half.
Susan and I sat and sipped our drinks, knitting, and just generally amusing each other. The highlight of the night was when a HUGE palmetto bug (aka water bug aka giant cockroach) landed on her lap. She shreiked so loudly she scared me. The rest of the night was spent winding yarn skeins into balls with her nifty ball winder and lusting over yarn she bought while up in Montreal.
When I got home, I found Weyland asleep in my bed, holding a toy sword in one hand and a rubber ball that lights up when it bounces in the other. He looked so sweet and angelic, it was hard to imagine that he was probably whacking his sister with the sword and teasing the kitten with the ball. And he is now too heavy for me to lift, so I scooted his rangy self over and tried to sleep. Even though it was around 2 a.m. when I got home, and I was tired, it still took me almost two hours to fall asleep. Now I know what my dad meant when he said old people pounce on any opportunity to nap because sleeping gets harder as one gets older. I suppose it's due to physical pain and mental worry.
I don't know why I should worry so. Mommy always said the worst thing that could happen would be to starve to death, but then we'd die and be with Jesus, which is supposed to be the best thing that happens, so really, why worry?
Thursday night, Crystal came over and helped me clean out my old dead Taurus(which is going to be junked today if Logan finds a suitable buyer), and then worked some more on cleaning Brighid's room. Next time she comes to clean, she should finish up Brighid and Weyland's rooms and maybe start on the bathrooms. The kitchen will likely take several hours, and I need to wait for my next paycheck in order to be able to have her over before we tackle that.
I just found out my raise is going to be more than I was originally told at first, which is good. But it's crass to talk about money, right? So enough of this.
I've been furiously trying to tie things up at my desk, getting old issues resolved, so that the new person doesn't have to worry about old stuff and can jump right in easily. So I've been busy busy busy, not engaging much in IMing with Eric, though I did talk a little with Susan today. I spent some time at her house Saturday evening, watching Monster-In-Law since Jane Fonda is not allowed in our home. We had pizza, spinach salad, and "slippery dicks", Bailey's Irish creme liquer, butterscotch Schnapps, and half-and-half. Oh, my. They were fabulous. I could have drunk several of them (which would have made me drunk), but limited myself to two. Susan opined as slippery dick would be a marvelous ice cream flavor, that, or slippery nipples, which is Bailey's and butterscotch Schnapps, but no half-and-half.
Susan and I sat and sipped our drinks, knitting, and just generally amusing each other. The highlight of the night was when a HUGE palmetto bug (aka water bug aka giant cockroach) landed on her lap. She shreiked so loudly she scared me. The rest of the night was spent winding yarn skeins into balls with her nifty ball winder and lusting over yarn she bought while up in Montreal.
When I got home, I found Weyland asleep in my bed, holding a toy sword in one hand and a rubber ball that lights up when it bounces in the other. He looked so sweet and angelic, it was hard to imagine that he was probably whacking his sister with the sword and teasing the kitten with the ball. And he is now too heavy for me to lift, so I scooted his rangy self over and tried to sleep. Even though it was around 2 a.m. when I got home, and I was tired, it still took me almost two hours to fall asleep. Now I know what my dad meant when he said old people pounce on any opportunity to nap because sleeping gets harder as one gets older. I suppose it's due to physical pain and mental worry.
I don't know why I should worry so. Mommy always said the worst thing that could happen would be to starve to death, but then we'd die and be with Jesus, which is supposed to be the best thing that happens, so really, why worry?
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Ch-ch-ch-changes!
It looks like I'm being promoted at work. A co-worker took a promotion in another department (Being promoted is about the only way to get a raise at a state instituion.), and my boss asked me to apply for the vacant position. It's only a little more than $100 extra a month, but it puts me in line to inherit the travel office some day, which is two pay grades up, and a salary that's almost decent.
In other news, I'm kicking around the idea of moving close to work. If gas prices keep going up, it will make sense to rent an apartment right next to campus. That would help with my relationship with Logan as well, I think - absence making the heart grow fonder, and all. Of course, there's always out of sight, out of mind, but I suppose I could risk that.
I love Logan dearly, but I'm tired of being treated like a second-class citizen in our relationship. For example, there's the issue of dinner. He never has dinner ready when I get home, and rarely bothers to fix any dinner. He tells me to heat up a hot pocket - loaded with fat and cholesterol and no vegetables to speak of. So I end up fixing my own supper. Not such a big deal, I know, but back when he was working, he INSISTED that I have dinner ready when he got home from work. Keep in mind, this man was raised during the 50's by a woman who had nothing better to do than to wait hand and foot on the males in her family.
My biggest problem with moving, though, is the issue of the kids. I can't afford an apartment big enough to bring them with me. And I just can't leave them behind. My oldest sister raised my daughter, Beth, and I placed my first son up for adoption when he was born. It is just too difficult emotionally to be away from my kids.
In other news, I'm kicking around the idea of moving close to work. If gas prices keep going up, it will make sense to rent an apartment right next to campus. That would help with my relationship with Logan as well, I think - absence making the heart grow fonder, and all. Of course, there's always out of sight, out of mind, but I suppose I could risk that.
I love Logan dearly, but I'm tired of being treated like a second-class citizen in our relationship. For example, there's the issue of dinner. He never has dinner ready when I get home, and rarely bothers to fix any dinner. He tells me to heat up a hot pocket - loaded with fat and cholesterol and no vegetables to speak of. So I end up fixing my own supper. Not such a big deal, I know, but back when he was working, he INSISTED that I have dinner ready when he got home from work. Keep in mind, this man was raised during the 50's by a woman who had nothing better to do than to wait hand and foot on the males in her family.
My biggest problem with moving, though, is the issue of the kids. I can't afford an apartment big enough to bring them with me. And I just can't leave them behind. My oldest sister raised my daughter, Beth, and I placed my first son up for adoption when he was born. It is just too difficult emotionally to be away from my kids.
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