I’d been good, stayed home, doing some half hearted studying, snuggling with the cats and watching OSU football on tv. I have brunch plans today, my guy is coming over to get my pilot light back on, then choir practice tonight. Not a busy day, but I’ve got to really hit the books and I’m still on antibiotics for the ear infection and just felt like I needed rest. I got into bed, and was there maybe 5 minutes when it hit.
We had one the night before that I slept right through, so perhaps that was why it was the conclusion I came to. It sounded like tornadic winds, my windows rattled…it seemed to last forever.
I have to say…I’m not a fan.
I have images of the Bay area quake in the late 80’s, with the freeways buckling, the Candlestick Park damage…freaked me out.
Luckily, I had taken some melatonin right before…so I slept through any aftershocks if we had them.
On the bright side, I woke up, realized it’s Fall Back time, and am now enjoying my coffee and Kikimama on the couch while dozing off. Somethings are back to normal!
I’m tired. The week, the deadlines, the ear infection, three days FULL of clients (thank you GOD)–Thursdays are long days. Class in the morning, then work until 8. On my way home, I got some dinner, with plans to eat, curl up on the couch and watch some West Wing for a few hours before bed.
We’re in a cold snap right now, it’s supposed to warm up today, but last night was our first hard freeze. Yay allergies. Boo to no heat in my house.
Yeah.
It was on when I left yesterday morning, but last night, apparently no pilot light. I’ve called a guy. My plumber who also does heat and air. He’s never worked on the unit before, so we’ll see. If he can’t work it, I’ll call my other guy. Meanwhile, I just layered up, and pulled out my little space heater I got last winter.
It’s awesome.
It’s not the old scary burn your house down kind. It’s the new kind. Doesn’t get hot. And seriously. I was so toasty in my bedroom last night! Me and the kitties didn’t want to get out of bed. SO not awful. But just another thing to deal with.
Chris and Cindy are buying a house today! I remember my day of closing. I am so thankful I was surrounded by friend like Kathy, and Yarrington. Every step of the way, comforting, reassuring. It’s a big damn deal and I am so proud of the adventure that they’re going on. I wish them blessed easy breezy homeownership. YAY!!!
I need more coffee. I’ve got a ginormous day of hair bangin today, I need to get up and start the getting ready process…but I can have ten more minutes.
Today I meet with my advisor at noon to formally work out my plan of study and get it on file with the graduate college. I’ll also get enrolled for next semester. I’ve got a few classes that will work, I’m trying my hardest not to change my work schedule too much. I’d like to keep it the same until summer school. So, that’s at noon.
I need to hit the grocery for one or two things. The cats are in their pre-winter feeding frenzy. I know everyone in this house is an emotional eater, but dang. Also, we’re having a major temperature drop this afternoon. from the 70s this morning, to the 30s tonight. I need some soup fixins. I think homemade chicken and noodle. Yes. Thats what I’m going to do.
Last night, I felt like crap. I also looked up what my blood pressure meant, as I have never known bla bla over bla bla equals good bad or indifferent. Well folks, Lemme tell ya. My top number was good. It wasn’t perfect. It was in the “prehypertension” section on the graph. My bottom number, however, was in Stage One Hypertension.
The doc didn’t address it. It could be several things, the stress from the class I had just finished, the stress of everyday life, the fact that I’ve been walking around with infection in my body for a few weeks and just generally have felt bad…I go see my lady doctor next week, with my list of things to talk about, so we’ll see what comes of that.
So, all this time, I’ve been waiting on November 1st to upgrade my cell phone. Mine is a refurbished model and I can tell it’s just not as sharp and functional as it should be. I was giddy with anticipation for the iPhone, since Sprint now offers it. I thought, that with my 150.00 discount, my phone would only cost 50 bucks. Not so fast there, bub. From the website, I deduce that I will have to pay 200.00. AFTER my discount. And I don’t know what it will do to my monthly bill…I’ll go into a store and talk to someone but looks like I’ll just sit tight awhile. Disappointed though.
That’s all I’ve got folks. I’ma get up, get around, run my errands and then head to campus to plan my future. I’ll let you know what we come up with!
Oh, also, one full day on the mongo antibiotics and I woke up with less ear achey and my eye pain is down considerably! Such a relief!
So I got showered and dressed and got into the car and drove the 20 or so minutes to campus and parked and walked in 15 mintues early only to be told, “oh Dr. Carrell is really sick she just called in. (it’s noon) And there –well–there really just wasn’t any way to get ahold of you. She’s really sick”
Fuming.
Beyond disgusted with this woman and her spectacular failings at advisement.
Well, I went to the campus clinic this morning. When I woke up, my whole right side was just throbbing, my eye was even more swollen and the ear, as it has been for several weeks, felt wonky.
Turns out, I have a raging ear infection…it’s like I’m a child again! I never hear of adults getting ear infections. Also I’ve got some funky sinus. My blood pressure was wonky, the bottom number was high but the top number was good. I have no idea what any of that means. Will google.
The doc gave me some steroid nose spray to use daily, in addition to the netti pot/saline rinse as well as some honkin antibiotics that MUST BE TAKEN WITH FOOD. I don’t know how many people have told me that. So. Hopefully this will go away in a few days.
Explains why I just haven’t felt good in awhile.
Balancing out my childlike ear quandry came the use of my very grown up health insurance and perscription benefits.
That’s a great balance.
What a relief.
I’ve filled my scrips, home now to read and my goal is to perhaps finish a paper.
They’re all coming due and Im just a titch panicky. It will help, the feeling better.
My eye has been hurting most of the weekend, eyeball is red and itchy, and I thought it was allergies. I’ve been sneezing, eyes watery, the whole gamut this past week. But sometime during the weekend, my upper and then lower lid became swollen and painful with each blink. I took out my contacts immediately and put in a fresh pair, but even that made things icky. Ive been wearing my glasses…this morning it’s not much better. I’m wondering if I can go to the clinic on campus or if I should call my eye doctor and try to get in this week…UGH.
Had a great weekend, spending time with friends. We gathered at the Ghouls Gone Wild Halloween parade on Saturday, but were greatly disappointed. No candy for the kids. No skeletons with torches. The parade route was changed so we scrambled to find another place to meet, which turned out to be right next to the stand where the judges and announcers were and they were HORRIBLE. So…we hope that next year it will be better. Afterwards I went back to Scott and Beckys and we built a fire in the fire pit and hung out and roasted weenies and smores and had a night of laughing. It was good. As Becks said, My love bucket is full again. Yes. Mine too.
Bonusmom called me on Saturday to say that the choir director had asked her to ask me if I would consider singing their Christmas Cantata with them. Rehearsals are on Sunday nights at 7pm and the Cantata will have two performances on Sunday, December 18th. One at 10am and one at the 11am service. It’s been years since I’ve sung in a choir, since I’ve sung in harmony, since I’ve learned any music, and the thought of jumping into something new freaked me out a bit, and I worried about the time commitment…so of course I said OK! I’ll DO IT! First rehearsal was yesterday and it was fine. I’m excited about the whole thing!
I’ve got a big big text this week, so that will take my brain juice from now till Thursday. I found some good books for my papers, so that a step in the right direction. My homework is finished for tonight, other than finding a stapler and getting to school early to meet with my professor to discuss my grad paper in the YA Lit class. I have my meeting with my advisor on Wednesday, to work on my plan of study and get that filed as well as get enrolled for the Spring semester.
It’s going to be a busy week…I’d better get up and giddyup.
I know basic stuff, develop your thesis, bla bla bla, but I’ve got 3 that should be pretty easy to bang out…and for whatever reason…I’m stymied.
Maybe I’ll google, “how to write a research paper.”
The more I’m on campus and in class, the more I miss my USAO professors.
It’s cold and rainy here today, 44 degrees right now. All the livestock are inside, the coffee is hot and strong, I’ve got an apple cider pork roast in the crock pot with veggies. Class today, then I’ve got clients until 8pm tonight. Long day. It’ll be nice to come home to warm food.
I’ve got some reading to finish before class this morning and the professor announced that we’ll be having a text next tuesday, so I’ve got LOTS of studying to do over the weekend. I haven’t watched football since opening day. Oh well. My Colts are having a brutal season anyway. I’m better off at the library.
My friends have been agog for weeks and weeks. . . I just haven’t had the time to even look at it until lately. I have to admit…it’s pretty awesome. The recipes. The style and hair and fashion ideas…it’s like a virtual place for all of those pictures and recipes and things you’ve cut out of magazines and saved in a file.
Pretty pictures.
I made a few boards last night, just random stuff, some recipes, pictures of cute boys.
School was frustrating yesterday…I made a B+ on my midterm. Whatever. For the total class I’m about three points away from an A…I’ll bring it up. Then I realized that I didn’t cite three things in my bibliography correctly, but my professor let me bring the corrected copy today and won’t count it late. It’s like I’m making freshman mistakes. But it’s a new day, fresh week, forward march.
I made the Hungry Girl chicken pot pie yesterday. Have you ever tried it? Super easy, and lowerfat and 6 points per serving. Good stuff. I have to say, I’ve been inspired by Pinterest to try some new recipes soon!
Ok, time to get up and get some reading done before class this morning. Library work and research time then grocery stop then home to read more. That’s my day.
Is it going fast for you, too? Faster even than before?
I have no trepidation going into the final weeks of the semester. I know I’ve got a lot of research and writing ahead of me. But for the first time in awhile…I have no anxiety sitting on my shoulders. So that’s something.
My homework is finished for today. I’ve got reading to do for tomorrow. There are a few house chores that need doing and some errands that need running and perhaps a car that needs cleaning.
I slept in. I stayed up late watching West Wing. After the first part of the week I didn’t do any homework, didn’t work ahead. I worked at the salon, hard. Saw a lot of clients who were taking advantage of their own Fall Break.
Friday night was Fall Fest. . . And because it was such a wonky year, schedules so busy I didn’t get to do anything with Bonusmom to help. We have a tradition. Lunch, then farmers market for pumpkins, then Sam’s for the food. She got it done with help from friends, and it was a fabulous success…and I know it’s my own life that kept me from participating fully…but I was sad about it. We’ve been off our game, Bonusmom and I. We didn’t do RFTC, now this. Flop. But getting to see her this weekend was goodgoodgood.
Fall Fest was as it always is, awesome. We sit around the fire. We roast hotdogs. We drink and laugh and tell stories and burn things. The burning of things is our favorite part. The night was perfect, clear skys, cool temps, lots of stars. Darci and Delb and Audra and Co. . . so good to have facetime with them. All of the kids had fun…they’re growing up so fast. This year I do believe there was a game of truth or dare happening. Sheesh. Next year, I’ll be better about getting invites out to everyone…it’s something that shouldn’t be missed.
As usual, after fall fest, I’m geared up to have more fire nights at my own house. I love so much, sitting by the fire at night. It’s healing.
Yesterday the fam came into the salon after I was finished for the day and we did some minor cleaning up of cuts. We headed to the mall where the boys and Bonusmom headed to the Leggo store and Godiva Chocolates (they have a routine!) and Sis and I headed to the pedi place. We both got the pedicure and added the reflexology. Lord it felt good. My back has been killing me this week and that chair was a Godsend. We picked up some salad at Olive Garden then came back here to sup and play with leggos and chill out. I love just getting to hang out with the family. We looked at some of sis’ new clothes and put together some shoe ideas. We watched part of Home Alone 3 and I figured out that the chick that played Jake Ryan’s girlfriend in Sixteen Candles grew up to play the mom in that movie. We loaded everything up and said goodbyes with tentative plans for breakfast today…I’m so happy that they made the drive for the weekend. It’s a long exhausting haul, but it does my soul good.
Today…today is back to business. Today is bibliography. Today is the project that I have spent zero time on…all getting finished today. I probably should have been using the time given previously to work on this, and I’ve done tons of online research at home. But there is work to be done at the library, and after I finish this coffee and wash my face and do some laundry…that’s where I’ll be today.
But I’ll go full. Full of friends and full of family.
I grew up, from the time I was five years old, watching Days of Our Lives with MeMe and PaPa. It used to come on at 12:30 and we’d watch it with our bologna and cheese sandwichs and chips ahoy cookies and lemonade after I would come home from swimming lessons.
When I was in my Tweens, I spent summers with family. My other Meme and Papa in Granite where I roamed the streets with a cherry limeade from the pharmacy across from Pryor’s Department Store. With Auntie Dedo in OKC, who would take me to the bookstore in the mall on the first day and I would spend all of my money and then read the rest of the time (she really had the smarts that one) and with Auntie Carla and Uncle Bryan down in Freeport, Texas.
Auntie Carla and Uncle Bryan would drive me around in their blue Volkswagon Bug singing to Buddy Holly. We’d go get homemade rootbeer from the dude on the corner, we would go to the beach and fish for crab, we’d have ginormous salads with blue cheese dressing for lunch. While we made lunch, we would watch All My Children. Liza and Tad. Jenny and Greg. Angie and Jessie. and Erica. Ohhhh Erica.
Clearly I was born with a flair for the dramatic. Soaps were just this beautiful outlet for all of the crazy, overthedge, romantic and adventurous I had only thought about. Coming home, and apparently this was a good summer because it was the summer I got fat, or so my mother has said numerous times, I guess I mentioned something about “so and so is sleeping with so and so’s husband and he’s going to leave her for so and so…”
Well. My mother freaked and put an immediate moratorium on all things Soap Opera. (I also didn’t get to see a concert that wasn’t based in Jesus until I was a sophomore in high school…seriously. It’s no wonder my 20’s were what they were!—not really but it’s nice to have something to blame them on)
SO I don’t remember really when I got to start watching them again…but when I did it came back with a vengance. I don’t think there was a day in the 80’s that I didn’t watch one, read about one or talk about one. All of them. Days of our Lives. All My Children. Another World. As The World Turns. General Hospital on the Rick Springfield days. What I didn’t watch, I read about in Soap Opera Digest.
The hair. The clothes. The jewelry. The location shoots. The mystery and adventure. The summer romances. The Super Couples. The theme songs. Don’t think I didn’t have a Peabo Bryson/Roberta Flack cassette in my bedroom player. I loved the soaps. I wanted to be on one. I wanted to be a psychiatrist like Marlena Evans Brady Black. I mean, why not? Hot Mess Stacy told me in the 4th grade that I was really easy to tell problems to, so it made perfect sense.
Some years later, junior high and high school, my mom and sister and I would race home and get to the vcr with it’s remote control that had a cord. We would have chips and Pace picante sauce and Little Debbie peanut butter snack bars. And we would watch. All three of us. Sitting in the floor (because that’s as far as the corded remote control would reach) and for an hour we would have just girl time. We would lose ourselves with Pete and Melissa and Jack and Jennifer and Anna and Tony and Roman and Marlena. We would root root root for Bo and Hope and we would have a moment of bliss. . . Bliss before dad would come home and the bullshit would rain down. We would laugh and we would cry and on Friday’s we would scream NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! Those Friday episodes were a bitch.
This time of year is my power time. It’s my favorite. I am lost in emotion and nostalgia and even more aware of how fast it all goes by. Last night, I got sucked into some Youtube clips of vintage Days moments. I watched for an hour before I started posting on my FB wall. Turns out, I’m not the only one that likes a trip down memory lane. The comments were flowing, I was laughing. Trish and I decided we need a sleep over with Days of our Lives, Bacon Chocolate Chip cookies and scotch.
With most of the genre dying off, there are only a handfull of soaps still on the air right now, I feel an even stronger urgency to hold on, to remember. It’s a nice little connector… the conduit of memories of a time that maybe wasn’t full of all great stuff…but for an hour a day it was bliss.
Here’s to bliss. If you get an hour a day…well that day in your life is a pretty good one.
Misti Ridiculous 