I'm going...
I'm volunteering with the Red Cross this weekend, somewhere (MS or AL) to help the hurricane victims. No A/C, BYO sleeping bag/cot. I haven't felt such a strong call to do something in a long time. We have so much, and they have been left with nothing. I just thank God that I am able to go and serve. My big three day weekend plans to finish the guest bathroom, scrub my kitchen, and party are so meaningless in the face of all that's happening a few hours west.
Please donate to the Red Cross, or a legitimate charity to help.
Wish me luck!
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Monday, August 29, 2005
Back in the Saddle
First day of classes. The students were nuts today! I am so glad its over! I really love my job, but it is nice to be home. A few firsts...first time I was hung up on by a student today...first time I dropped my keys in the trash at dinner tonight.
I hope my class is great this semester. They seem to be really fun. This is one of the great parts of my job, teaching. Let's just hope the heckler doesn't get to me. I'm thinking about asking them if they want to do a class blog. We'll see!
If they do, I'll be sure to link to it.
WW update-13 down, 7 to go. I hope I can keep it up this fall.
I'll post our vacation pictures soon(including the new car!).
I hope my class is great this semester. They seem to be really fun. This is one of the great parts of my job, teaching. Let's just hope the heckler doesn't get to me. I'm thinking about asking them if they want to do a class blog. We'll see!
If they do, I'll be sure to link to it.
WW update-13 down, 7 to go. I hope I can keep it up this fall.
I'll post our vacation pictures soon(including the new car!).
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Weight Loss and such...
I've been doing Weight Watchers for a little over a month now. It's been going well. I've lost 7.6 pounds, 12.4 more to go! It hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be. I can be so lazy, and just want to eat whatever I see. I just try to make sure that what I see is healthy now. Poor Vance had to eat all the bad stuff in the house (such suffering!) because I'm too cheap to throw out perfectly good food.
I really like it when I get positive comments from co-workers and friends, but it's still frustrating when some of my clothes aren't quite fitting yet. I hope once I've hit my goal I can stay motivated. I miss certain foods a lot. I still have a bite of chocolate once in awhile, and Darcy made an amazing low-fat chocolate lava cake Sunday Night, which I fully enjoyed.
The Tallahassee Irish Step Dancers had our recital, ending the year on a high note.
I danced with a big ole' ugly white brace on my leg, but I suppose it's worth it to keep me dancing next year. I sprained my ankle two weeks ago in rehearsal and almost wasn't able to perform. We had a good sized crowd and lots of fun.
You know, if I didn't have to work to pay the bills, I'd dance all the time. Dance classes, maybe competitions. I just love to move with music.
Alright, I'd better get back to real work now.
I really like it when I get positive comments from co-workers and friends, but it's still frustrating when some of my clothes aren't quite fitting yet. I hope once I've hit my goal I can stay motivated. I miss certain foods a lot. I still have a bite of chocolate once in awhile, and Darcy made an amazing low-fat chocolate lava cake Sunday Night, which I fully enjoyed.
The Tallahassee Irish Step Dancers had our recital, ending the year on a high note.
I danced with a big ole' ugly white brace on my leg, but I suppose it's worth it to keep me dancing next year. I sprained my ankle two weeks ago in rehearsal and almost wasn't able to perform. We had a good sized crowd and lots of fun.
You know, if I didn't have to work to pay the bills, I'd dance all the time. Dance classes, maybe competitions. I just love to move with music.
Alright, I'd better get back to real work now.
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
STOP SMOKING NOW! I MEAN IT!
I just got back from visiting my Uncle who is dying of Lung Cancer in NC.
I don't know why people continue to smoke when it kills you. I understand that it's an addiction, but when you've seen the effects, what other impetus do you need?
I spent the weekend wiht my 58-year old uncle who won't see another birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or much else past a few months. He's got 4 tumors in his brain, spots on his lungs, and tumors on his kidneys. We all visited, and my sister and I said goodbye, and knew that this was preventable. It's a personal choice.
Please get your loved ones to stop smoking.
I don't know why people continue to smoke when it kills you. I understand that it's an addiction, but when you've seen the effects, what other impetus do you need?
I spent the weekend wiht my 58-year old uncle who won't see another birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or much else past a few months. He's got 4 tumors in his brain, spots on his lungs, and tumors on his kidneys. We all visited, and my sister and I said goodbye, and knew that this was preventable. It's a personal choice.
Please get your loved ones to stop smoking.
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
Health Stuff
What a time I've had lately. I was having these weird headaches, for about two weeks. Now, I've had migraines, but these headaches were different. Top of my head, not super-painful, but very nagging and made life not vey fun. So after two weeks of this, I gave up on the OTC drugs and went in to the Doctor.
By the way, I love my ARNP. She has been awesome through all this crap I've been dealing with.
Back to the story. My ARNP, Kim, said the headaches were 1 of 3 things.
1) A different type of migraine that I'm just not used to
2) Caffeine withdrawal
3) Something else
So she gave me a shot in my butt and some different migraine meds to handle option 1, nothing she could do for option 2, and scheduled me for an MRI to rule out option 3.
So Vance takes me to the MRI place on a Saturday a few weeks back. Nice people, lots of renovations, no biggie, takes about 30 minutes.
Fast forward to that Monday morning. I've come in late to work b/c my stupid headache was back. Walk in my office, to the phone ringing. It's Kim, and apparently they've found something on MRI. Okay, that was just to rule stuff out! They weren't supposed to actually find anything! She says words like "pituitary tumor' and 'hemorrhage' and I manage to write down that they've made me an appointment with a neurologist at noon. That day.
So I walk out of my office quite stunned, but Praise God I have wonderful supportive co-workers. They help me calm down, and offer to drive me to the appointment, etc. I decline, and call my Vance. He's so good to me. So he works it out with his office and I pick him up to go to the Neurologist.
We get to 'The Headache and Head Pain Center'. I figure, this must be the place for me. The neurologist was very cool, top of his game, ran me through a barrage of neurological tests in a rapid fire way that left Vance and I very reassured that I was in good hands. He explained to both of us that I had a pituitary tumor and that there had been a hemorrhage in it. He wanted more specific MRI-type tests done to get a better idea of what was happening in MY BRAIN. (Trying not to really freak out at this point.) So wonder of wonders (and again a little scary b/c they could get it scheduled so quickly) we head back to the MRI place for some more tests. Only this time it's a little scarier b/c they've found something. Not as friendly on the staff side this time, but whatever.
We waited for the films b/c that was the quickest way to get them to the Neurologist. Of course, being the geeks we are, we peeked at the films in the car. Kinda weird to see those typical brain-scan looking pictures and know that it's your head on the film.
Later that afternoon I finally got the phone call from the neuro guy (I got tired of typing neurologist..oh wait, I just did) that there's nothing else wrong other than the HEMMORHAGE IN MY BRAIN. Yeah. I'm totally OK with all of this.
So the gist of it is, my hormones probably made something pop in my brain but it's okay 'cuz these things usually just work themselves out in time. But if I have another top-of-my-head headaches I have to go back in.
Sigh...just another day.
By the way, I love my ARNP. She has been awesome through all this crap I've been dealing with.
Back to the story. My ARNP, Kim, said the headaches were 1 of 3 things.
1) A different type of migraine that I'm just not used to
2) Caffeine withdrawal
3) Something else
So she gave me a shot in my butt and some different migraine meds to handle option 1, nothing she could do for option 2, and scheduled me for an MRI to rule out option 3.
So Vance takes me to the MRI place on a Saturday a few weeks back. Nice people, lots of renovations, no biggie, takes about 30 minutes.
Fast forward to that Monday morning. I've come in late to work b/c my stupid headache was back. Walk in my office, to the phone ringing. It's Kim, and apparently they've found something on MRI. Okay, that was just to rule stuff out! They weren't supposed to actually find anything! She says words like "pituitary tumor' and 'hemorrhage' and I manage to write down that they've made me an appointment with a neurologist at noon. That day.
So I walk out of my office quite stunned, but Praise God I have wonderful supportive co-workers. They help me calm down, and offer to drive me to the appointment, etc. I decline, and call my Vance. He's so good to me. So he works it out with his office and I pick him up to go to the Neurologist.
We get to 'The Headache and Head Pain Center'. I figure, this must be the place for me. The neurologist was very cool, top of his game, ran me through a barrage of neurological tests in a rapid fire way that left Vance and I very reassured that I was in good hands. He explained to both of us that I had a pituitary tumor and that there had been a hemorrhage in it. He wanted more specific MRI-type tests done to get a better idea of what was happening in MY BRAIN. (Trying not to really freak out at this point.) So wonder of wonders (and again a little scary b/c they could get it scheduled so quickly) we head back to the MRI place for some more tests. Only this time it's a little scarier b/c they've found something. Not as friendly on the staff side this time, but whatever.
We waited for the films b/c that was the quickest way to get them to the Neurologist. Of course, being the geeks we are, we peeked at the films in the car. Kinda weird to see those typical brain-scan looking pictures and know that it's your head on the film.
Later that afternoon I finally got the phone call from the neuro guy (I got tired of typing neurologist..oh wait, I just did) that there's nothing else wrong other than the HEMMORHAGE IN MY BRAIN. Yeah. I'm totally OK with all of this.
So the gist of it is, my hormones probably made something pop in my brain but it's okay 'cuz these things usually just work themselves out in time. But if I have another top-of-my-head headaches I have to go back in.
Sigh...just another day.
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Too long since a post
I'm getting some flak from the hubby about my lack of posts to my blog. Sorry babe.
It's getting nuts at work, and I'm getting worn down again. Good thing the thyroid meds have kicked in, or I'd be totally worthless about now!
I'm not sure I've got what it takes to be a blogger. For some reason, I feel this pressure to produce something cool, something meaningful. Not sure where the pressure is coming from in particular. I've got a problem where I worry to much about living up to everyone else's expectations. Or at least what I think they expect of me. What does it matter in the first place? If I'm loving God and my husband, do I have other expectations to meet?
I'm getting to bogged down in my busyness again. I'm such a Martha, when I need to be a Mary, at His feet, worshipping. The pastor loaned me a book, "How to be a Mary in a Martha World". I started it, but haven't had time to finish it yet. Typical. I've got a bathroom stripped of the awful wallpaper that I haven't had time to finish prepping and painting. I've got magazines piled up, a new crosstitch project I need to get more work in on.
So where do I cut something? I've been trying to figure that out for years.
I have this weird ability to help my friends get their stuff in order, while my stuff piles up on the kitchen counter.
Can I get a break from all my stuff? Not just stuff, but committments, obligations. I might be able to sleep better, communicate better, all that good stuff.
Well, band practice is ending. Time to fulfill another obligation.
It's getting nuts at work, and I'm getting worn down again. Good thing the thyroid meds have kicked in, or I'd be totally worthless about now!
I'm not sure I've got what it takes to be a blogger. For some reason, I feel this pressure to produce something cool, something meaningful. Not sure where the pressure is coming from in particular. I've got a problem where I worry to much about living up to everyone else's expectations. Or at least what I think they expect of me. What does it matter in the first place? If I'm loving God and my husband, do I have other expectations to meet?
I'm getting to bogged down in my busyness again. I'm such a Martha, when I need to be a Mary, at His feet, worshipping. The pastor loaned me a book, "How to be a Mary in a Martha World". I started it, but haven't had time to finish it yet. Typical. I've got a bathroom stripped of the awful wallpaper that I haven't had time to finish prepping and painting. I've got magazines piled up, a new crosstitch project I need to get more work in on.
So where do I cut something? I've been trying to figure that out for years.
I have this weird ability to help my friends get their stuff in order, while my stuff piles up on the kitchen counter.
Can I get a break from all my stuff? Not just stuff, but committments, obligations. I might be able to sleep better, communicate better, all that good stuff.
Well, band practice is ending. Time to fulfill another obligation.
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Back to the Grindstone
I like my job. I get to work with some good people, I think we make a difference, it's fulfilling, blah blah blah fishcakes. So why is it that every time a group of my co-workers and I get together the first 30 minutes are an all-out gripe-fest? In the grand scheme of things, we're gonna make it, none of this is terribly life-threatening. Sigh.
Hey, everyone should read recaps of fun TV shows on www.televisionwithoutpity.com. Warning-not all recaps are G-rated...but all are shoot milk out your nose funny.
Time for work again, until I leave for Sign Language...
Hey, everyone should read recaps of fun TV shows on www.televisionwithoutpity.com. Warning-not all recaps are G-rated...but all are shoot milk out your nose funny.
Time for work again, until I leave for Sign Language...
Monday, December 13, 2004
Doing the holiday thing
I'm not decorating my house for Christmas. There, I've said it. I didn't inherit the decorating gene from Momma, Shannon got that. Funny thing is, I can help other folks figure out what looks good at their house, but I get all weird when it comes to my own home. I worry about how it looks when in the long run it doesn't matter that much. I've recently been trying to examine my feelings on household decor. Vance and I are trying to cut back, 'de-stuff' and de-clutter, sell some stuff on e-bay, etc. It flies in the face of what I grew up with, things like Momma's pretty Lladros in the display case. I love my Momma and Daddy's house, and I recognize that she really has a knack for making things look nice. So is it insulting to her to have a daughter who appreciates the thought of another Precious Moments figurine but would really rather have a gift certificate for a spa day or even Home Depot? We're heading to my parents' house a week from tomorrow and I know it will be beautifully decorated (and not smell too much like cinnamon b/c it makes me sneezy). I'm looking forward to being able to spend time with the family, but will be struggling with falling back in to my old, overcommercialized habits. Ah, the holidays.
Sunday, December 12, 2004
No Pressure...
Wow. My first post and I've got Christopher and Vance breathing down my neck, prompting me to write something meaningful. But not me, I'll fill this with mutterings of an exhausted...whatever.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
