In a nut shell

***Update***

I got home and switched my laptop and Tivo to another available wireless network. It's much slower than mine was but it will have to do until I figure something else out. What a relief!

***We now return to our regular blog***

New York was great (as always) but it was an incredibly hectic week. I'm so happy to be home. I usually manage to get more sleep in NYC but, this time, I was up past midnight each night and only found blogging time once. I had to get up at 5:30 am this morning to grab a quick breakfast and meet a friend for a 7:00 cab to get to the airport. I usually take a later flight but it dumps me in the middle of LA's Friday afternoon traffic. Also, the later flight is always packed. I finally realized that if I could drag my booty out of bed early, I could catch an earlier fight that is never full and therefore has many empty middle seats. When you're flying coach, it's really all about acquiring a an aisle seat with nobody seated next to you. I got lucky both coming and going this week and didn't have a middle seat passenger to deal with. Yea!! Ya know, it's the little things that really make me happy.

The low point of my week was yelling at the CFO of a company I work with. I caught him lying to me and I sort of lost it. I rarely freak out on people, but about every 4-5 years I find myself yelling at somebody. Because it's a rarity it's usually pretty effective. This freak-out happened on my cell phone in the mezzanine lounge of our hotel. We had just wrapped up our last meeting of the week and were sitting in the lounge having a round of well deserved drinks. I excused myself to check in on this CFO. I sat nearby but out of ear shot. I was pretty firm right away but things escalated rapidly and I started raising my voice. The whole issue is that I'd given this guy a deadline and he ignored it because he got an extension two years ago and, I suspect, he assumed he could just get another extension. I started shouting for a variety of reasons and that's when I scared my happy-go-lucky co-workers. I couldn't see them but I later heard they were all craning their necks in my direction to hear what the fuss was all about. None of them had ever heard me angry and all were surprised. At one point this CFO had the nerve to say "Hey, I'm supposed to be on the five o'clock train but...". That's when I stood up and shouted "Yeah and I'm supposed to be relaxing, with a drink, getting ready for a night of theater, so don't talk to me about your 5:00 train!!!" The lounge was loud, so it was difficult to hear, but it probably worked to my advantage. I just kept talking/yelling because I couldn't hear much of what they were saying on speakerphone. Ordinarily I'd feel bad about a freak-out, but I was in the right and this guy had deliberately mislead me and had been giving me the brush-off for several weeks. I don't think he'll be ignoring me anymore. This morning I got a message from the CFO's sales guy, a good guy who I normally get along with. He had been in on the angry call and left a message this morning saying "I'm just calling to see if you've calmed down." It pissed me off all over again. I really don't think he would have dared left that message for a 41 year-old man but he felt fine about leaving it for my 41-year-old ass. I thought it was a sexist, condescending thing to say and I was in no mood for it. Unfortunately, if you're a woman with a spine you're a a bitch and a pain in the ass. Men are allowed to have fits all day long and nobody bats an eye. I freak out once in a four year work relationship, because somebody lied to me, and I'm an hysterical female who needs to "calm down". Whatever. This female manages that man's rather lucrative contract so you'd think he'd be more respectful.

On the other hand, the highlight of the week was seeing Gypsy. OMG!!! Patti Lupone tore the doors off the place. (Here's a little taste. Believe it or not, she was even better last night. Also, she now does this hilarious cocky strut thing, in character, after this number, and the gays are practically flying through the air going ape-shit. Such fun!!!) I can't wait to get my hands on the cast recording. I've no idea when it's due to release but I am so there when it does. The staging was amazing and there were some effects that I still can't quite get my head around. At one point Baby June and her boys are dancing in profile in a line. A strobe light starts flickering (and all I can think is I hope nobody has a seizure) and about 30 seconds later you realize June and the boys are growing before your eyes. I don't mean the young actress stepped away and the older actress stepped in, it was a gradual growth of June and the boys and I have no idea how they pulled it off. I'm thinking it was some sort of trick with perspective but it was impressive. It took my brain a moment to even see the gradual growth. The whole audience gasped as they started to realize what was happening. It was so cool! And when Patti sang "Mama's Turn" I thought the place would explode. She paced herself so well throughout the show and I realized just what a damn demanding role it really is. The woman is an athlete I tell ya. I don't know how somebody can tear their guts out 8 times a week but she's doing it. The actress playing Gypsy was also great. As the role requires, she goes from wall flower/side kick to an amazingly confidant woman and really pulled it off. I loved her. The orchestra was one of the best I've heard. They were set in the background behind a couple of scrims. The musicians would showed up from time to time in the background. They were great. We even got good scoop on the show's dirt from a waiter at the restaurant before the show. The restaurants around Broadway always ask if you're going to a show so they can get you out the door in time. We told the waiter what we were seeing and he lit up. He told us a friend of his had seen it the night before and loved it. Even the NY Times raved! He said that Patti was supposed to have starred in the revival a few years ago but the writer (Laurents, not Sondheim) was furious with her for walking out on one of his projects. She was starring in one of his new shows but it was terrible, and not being improved, so Patti left. The writer swore he'd never work with her again and cast Bernadette Peters in the role of Mama, a role Patti had been promised. This is when the waiter leaned in and said "God love her, but Bernadette just couldn't carry that role." He went on to say that the writer was pretty much on his deathbed when his partner said "come on, let Patti play Mama, she was born to play that role". The writer finally agreed to this, shortly before his death, and that's how this revival got it's start. Now, I have no idea if any of this is true, but I love it! Nobody can throw down a great backstage fight like Broadway.

OH! And one of my favorite little moments happened last night when I stepped on to the hotel elevator after the show. A very cute guy was standing in the elevator when the doors opened. I stepped on and, because he was closer to the buttons, he asked what floor I was on. I nonchalantly said "Oh, penthouse please." He nodded and whispered "All-riiiiiiiiiiiight." I loved it. It was by far best thing about being on that floor.

SO there is my trip. I wish I'd had more time to blog because it's so much more fun. I did manage to snap this quick pic for y'all after the show. Here is Times Square around 11:00 pm last night:


Here is one half of my super-cute terrace:


And here is a shot of my cute room:

(Sorry it's sideways. It's not letting me save the rotation but you can still see how cute it is.)

Oh, and can somebody please tell me why I'm always in New York when stuff blows up? Remember the last time? It's starting to make me look very suspicious.

I'll take Manhattan

I've been wanting to post these past few days but I've been ridiculously busy. I'm in Manhattan for work and my schedule was assigned to me. We travel in a pack and descend upon poor unsuspecting partners for several hours at a time. Each day I'm in meetings from about 9:00 am to 4:30 - 5:00, then we get together for work dinners... that's when the nights get long. Last night was my only chance to catch up on work so I chose to stay in to work online. I got in around 6:30 pm and worked online until 11:30pm. I was nodding off at my computer when I finally decided to call it quits. This morning I had to get up at 6:30 am and got back to my room at 8:30 pm. I'm very tired. Don't get me wrong, for the most part, I like business travel. I have a very social job that requires a lot of meetings on both a business and creative level. It can even be fun.

Tonight I ate at Koi. I've been to the LA Koi, and liked it, but it's a hot spot for young Hollywood and the paparazzi so it's annoying. The NY Koi was just as tasty but completely sans "scene". Thank God! As usual, when eating sushi, others order for me. A yummy assortment of food arrives and I dig in without knowing the name of anything much less what it is. Tonight's dinner was no different but just as yummy. We decided the chef at Koi must sprinkle a little crack over the dishes. They're all amazing. If you ever have the chance to dine at Koi, I highly recommend the Baked Crab Roll. Deee-lightful. Not so delightful was the cab driver who dropped us off. We knew Koi was next to Bryant Park, and the cabbie agreed, but he may have thought we said "toy" not "Koi" because he dropped us on the far corner of Bryant Park very close to something that resembled a sex shop. Hmm.

As for my accommodations, I'm in a small boutique hotel this time. One of our VPs used to be based in LA but spent two weeks a month in NY. We are all staying in the hotel that used to be her home away from home. When I checked in, there where about 10 co-workers mingling behind me just getting back from dinner. I leaned over the front desk and whispered "Can I get a quiet room away from all of these maniacs?" while sticking my thumb over my shoulder. The woman at the desk brightly said "Oh, you're on the penthouse level." Wha?! Me?! Now, before anyone gets too excited, I like my room but it's not a penthouse. I assume there is a penthouse on this floor but I'm not in it. My room is small but an average size for NYC. I do, however, have an adorable terrace. Now that's something I've never had in New York. I love it! Too bad it's 40 degrees outside whenever I'm at "home". The service here has been amazing. I'm not sure if it's because they think I'm a big shot or if that's how they treat everyone. As I come and go the doorman says "Have a good day Ms. Lucy's last name" when I come back, it's "Welcome back Ms. Lucy's last name". It's awesome! I've made friends with Gio, the IT guy, and Rebecca, the nice lady at the front desk.

When I first heard I'd be staying here, I was slightly annoyed to learn that they didn't offer room service for breakfast (something I'd NEVER pay for on my own, by the way). I have certain habits when I travel, some are specific to Manhattan. In New York, I LOVE to order breakfast in my room and read the NY Times with the Today Show on. I like to end the day in bed reading The Daily News. It's just so dreamy.

The initial sadness about "No Room Service" in the mornings quickly vanished. We've all been meeting downstairs in the lounge for breakfast and it's been a nice way to start each day. The room rate is good here, by Manhattan standards, so I think I'll be back. Best of all, is the location. This cute little hotel is within 4 blocks of all of our meetings. I love that! It's also very close to Macy's Harald Square. Of course, that can also be trouble. Umm, have I mentioned that I have a problem with that particular Macy's? It's the one place I tend to drop way more money than I should. Today, I ran in and bought a necklace and earrings to go with the outfit I had on. This is something I would NEVER do at home but somehow being in NY it makes perfect sense to accessorize on your way to a meeting. Whatever. I also tend to lust after shoes and bags when I'm in New York. I saw a fantastic bag today, and it still haunts me, but it was $400 and I couldn't justify buying it. I loved that bag and that kind of love doesn't happen for me very often but I can live without it... for now.

Of course, it's not all fun and games. There is work to be done but that's too boring to mention here. There are the occasional New York freaks you hear about. On my last trip, I was standing on a corner trying to hail a cab when a co-worker grabbed my crooked elbow and yanked me towards her. She quickly shook her head and nodded towards the man next to me and whispered "He's touching himself. Step away!" Ewwww! My stepping away from him didn't seem to slow him down one bit. He walked across 5th Avenue and kept right on with the business at hand (pun intended). Gross! Most people are very nice and even helpful. Sadly I can't be one of them. Last night a nice Parisian woman asked how to get to Broadway and I couldn't help her. I could only mumble something about it slicing through the island and that no matter what you'd run into it eventually.

***Just in***
My beloved Apple Airport (my wireless router) is down. It had to be disconnected which means no more wireless access for me and my laptop and *gasp* my Tivo. What will I do?!?!?!? Damn! I hate technical difficulties. Blog posts may be a rarity for a while folks. Wish me luck.

Spoiler Alert (apparently)

I saw the long awaited The Other Boleyn Girl this afternoon and I wish I hadn't.

I read, and really enjoyed, the book. I knew it took great liberties with the facts but it was a good time so I was willing to overlook the flaws. The movie takes even more liberties than the book and I'm not to willing to overlook it. To begin with, the script is atrocious. I understand the urge to explain history to the unwashed masses in plain/obvious language but, for God's sake, it's not THAT complicated. It was English History 101 at it's soap opera worst. It was so far from accurate it was barely recognizable. I just sat shaking my head thinking "These people think this is what happened". The film makers did manage to get the sets and costumes (mostly) right. At least they had the balls to dress everyone in period costume. It's a terribly unflattering style that most Directors are too chicken to stick to. The corsets are chest crushers and, I don't care how cute you think you are, nobody looks good in the dreaded gable hood of the time. Nevertheless, they chose to go for it and I thank them for that at least. I don't think there were quite that many foiled prints in Henry's time but the man did have a damn fine tailor and it's reflected in the film.

As if the script and terribly jumbled timeline weren't annoying enough there was the audience to contend with. Is it too much to ask that an audience watching a film called The Other Boleyn Girl might see a beheading and the birth of a fairly famous red headed Queen coming? Apparently it is because, I swear, there were gasps when the crowd realized Anne really was going to lose her head. (Oh, I'm sorry, am I giving too much away? Then get off my blog!!) They really seemed to think Anne would miraculously be spared at the last minute. I guess they had never heard of Henry VIII. Even more bizarre were the gasps and mutterings when, at the end of the film, a cute little red headed girl skipping through a field was reveled to be *gasp* the future Queen of England. Mercy! In perhaps the most ludicrous scene, Mary Boleyn barges into the castle, grabs baby Elizabeth and storms out of the castle. Yeah, I'm sure it was a snap to just walk into The Tower of London, right after the King has had your sister beheaded, and walk off with an heir to the throne. (I'm suddenly not feeling so sorry for those damn writers.) Oh, and some jackass in the audience applauded when Katherine of Aragon made a big uppity speech to the King in court. Yeah, 'cause that happened all the time. I think the clapper thought she was acting as some sort of feminist but I'm taking it upon myself to kick her out of the club for being so stupid. Let's be clear people, nobody lipped off to Henry. Woman are telling off men at every turn in this film and we know that that simply wasn't an option in that time... especially to the King of England.

Mom thinks I'm being a snob. I just can't imagine how you get through this life without knowing that a woman named Anne Boleyn gave birth to Queen Elizabeth and was later beheaded. I was under the impression that it was a fairly well documented part of English history.

I don't know why I'm always so surprised to learn how ignorant the average American is. I should know better by now. The primary reason I go to Laemmle theaters is because the demographic is so much more educated and civilized. I saw TOBG with the masses and that's just never good for me. I always walk out of mass theaters despising humanity. Ok, that's all very snobby, but you know it's true. I still cringe when I think of the time I saw The Pianist. One scene was particularly grisly but anyone with half a brain could see the horror coming from about a mile away. The Nazis were being really mean to some Jews (this too was apparently news to the audience) and when the inevitable horror played out, the woman behind me gasped. As if she expected the Nazis to suddenly have a heart and take the old man in the wheel chair out for a stroll in the park. It made the scene that much worse that not only those terrible things happened but that so many of us have already forgotten about them.

I guess I'll only allow myself to see foreign and independent films from now on. I usually wait until a mass film has been out for about a month before I bother seeing it. The hope is that in this way the crowds have thinned out. I'll have to stick to DVDs and cable for those films from now on. I guess I was too eager this time around. I had such high hopes for this movie. I should have known.

Don't go into the light!

Here are a few words you NEVER want to see on your work schedule: MANDATORY - Competition Law Program, 2:00 - 4:00 (after lunch on a Friday). Ugh!

Everyone had to go to this 2 hour ordeal and listen to some of ( as I affectionately call them) "the biggest, meanest lawyers money can buy". My boss and I were in a meeting right before this meeting so we showed up 5 minutes late. The only free seats were in the front row. Bummer. Not only would I have to really stay awake, I'd actually have to appear engaged. I had a good lunch so I was reasonably alert. Almost immediately I began leaning over to my boss and whispering "You better get a lawyer for that project." She started to get sort of rattled within an hour. It was mean but helped keep me awake. I also entertained myself by hearing Ethel Merman in my head singing "Everything's Coming Up Roses" (because of next week).

"Dry" does not begin to describe the pace and subject matter of this meeting. It...was...torturous. You know you're in trouble when you walk in and, up on a screen, even the company logo is in black and white. I can't remember the last time I sat through a black and white Powerpoint presentation. I didn't even know you could do that! At one point, I actually thought 'this is as close to death as I ever want to get'. Then I thought 'Don't go into the light! Don't go into the light!'. Then I thought 'If a gunman walked into this room and started shooting, nobody would mind.' It was THAT BAD.

I later heard how other people got through it. One woman sat in the back and plucked her eyebrows. She later claimed that if the speaker hadn't stopped she would "have walked out of there looking like a real chola". A designer sketched a remarkably detailed drawing of the audio/video console at the front of the room. I mean this thing was a work of art. Somebody else claimed to have been "crushing hard" on the 60ish year old speaker because he was so smart. There were reports of heads dropping from sleep, quick desperate glances as people realized they may have been doing something illegal and subtle, quality time was had with Blackberries all while I sat up front looking completely into it.

About 1% of my job is spent in training on how not to get sued or, more importantly, how not to get my company sued. This wouldn't be so bad but the deadlines for special training comes about twice a year. At those time I have to spend anywhere from 4 - 10 hours in online training. It feels like a ton of time. This week we had to finish up more training. They use the word "compliance" so as I walked through the office this week there were notes on cubicles pleading "Quiet please, I'm becoming compliant". The sexual harassment training has long been my favorite because it features a highly improbable, and therefore amusing, scenario with really bad actors saying ludicrous things to each other. This training season brought a new favorite theme: workplace violence. How exciting! It does not yet have an accompanying video but I'm sure somebody is working on one and I can't wait! It asks things like "What should you do if a co-worker shows you a gun?" Umm, burst into tears?

Today, in yet another meeting, I asked a male co-worker if he was yet "complied". I told him how fond I was of the sexual harassment training but it had been eclipsed buy the arrival of workplace violence. He said he would like to agree except:

"Have you noticed that the woman in the sexual harassment video has erect nipples?"
Lucy: Shut up!
Co-worker: I SWEAR!
Lucy: Shut UP!
CW: I'm just saying it keeps my attention.
Lucy: You can't say that to me!
CW: (coquettishly placing two fingers to his pursed lips) Oops!
Lucy: Well,what do the ladies get?
CW: Maybe you just need to be paying more attention.

Dammit. Now I'll have to wait another year to check for myself.

Our lawyers would have simultaneous heart attacks if they knew how we all spoke to each other.

Here she is, boys!

*doing the pee pee dance*

Guess who's going to see Patti Lupone in Gypsy next week?! ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm SO excited. I'll be in NYC next week for work and a group of us wanted to get together for dinner and a show. Trouble is, how do you decide when you only have one free night? We heard In the Heights was pretty good. Maybe Young Frankenstein isn't really all that bad, even though we'd all heard it stunk. How about Legally Blond? That's supposed to be a fun show. Yeah, but the star loves herself too much. Hmm... Eventually I mentioned I'd LUUUUUUUUUV to see Patti in Gypsy but that it would probably be impossible to get tix for the preview. Then a friend came back and said that she could not only get Gypsy tix, but that she could get them for half price. Of course, half of $250 ticket is still steep but, COME ON, Patti Lupone as Mama!? I am so there.

One co-worker, and a perfectly likeable guy, couldn't decide if he wanted to join us. He couldn't quite place Gypsy. *sigh* What?

Lucy: You, know GYPSY... Gypsy Rose Lee...stripper...Everything's Coming up Roses...Ethel Merman?!
Co-worker: Ethel Merman was a stripper?
Lucy: Dude, you're killing me.

Later, someone said "She wasn't a stripper." Oh, excuse me... burlesque dancer. Whatever! It's all about Mama anyway.

It's official

I heart Javier Bardem. I heart him so much that I may just hop a flight to Spain and grab one just like him. *sigh* Maybe I should just ditch the whole "I'm saving for my condo down payment", quit my job and move to Europe. They grow them so much better in Spain and Italy. Who needs a condo anyway?

New on the Blog Roll

I've updated my Blog Roll. I've listed some blogs I've been test driving for a few weeks and really like. Many are mostly pretty and foreign. Some are great for crafty inspiration while others just make me laugh.

One of the most fascinating is The Sartorialist. It features pictures of incredibly chic people on the streets of France. It almost makes me afraid to go to France. I could never be that fashionable!

Oh, and check out The Dares. It's a group of rather of irreverent scrappers (aka anti-scrappers). They seem to have taken a slight hiatus because one of them won a scrapping award from some big scrap magazine. It was later discovered that she didn't take the pictures featured on the winning entry *gasp* and the whole scrapping world went bonkers. I mean these women went completely feral on the winner. I read about the scandal here and was so annoyed I actually wrote the poor woman/victim to offer my support. I mean come on! With all that's happening in the world it seems there must be something more important to revolt against. Unbelievable!

Take a look at the new blogs listed and let me know what you think.

I hear ya loud and clear!

I hit the wall around noon today. Several annoying things happened in a row that all made me feel taken advantage of. On top of this, my blood sugar was sinking fast and that makes me damn cranky. A few unfortunate souls crossed my path in those few minutes. I later apologized for being a psycho Betty. Soon after those run-ins, I grabbed my keys and took off for lunch, before there was a homicide. I just had to get out of the building. On top of all this, I was still fuming from my morning commute. I recently had my car serviced and asked that my wind shield wipers be replaced. This morning was the first time I needed wipers since their installation. I heard a scratching noise but figured it was a twig or random oak leaf stuck under the rubber blade (beacuse that happens all the time). Once at work I got out to move the offending twig and realized the scratchy noise was in fact being caused by the metal clasp meant to hold the rubber blade. The wipers had not been installed properly and were SCRATCHING A GROOVE into my windshield. What the... ?! Man, was I mad!

As busy as I was at work, I realized I'd have to leave early to get to the auto repair shop before they closed tonight (5:30 pm) so they could fix it. That meant leaving work at 4:45. Way too early considering my current work load. The good news was that traffic was a dream at 4:45. I was whizzing along the 210 for most of my drive when suddenly traffic slammed to a halt. Typical!! I was instantly annoyed until I realized why everyone was braking. They were all trying to get a good look at this magnificent site:


Yup, a brilliant double rainbow. I immediately forgave all drivers for slowing down. It sort of restored my faith in humanity to know that cynical LA drivers are occasionally prone to stop and stare at a rainbow.

I got my wipers replaced (and it looks like I'll really be needing them this week). Then made my way home. On the way, I saw this:


It was like having karma police step in and say "listen little lady, in case you didn't get our rather obvious rainbow hint, here's another sight to help you calm the hell down." I also happened to be listening to this song followed by this one. It's just really hard to be crabby when your drive home includes beautiful rainbows, deer grazing on your neighbor's lawn and groovy music on the radio.

It's safe to say, I got the karmic hint. I'm feeling much better and I promise to lighten up in the, inevitably busy, weeks to come.

Comfort and Joy

Well, I'm finally down to one pill a day and I'm feeling MUCH better. Most folks at work refuse to see a doctor about this flu. Meanwhile, I smugly sit, breathing easy and feelin' fine. he best part is that I've found that a nice side effect of the antibiotics, rest and lots of water is that my skin looks great!

The only trouble now is that I'm sort of addicted to lounging in bed. I've spent so many days in bed, nursing my flu, that I've come to like it. Well, I like it now that I'm feeling better. Ever since my first 'bout with this bug I've pretty much rushed home from work just so I could throw on my pjs, wash my face and have a quick dinner. I then spend the evening on the phone, online, watching bad tv (or sometimes good PBS) and flipping through pretty magazines. I can tell you life is pretty good with a stack of pretty mags, a Tivo remote and some cough syrup with Codeine. *heaven* I'm seriously considering getting something like this to additionally feed my addiction.

The only hiccup comes when disturbing news sneaks across the tv screen. A few weeks back Tony insisted I watch Life After People. It was well done and certainly interesting but it completely freaked me out. When I told Tony about my reaction he just couldn't understand my problem. I told him it was spooky and that I'd be sticking to Jane Austen and TCM from now on.

Yesterday, my brother told us my poor nephew wandered into his office with tears streaming down his sweet cheeks. He had been in the next room watching Life After People and apparently had the same reaction I'd had. He just said "Dad, that show is freaking me out. I think I need to watch Garfield or something to take my mind off it." Awww, poor kid. While I was sad to hear he'd been so upset, it was somehow comforting to learn I wasn't the only one freaked out by that damn show. I'm sorry, I enjoy NYC and I don't need to see it deserted but for the wild pack of wolves roaming the streets. *shudder*

More than anything, I'm proud that my nephew knows exactly how to shake off the demons of the day. My poison may be Jane Austen and PBS while his is Garfield and Star Wars. He already understands the value of a good comfort film and I'm glad to know that knowledge is being passed down to the next generation. I like those kind of smarts in a kid.

Still wired

Well, I was wired and wide awake until 5:00 am when I finally fell asleep. I had to get up at 6:45 am to get ready for my annual OB appt. I tried to call ahead, to ask if my mega drugs might interfere with any test results, but the my appt was set before 9:00 am when they start taking calls. I just got ready and hoped for the best.

When I saw my doc, and she asked how I was, I told her about my "cold". She then corrected me buy saying "No, that's officially a flu." She listened to my lungs and did her thing. Afterwards she said words that you really never want to hear from your girlie doc. No not the dreaded "C" word, but still, something you just never want to hear. She said "It's amazing that you're fine now but *deep inhalation of air*... between your Z-pacs and all that Prednisone... you're looking a a MEAN yeast infection. I'm just going to write you a prescription now 'cause... it's coming." Oh great. She continued with "Go fill this now and the second you feel ANYTHING, start taking it. You'll be fine." Good grief (and apologies to Norman). We then discussed diet and exercise. I told her I'd been losing weight since the new year. I handed her a list of foods I'd been eating and said "It's probably just the way you eat." She confirmed my suspicion. We then discussed recipes and food prep short cuts for about 15 minutes. I love my doctor. She must schedule time to chat with her patients because she never rushes and we always end up talking for at least 10-15 minutes after my exam. In fact, the exam never takes more than 5 minutes. It's the catching up that takes all the time. The very first time I met her, we talked for 30 minutes before she ever laid a hand on me. I'd NEVER had a doctor spend so much time just getting to know me. She's usually interested in my lifestyle and the stress in my life. She's such a great doctor.

I told her about that damn Prednisone keeping me up all night. She said brightly "Now you know how it feels to be bi-polar... or to have a giant caffeine drip!" I agreed. She went on to say "But isn't it amazing stuff?" I told her that, yes, I felt remarkably better but that the lack of sleep was going to be a problem. Assuming I can make it to the weekend I should be good to go though.

On the way home I dropped off her prescription (some things you just don't procrastinate) and asked the Pharmacist about the no sleeping thing. I was hoping I could move my "take at bedtime dosage" to the dinner time frame. He nodded and said "Yeah, the first couple of days are very high dosages so those first nights are rough. The dosage lessens as you go on. It gets better. You'll be good for the weekend!" He was so optimistic. How I'm supposed to get to Friday with no sleep I'm not exactly sure. Also, after a week of no appetite these drugs are making me hungry. The party's over. :(

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!

WHAT THE HELL IS IN THAT STERIOD THEY GAVE ME? It's almost 2:00 am and I'm wide awake! Awake after taking my beloved cough syrup with codeine. I'm like a meth addict kicking off a week long bender. What's in that damn drug? Caffeine? Speed? What?

I've now lowered myself to watching the Polish Stoneware Anniversary on QVC (it's really quite charming). Anything more exciting might send me to an early grave. My foot hasn't stopped tapping for hours. Even my Spring Showers CD hasn't helped. I've been composing future blog entires in my head while I've tossed and turned. Too bad I'm not a real writer working on the great American novel... I'd be all set on this crank. God, now I know how our moms lost weight in the 70's. I feel like starting a yoga class or running laps or taking up pottery or macrame! What the hell? I wouldn't be so annoyed if I didn't have to wake up in four hours. How am I supposed to take these meds for over a week? I'll be dead by then. And why didn't anyone tell me about this rather unfortunate side effect? They all know I have trouble sleeping.

I finally decided to just get up and read the side effects of these drugs. For your enjoyment, here is a list of the potential side effects (always my favorite portion of the information packet):

• Stomach upset (I'm already lactose intolerant and very familiar with this fun side effect thank you very much)
• Headache (um, I'm already suffering from a 48-hour-old blinding sinus headache)
• Dizziness (I did actually tip over this earlier this evening, thank God there isn't video of it)
• Menstural period changes (fine, make me think I'm menopausal)
• TROUBLE SLEEPING (SO not cool!)
• Weight gain (also, not interested!)

Great! It also mentions that I should be on the lookout for persistent fever/cough/sore throat (Hello! That's why I'm taking this horse in the first place!!!) I'm apparently supposed to inform my doctor if any of these side effect occur. Looks like I'll be making that call tomorrow.
Check out the some of the other fun signs I'm supposed to immediately tell my doctor about:

• Black stools (lovely)
• Vomit that looks like coffee grounds (WHAT?!)
• Persistent weight gain (just how fast will I be piling on the pounds anyway?!)
• Unusual hair growth (WTF?)
• Thinning skin (what does that even look like?)
• Unusual growth spurts (where exactly?!)

As if they have to tell us to call our doctors if any of those symptoms pop up. Can you imagine NOT telling your doctor about any of those side effects?

I'm apparently going to turn into a man overnight. God help me. But don't worry, I promise to post pix if that happens. I know you'd all be terribly interested.

Ok, I'm off to clean my closet or the garage... but wait, now they're showing Irish Porcelin on QVC (also, quite charming.) Maybe I need a nice mug... Or wait! I wonder where I could find a Wii at this hour?! Hmmm.

On the mend

So, the doc walked in the room, took one look at me and said "So, I guess we need the big guns, huh?". I just nodded. She poked around and looked in in my mouth then said that since the Z-pac wasn't working I'd need steroids but "not the muscle kind". (Well that's a relief since I'm not excactly trying to gain weight.) Then some other girl came in and gave me a shot of prednisone (I think it's called... I've been sort of dingy so I'm not so sure what the heck they gave me). I said what I always say in that scenario "I'm sure you're great at this, but I just can't watch." My mom never let me watch a shot coming and it's a tradition I've stuck with as an adult.

I later spoke with my boss. She got a steroid shot when she recently had sinusitis. She told me "You'll feel better by 6:00 pm." I was skeptical, but the woman was right. I've gone from not being able to swallow to barely having a scratchy throat. It's a miracle! I still have a pretty bad sinus headache but I'm afraid to take any over the counter drugs with my prescribed drugs because of Heath Ledger. He ruined it for everyone. NO more free-for-all Excedrin PM popping me for me! I'm just hoping that I can take my cough syrup, get some sleep and wake up without the headache. I've got my annual girlie doctor appointment tomorrow but I'm a little worried all these hard core drugs will mess up and tests they run on me. Guess I'll have to call and ask first thing tomorrow morning.

Hope you're all hanging in there. My doc said that she's never seen anything like this flu. It just isn't going away. She's had dozens and dozens of patients come in two, three and four times with the same bug. I admit, it made me feel better. I was beginning to think I had some sort of sub par immunity system. Somehow it's good to know others are going through the same thing.

Here we go again

I'm sick, again, for the third time in about six weeks. It first crept up on me, again, on a Friday night. I had a touch of a sore throat on Saturday but it didn't really knock me out until Saturday afternoon. I started to feel very tired and achy. Sunday was worse. I can't remember ever feeling that achy all over. I even tried taking Tylenol only to come to the sad conclusion that Tylenol is for wimps. It didn't do a damn thing for me. I still had a headache, sore throat, sore ears, sore eyes, sore hair (you heard me) and no appetite. I know, imagine me with no appetite. I felt so awful it finally occurred to me that I might want to check my temperature. It was 101 degrees last night. I rarely have a fever. In fact, my normal temperature is lower than the average bear's. My "normal' temperature is 98 degrees. Not 98.6, but 98. I don't know why that is or what it says about me but it's one of those weird Lucy facts that only a mother would know. Well, a mother and now you. So what does a chronic sicky do with her shut-in weekend? I chose to spend my time with a few good friends: Joan Crawford (Mildred Pierce), Ingrid Bergman (Gaslight) and Oliva de Havilland (The Heiress). I may not be able to swallow but I can still appreciate a good film thanks to Tivo and TCM's 31 Days of Oscars. (Each day of the week features a different decade of Oscar winning films... aka ...a slice of heaven!)

After such a restful Sunday I figured I'd give going to work a shot. I got up this morning thinking I'd go through my normal work day routine and see how I felt and how far I'd get. I was back in bed immediately after my shower. You know you're in trouble when a shower is too much of a workout for you. I later called my boss to tell her I'd be out. We've been extraordinarily busy and I realize the timing isn't great but there wasn't much I could do about it. She didn't sound thrilled but I didn't think she'd want me and my fever anywhere near her office today.

I've got another doctor's appointment tomorrow morning. I'm not sure why I bother. I doubt they'll give me anything. I've already burned through two rounds of antibiotics. I just want to be able to swallow without pain again. It hurts so bad it reminds me of my numerous bouts with strep throat as a kid. I always thought it was cruel to tell a kid they have strep then tell them you expect them to swallow a gigantor pink penicillin pill a couple of times a day for a week. Sadists! The only good to come of those bouts with strep was my ability to swallow lima beans whole which really came in handy when my parents were on one of their frequent "eat your vegetables" kicks.

Wish me luck at the doctor's office. The last couple of times I've been there I've about bit the doc's head off when she poked at my tonsils and innocently asked "Does that hurt?" A very loud (well, really more of a barked) "OWW!" followed by a terribly annoyed look seems to be becoming a nice tradition for us.

She's trying to kill us

I'm beginning to think Paula Deen is the devil and I'm certain she's trying to kill us.

I'm conflicted because she looks a bit like my Mom, but then I see what she's making and I'm convinced Paula is trying to kill us. Think about it, if the devil decided to walk the earth, he wouldn't be dumb enough to actually look like himself, he'd look like a sweet, Southern mama. The devil would work hard to blend in and be charming. He'd want us to trust him and what better why to gain access to the masses then to become a successful, likable, Southern cook with a tv show and a pair of cute sons?

I first started developing this theory while watching Paula make a bread pudding. Of course Paula's bread pudding is like no other. Paula's bread pudding is made of Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk AND Krispy Kreme donuts. (Take it easy Paula, you're scales are beginning to show, I thought to myself.)

The thought reappeared after reading Shandon's recent post about Paula's deep fried cheesecake. (Did I mentioned that that recipe was featured on a show titled Fry Me To the Moon?) My theory was cemented this morning after watching her make peanut butter cups in a blanket and a bruleed banana split. I'm sorry, but it's official, the woman is out to kill us all and her poor husband is bound to be her first victim. The man doesn't stand a chance! Imagine Paula cooking for you all the time? I don't know a soul on earth who could say "no thank you, Paula" when faced with her food.

Of course my theory does not lessen my love for Paula. I adore her blatant disregard for health. The woman throws caution to the wind and I love her for it. Keep up the ballsy cooking Paula. Nobody does it better.

Imagine my disappointment

Yesterday I voted at a new polling place. They've been changing my polling place annually lately. It's sort of annoying because until recently I'd been going to the same sweet old lady's house for years. Now, of course, I'm worried about the little old lady. Why aren't we voting at her house anymore? Is she just sick of the responsibility and retired or worse? I can't stand thinking about it. There used to be a dapper old man who walked past our house every day. And let's be clear, I live in a hilly area. This old guy was in remarkable shape and well into his 90's. One day we realized we hadn't seen him in a while. We learned he'd died and it makes me sad to this day. We also had a nice man named Dick who used to sit on the curb and wave to every car as it passed. Dick had Down Syndrome and was the friendliest person I've ever seen. One day Dick too disappeared. We never found out what happened to him. His parents were old so we assume he had to move elsewhere. I hope Dick is still sitting on the curb waving to passersby. You couldn't help but adore him for trying to make your day.

But I digress, while I remain worried about my elderly poll place worker, there was some happy news. My new polling place was at a fire station. Why is this good news? Well duh. My first thought, when learning the location of my polling place, was "Ooh, firemen!". As I walked up the path to vote, I noticed I'd have to pass through a weight room. My internal voice squealed "Ooh, pumped firemen!" Somehow I thought this guy might be casually hanging out with the volunteer polling place ladies:



He wasn't there. In fact I didn't see a single fireman the entire time I was there. Imagine my bitter disappointment when I walked only to see a gaggle of senior citizens? *sigh* The real good news was that there were three Democrat booths at my polling place. I think 3 dem booths is a record for my city. I was very excited to learn that Dad and I are no longer the only ones. Happy days!

And the best news of all? The guilt trip worked. AR voted right after work yesterday. Woo hoo!!

Get your votin' panties on!

Lucy: Ya got your votin' panties ready for tomorrow?
Co-worker: Well, err... I know I'm gonna catch crap for this, but I'm not voting. I don't vote in primaries.
Lucy: Oh, you just let everyone else decide for you? And what do you mean you "don't vote in primaries?"
CW: Well, you know... I just... I haven't had a chance to get to know the issues and I don't want to cast an uninformed vote.
Lucy: What, you can't go home tonight and do a little homework?
CW: I know. I just...
Lucy: You know women died for the right your throwing away.
CW: You're not seriously saying this to me.
Lucy: Yup. Some women died for the right to vote. Lots of people have died to vote and continue to die to this day. I'm just saying you might want to put that in your pipe and smoke it.
CW: OK! (Exasperated) Maybe I'll vote tomorrow.
Lucy: Good.
Lucy: ... and I wanna see your sticker!

I have this conversation pretty much every big election. Somebody tells me they're too busy to vote and I throw guilt like crazy. I have no shame. I don't care. I just want people to remember that the right to vote is a big deal and that it's worth doing.

Distraction

So, while the rest of the world hunkers down to watch (and eat through) the Super Bowl, I'm busying myself with other distractions. My original plan was to make some Valentine's Day cards for my niece and nephew, but then I found an great distraction from that. Did you know about the Library of Congress partnering with Flickr? I can't believe nobody told me! Apparently it's a little experiment that's proving to be remarkably successful. The LOC wanted to make it's archives more accessible to the public and decided to upload over 1,500 photos to Flickr just to see how folks would react. Well, people went gaga over the idea. Every photo has been viewed multiple times and comments have been left like crazy. I think it's safe to say we can expect more of this from the LOC and I, for one, can't wait.

Now, if you're thinking this is a rather highbrow alternative to the Superbowl, you may be right. But just when you start to take yourself too seriously, you find comments like this one and can't stop laughing in agreement:

This photo is titled "Sailor and Girl at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier". Pretty obvious, but somebody was good enough to leave one of those little boxed comment over the couple's hands and note what we're all thinking: "Worst marriage proposal location... ever." Ha!

I'm a big fan of both history and photography so this is, naturally, a thrilling find for me. The down side is that I feel a bit like a voyeur. Some of the photos seem to have been given from personal collections. I can't help but wonder how many people out there have relative's photos at the LOC and don't even know it. Most do not list names. Of course, that could be a privacy issue that the LOC has but has chosen not to include online. Still, I look at all of these faces and wonder if their great grandkids, nieces, nephews, daughters and sons know they are here in all of their glorious youth and often in full color. Wouldn't it be amazing to be skimming through these and see a familiar face? Other shots are well lit and obviously posed but I've never seen anything like them. Especially the WWII era color photos. Amazing!

For instance, check out Elibia. She wears an expression that, I'm guessing, was more frequently worn than that made famous by Rosie the Riveter.

And check out this guy's job:


I think it's safe to say I'd be terrible as a railway inspector. If someone could actually make me crawl down there between the rail wheels, all they'd get out of me would be a rapid fire "Yeah, yeah, everything looks fine down here! Ship shape sir. Can I go home now?" Ugh. What a terrible responsibility. I may have nightmares about it.

Maybe it's just me, but I simply don't recall ever seeing pictures like this (in color) ever before.

That's Washington D.C circa 1941. I love it!

If you're intersted in seeing the photos for yourself, here is the link. Enjoy!

Delightful Discovery

A few weeks ago I was perusing some blogs and came across a familiar name: Katherine Mansfield. This is a name familiar only to the very outer reaches of my memory. I couldn't recall how I knew the name but I definitely knew it. (Maybe Mrs. Hyde's class from High School?) Anyway, it's familiarity piqued my interest but, rather than rushing out to buy one of her books, I found an available copy through Bookmooch. Someone was offering a book of short stories by KM called, simply, Stories. Cool! I promptly mooched it. About a week later I received my nice old copy of Stories in the mail. (I happen to really like older books as long as they are in good shape. It may be the dated artwork on the covers, I'm not sure, but this cover really made me happy.)

That night, before going to sleep, I picked up my "new" copy of Stories and flipped through it for a good story to try. I chose one called Bliss. It was FAB-U-LOUS. Why haven't I been reading Katherine Mansfield my whole life? She's wonderful. Bliss sort of reminded me of Fitzgerald but with a lovely feminine touch. I realize that's a big comparison but there you have it. I'm suddenly quite a short story fan. They're so perfect for my weary nightstand.

I've had Ms. Mansfield on my mind all week but it wasn't until this evening that I had a moment to look her up. Let's just say that any Wikipedia entry that includes words like "bohemian/bisexual, met, married and divorced in three weeks, pregnant from a family friend, miscarriage, gonnerhorea, depression, WWI, DH Lawrence, pleurisy and tuberculosis" will hook me like nobody's business. I am SOLD. I now heart Ms. Mansfield and am on a mission to learn more about her. She's exactly the kind of auntie I'd love to have. As if all of that isn't impressive enough, Virginia Woolf is said to have once claimed that Mansfield's writing was 'The only writing I have ever been jealous of'. Nice going Katherine! Well except for that unfortunate death. That's SO something I'd die of.

I guess more than anything I'm excited that I'm still capable of recognizing good writing. It's been years since school so, you know, you sometimes wonder if you've lost your touch. It was a bit of a relief.

So, my question to y'all is what other great writing am I missing out on? Any suggestions? Do tell!

#8,592 why I adore my Mom

The other day I received this email from my Mom:

"Well, I went to the Weight Watchers meeting. The leader looks like she has about 50 to lose! I like that in a leader."

Mom, you crack me up.

My Latest Obsession

Ok, so you may have noticed that I'm sort of into crafting stuff. I don't make enough time to actually do much crafting these days but I do enjoy it when I can get to it. Stamping cards and gift tags are a new favorite. I was at a little Stampin' Up get together last weekend where I heard about a great stamping blog. It's by a Stampin' Up rep and graphic designer. She features a little thing called Make a Card Monday every week and I'm obsessed! She's mounted a camera over her work space. Each Monday she uploads a short film (rapid speed) of herself making a card. It's such fun to watch. Well, umm, if you're not into card making you may not be as into it as I am, but if you're a crafter you've got to check it out.

Here is her blog. I'll be adding her to my Blog Roll list. I've been looking for new crafty blogs and have found a few nice ones. I'll be updating it soon.

In the mean time, check out the MACM clips and enjoy!

New rule... I've decided

I work with a guy that I have a good relationship with but I've learned all of his tricks. In the past, when I told him he couldn't do something, he would always say "Lucy, I'm just trying to grow your business." Once, during a mid-year check-in he said that sentence about a dozen times so I banned him from ever saying it again. He laughed and now only says it sarcastically or to make my head explode.

Today, I was talking to the same man, via speaker phone, and had to ban a new phrase.

Lucy: So, what do you think about blah, blah, blah?
guy: Well, you've got to understand...
Lucy: Wait! Stop. I'm afraid I've got to ban a new phrase.
guy: What now?
Lucy: Please don't say "you've got to understand". You sound like our President and it makes me want to punch the phone.
guy: Bwaaaahahahahah!!!
Lucy: Promise?
guy: Okay, how about "the thing is"?
Lucy: Okay, that's fine.
guy: Okay, the thing is blah, blah, blah

and on we went with the conversation.

God knows I hate to inject politics in my work life, but pretty much every time I hear the pres speak he says "people gotta understand" and it makes my skin crawl. As if he were the only human being who really knew what was going on and he just can't make us all see the light. Ugh! Makes me sick! Shut up George... SHUT UP! I can't even work without you bugging the hell out of me!!!

Leavin' on a Jet Plane

I think this is the longest I've gone without blogging since I started. No real excuses except the typical "I've been busy". I did manage to catch yet another cold while on my trip last week. This must be some funky East coast variety. I was feeling so good after my Z-pac prescription, now I'm back on my left-over cough syrup and Advair. I have these terrible dry cough attacks that are a real drag. I have my annual girly doctor visit tomorrow so I'm hoping she'll give me something to help prevent me from having this cough for the next 2 months. I hate coughs that linger.

I'm pretty sure I got it on my flight to New York. I saw some poor guy bend over at the terminal to pick up his bag and his friend sneezed all over the back of his neck. Neither one of them seemed to bat an eye. Groooooooos! The sneezer then had the nerve to put a Michael Jackson variety surgical mask once on the plane. I wanted to yell "You're the problem moron!" but figured good, now maybe he'll keep his germs to himself.

Speaking of travel, my carpool buddy is off to a new job in our London office. Today was her last day in the office. We threw a little going away party for her featuring her favorite food. That meant home made mac & cheese, Gorgonzola mashed potatoes, brownies, Wheat Thins and ice cream. You can see why she'd be a friend of mine with a menu like that. She leaves tomorrow and arrives in London Thursday afternoon. I asked if she had to start the job next Monday or if she gets some time off. She said "Well, I'm off Friday but I have to get on a train to Paris on Sunday." Oh, poor baby. Did I mention her first week on the job is a European conference in a French Chateau? Can you imagine? (I found these for sale if you're interested.) How do you get any work done in a place like that? I'd be staring at the walls or out a window the whole time. Guess that's why nobody for our European offices have offered me a job.

I admit, I'm a little jealous but mostly I'm thrilled for her. She's always wanted to see Europe and living in London is a great way to do it. London is one of my favorite cities. It would be really fun to see it and be able to stay with a friend. I told her I'd visit "depending on how nice" her new place is. Of course I'm kidding. I just hope I can visit and still manage to buy a home this year. No matter what, it's bound to be a good year.

S'wonderful

Have you ever missed somebody you never even knew? I ask because I've been watching a wonderful series on PBS called The Pioneers of Television and it's making me miss a lot of old "friends".

The first episode was on the evolution of sitcoms. The next week focused on late night television. Tonight's episode went through the history of variety shows. I realize this may sound a bit dry but I'm telling you it's such fun. Much of the subject matter is of television before my time, but still, it's fascinating. I've enjoyed all of the episodes but the one that really got to me was that on late night. It made me realize how much I actually miss Johnny Carson. I suppose it hit me the hardest because Carson was a part of my life longer than just about every other entertainer out there. Of course, when I was young, I didn't regularly catch his show but I watched from my junior high years until the day Carson retired. I can honestly say that I miss that man.

There are others I miss too. I miss seeing Carol Burnett once a week. I miss Flip Wilson's Geraldine. Flip's show was probably the first I remember laughing at. Laugh In was fast paced, and bright, and kept my attention when I was very small. I remember my parent's cracking up at it but I don't know that I understood much of what was going on. Flip, on the other hand, slayed me. I miss him too.

It seems foolish to have these feelings but, when you're a child of the sixties and seventies, there's no denying the influence of television on all of us. It was a different time. Not to sound like and old-timer but we only had a few channels to choose from. When you got to school every day all of the kids had watched the same shows. It's just plain different today.

There is a surprising amount of history and ground breaking stuff going on here. There is so much I just plain never knew because it was either before my time or I was too young. I never knew Jack Parr quit on the air over being censored. I never knew nobody would sponsor The Nat King Cole Show, because of race, and NBC paid for it themselves until a sponsor stepped forward. When no sponsor stepped up, it was cancelled. I didn't know Arthur Godfrey's decline came immediately after he fired a popular singer from his show... on air.

The tone can be downright reverent at times but I don't mind. It's such good television. I think there were only three episodes made but try to catch the reruns if you can. If you're anywhere near my age, or older, I think you'll enjoy them.

Wild Ride

Last night I arrived at JFK/NY around 11:00 pm. I got to my hotel around midnight. Because I was arriving late, I ordered a town car. It felt somehow safer. I should have stuck with an ordinary NY cab. NY cabbies tend to know how to get to Manhattan. My town car driver, on the other hand, did not seem to know how to get to my destination and spent much of our rainy, dark, ride fiddling with the GPS. The GPS kept alerting the driver he had a "New Message. New Message. New Message." As if paying little attention to the road wasn't disturbing enough, he then began fighting with the credit card machine and punching in my cc number manually. At least 5 times I had to urge "The light is green!" At one point, a few blocks from my hotel, he stopped and pretty much parked on Fifth Avenue. WHAT?! People were honking but he didn't seem to mind. When we finally got to the hotel the doorman graciously opened my door , took my bags out of the trunk and put them in the lobby for me. All while I waited for my spazzy driver to figure out how to charge me for the ride. I sat there, in the back seat, for ten minutes while he mumbled something about my ride number not being right. Finally I said "Can I just sign it and go? I really need to get to bed." He then gave me an incredulous look and handed me the slip to sign. I'll never take a town car again. I'll take a good old fashioned NY cabbie any day.

Now, to be clear, I realize this is a luxurious "problem", but when it's midnight, and you have to meet your co-worker in the lobby at 8:45 am and you're still on West Coast time... it's a drag. Also, since kicking my one week addiction to cough syrup, I haven't had a single decent night of sleep. Another drag. I was so well rested and now I'm back to being a mess.

The good news is that when I finally got to check-in the doorman asked "What took him so long? Was he writing a love letter or what?" I said "I know! And he wasn't even a good driver. I thought I was going to die the entire ride." The guy checking me in said "Sounds like you've had a long day, let me see what I can do for you." He then upgraded me for the week! Sweet!! I'm so unaccustomed to upgrades that I panicked when the bellman opened my door and I couldn't see a bed. I saw a bathroom, a kitchen counter, a desk and a sofa but no bed. I thought 'oh no! I'm not going to have to fold out and make a bed am I?' then I turned around and saw a lovely king sized bed in another room. Can you imagine?! In New York city... another room?! It's unheard of... at least for me.

I did have the good sense to stay in tonight. I begged off dinner plans so I could have an early dinner and get to bed. I'm now in my room watching American Idol. All of NYC awaits but I'm dang tired.

Off to sleep for me.

Liberal? Who me?!

Check this out. Take this fun test to find out which Presidential candidate you are most in line with. Don't worry, it provides a nice disclaimer, with the results, stating that results should not be taken as advice on who you should vote for. It's just sort of interesting.

For the record, here are my results:

#1 Hillary
#2 Edwards
#3 Obama

Hmm. Interesting.

I'd like to tag Shandon and Troop for their results (unless you're super offended that I'd even ask).

Back from the dead and thinking bad thoughts

So, I've survived my terrible cold. Those meds were great. I'm now in love with Codeine for helping me get so much sleep in the past few days and nights. Thank you Codeine.

Now I'm watching the New Hampshire Primary results come in. Mrs. Edwards was just at a podium speaking and all I could think was "Move over Diva. Who's that hot guy behind you in the 'Steelworkers for Edwards' sweatshirt?" Upon closer inspection I realized that "hot guy" was James Denton from Desperate Housewives. I guess I must be feeling better because it was only a quick glace before I was willing Mrs. Edwards out of the way. How embarrassing.

$125 later...

Well, I've now managed to get a lovely chest cold. When I woke this morning I realized I was wheezing. Although I found it difficult to draw a decent breath, I was due back at work today. What's a girl to do? A hot shower helped so I went to work and found that 1/2 of my co-workers were out with the same cold. I answered some emails and calls, grabbed my laptop and left. My doctor was out so I saw his Physician's Assistant this afternoon. I figured she would look at my throat, listen to my chest, agree that I had a cold, and prescribe a Z-pac. That's pretty much what happened but she also added some other fun drugs to my pharmaceutical bag of goodies. Here is what I picked up from the pharmacy this evening:

• Generic Z-Pac
• Advair (Which I have no earthly idea how to use)
  
• Nasonex (Nose spray... blechhh.)
  
• Cough Syrup w/Codeine (What kind of maniac assumes a person would enjoy Pina Colada flavoring in their narcotic?! Good Lord!)
  

Guess how much this loot (+ my co-pay) cost? That's right, $125. This stupid cold will cost me days from work and $125. Of course, I'll be glad to kick this cold the right way but still, it got me thinking, what else could I have purchased with that $125? (Besides donating it to a favorite charity. Lighten up and play, would ya?!)

Here are a few ideas:

My favorite perfume and body lotion


A printer I've been eyeing and actually need:

That lovely BBC Jane Austen DVD set AND the Complete Oxford Illustrated set of Jane Austen books:

Dance, Dance Revolution game, for that new Wii* I'm getting for "exercise", plus another game of my choice:



Of course, I really do enjoy breathing so I suppose $125 is worth it. Then again, there are some nice things I've NOT bought because I've become a miser saving for a home. A home that will someday have a super-cool Wii gaming system! *Because, after all, the "Best Auntie in the World", as my niece and nephew call me, can't just rest on her laurels. "The Best Auntie in the World" needs to keep outdoing herself constantly. Besides, I've promised to kick Mom's butt at Wii boxing and look forward to giving the kids simultaneous heart attacks when they see it for the first time.

Oh, and while I'm looking at the bright side of life, I'm happy to announce I've finally timed a dreadful cold with an equally dreadful So. Cal rain storm. Finally!

Rain. It's my favorite.