Third time's the charm

I worked out at the JCC again after work today! Yeah for me, yeah for me! K and D were finishing up when I got there so I had to workout all by my lonesome too...and I stayed and did it when I really felt like leaving! I did 15 minutes on the treadmill, 10 minutes on the elliptical (originally planned 20 min but my knee started hurting so I baled), and 15 minutes on a recumbant bike=40 good minutes to think about my day and why I had to let myself get so repulsive, watch "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader", and learn about the transsexual Baldwin sibling.

Of course, I did not have a radio with me so I got all of it through closed captioning and let me tell you...their typists often suck. The other day there was a news segment on Dale Jr. and the CC came up with "little league" every time I KNEW it should be "little E". Amusing but frustrating.

I am so glad the end of the work week is here. I really need a break and S's son's engagement party Sat night will be just the thing :-) Sunday is our big author event with Alexander McCall Smith so I'll be working my butt off all day but it should be a phenomenal time! He's supposed to be a great speaker and we've sold almost 150 tickets! Plus, Western is providing the food and they always do a bang-up job. We're having grilled polenta with shrimp, pork tenderloin with chutney and garlic cheese biscuits, carmelized onion tarts, lemon and key lime squares, sweet tea....need I say more?

Did I, or did I not just start this blog off with a discussion of my workouts this week? I did?.......oh well

;-)
adios!
htw

Blogger...the final frontier

I just spent some time exploring the "next blog" button of Blogger and discovered it's a wonder anyone finds anything at all. I found the blog of a guy who's happy he has a penis, many gaming/comic/manga/graphic novel review sites, some others I'd rather not mention and hope I forget...

I'm going to have to go out and find some good ways of finding other blogs to read. Recommendations work fine but I'd like to do some exploring on my own as well. Is there a search feature for Blogger that I'm not aware of? I know Google and Yahoo have blog search options so I'll try there first. A while back I submitted my url to Google to be crawled so I'm now searcheable there but couldn't find myself at Yahoo so pooh on them.

And I use them to teach my computer class too! Promoting their website and telling the newbies how much better I like it than msn...I believe I should be honorarily crawled by Yahoo for the free advertisement alone!
adios
htw

Swishing Hell

Dental intervention...day 2 of 14.

I discovered that the crap I have to swish with (for the next two weeks) in the morning takes away my sense of taste for about 4 hours. That's just one of the crappy side effects of this wonderful, tidy-blue-bowl-cleaner swishing stuff...that and the staining of course.

I did read the accompanying literature and learned that my smile will not spontaneously turn purple or neon green but the medicine does cause a growth explosion of plaque.

So think of me today...maniacally brushing and flossing in an attempt to combat an invading force of plaque. Trust me, I'm thinking about it real hard and hoping this cup of splenda sweetened, white chocolate macadamia nut creamered coffee will help in the battle :)

Adiós!

htw

p.s. I'm working out at the JCC again tonight so that's two times this week I've made a real effort to do an honest-to-God workout! Yeah me!

Workout Woes

K and I worked out at the JCC last night and I suffered/am suffering severly for it now. My good buddy, plantar faciitis, has reared its ugly head once more and is on a serious rampage. I'm taking Aleve but nothing really helps except cortisone shots in my heels and I've had so many already..... If you don't know what plantar faciitis 1) you are lucky and 2) here's a diagram:




I personally have flat feet. I get new shoes every 2 - 3 months and try to stretch several times a day, most especially in the morning. The cortisone shots never worked for more than 6 - 8 weeks at a time and the doctor I was seeing at the time said he was not giving me anymore, surgery was my next option (for the weak of heart, DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK!)

Was that TMI? Maybe, but you guys deserve the truth :-)

Adiós!
htw

Dental Woes

So this is how my morning started out at 9am this morning. Due to suffering from the early stages of periodontal disease, I had to have an ultrasonic, below-the-gumline cleaning.

Right-side today, left-side next week.

A rinse for a.m., a different rinse for p.m.: both of which will stain my teeth.

A separate visit to clean the stain off my teeth.

Checkups every 3 - 4 months to make sure I'm getting the job done at home.

Now, I appreciate Dr. Schambeau's concern for my dental health...I want that up front...but it just hurts my feelings SOOOOOOOO bad. I'd almost (everyone, take note of the "almost") rather have a broken limb or severe lesion than something wrong with my teeth! They are my only good point!

So, I'll floss, brush, swish the unearthly goop, endure the harsh pressure washing of the roots of my teeth (and without numbing! *insert muscleman pose here*), and try not to gouge my wrists with spoon while I endure teeth staining for the next 2-3 weeks.

For any friends or coworkers reading, I am taking my antidepressant and will attempt to conduct myself with professionalism and courtesy at all times...otherwise, get me a doughnut and a jamocha milkshake with a few dairyease caplets on the side, STAT...

Adiós!

htw

THIS JUST IN..............! ! !

...and using the keyboards that staff and other patrons have to use each and every day.
Need I say more?

What is the fascination with this part of the anatomy?

Wagons Ho! (not to be confused with a lady of ill repute)

Those 49ers had it easy....if they thought the gold rush was tough they should try the after school rush! The kiddies are keeping me hoppin' (though obviously not hoppin' enough to keep me from blogging about it) with in depth topics like "do you have restrooms here," "my mouse won't right click," "my headphones/jump drive/floppy/CD/assorted letters on the keyboard/the printer...won't work," and last but not least, "do you work here?"

...no I don't, but the chair behind this desk looked comfortable and I've always had a burning desire to wear a nametag...

Adiós!
htw

Past Times Remembered - the Leonids

Mom and I had a great time yesterday! We got pedicure's (hers pink, mine purple), I got new tennis shoes, packed some clothes into my spiffy new giant suitcase, and walked a dog. I helped her get some dresses down from her closet and put up a new shower curtain for her too. We were busy, busy, busy from about 11:30am 'til 6pm and I really felt like I'd had a day off for the first time in a long time. We talked and laughed and giggled, remembering this and that. I don't remember how this conversation came up but one of the best things I remembered was a meteor shower about 12 or 13 years ago.

I dug around a little bit and I think this is it. There was an unusually active Leonid meteor shower in mid-November 1994. That sounds about right but for the purposes of this anecdote it is going to be exactly right since I couldn't find anything else any closer to what I remember.

Mom had brought out snacks and she and I were laying on the deck covered up with blankets and watching the sky. Where we lived at the time (Dad's still there) was, and still is, quite rural so no streetlights were hampering our view. Just as I got comfortable, a HUGE swath of light rocketed across the portion of the open sky we could see between the trees. It looked like it was skimming the treetops and mom and I grabbed each other and screamed! I though it was going to be the end of us...it seemed that close! For the next hour or so, there were so many of these, some bigger and brighter than the first, that I couldn't begin to count them. We screamed and huddled every time one went over.

My dad finally wandered outside to see what all the fuss was about but apparently the show was over. There may have been two or three that next hour and Dad lost interest and wandered back into the house. I still think about that night, every time I look up and see all those twinkling stars (or actually see a falling star) and wish that shower would come back around again. I would make sure S and C got to see it so they could have this great memory too.

I also remember seeing Halley's Comet from our backyard in Hueytown in 1986. I remember being excited about seeing that comet since our names were so similar. At nine years old, that signified a special connection to me...Halley and Holley. Halley's Comet will be back around to us around 2062 and it's entirely within the realm of possibility that I'll get to see it again, albeit with 85 year old eyes instead of 9 but I figure that's a pretty cool goal so I'm keeping it.

Adiós!
htw

Great Audiobook

I am listening to I am the Messenger by Markus Zusak and must admit that I haven't been this entranced since Year of Wonders and The Taking! Zusak is an Australian author and Random House/Listening Library produced this audio with an Australian narrator (or some one capable of faking it?). This book was originally published Down Under and as an adult title.

It was published in the U.S. as a YA title. Now, Ed Kennedy is nineteen, drives a cab for living, and mentions high school or anything else of that nature little to none, but it feels like young adult literature and that is not defamation of character on my part. Ed is restless, bored, and wondering what to do with the rest of his life. (what teen doesn't) A self-confessed sexual midget, he is shy and awkward around his crush, fellow cab driver Audrey. (teen angst at its peak) His friends Marv and Ritchie don't do anything to help by getting drunk several nights a week, playing amatuer rugby, and having regular poker sessions. (ahh, the night out with the boys...the next day is always pleasant)

He's too young for me but I admit that I am not a little in love with poor Ed Kennedy...he's a great person that no one notices and I can empathize with that. He supports himself (barely), loves his 17 year-old stinky dog (The Doorman), and is loyal to his friends despite their bickering. What more could you ask for? Why do all the good ones have to be works of fiction?

Adiós!
htw

the GALL of some people ! ! !

Another one bites the dust!

Mom is recovering well from having her gall bladder removed Monday! We are going to hang out together tomorrow and get pedicures...I love it when she isn't at work. I can call her whenever I want and we can go places all the time. I hated her to have to be in so much pain when she had her hip replacement but I sure did like having her around all the time instead of a few times a month. I am looking forward to some good times after I get out of school....some vacations, short trips, maybe even to the beach as soon as I research pet-friendly places to stay. Yes, buggerbear will have to go too :) and I'll live through it :)

Gotta go teach my computer class!

Adiós!
htw