So it's 2010 already, and that is going to take some getting used to. My 10-year high school reunion is tentatively planned for May, and I'm turning 28 next Saturday. Wow.
On the positive side, birthdays = birthday presents, and I talked Josh into giving me mine yesterday. (I'm starting to feel guilty about my inability to wait until the appropriate occasion to receive gifts, but I'm so impatient!) It's a Nook e-reader, which I absolutely love. It has a small color touch screen instead of a zillion buttons like the Kindle, and the technology of the larger reading screen still baffles and amazes me. It doesn't have a backlight, so it's like reading a regular page in digital form. It's easy on the eyes and the battery charge lasts a few days because the screen isn't constantly illuminated. (The touch screen times out and dims after a certain number of seconds.) It also stores 1,000 or more books, depending on whether you add more storage. I took a chip out of my old cell phone for extra space, which bumped me up to around 2,000 books. Holy lord. This thing is seriously my new best friend. It also stores music and functions as an mp3 player, but so does my phone, so meh. I guess at some point I'll set all that up too, but for now, BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS!
Best of all, books are cheap, mostly ranging from $.99 to $9.99. There are series and sets of books for more, but they're still insanely good deals. The complete Twilight saga is about $30. Some Google books are free, but they're a little more obscure and kind of a pain to track down.
Anyway, freaking awesome.
What is not awesome: My grandmother fell on Christmas Day and fractured her shoulder badly enough that she needs a partial replacement. She's been pretty miserable. They wouldn't operate right away because there's too much swelling and bruising, which would increase her chances of infection, so she's been on pain pills for the past week and a half.
I'm also not excited to go back to work tomorrow, but I feel that way every Sunday.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
wherein I admit defeat
I'm a Class A hypocrite. I am anti-diet, but I joined a website that requires me to count calories. So I am, technically, dieting. I guess one could say. The thing is that Josh and I both fell off the wagon last month when we got sick. (For the record, I got way more sick than he did, by like 2 weeks and a nasty throat infection.) So the Biggest Loser contest went out the window, though we agreed to just postpone the end date. I guess we're going for the end of December now.
So yesterday I recommitted myself to losing a bit of weight, and I decided to check out one of those calorie-tracking website doohickeys. (LiveStrong/the Daily Plate, for those who are curious.) It makes things pretty easy, except that I can only get a vague idea of the number of calories burned each day because even though I know that, say, typing is in their database? I have no idea how many minutes per day I've spent typing. So all I can track somewhat accurately is the calories burned doing massages, showering, and driving a car.
It turns out that massaging for 300 minutes a day really IS hard work! (Just in case there was any doubt.) I burn around 1,500 calories doing that, which is nice because my daily calorie "goal" (let's just call it a limit, because that's what it is) to lose 2 lbs. per week is 1,597 calories. So yesterday my net calories = 37, and today = 1,115. Significant difference! Tonight I ate Pocky for a snack and pizza for dinner (from a Boboli crust, Muir Glen sauce, and whole mozzarella, so I was able to get a pretty good idea of the calorie content). On both days I'm under my daily goal, so I'm doing well so far. It's interesting to see how it all adds up and evens out, and what the numbers are at the end of the day. My first two days alone show how extreme the fluctuation can be. I spent less time massaging today, which is definitely my main calorie-burner. It'll be interesting to see what the numbers are on my days off.
So yesterday I recommitted myself to losing a bit of weight, and I decided to check out one of those calorie-tracking website doohickeys. (LiveStrong/the Daily Plate, for those who are curious.) It makes things pretty easy, except that I can only get a vague idea of the number of calories burned each day because even though I know that, say, typing is in their database? I have no idea how many minutes per day I've spent typing. So all I can track somewhat accurately is the calories burned doing massages, showering, and driving a car.
It turns out that massaging for 300 minutes a day really IS hard work! (Just in case there was any doubt.) I burn around 1,500 calories doing that, which is nice because my daily calorie "goal" (let's just call it a limit, because that's what it is) to lose 2 lbs. per week is 1,597 calories. So yesterday my net calories = 37, and today = 1,115. Significant difference! Tonight I ate Pocky for a snack and pizza for dinner (from a Boboli crust, Muir Glen sauce, and whole mozzarella, so I was able to get a pretty good idea of the calorie content). On both days I'm under my daily goal, so I'm doing well so far. It's interesting to see how it all adds up and evens out, and what the numbers are at the end of the day. My first two days alone show how extreme the fluctuation can be. I spent less time massaging today, which is definitely my main calorie-burner. It'll be interesting to see what the numbers are on my days off.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
status update
My throat is still sore. My nose is still running (a little). I'm still coughing. THIS SUCKS. I don't want to call the doctor, mainly because I'm afraid that he'll make me come in for another office visit before he prescribes anything, and I don't want to pay for two visits. I haven't gotten the bills yet from the insurance company, but I'm usually stuck with most of the $85 office visit fee.
I did notice today that my khakis were hanging off my hips, and I think I may have shed some weight from the Love Handle Region. (That's a technical term.) Josh says he's noticed that I'm thinner, and it's visible to my critical eye, but I haven't stepped on a scale (or the treadmill) since I got sick two weeks ago. So it's possible I haven't lost any weight, and it's sad that I have to feel crappy for two weeks in order to slim down a bit.
I'm having computer issues at work. I couldn't log into Systoc yesterday, so I had to call the IS Help Desk. Then I called them back because I still hadn't heard from anyone about the name change order that I submitted two months ago. Turns out it wasn't assigned to an analyst (WTF?), so someone addressed that yesterday and today, so now I have the appropriate email address and username for my work computer. But now I can't get into Systoc again because of the name change, and I didn't get a call back from the Help Desk today. And now my Blackberry isn't receiving my work emails, and Josh is having a hard time reconfiguring the email address. Blurg.
I did notice today that my khakis were hanging off my hips, and I think I may have shed some weight from the Love Handle Region. (That's a technical term.) Josh says he's noticed that I'm thinner, and it's visible to my critical eye, but I haven't stepped on a scale (or the treadmill) since I got sick two weeks ago. So it's possible I haven't lost any weight, and it's sad that I have to feel crappy for two weeks in order to slim down a bit.
I'm having computer issues at work. I couldn't log into Systoc yesterday, so I had to call the IS Help Desk. Then I called them back because I still hadn't heard from anyone about the name change order that I submitted two months ago. Turns out it wasn't assigned to an analyst (WTF?), so someone addressed that yesterday and today, so now I have the appropriate email address and username for my work computer. But now I can't get into Systoc again because of the name change, and I didn't get a call back from the Help Desk today. And now my Blackberry isn't receiving my work emails, and Josh is having a hard time reconfiguring the email address. Blurg.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
the return
My sore throat is back, after 3 days of blissful normalcy (except for the coughing and runny nose). I finished my antibiotic on Friday, and then spent most of yesterday afternoon outside sweeping leaves off the lawn, so I'm not sure which factor is to blame. Maybe I need a few more days on the antibiotic to knock out the infection, or maybe I spent too much time outside in an already weakened state of health. Although I think I read somewhere that you don't actually get sick from being outside with wet hair, and whatnot. Hmm...something to Google later.
So I went to the store last night and stocked up on some "alternative medicines." One of the sleep techs at work knows a lot about natural foods and remedies, and I'm always looking for little tips and tricks to try in addition to my usual methods. We were just talking about this after I returned to work, and she suggested gargling with apple cider vinegar instead of salt water to relieve a sore throat. It's gross, but the vinegar is alkaline and doesn't dry out the throat the way salt water does. So I got a bottle of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar (with all the protein enzymes still in it), and it does soothe my throat really well. It also reeks, so I don't really like to gargle with it and then not drink or eat something, which may or may not compromise the effectiveness.
I'm really excited about my introduction to raw honey, which the sleep tech mentioned after I said that my grandfather used to give me teaspoons of honey for a sore throat. The raw stuff is so different from the stuff in the little bear bottle, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I like it a lot more. It's thick and spreadable, with the honeycomb, pollen, and propolis still in it so it has a lot of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes, and is antibacterial and antimicrobial. Fantastic! And it still dissolves in my tea, AND it doesn't have an overpowering flavor. I never really liked taking that spoonful of honey my grandfather gave me; I didn't care for the taste of it. So this is a nice discovery for me.
I also got some Cold & Flu Time tea, which has herbs in it to promote immunity and respiratory and throat health. So we'll see if that works. I'm a little more skeptical, but I drink a lot of herbal tea when I'm sick anyway, so it can't hurt.
I went to see New Moon last night with Amy, and it was awesome. A few of the characters in the movie were exactly the way I imagined them in the book, especially Aro of the Volturi. Very cool. Very well done. I wasn't sure how this movie would compare to the first one for me, because I hadn't read the books before watching Twilight. Usually when I've read the book version of a movie, it's easy for me to find fault with the movie for cutting out important parts or just portraying something in the wrong way. I thought that might happen with New Moon, but it just brought the book to life for me. I didn't notice anything that was left out, just a change in the part where the wolves chase Victoria to the ocean and Bella jumps off the cliff. In the book, I remember Bella seeing Victoria's "fiery figure" on the water after Jacob pulled her out of the ocean. In the movie, we see Victoria swimming underwater toward Bella before Jacob gets to her. (SCARY AS HELL, I thought.) I'm not sure if Bella saw her at all, but after Jacob rescues Bella and they leave, we see Victoria's head pop back underwater.
I also don't remember Charlie's friend (Harry? I can't remember his name) having his heart attack when he encountered Victoria in the woods, but that's quite possibly just something I missed while reading. At any rate, that detail made his death a little sadder. Sniffle
So I went to the store last night and stocked up on some "alternative medicines." One of the sleep techs at work knows a lot about natural foods and remedies, and I'm always looking for little tips and tricks to try in addition to my usual methods. We were just talking about this after I returned to work, and she suggested gargling with apple cider vinegar instead of salt water to relieve a sore throat. It's gross, but the vinegar is alkaline and doesn't dry out the throat the way salt water does. So I got a bottle of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar (with all the protein enzymes still in it), and it does soothe my throat really well. It also reeks, so I don't really like to gargle with it and then not drink or eat something, which may or may not compromise the effectiveness.
I'm really excited about my introduction to raw honey, which the sleep tech mentioned after I said that my grandfather used to give me teaspoons of honey for a sore throat. The raw stuff is so different from the stuff in the little bear bottle, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I like it a lot more. It's thick and spreadable, with the honeycomb, pollen, and propolis still in it so it has a lot of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes, and is antibacterial and antimicrobial. Fantastic! And it still dissolves in my tea, AND it doesn't have an overpowering flavor. I never really liked taking that spoonful of honey my grandfather gave me; I didn't care for the taste of it. So this is a nice discovery for me.
I also got some Cold & Flu Time tea, which has herbs in it to promote immunity and respiratory and throat health. So we'll see if that works. I'm a little more skeptical, but I drink a lot of herbal tea when I'm sick anyway, so it can't hurt.
I went to see New Moon last night with Amy, and it was awesome. A few of the characters in the movie were exactly the way I imagined them in the book, especially Aro of the Volturi. Very cool. Very well done. I wasn't sure how this movie would compare to the first one for me, because I hadn't read the books before watching Twilight. Usually when I've read the book version of a movie, it's easy for me to find fault with the movie for cutting out important parts or just portraying something in the wrong way. I thought that might happen with New Moon, but it just brought the book to life for me. I didn't notice anything that was left out, just a change in the part where the wolves chase Victoria to the ocean and Bella jumps off the cliff. In the book, I remember Bella seeing Victoria's "fiery figure" on the water after Jacob pulled her out of the ocean. In the movie, we see Victoria swimming underwater toward Bella before Jacob gets to her. (SCARY AS HELL, I thought.) I'm not sure if Bella saw her at all, but after Jacob rescues Bella and they leave, we see Victoria's head pop back underwater.
I also don't remember Charlie's friend (Harry? I can't remember his name) having his heart attack when he encountered Victoria in the woods, but that's quite possibly just something I missed while reading. At any rate, that detail made his death a little sadder. Sniffle
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Attack of the Creeping Crud!
One of my patients referred to the seasonal cold epidemic as "the Creeping Crud," and I liked it. I can picture an old, black and white Blob-type movie poster now.
It seems it has found its way from my sinuses to a deep recess of my throat. Not quite in my chest, but too far down my throat to be reached by Chloraseptic. And oh boy, does it hurt. Especially when I cough, or otherwise try to dislodge the disgruntled spiny frog in my throat. My voice has ranged from nonexistent to a low croak all day.
I've been drinking peppermint tea, many glasses of ice water with lemon or lime, chicken broth, and in desperation I tried spicy hot cocoa, even though it sounds like hell to a sore throat. It actually helped, albeit briefly, like everything else. I'm taking cold medicine, using the neti pot, and trying to rest. I spent the whole day on the couch under an afghan (where I'm headed again soon, in fact), so I think that's a good effort. The neti pot helps for a bit, but it's not as effective as nasal spray (medicated, not saline), which I'm hesitant to use very much because I don't want to exacerbate the problem when I stop using it. So I guess it's better to irrigate my sinuses a little more frequently with the neti pot than it is to snort nasal spray too frequently.
I watched Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist twice today, and I'm actually hoping to catch the beginning of it again because I missed it both times. I've seen the whole movie before, but only once. I tend to forget neat little details of a movie unless I've seen it more than twice. Like Caroline's nasty gum and how she gave it to Norah in the van, who chewed it for hours and then passed it to Nick when they were making out in the recording studio, who then spit it out and hit the guy from Are You Randy at the Where's Fluffy show. Yeah.
Okay, I've got to get back to my blanket. Until my husband the computer guy gets me a new laptop battery, I'm tethered to the wall outlet, and I'm too lazy to move to the one by the couch.
It seems it has found its way from my sinuses to a deep recess of my throat. Not quite in my chest, but too far down my throat to be reached by Chloraseptic. And oh boy, does it hurt. Especially when I cough, or otherwise try to dislodge the disgruntled spiny frog in my throat. My voice has ranged from nonexistent to a low croak all day.
I've been drinking peppermint tea, many glasses of ice water with lemon or lime, chicken broth, and in desperation I tried spicy hot cocoa, even though it sounds like hell to a sore throat. It actually helped, albeit briefly, like everything else. I'm taking cold medicine, using the neti pot, and trying to rest. I spent the whole day on the couch under an afghan (where I'm headed again soon, in fact), so I think that's a good effort. The neti pot helps for a bit, but it's not as effective as nasal spray (medicated, not saline), which I'm hesitant to use very much because I don't want to exacerbate the problem when I stop using it. So I guess it's better to irrigate my sinuses a little more frequently with the neti pot than it is to snort nasal spray too frequently.
I watched Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist twice today, and I'm actually hoping to catch the beginning of it again because I missed it both times. I've seen the whole movie before, but only once. I tend to forget neat little details of a movie unless I've seen it more than twice. Like Caroline's nasty gum and how she gave it to Norah in the van, who chewed it for hours and then passed it to Nick when they were making out in the recording studio, who then spit it out and hit the guy from Are You Randy at the Where's Fluffy show. Yeah.
Okay, I've got to get back to my blanket. Until my husband the computer guy gets me a new laptop battery, I'm tethered to the wall outlet, and I'm too lazy to move to the one by the couch.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
workaholic
My massage teachers drilled into my head: You should not massage when you are sick. You should not massage someone who is sick.
And for the most part, I've stuck to this. There are certainly days when I go to work despite the fact that I have a sore throat and/or stuffy nose, and there were days in school when I felt like death was near but I went anyway, because I needed to complete those 3 massages in clinic so I could graduate. (President A-hole put the fear of god in us regarding graduation, or our imminent failure to do so.)
Today, I'm feeling under the weather. It started yesterday, and I was planning to mostly sleep today. And get my oil changed, and do a massage that's been scheduled for a month, but also nap. I didn't cancel the massage because I'm not coughing or sneezing uncontrollably, I need the money right now, and I like chatting with this particular client during our sessions. We're buds.
I'd just settled down to relax after finishing that session when the doorbell rang. It was one of our neighbors, whom I'd told last weekend to "just pop over" when he wanted a massage. So he popped over, and now I'm doing another massage this evening. It's fine--I'm glad to help him out, as he mentioned that he's in some pain, and the extra money is helpful.
But I also can't help but feel annoyed at myself for not resting today. I did sit on the couch and do nothing for the duration of a TV show and most of a movie, but I didn't sleep. And now I feel sleepy and still sick, and I'm starting the massage in 10 minutes. Then I'll have to go to bed soon after that, and wake up to go to work early in the morning. Suck!
And for the most part, I've stuck to this. There are certainly days when I go to work despite the fact that I have a sore throat and/or stuffy nose, and there were days in school when I felt like death was near but I went anyway, because I needed to complete those 3 massages in clinic so I could graduate. (President A-hole put the fear of god in us regarding graduation, or our imminent failure to do so.)
Today, I'm feeling under the weather. It started yesterday, and I was planning to mostly sleep today. And get my oil changed, and do a massage that's been scheduled for a month, but also nap. I didn't cancel the massage because I'm not coughing or sneezing uncontrollably, I need the money right now, and I like chatting with this particular client during our sessions. We're buds.
I'd just settled down to relax after finishing that session when the doorbell rang. It was one of our neighbors, whom I'd told last weekend to "just pop over" when he wanted a massage. So he popped over, and now I'm doing another massage this evening. It's fine--I'm glad to help him out, as he mentioned that he's in some pain, and the extra money is helpful.
But I also can't help but feel annoyed at myself for not resting today. I did sit on the couch and do nothing for the duration of a TV show and most of a movie, but I didn't sleep. And now I feel sleepy and still sick, and I'm starting the massage in 10 minutes. Then I'll have to go to bed soon after that, and wake up to go to work early in the morning. Suck!
Friday, November 6, 2009
you take the good, you take the bad
Good Friday Thing: A new patient of mine raved about me to the site administrator of the building where I work. Allegedly she has been to bajillions of massage therapists, and she said I am The Best. I always like hearing this. Obviously.
Bad Friday Thing: I feel like I'm getting sick again. Josh complained that he was feeling crappy last night, and wouldn't you know it: I woke up achy and with a suspicious amount of snot sliding down my throat. (Sorry, graphic content.)
Good Friday Thing: I won an eBay auction without having to increase my maximum bid.
Bad Friday Thing: I am obsessed with Vera Bradley's (retired) Peacock pattern, and have bought 2 such items on eBay this month. I recently bought a Blue Rhapsody purse and sunglasses case, a Green Cupcakes checkbook cover and wallet, and a Daisy Daisy wallet/clutch (50% off!), and I'm in love with the quality and structure of them. A few weeks later, I notice that a friend has a cute little handbag in the Peacock pattern, which I'd admired in a store before I decided whether I liked or disliked Vera Bradley. So then since I knew that I liked Vera Bradley...well, the Peacock fixation started afresh. And by now, of course, it's retired, so I've been compulsively searching eBay for stuff. Sigh.
Bad Friday Thing: I feel like I'm getting sick again. Josh complained that he was feeling crappy last night, and wouldn't you know it: I woke up achy and with a suspicious amount of snot sliding down my throat. (Sorry, graphic content.)
Good Friday Thing: I won an eBay auction without having to increase my maximum bid.
Bad Friday Thing: I am obsessed with Vera Bradley's (retired) Peacock pattern, and have bought 2 such items on eBay this month. I recently bought a Blue Rhapsody purse and sunglasses case, a Green Cupcakes checkbook cover and wallet, and a Daisy Daisy wallet/clutch (50% off!), and I'm in love with the quality and structure of them. A few weeks later, I notice that a friend has a cute little handbag in the Peacock pattern, which I'd admired in a store before I decided whether I liked or disliked Vera Bradley. So then since I knew that I liked Vera Bradley...well, the Peacock fixation started afresh. And by now, of course, it's retired, so I've been compulsively searching eBay for stuff. Sigh.
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