So I got a part time job doing therapy in the nursing homes. What I enjoy the most is just chillin' with these old people. It's a nice change from the kids, being able to have a regular--ok fairly regular conversation--with someone. And I'm only there for 2-3 hours at a time, so that's nice too. You don't have time to get sick of anything.
So today, one of my patients was a deaf woman, who could read lips like nobody's business, and she could speak very well too-- I think she just was given the title of legally deaf recently. Anyway, you know what she wanted to talk about? Celebrity gossip. She's right up my alley. We talked about Mel Gibson, Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz & Justin Timberlake...it was hilarious.
Then I saw a guy who was from Hungary, a senator from Hungary-- so imagine a wonderful Russian sounding accent ok. I meet him, and he tells me several times that he thinks I'm an angel, that heaven sent to help "learn him" things--things about his arms and things for his mind. He's so thankful to meet me and have me help him. Do you think my kids say this to me? Let me help you out...they don't. They might kick and scream and cry on the floor, refuse to walk, or they'll run away. Yea, sometimes they love me, sometimes they don't, but they never say I'm an angel that they're thankful for! A nice change. And we talked about politics & traveling. And I actually spoke to his daughter on the phone...weird.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
What I'm Learning...
As you know I'm learning more about "The Secret," which is the law of attraction-- like things attract like things. Meaning, good thoughts attract good things, bad thoughts attract bad things. I ordered the DVD, and Ivan bought me the book. I can't put it down! I am feverishly note-taking, and writing down what I want, what I'm gratfeul for, and what makes me happy! Notice how I didn't say anything about what I don't want... :)
What I've learned is that when asking for things, negative words aren't recognized. So for example, if you were to say "I don't want to get sick." You can just take the don't right out of it (I want to get sick) and that's what you'll get! Not because you might truly want that, but because the negative word isn't acknowledged! So what should have been said there? "I want to be healthy!"
There are 3 steps. 1. ASK...ask for what you want (I want a million dollars!) 2. BELIEVE...believe that you will receive it, and believe that you already have it. This is the tricky part I think because obviously if I had a million dollars I'd be on a shopping spree. But what they say is to believe you have it, so maybe you can't really go on that spree, but you can be picking out what you want! Or you can be on the spree and just believing that the money will come and so you don't need to worry about buying that stuff! 3. RECEIVE...be happy, be giving off the good vibes, and you will receive what you asked for.
Sounds like some hokey poke nonsense huh? So what if it is...What do you have to lose by believing? What do you have to lose by choosing to be happy? What do you have to lose by having faith that life will be good and you will receive the things you want? Nothing...or everything depending on how you look at it :)
I'd say, read the book or watch the DVD and decide for yourself. The worst that happens, is that you are happy and have faith and are grateful...Not so bad.
What I've learned is that when asking for things, negative words aren't recognized. So for example, if you were to say "I don't want to get sick." You can just take the don't right out of it (I want to get sick) and that's what you'll get! Not because you might truly want that, but because the negative word isn't acknowledged! So what should have been said there? "I want to be healthy!"
There are 3 steps. 1. ASK...ask for what you want (I want a million dollars!) 2. BELIEVE...believe that you will receive it, and believe that you already have it. This is the tricky part I think because obviously if I had a million dollars I'd be on a shopping spree. But what they say is to believe you have it, so maybe you can't really go on that spree, but you can be picking out what you want! Or you can be on the spree and just believing that the money will come and so you don't need to worry about buying that stuff! 3. RECEIVE...be happy, be giving off the good vibes, and you will receive what you asked for.
Sounds like some hokey poke nonsense huh? So what if it is...What do you have to lose by believing? What do you have to lose by choosing to be happy? What do you have to lose by having faith that life will be good and you will receive the things you want? Nothing...or everything depending on how you look at it :)
I'd say, read the book or watch the DVD and decide for yourself. The worst that happens, is that you are happy and have faith and are grateful...Not so bad.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
"The Secret"
If you know me, which if you're reading this, you do...you know that I am a faithful Oprah viewer and I really think her shows and her life are a good example of what people should strive to be like...
Anyway, did anyone see the episode about "The Secret"? And they talked about it again yesterday. Ok, I was literally taking notes as I watched so I could remember the phrases that really spoke to me. Whether you believe in anything that they talked about or not, some things that were said just seemed like good words to try & live by. To re-cap-- basically what they said is that the energy you put out to the world is what you get back-- so if you're a negative person, you will continue that cycle of negativity, and vice versa with positive energy-- what got more complex is that they are saying how we are all "energy" so it's literally the energy that you put out there. Anyway, that's not important to get into to get the key things that I really liked...so here they are:
*Life is not meant to be a struggle.
Now, I can honestly say that my life isn't a struggle. I have the issues that anyone has with money or weight or whatever, but overall I have it good. But I liked hearing this because 1. I think people sometimes make things worse than they need to be or overdramatize a lot of things, and 2. the people who do have a real struggle, well it's kinda hopeful and could show them that it's all about choice.
*Trying is failing with honor.
The example they gave was if you ask someone to a dinner party and they say "Oh I'll try to make it." We all know that means they're not coming. There is only doing and not doing. Sometimes I like to say "Well all I can do is try" or something along those lines...and when I think about that, I think I'm really saying "I'm not doing all that I need to do, I know I'm not trying my hardest." Think about it :) There's no need to say you're "trying" something, if you already doing it, say I'm DOING IT!
*Mediocrity always attacks excellence.
We all know this...it's jealousy. Whether you are feeling that towards someone else who is doing well and you wish you were too, suddenly you find yourself wishing them harm or bad mouthing them (I know I do this...I'm changing) Or whether you are the one is doing great and find someone being negative to you...
P.S.-I made a conscious effort to write "I'm changing" instead of "I'm trying to change"...you either are or you aren't. And I think looking at it that way makes you believe it faster too :) Mind over matter.
*Unforgiveness is a form of self abuse.
*True forgiveness is "giving up the hope that the past could have been any different" and being able to say "Thank you for giving me that experience."
*Unwillingness to forgive is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.
There was a lot that they said about forgiveness that I liked. I've heard a couple of those things before. Along the lines of "you don't forgive for the other peson, you forgive for yourself." Odds are in most cases, whoever you are mad at doesn't even know you are, or care, so being mad isn't punishing them at all! Only yourself.
*Gratitude.
This is the biggest thing I think. To be truly grateful for what you have. Focus on what you want in life, not what you don't want. For example-- saying "I want financial freedom" instead of saying "I don't want to be broke." They say, unless you are grateful for what is already in your life, you can't invite anything new/good into it. To get what you want, you need to appreciate what you already have.
They also talked about maybe heaven & hell are happening right now, it's not some "place" you go to. Whatever choices you make in your life, whatever you create for it, makes your own personal heaven or hell right now! They quoted some stuff from the bible too to kinda back that up but I can't remember it right now :) It was interesting.
So anyway, I am really anxious to learn more about "The Secret" and just try to keep it's priniciples in mind on a daily basis...thought I'd share it with you. And if you want more info you can go to www.thesecret.tv
Anyway, did anyone see the episode about "The Secret"? And they talked about it again yesterday. Ok, I was literally taking notes as I watched so I could remember the phrases that really spoke to me. Whether you believe in anything that they talked about or not, some things that were said just seemed like good words to try & live by. To re-cap-- basically what they said is that the energy you put out to the world is what you get back-- so if you're a negative person, you will continue that cycle of negativity, and vice versa with positive energy-- what got more complex is that they are saying how we are all "energy" so it's literally the energy that you put out there. Anyway, that's not important to get into to get the key things that I really liked...so here they are:
*Life is not meant to be a struggle.
Now, I can honestly say that my life isn't a struggle. I have the issues that anyone has with money or weight or whatever, but overall I have it good. But I liked hearing this because 1. I think people sometimes make things worse than they need to be or overdramatize a lot of things, and 2. the people who do have a real struggle, well it's kinda hopeful and could show them that it's all about choice.
*Trying is failing with honor.
The example they gave was if you ask someone to a dinner party and they say "Oh I'll try to make it." We all know that means they're not coming. There is only doing and not doing. Sometimes I like to say "Well all I can do is try" or something along those lines...and when I think about that, I think I'm really saying "I'm not doing all that I need to do, I know I'm not trying my hardest." Think about it :) There's no need to say you're "trying" something, if you already doing it, say I'm DOING IT!
*Mediocrity always attacks excellence.
We all know this...it's jealousy. Whether you are feeling that towards someone else who is doing well and you wish you were too, suddenly you find yourself wishing them harm or bad mouthing them (I know I do this...I'm changing) Or whether you are the one is doing great and find someone being negative to you...
P.S.-I made a conscious effort to write "I'm changing" instead of "I'm trying to change"...you either are or you aren't. And I think looking at it that way makes you believe it faster too :) Mind over matter.
*Unforgiveness is a form of self abuse.
*True forgiveness is "giving up the hope that the past could have been any different" and being able to say "Thank you for giving me that experience."
*Unwillingness to forgive is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.
There was a lot that they said about forgiveness that I liked. I've heard a couple of those things before. Along the lines of "you don't forgive for the other peson, you forgive for yourself." Odds are in most cases, whoever you are mad at doesn't even know you are, or care, so being mad isn't punishing them at all! Only yourself.
*Gratitude.
This is the biggest thing I think. To be truly grateful for what you have. Focus on what you want in life, not what you don't want. For example-- saying "I want financial freedom" instead of saying "I don't want to be broke." They say, unless you are grateful for what is already in your life, you can't invite anything new/good into it. To get what you want, you need to appreciate what you already have.
They also talked about maybe heaven & hell are happening right now, it's not some "place" you go to. Whatever choices you make in your life, whatever you create for it, makes your own personal heaven or hell right now! They quoted some stuff from the bible too to kinda back that up but I can't remember it right now :) It was interesting.
So anyway, I am really anxious to learn more about "The Secret" and just try to keep it's priniciples in mind on a daily basis...thought I'd share it with you. And if you want more info you can go to www.thesecret.tv
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
What to Do...
I can't figure out what to do after this contract is up on June 15th. I have no idea! We could basically do whatever we want...and that makes it hard. Ivan isn't much help, being the super laid back person that he is, he's fine with just about every scenario I come up with! Doesn't really have an opinion one way or another. So here's what's running through my head:
1. Move to Orange County for the summer, get like a 10 week contract because I need to be home Labor Day Weekend for Erin Springer's wedding...anyway, move there and do the beach thing, and then see what happens in the fall (although we are leaning towards staying in California again...that always happens, even though a month ago I swore I needed the heck outta here!)
2. Come home for the summer until after Erin's wedding, and then come back to California-- either get a job or not, but just be at home for about 11 weeks.
3. Go somewhere else...like Miami for the summer, come home at the end for a couple of weeks for Erin's wedding/visiting, then come back to California.
4. Take a month off work and just rent a beach house here or in Florida and just be bums.
5. Take a volunteer vacation that I've been wanting to do for years now... I really want to do one in South Africa, but it's super expensive, so there are some in Mexico that could be a good time. Meanwhile, Ivan would be homeless or have to go back to St. Louis... :(
If we're doing a pros/cons thing... the best financial option is to move to the OC, this way I have an income, Ivan would most likely be able to drive to his same job.
The downside of Miami is that Ivan wouldn't have a job probably. We talked about him getting an internship or something so then it wouldn't just be a complete wash for him. If it was unpaid at least he'd get some experience.
The downside of home is that again, Ivan's income would be questionable, BUT we wouldn't have living expenses to worry about.
The fun factor though... duh, is taking time off work and just being bums here, Florida, or at home...at home we have all our friends & family, but the other places have the ocean and stuff that we haven't done before. I dunno!!!
I was daydreaming about my internship in the Keys a couple years ago and thought, there is no reason why I can't do that again-- just not with the internship. Just rent a condo and lay out & boat & all that stuff all summer. Especially if I make a decision now and save up money for the summer.
Then there's always that responsible voice saying...you need to just work or else you'll never be able to buy a house and settle down. Boo! I am only 25. So I need to do the fun stuff now. Thanks for pointing that out :) But WHERE? Do I skip the Mexico volunteering to keep saving up for South Africa? OR do I go ahead and do Mexico to get a taste and satisfy that urge until I have money for South Africa? Do I have fun in the OC where I will make better money than in Florida and Ivan still has a job?? OR do I head to Florida for a change and give Ivan the summer off... Or do I come home and be a bum and drink a lot for 3 months, but live cheap?
Please give me your opinions on this one...Because I don't know what the heck to do. I tell my recruiter like every other day about a different idea I had and in about a month or two I will actually have to make a decision...scary!
1. Move to Orange County for the summer, get like a 10 week contract because I need to be home Labor Day Weekend for Erin Springer's wedding...anyway, move there and do the beach thing, and then see what happens in the fall (although we are leaning towards staying in California again...that always happens, even though a month ago I swore I needed the heck outta here!)
2. Come home for the summer until after Erin's wedding, and then come back to California-- either get a job or not, but just be at home for about 11 weeks.
3. Go somewhere else...like Miami for the summer, come home at the end for a couple of weeks for Erin's wedding/visiting, then come back to California.
4. Take a month off work and just rent a beach house here or in Florida and just be bums.
5. Take a volunteer vacation that I've been wanting to do for years now... I really want to do one in South Africa, but it's super expensive, so there are some in Mexico that could be a good time. Meanwhile, Ivan would be homeless or have to go back to St. Louis... :(
If we're doing a pros/cons thing... the best financial option is to move to the OC, this way I have an income, Ivan would most likely be able to drive to his same job.
The downside of Miami is that Ivan wouldn't have a job probably. We talked about him getting an internship or something so then it wouldn't just be a complete wash for him. If it was unpaid at least he'd get some experience.
The downside of home is that again, Ivan's income would be questionable, BUT we wouldn't have living expenses to worry about.
The fun factor though... duh, is taking time off work and just being bums here, Florida, or at home...at home we have all our friends & family, but the other places have the ocean and stuff that we haven't done before. I dunno!!!
I was daydreaming about my internship in the Keys a couple years ago and thought, there is no reason why I can't do that again-- just not with the internship. Just rent a condo and lay out & boat & all that stuff all summer. Especially if I make a decision now and save up money for the summer.
Then there's always that responsible voice saying...you need to just work or else you'll never be able to buy a house and settle down. Boo! I am only 25. So I need to do the fun stuff now. Thanks for pointing that out :) But WHERE? Do I skip the Mexico volunteering to keep saving up for South Africa? OR do I go ahead and do Mexico to get a taste and satisfy that urge until I have money for South Africa? Do I have fun in the OC where I will make better money than in Florida and Ivan still has a job?? OR do I head to Florida for a change and give Ivan the summer off... Or do I come home and be a bum and drink a lot for 3 months, but live cheap?
Please give me your opinions on this one...Because I don't know what the heck to do. I tell my recruiter like every other day about a different idea I had and in about a month or two I will actually have to make a decision...scary!
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Yo Yo
So I need to get myself motivated again. Yes, I'm training for a marathon...but you know, I need to do more than that. I'm thinking back to last year when I had my trainer and I was going to boot camp 3 days a week...I loved it! It's pretty pathetic that at this point in my life I can't start something & stick to it (as far as exercise/eating habits go). I have done so much, tried so many things, taken so many classes, had multiple trainers, tried different "diets" and I know exactly what works, what doesn't, I know the science behind things, I could train people at this point. And yet, when I get to a point that I'm happy with, I stop. And you can't do that. Duh! I know this as well. And I actually enjoy the work outs, I enjoy the sweat, I enjoy the benefits...why quit? A psychologist might say that I sabotage myself, that maybe I think I don't deserve to look & feel good. That's not it!! I deserve it! I work my ass off!! And then I reward myself with taking a "break." Which doubles as punishment when I gain it back and start to feel gross again, and each time gets a little worse than the time before.
For the past let's see...since I think 2002 is the first time I ever really lost weight, at least it's the smallest I remember being...well that's when the cycle began. I lose about 30 pounds...feel great, gain it back, spend 6 months losing it, and 6 months gaining it. That has truthfully been the cycle since 2002! And it's February now, right about the time I start to think "I need to do something about this." Right on schedule... :)
I'd love for all of this cycle stuff to stop. Because it really doesn't make sense. I actually love being active. The eating...ok no, I don't like to eat right. But at least if I got the exercise part down I'd have a bit more freedom on the eating side of it... Anyway, like I was saying, if you were to ask me what things I enjoy or what I want to try or what goals I have in life-- they all have to do with some activity...so what's the problem? I like hiking, I want to try rock climbing, I like kayaking and want to do it more, I want to do a triathlon...I would love to join a soccer league... so why do I end up on the couch? Crazy...
It's one reason I'd like to stay in California. The weather allows you to be outside all year and the environment offers any type of activity you could think of. It's a great place to be if you want to be active.
Anyway...I will let you know how this all goes...I might turn to you for motivation..or at least to keep me honest. That's what my trainer was always good for. I had to write down what I ate, weighed in with her, and we always had scheduled times to work out you know? I had to be accountable to someone besides myself. Obviously the goal would be to not need someone else...but clearly I'm not there yet...
For the past let's see...since I think 2002 is the first time I ever really lost weight, at least it's the smallest I remember being...well that's when the cycle began. I lose about 30 pounds...feel great, gain it back, spend 6 months losing it, and 6 months gaining it. That has truthfully been the cycle since 2002! And it's February now, right about the time I start to think "I need to do something about this." Right on schedule... :)
I'd love for all of this cycle stuff to stop. Because it really doesn't make sense. I actually love being active. The eating...ok no, I don't like to eat right. But at least if I got the exercise part down I'd have a bit more freedom on the eating side of it... Anyway, like I was saying, if you were to ask me what things I enjoy or what I want to try or what goals I have in life-- they all have to do with some activity...so what's the problem? I like hiking, I want to try rock climbing, I like kayaking and want to do it more, I want to do a triathlon...I would love to join a soccer league... so why do I end up on the couch? Crazy...
It's one reason I'd like to stay in California. The weather allows you to be outside all year and the environment offers any type of activity you could think of. It's a great place to be if you want to be active.
Anyway...I will let you know how this all goes...I might turn to you for motivation..or at least to keep me honest. That's what my trainer was always good for. I had to write down what I ate, weighed in with her, and we always had scheduled times to work out you know? I had to be accountable to someone besides myself. Obviously the goal would be to not need someone else...but clearly I'm not there yet...
Friday, February 09, 2007
1/2 Marathon
Last weekend I had my half marathon (13.1 miles) in Huntington Beach. It was good. I felt great until about mile 10-- then I started getting some aches & pains, blisters, so I walked most of the last 3 miles. It was a beautiful day, about 80 degrees, sunny (my face got burnt) and running on the Pacific Coast Highway looking out at the ocean. You really can't get much better than that, especially in February! After the race, as a team we took the ice bath in the pacific. We all walked in, fully clothed, and took a beating from the waves (about 50-60 degrees) for 15 minutes. It was one of the funnest things ever! It just proved that it doesn't matter how cold the water is, you can still have fun at the beach. And that is my favorite thing to do anyway-- just stand there and jump into the waves. And the undertow that day was crazy! It was great. If you want to look at pics of where we ran and race day info you can go to this website: www.psmarathon.com
Then we went over to Breigh & Joe's for the superbowl...YAY COLTS!! Very happy camper right here. And the food was so good, so good, so good!
I got that second job I've been talking about getting for 2 years now. I start on Monday because we have school off on Monday. Very excited about it too. I'll be working in a nursing home. I'm just ready to learn something outside of the schools so I'm not trapped. It'll be great experience and also nice to meet some more new people. Not to mention, the extra money is always wonderful.
Oh, Nike is starting this thing here in L.A...they might have it in other big cities but I don't know, I've only heard that it's here. Anyway, they have the Nike Top 20 running locations in LA county. I heard about it from my TNT coach and planned to go on Thursday before work but it didn't work out. So then I found that they do it 20 different trails in the area all at different times, so I can find ones that are closer to me (his is in west L.A.---coming back to East L.A. would be very difficult in the morning!!) and in the evening, so I don't have to get up at 5:00 to run...not my cup of tea really :) So, hopefully I'll start doing that, and Ivan can too. Once again, another way to meet people! And I've been wanting to find more trails out here, and there are tons! So without even knowing it, apparently I have started to seek out running opportunities. I have to be honest though, it's not the act of running itself that I like-- some people get the runner's highs and all this stuff. That is NOT ME! I enjoy completing a course, I enjoy the challenge, I enjoy seeing new places, and I really enjoy the people. And apparently running has turned out to be the way to get all those things. In a team sport, there's too much pressure for me. I can't take letting anyone down if I didn't do my job, but with running/walking, there's no pressure from anywhere, there's no let down, it's only what you can do. I like that it's individual, but at the same time, you still feel like a team when you're with the other people. During my race on Sunday, I spent those first 10 miles walking/running with a TNT person from a different team, just talking and keeping each other motivated. We joined up with other people moving at our pace and by the end of the time you've met some great people you didn't know before you started! That's what I like about it. I keep saying that I'd like to continue doing 5k's & 10k's, but I will never again feel a need to do a marathon or 1/2 marathon...the other day I found myself on a website about to sign up for a 1/2 in San Diego...what the heck?
Then we went over to Breigh & Joe's for the superbowl...YAY COLTS!! Very happy camper right here. And the food was so good, so good, so good!
I got that second job I've been talking about getting for 2 years now. I start on Monday because we have school off on Monday. Very excited about it too. I'll be working in a nursing home. I'm just ready to learn something outside of the schools so I'm not trapped. It'll be great experience and also nice to meet some more new people. Not to mention, the extra money is always wonderful.
Oh, Nike is starting this thing here in L.A...they might have it in other big cities but I don't know, I've only heard that it's here. Anyway, they have the Nike Top 20 running locations in LA county. I heard about it from my TNT coach and planned to go on Thursday before work but it didn't work out. So then I found that they do it 20 different trails in the area all at different times, so I can find ones that are closer to me (his is in west L.A.---coming back to East L.A. would be very difficult in the morning!!) and in the evening, so I don't have to get up at 5:00 to run...not my cup of tea really :) So, hopefully I'll start doing that, and Ivan can too. Once again, another way to meet people! And I've been wanting to find more trails out here, and there are tons! So without even knowing it, apparently I have started to seek out running opportunities. I have to be honest though, it's not the act of running itself that I like-- some people get the runner's highs and all this stuff. That is NOT ME! I enjoy completing a course, I enjoy the challenge, I enjoy seeing new places, and I really enjoy the people. And apparently running has turned out to be the way to get all those things. In a team sport, there's too much pressure for me. I can't take letting anyone down if I didn't do my job, but with running/walking, there's no pressure from anywhere, there's no let down, it's only what you can do. I like that it's individual, but at the same time, you still feel like a team when you're with the other people. During my race on Sunday, I spent those first 10 miles walking/running with a TNT person from a different team, just talking and keeping each other motivated. We joined up with other people moving at our pace and by the end of the time you've met some great people you didn't know before you started! That's what I like about it. I keep saying that I'd like to continue doing 5k's & 10k's, but I will never again feel a need to do a marathon or 1/2 marathon...the other day I found myself on a website about to sign up for a 1/2 in San Diego...what the heck?
Friday, February 02, 2007
Hey there!
Hello! Today was a good day :) I don't know why. It was just one of those days where I was driving down the street and thought, you know, I do like California. Some days, I can't say that. I think it's partly because Ivan and I are planning a vacation (trying to plan one) and so that's exciting. And when we're trying to figure out where to go, there's so many choices nearby that it made me re-appreciate California...we could drive to Mexico, Catalina Island (ok we have to take a boat for this one), Las Vegas, Yosemite, San Francisco, Lake Havasu, Lake Tahoe, the Grand Canyon-- they are all within 2-7 hours away. AND, a flight to Hawaii is a few hundred dollars and about 6-10 hours less of flight time from home! Kinda amazing really. Not to mention, there really is a lot to do right outside our door, people could spend an entire vacation in L.A. and that's where we live...and clearly take for granted. Anyway, we are thinking about Rosarito, Mexico. It's just about 20 miles across the border, so we could drive--or rent a car, or take a bus from San Diego, whichever, it's still only about 2 hours away. And the resorts are dirt cheap. We can't even stay in a hotel across the street from our apartment for that cheap, and in Mexico you are beach front. The massages & spa services are cheaper. I told Ivan, I just want to stay somewhere drinking cheap fruity drinks, laying by the pool or on the beach. Preferably, not in this country, just so it feels like a real vacation. So 4 nights across the border sounds fabulous. My parents are coming to visit on spring break, so we're thinking that after we take them to the airport, we'll head south :) Hopefully it all works out, we'll see!
Sunday is another training race-- a half-marathon in Huntington Beach. That's 13.1 miles, 8 of which are on the Pacific Coast Highway looking at the ocean! Another reason I'm appreciating California right now. I'm so looking forward to that race. Plus, I guess it's tradition to run in the freezing Pacific afterwards for a little natural "ice bath." And yes, I'm pumped for that too. I will have Ivan take pictures.
After the race we're heading to Breigh & Joe's (friends from Rancho) for the superbowl...which again, I'm oddly excited for. I have a crush on Peyton Manning, so you know, I am rootin' for the COLTS! I love him :) Not to mention, Breigh & Joe love to make food for people, and they are awesome cooks! Yum!
What else...Lucy started day care this week. Thus far, we haven't had anymore complaints from the bitch upstairs, but I dunno if that means Lucy's not barking or just that the woman is giving us a chance to fix it. Whenever I come home I knock on the door and ring the bell and Lucy doesn't bark, she runs to the door and kinda wimpers, but doesn't bark when she has the collar on. So anyway, I decided to take her to day care a couple days a week too to give her some play time, excerise, and a break from the citrinilla! She is so pooped when she gets home. It's great. Just to see that she has gotten to play so much.
Well...I guess that's about it. LET'S GO PEYTON!!
Sunday is another training race-- a half-marathon in Huntington Beach. That's 13.1 miles, 8 of which are on the Pacific Coast Highway looking at the ocean! Another reason I'm appreciating California right now. I'm so looking forward to that race. Plus, I guess it's tradition to run in the freezing Pacific afterwards for a little natural "ice bath." And yes, I'm pumped for that too. I will have Ivan take pictures.
After the race we're heading to Breigh & Joe's (friends from Rancho) for the superbowl...which again, I'm oddly excited for. I have a crush on Peyton Manning, so you know, I am rootin' for the COLTS! I love him :) Not to mention, Breigh & Joe love to make food for people, and they are awesome cooks! Yum!
What else...Lucy started day care this week. Thus far, we haven't had anymore complaints from the bitch upstairs, but I dunno if that means Lucy's not barking or just that the woman is giving us a chance to fix it. Whenever I come home I knock on the door and ring the bell and Lucy doesn't bark, she runs to the door and kinda wimpers, but doesn't bark when she has the collar on. So anyway, I decided to take her to day care a couple days a week too to give her some play time, excerise, and a break from the citrinilla! She is so pooped when she gets home. It's great. Just to see that she has gotten to play so much.
Well...I guess that's about it. LET'S GO PEYTON!!
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Neighbors Suck!
So my upstairs neighbor sucks a fat one. She has complained that Lucy has been barking during the day...during the day when nobody is sleeping... so if a dog is going to bark any time, shouldn't that time be when it's ok? Not to mention, during the day when I am at work and can do nothing about it. Oh, and keep in mind that Ivan is home on Mondays & Tuesdays usually, so that only leaves 3 days a week that the dog could be barking during waking hours. And not to mention she's never alone for more than 7ish hours, and is not barking when I get home SO that means she stopped at some point during the day, correct? AND this horrible soul who lives above us, actually has a dog! Aren't other dog-people supposed to know/understand that there's this thing that dogs do sometimes, called barking!
So here's my list of questions/comments/concerns:
**Is there any protection for the pet owners who live here? I was home until 11:00 yesterday and a complaint was made at 11:30; if the dog started barking the second I walked out of the door, which she didn't, that would have her barking for 30 minutes. Is that classified as unreasonable? I don't think that should be counted as one of the "3 strikes." Dogs will bark. I don't think it's fair to say that a 30 minute barking occurrence is enough to count as a 3rd strike. At least wait it out, see if she was actually going to bark all day, ya know?
**We do in fact live in a place that allows dogs. Residents moving in should be aware of that and not complain every time they hear a dog bark, because it will happen from time to time. At this point, I am trying to correct the problem and now I can't even do that because my three strikes are up, 2 in the matter of one week. That didn't give any time to even correct a problem. There should be a reasonable amount of time for a pet owner to attempt to train their pet. Two complaints in a week's time is not sufficient to correct the problem.
**I think there should be more chances. Correcting a dog barking is a trial & error process. So now I know what I was doing wasn't working, I need a chance to try other things. The only way I do know if it is working or not is getting a notice stuck to my door saying one more chance is gone. I would like to be able to work together with the management and/or neighbors to assist in this problem and solution. Let me know in a less threatening manner that my solution didn't work. Ok, I will then try something else. I think the tone and implication of the letter is unnecessary and not a pro-active way of dealing with the issue.
**Did we get new neighbors? Why was there no complaints for 3 months and in the last month my 3 strikes are up? Again, it is unreasonable for a behavior to be changed that quickly. One week between complaints does nothing.
**Do you ask your residents with children to leave or get rid of their children when they cry? I assume not. This is the same thing.
**Also, we pay for this pet to live here (a $500 deposit and $50 each month!). Going back to the first bullet point- doesn't that buy us some right or protection against neighbors who can't deal with pets in their building?
Yesterday I was pretty much distraught because if she complains one more time, Lucy's out. I will have to send her home to my parents until this lease is up (June 15th!!). Clearly that would be really hard to do. I love Lucy and need her around and would miss her too much. I might just throw myself into the mall off the balcony if they make me do that...maybe not, but you know, she is my baby :) People couldn't just get rid of their children, and I can't understand how people just get rid of dogs!
So, I am doing my best because I want Lucy here, and as much as I'd like to march upstairs and kick this lady's face in, I can't. I have to live here. And you know what else-- she's the only person complaining! Out of hundreds of people in this building, and 4 other apartments directly beside us, she is holding all of the power because she is a miserable little bitch...with horrible acne by the way. Yes now I'm getting petty, but she's out to get my baby, you would too! I told Ivan I was going to leave some Pro-Active on her doorstep.... :)
So anyway, like I said, I'm trying. I have been on constant contact with the management to let them know my side of the story. I used to gate Lucy in the bathroom during the day-- now she runs free in hopes she won't start barking. The radio is left on for her to have company. She is wearing a ($120!) collar that sprays citrinilla in her nose if she barks, tomorrow she is getting more shots & on a flea program so she can go to an overpriced day care 3 days a week, all because 1 pimple faced whore is a little annoyed that a 7 pound dog, 1 floor beneath her barks 3 days a week. A little ridiculous don't you think? I thought so.
And now we live in fear of any noise ever being made in our own apartment. It's like we're in prison...no really, we have concrete floors and walls...it really is like prison right now!
So here's my list of questions/comments/concerns:
**Is there any protection for the pet owners who live here? I was home until 11:00 yesterday and a complaint was made at 11:30; if the dog started barking the second I walked out of the door, which she didn't, that would have her barking for 30 minutes. Is that classified as unreasonable? I don't think that should be counted as one of the "3 strikes." Dogs will bark. I don't think it's fair to say that a 30 minute barking occurrence is enough to count as a 3rd strike. At least wait it out, see if she was actually going to bark all day, ya know?
**We do in fact live in a place that allows dogs. Residents moving in should be aware of that and not complain every time they hear a dog bark, because it will happen from time to time. At this point, I am trying to correct the problem and now I can't even do that because my three strikes are up, 2 in the matter of one week. That didn't give any time to even correct a problem. There should be a reasonable amount of time for a pet owner to attempt to train their pet. Two complaints in a week's time is not sufficient to correct the problem.
**I think there should be more chances. Correcting a dog barking is a trial & error process. So now I know what I was doing wasn't working, I need a chance to try other things. The only way I do know if it is working or not is getting a notice stuck to my door saying one more chance is gone. I would like to be able to work together with the management and/or neighbors to assist in this problem and solution. Let me know in a less threatening manner that my solution didn't work. Ok, I will then try something else. I think the tone and implication of the letter is unnecessary and not a pro-active way of dealing with the issue.
**Did we get new neighbors? Why was there no complaints for 3 months and in the last month my 3 strikes are up? Again, it is unreasonable for a behavior to be changed that quickly. One week between complaints does nothing.
**Do you ask your residents with children to leave or get rid of their children when they cry? I assume not. This is the same thing.
**Also, we pay for this pet to live here (a $500 deposit and $50 each month!). Going back to the first bullet point- doesn't that buy us some right or protection against neighbors who can't deal with pets in their building?
Yesterday I was pretty much distraught because if she complains one more time, Lucy's out. I will have to send her home to my parents until this lease is up (June 15th!!). Clearly that would be really hard to do. I love Lucy and need her around and would miss her too much. I might just throw myself into the mall off the balcony if they make me do that...maybe not, but you know, she is my baby :) People couldn't just get rid of their children, and I can't understand how people just get rid of dogs!
So, I am doing my best because I want Lucy here, and as much as I'd like to march upstairs and kick this lady's face in, I can't. I have to live here. And you know what else-- she's the only person complaining! Out of hundreds of people in this building, and 4 other apartments directly beside us, she is holding all of the power because she is a miserable little bitch...with horrible acne by the way. Yes now I'm getting petty, but she's out to get my baby, you would too! I told Ivan I was going to leave some Pro-Active on her doorstep.... :)
So anyway, like I said, I'm trying. I have been on constant contact with the management to let them know my side of the story. I used to gate Lucy in the bathroom during the day-- now she runs free in hopes she won't start barking. The radio is left on for her to have company. She is wearing a ($120!) collar that sprays citrinilla in her nose if she barks, tomorrow she is getting more shots & on a flea program so she can go to an overpriced day care 3 days a week, all because 1 pimple faced whore is a little annoyed that a 7 pound dog, 1 floor beneath her barks 3 days a week. A little ridiculous don't you think? I thought so.
And now we live in fear of any noise ever being made in our own apartment. It's like we're in prison...no really, we have concrete floors and walls...it really is like prison right now!
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
"Don't you think you deserved that?"
Crazy story...
Today I was crossing the street, yes I was jaywalking. There was only 1 car coming on this 4 lane one way street. It was in the far opposite lane from me. I start to cross the street because by the time I would get to the 3rd lane, the car would have passed...right? I do this several times a day, so ya know, I know this. Well this bastard decides to slow waaay down so then I'm standing in like lane 2 thinking "are you stopping for me to cross or what the hell?" And on top of slowing down, he switches to lane 3. He has forced me to cross in front of him at this point, which means he has to stop. Please keep in mind that this is all his fault, because if he had just stuck to the plan of staying in the 4th lane and driving at a normal speed, none of this would have happened. Anyway, I'm crossing, as I cross, he starts driving towards me at like 1 mile an hour!! I look at the car and yell "What the f$@# are you doing!!???" He rolls down his window and says "Don't you think you deserved that?" What? I said "No because if you had stayed in your f*ing lane this wouldn't have happened." He goes "But Madame" and then I flipped him off and walked away.
So, is that one of the most F*ed up stories you've ever heard? Is this man so againist jaywalking that he had to make an example of me? Did he think I expected him to stop for me? Did he think he was funny? I'm not sure. What I know is that he was a dumbf*ck.
So bizarre.
Today I was crossing the street, yes I was jaywalking. There was only 1 car coming on this 4 lane one way street. It was in the far opposite lane from me. I start to cross the street because by the time I would get to the 3rd lane, the car would have passed...right? I do this several times a day, so ya know, I know this. Well this bastard decides to slow waaay down so then I'm standing in like lane 2 thinking "are you stopping for me to cross or what the hell?" And on top of slowing down, he switches to lane 3. He has forced me to cross in front of him at this point, which means he has to stop. Please keep in mind that this is all his fault, because if he had just stuck to the plan of staying in the 4th lane and driving at a normal speed, none of this would have happened. Anyway, I'm crossing, as I cross, he starts driving towards me at like 1 mile an hour!! I look at the car and yell "What the f$@# are you doing!!???" He rolls down his window and says "Don't you think you deserved that?" What? I said "No because if you had stayed in your f*ing lane this wouldn't have happened." He goes "But Madame" and then I flipped him off and walked away.
So, is that one of the most F*ed up stories you've ever heard? Is this man so againist jaywalking that he had to make an example of me? Did he think I expected him to stop for me? Did he think he was funny? I'm not sure. What I know is that he was a dumbf*ck.
So bizarre.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Shopping Cart
So we were really excited tonight about the new shopping carts at Ralph's. You may have seen them before but we hadn't...all four wheels turn independantly. So you can push it sideways and do sharp turns. Very exciting. Actually the shopping carts are from Gelson's (the overpriced grocery store downstairs). See we go get groceries at Ralph's, come home and park, come into our building to get a grocery cart, go back to the car, load up & come back in. This is actually much easier than trying to just carry everything in-- across the street, up the elevator & down the hall to our place. Anyway, we took pictures & video! The video is actually good to see our apartment. I think I will make another just to show you what it looks like.
Saturday, January 06, 2007
My Horoscope today:
Review & reflect. Yes, you're still the best. A superior attitude shouldn't keep you from being considerate. Everyone is their own hero.
I love it! ha
I love it! ha
Friday, January 05, 2007
Nancy Grace
Do you ever watch Nancy Grace? She's this lawyer who has a show and discusses court cases and just different stuff. She acts like she's just trying to find out the facts from experts regarding the topic, but all she does is speak her own opinion and yell at the experts who are just providing facts and have nothing to do with the case. Anyway, last night I was like yelling at the TV, I couldn't take it. She was discussing how this family of a special needs child (the girl has the capacity of a 3 month old and will never have more than that) are stunting her growth so that she is more manageable to care for as she ages. Ok, form your own opinions. I think it's fine. The people who have to deal with caring for adults who can do nothing, absolutely nothing for themselves, let alone even tell you what's wrong--it's not like these people are just elderly, they can't even communicate with you!-- well, it can't be easy and nobody should be able to judge their decision to do this. That's how I feel. So if that didn't just get me mad enough because she's trying to say that these parents should be charged with something, etc. You know what she was most concerned about?? That her uterus and breast tissue were removed. Grace went on & on about that, "why'd they have to remove that?" Why should she need to keep it? It won't make her life any better-- she's not going to pro-create, what's the purpose in putting her through PMS and menopause and all of that for no reason? Let alone, the parents who have to deal with that as well. AND, I'm sure she's not the first special needs female to have a hysterectomy, I'm sure it's more common than you think. Because yes, it saves her discomfort and it saves caregivers from having to take care of it. I was so mad. This woman pisses me off big time. Don't act like you are just trying to get the facts when you already have your mind made up, and how can you speak for something you've never had to do? She did say that in her life she has been a caregiver for a grown man...I bet he didn't have the capacity of a 3 month old, I bet whatever made him this way didn't happen as a child, and I bet your just pissed off that you didn't have the option!
Anyway, one article about it is below in case you wanted to read it.
I do agree with the article in that there aren't good enough options for caring for these people, but I don't think you should hold it againist some people who found a different option.
CHICAGO -- In a case fraught with ethical questions, the parents of a severely mentally and physically disabled child have stunted her growth to keep their little "pillow angel" a manageable and more portable size.
The bedridden 9-year-old girl had her uterus and breast tissue removed at a Seattle hospital and received large doses of hormones to halt her growth. She is now 4-foot-5; her parents say she would otherwise probably reach a normal 5-foot-6.
Some ethicists question the parents' claim that the drastic treatment will benefit their daughter and allow them to continue caring for her at home.
The case has captured attention nationwide and abroad. "Offensive if not perverse," wrote one person on an online bulletin board. "This smacks of eugenics," another wrote.
Right or wrong, the couple's decision highlights a dilemma thousands of parents face in struggling to care for severely disabled children as they grow up.
"This particular treatment, even if it's OK in this situation, and I think it probably is, is not a widespread solution and ignores the large social issues about caring for people with disabilities," Dr. Joel Frader, a medical ethicist at Chicago's Children's Memorial Hospital, said Thursday. "As a society, we do a pretty rotten job of helping caregivers provide what's necessary for these patients."
The case involves a girl identified only as Ashley on a blog her parents created after her doctors wrote about her treatment in October's Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. The journal did not disclose the parents' names or where they live; the coupld do not identify themselves on their blog, either.
Shortly after birth, Ashley had feeding problems and showed severe developmental delays. Her doctors diagnosed static encephalopathy, which means severe brain damage. They do not know what caused it.
Her condition has left her in an infant state, unable to sit up, roll over, hold a toy or walk or talk. Her parents say she will never get better. She is alert, startles easily, and smiles, but does not maintain eye contact, according to her parents, who call the brown-haired little girl their "pillow angel."
She goes to school for disabled children, but her parents care for her at home and say they have been unable to find suitable outside help.
An editorial in the medical journal called "the Ashley treatment" ill-advised and questioned whether it will even work. But her parents says it has succeeded so far.
She had surgery in July 2004 and recently completed the hormone treatment. She weighs about 65 pounds, and is about 13 inches shorter and 50 pounds lighter than she would be as an adult, according to her parents' blog.
"Ashley's smaller and lighter size makes it more possible to include her in the typical family life and activities that provide her with needed comfort, closeness, security and love: meal time, car trips, touch, snuggles, etc.," her parents wrote.
University of Pennsylvania ethicist Art Caplan said the case is troubling and questioned how preventing normal growth could benefit the patient. Treatment that is not for a patient's direct benefit "only seems wrong to me," Caplan said.
He called it another example of the "slippery slope issue, with other parents thinking the way to deal with my kid with permanent behavioral problems is to put them into permanent childhood. It's not the right strategy."
But Ashley's parents say keeping her small will help reduce risks for bedsores and other conditions that can afflict bedridden patients. Also, they say preventing her from going through puberty means she won't experience the discomfort of having periods or growing breasts that might develop breast cancer, which runs in the family.
"Even though caring for Ashley involves hard and continual work, she is a blessing and not a burden," her parents' blog says. Still, they wrote, "Unless you are living the experience ... you have no clue what it is like to be the bedridden child or their caregivers."
Anyway, one article about it is below in case you wanted to read it.
I do agree with the article in that there aren't good enough options for caring for these people, but I don't think you should hold it againist some people who found a different option.
CHICAGO -- In a case fraught with ethical questions, the parents of a severely mentally and physically disabled child have stunted her growth to keep their little "pillow angel" a manageable and more portable size.
The bedridden 9-year-old girl had her uterus and breast tissue removed at a Seattle hospital and received large doses of hormones to halt her growth. She is now 4-foot-5; her parents say she would otherwise probably reach a normal 5-foot-6.
Some ethicists question the parents' claim that the drastic treatment will benefit their daughter and allow them to continue caring for her at home.
The case has captured attention nationwide and abroad. "Offensive if not perverse," wrote one person on an online bulletin board. "This smacks of eugenics," another wrote.
Right or wrong, the couple's decision highlights a dilemma thousands of parents face in struggling to care for severely disabled children as they grow up.
"This particular treatment, even if it's OK in this situation, and I think it probably is, is not a widespread solution and ignores the large social issues about caring for people with disabilities," Dr. Joel Frader, a medical ethicist at Chicago's Children's Memorial Hospital, said Thursday. "As a society, we do a pretty rotten job of helping caregivers provide what's necessary for these patients."
The case involves a girl identified only as Ashley on a blog her parents created after her doctors wrote about her treatment in October's Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. The journal did not disclose the parents' names or where they live; the coupld do not identify themselves on their blog, either.
Shortly after birth, Ashley had feeding problems and showed severe developmental delays. Her doctors diagnosed static encephalopathy, which means severe brain damage. They do not know what caused it.
Her condition has left her in an infant state, unable to sit up, roll over, hold a toy or walk or talk. Her parents say she will never get better. She is alert, startles easily, and smiles, but does not maintain eye contact, according to her parents, who call the brown-haired little girl their "pillow angel."
She goes to school for disabled children, but her parents care for her at home and say they have been unable to find suitable outside help.
An editorial in the medical journal called "the Ashley treatment" ill-advised and questioned whether it will even work. But her parents says it has succeeded so far.
She had surgery in July 2004 and recently completed the hormone treatment. She weighs about 65 pounds, and is about 13 inches shorter and 50 pounds lighter than she would be as an adult, according to her parents' blog.
"Ashley's smaller and lighter size makes it more possible to include her in the typical family life and activities that provide her with needed comfort, closeness, security and love: meal time, car trips, touch, snuggles, etc.," her parents wrote.
University of Pennsylvania ethicist Art Caplan said the case is troubling and questioned how preventing normal growth could benefit the patient. Treatment that is not for a patient's direct benefit "only seems wrong to me," Caplan said.
He called it another example of the "slippery slope issue, with other parents thinking the way to deal with my kid with permanent behavioral problems is to put them into permanent childhood. It's not the right strategy."
But Ashley's parents say keeping her small will help reduce risks for bedsores and other conditions that can afflict bedridden patients. Also, they say preventing her from going through puberty means she won't experience the discomfort of having periods or growing breasts that might develop breast cancer, which runs in the family.
"Even though caring for Ashley involves hard and continual work, she is a blessing and not a burden," her parents' blog says. Still, they wrote, "Unless you are living the experience ... you have no clue what it is like to be the bedridden child or their caregivers."
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Sleepy time...
This is why I'm always on the computer, these two are asleep on the couch all the time! Cute though huh?
Lao Tzu
I saw this quote from Lao Tzu (you know he was like a chinese philosopher thousands of years ago--wrote the Tao Te Ching). Anyway, thought I'd share it-
"Time is a created thing. To say 'I don't have time' is to say 'I don't want to.'"
Think about that the next time you say you don't have time for something...all you are really saying is I don't want to!
"Time is a created thing. To say 'I don't have time' is to say 'I don't want to.'"
Think about that the next time you say you don't have time for something...all you are really saying is I don't want to!
Back to Sunny California
HEY! I'm back in Cali. The trip was good...it seemed very short, I was busy almost non-stop the whole time I was home. Whenever I'm home I always think, why don't I just move back home? Someday I will, but it's exciting to only be home for short periods of time and then get moving again. Yesterday we got to the airport in St. Louis about 2:30 and found out our connecting flight had been cancelled, so they booked us on a later flight, but it was nonstop! YAY! I love non-stop flights. Anyway, we had to sit in the airport until 7:45 (from 2:30!) but it didn't seem as long as it was I guess. All of Ivan's friends/family was busy and/or working so they couldn't come pick us back up. Oh well. Lucy did good, she always does good no matter how long she's in that bag. I did get her out at the aiport and took her outside and just ran her in circles for awhile. This morning I was unpacking everything and she saw her bag and hopped into it...strange since she was in it for about 10-12 hours yesterday! But it makes me feel better for shoving her in there, she's not having adverse reactions to the bag.
So everything is unpacked, just need to do some laundry and take Lucy to the park. I plan to let her run A LOT.
Thanks to everyone for a wonderful trip home!! It's always great to see you. There are some pictures below. If you want any of them, email me which ones and I will send it to you separately. There's not very many though...must have been too busy to even stop for a picture :)
share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=9IZMWbVw5Y24
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
2,628,000 Minutes!
Today is me & Ivan's 5 year anniversary...60 months...260 weeks...1,825 days...43,800 hours...2,628,000 minutes! It's been good :) He got my 2 dozen beautiful roses and a gift certificate to Run With Us-- a running store, which as you know, at this moment is very important! Here's a picture of the flowers...
Sunday, December 17, 2006
10k!
Today was our 10K (6.2 miles) in Irvine. It went really well, last time during the 5k I was having shin problems, yuck, but today I only had some minor foot problems. And I finished 11 minutes ahead of my pace, so I'm very happy. Anyway, the picture above is me coming across the finish line and that's all my team cheering at the end. Very fun thing to come back to!
There's a few more pics here: http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=9IZMWbVw5Y0w
Saturday, December 16, 2006
I just moved here...
The suspense is over. I have new thoughts for nobody to read, after 2 weeks. I've been lazy. Quick recap: nothing new has happened, I visited where I worked last year and missed it like CRAZY--the people, the kids, the nice materials you get to work with!, tomorrow I have a 10k in Irvine, then we're going to Rancho to visit old friends from last year, EXCITED! Lucy got fixed and has receovered very well, I come home in 6 days! We were extras in a movie and it was horrible-- I could never be an actress. That covers that...
So I was thinking about something and it's kinda funny. I have been out in California for a year & a half and yet when anyone asks me about where I live, etc. I will always say "I just moved here." At what point do you answer with "Pasadena." It's kinda awkward because after I say "I just moved here" I then have to explain that I actually have lived here for going on 2 years. I try to cover it up by saying "Last year I lived in Rancho, but I just moved to Pasadena this fall." What's weirder is that I know even if I live here for 10 years, I will probably ALWAYS say that I just moved here or that I'm not from here, to the random people you talk to who don't care, they're just asking where do you live now, to the people who I actually know out here. Just odd.
Oh, and I just clicked the mood as "scared." This is because I just woke up from some of the worst dreams I've ever had. Ivan left for work at around 5:30, so it's still really dark (and scary) and I had 2 crazy crazy crazy dreams-- one was that this guy had been lurking around and living like in the walls of our building-- he never did anything to anyone, but he was watching people all the time and you didn't know when. So they catch him but then in my dream even I couldn't get back to sleep because I thought that I kept seeing him everywhere. And on top of that, in my dream, some girl was staying with us (I think it was Becky from Survivor! creepy...) and I came downstairs (we don't have a downstairs) because I was scared, and she & Ivan were cuddling on the couch. I beat the crap out of both of them. That always feels good. So then I wake up & fall back to sleep, and I pick up where I left off. The apartment building decides to take all the residents to a hotel for safety reasons, well somehow my suitcase gets left on the street so I walk to go get it, and I have to climb up this really grassy wall-- when I do there is a man & a woman standing by a parked car near the suitcase and I instantly am scared. Well some more people start to walk up behind me that I recognize and I ask them if they will help me with my suitcase, then the people by the car walk towards me and say some scary shit that I can't remember and then they show me these pictures of all these people they've killed and what they did to them.
I then woke up scared, even though it's daylight now, not to mention, why the heck would I have some messed up dreams like that! Any dream interpretors out there, take a guess for me.
Ok...so I'm also starving at this point and haven't gotten groceries in weeks. So I have nothing to eat. And it looks cold outside. Oh, that's another thing, when it looks cold outside here, I still think it's going to be as cold as it is at home when it looks cold outside...obviously it's not....
PEACE!
So I was thinking about something and it's kinda funny. I have been out in California for a year & a half and yet when anyone asks me about where I live, etc. I will always say "I just moved here." At what point do you answer with "Pasadena." It's kinda awkward because after I say "I just moved here" I then have to explain that I actually have lived here for going on 2 years. I try to cover it up by saying "Last year I lived in Rancho, but I just moved to Pasadena this fall." What's weirder is that I know even if I live here for 10 years, I will probably ALWAYS say that I just moved here or that I'm not from here, to the random people you talk to who don't care, they're just asking where do you live now, to the people who I actually know out here. Just odd.
Oh, and I just clicked the mood as "scared." This is because I just woke up from some of the worst dreams I've ever had. Ivan left for work at around 5:30, so it's still really dark (and scary) and I had 2 crazy crazy crazy dreams-- one was that this guy had been lurking around and living like in the walls of our building-- he never did anything to anyone, but he was watching people all the time and you didn't know when. So they catch him but then in my dream even I couldn't get back to sleep because I thought that I kept seeing him everywhere. And on top of that, in my dream, some girl was staying with us (I think it was Becky from Survivor! creepy...) and I came downstairs (we don't have a downstairs) because I was scared, and she & Ivan were cuddling on the couch. I beat the crap out of both of them. That always feels good. So then I wake up & fall back to sleep, and I pick up where I left off. The apartment building decides to take all the residents to a hotel for safety reasons, well somehow my suitcase gets left on the street so I walk to go get it, and I have to climb up this really grassy wall-- when I do there is a man & a woman standing by a parked car near the suitcase and I instantly am scared. Well some more people start to walk up behind me that I recognize and I ask them if they will help me with my suitcase, then the people by the car walk towards me and say some scary shit that I can't remember and then they show me these pictures of all these people they've killed and what they did to them.
I then woke up scared, even though it's daylight now, not to mention, why the heck would I have some messed up dreams like that! Any dream interpretors out there, take a guess for me.
Ok...so I'm also starving at this point and haven't gotten groceries in weeks. So I have nothing to eat. And it looks cold outside. Oh, that's another thing, when it looks cold outside here, I still think it's going to be as cold as it is at home when it looks cold outside...obviously it's not....
PEACE!
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Sitings...
Tonight me & Ivan had ordered take out and as were waiting for our food, Ivan turns to me and says quietly, "The woman next to me is an actor." I couldn't see her. Then she turned around to stand behind us to wait and it was Regina King. She was in Miss Congeniality with Sandra Bullock, she was Cuba Good Jr.'s wife in Jerry McGuire, she was in Ray, just to name a few. Fun Fun.
Oh, and I just got an email saying that if we go to a taping in the next two weeks of a show, then we will get priority invites to be seat fillers at the People's Choice Awards! So on the 12th we're going to a taping of "New Adventures of Old Christine" with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Wanda Sykes. AND, the People's Choice Awards are taped at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, which happens to be directly across the street from our apartment building. Sometimes I love it here.
Melani's Profile
I'm posting below my teammate who just passed away's profile. This is how she introduced herself to the team and I just thought I'd share it, so you could know more about her and her specific diagnosis.
"Diagnosis: Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma: Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia
Date of Diagnosis: November 2003
When people hear the word cancer, they often dread an unhappy ending to such a diagnosis. I always have. Cancer has been part of my life for a long time. First my father-in-law, then my father and then my two uncles all died of the dreaded disease. Eighteen months after my dad died, I was diagnosed with a rare form of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma called Waldenstrom's Macrogloblinemia (WM). Fortunately, it's a slow growing cancer. Waldenstrom's only accounts for 1.4% of blood cancers or 0.1% of all cancers in general. That means that approximately1500 people in the United States are diagnosed with this disease each year. Most people who are diagnosed with WM are 65 years old with a life expectancy of about 5 years but approximately 20% of people survive for more than 10 years. Autoimmune hemolytic anemia is a condition of WM that I am currently fighting. One treatment we recently tried was a splenectomy to prevent destruction of my red blood cells, presumably caused by my spleen. After my surgery in January 06, I enjoyed 2 months of normal hemoglobin until itplummeted again and I required my 11th blood transfusion. I was so anemia I couldn't get out of bed for nearly two days. Prednisone has been a lifesaving drug that currently stabilizes my blood counts and allowsme to function normally. Why my body destroys its own red blood cells we still don't know.
The good news is that The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has been a very helpful resource for me. Knowledge is power and I use the website almost daily. Patient Services was the first place I learned about my disease. Currently, I receive a very informative e-newsletter, have been put in touch with a First Connection friend, and listen to Telephone Education Conference on a regular basis. When I have a specific question, I can chat on-line with a live operator and get immediate feedback.
In January of last year, my husband and I signed up with Team in Training sponsored by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to train for a marathon and raise funds to find a cure for all blood-related cancers. Pictured above with me are my fellow survivors, Virginia & Roger, whose friendships I cherish thanks to TNT. The love & support I received through TNT was an awesome experience I will treasure forever!
Although I was anemic, last year, I walked 18 miles in the San Diego Rock N Roll Marathon! I walked for my three daughters, who need to see that people can "livestrong" with a cancer diagnosis. My hope is that one day they will all participate in a TNT event and be difference-makers like you!!"
"Diagnosis: Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma: Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia
Date of Diagnosis: November 2003
When people hear the word cancer, they often dread an unhappy ending to such a diagnosis. I always have. Cancer has been part of my life for a long time. First my father-in-law, then my father and then my two uncles all died of the dreaded disease. Eighteen months after my dad died, I was diagnosed with a rare form of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma called Waldenstrom's Macrogloblinemia (WM). Fortunately, it's a slow growing cancer. Waldenstrom's only accounts for 1.4% of blood cancers or 0.1% of all cancers in general. That means that approximately1500 people in the United States are diagnosed with this disease each year. Most people who are diagnosed with WM are 65 years old with a life expectancy of about 5 years but approximately 20% of people survive for more than 10 years. Autoimmune hemolytic anemia is a condition of WM that I am currently fighting. One treatment we recently tried was a splenectomy to prevent destruction of my red blood cells, presumably caused by my spleen. After my surgery in January 06, I enjoyed 2 months of normal hemoglobin until itplummeted again and I required my 11th blood transfusion. I was so anemia I couldn't get out of bed for nearly two days. Prednisone has been a lifesaving drug that currently stabilizes my blood counts and allowsme to function normally. Why my body destroys its own red blood cells we still don't know.
The good news is that The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has been a very helpful resource for me. Knowledge is power and I use the website almost daily. Patient Services was the first place I learned about my disease. Currently, I receive a very informative e-newsletter, have been put in touch with a First Connection friend, and listen to Telephone Education Conference on a regular basis. When I have a specific question, I can chat on-line with a live operator and get immediate feedback.
In January of last year, my husband and I signed up with Team in Training sponsored by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to train for a marathon and raise funds to find a cure for all blood-related cancers. Pictured above with me are my fellow survivors, Virginia & Roger, whose friendships I cherish thanks to TNT. The love & support I received through TNT was an awesome experience I will treasure forever!
Although I was anemic, last year, I walked 18 miles in the San Diego Rock N Roll Marathon! I walked for my three daughters, who need to see that people can "livestrong" with a cancer diagnosis. My hope is that one day they will all participate in a TNT event and be difference-makers like you!!"
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