Using the help that is provided

Remember how I wanted to lose some weight?  Well, I did Weight Watchers over the summer.  My meeting vouchers ran out, so I thought I could do it on my own.

I was wrong.

Yesterday was the breaking point.  Seriously.. I was bad.  And Lazy.  So I tried to join the at-work Weight Watchers meetings here.  No dice.  They are in the middle of a session.

On March 1st (when I get paid), I'm going to sign back up, and get going to meetings again.

Time to kick myself in the butt some more.

Smash ReCap: the Cost of Art

Seriously, we all knew I was going to start doing these things!

• Karen- I must admit, she IS trying too hard.  It's kind of like A Chorus Line's character Cassie.  She was a star looking for a job in the ensemble, and nearly fails... because she stands out too much.  Dial it back Karen, you'll get your chance.  
• Ivy- are they writing her as a total bitch, or as someone struggling to keep her foothold at the top.  I'm not sure.
• Derek-  A raise of hands.. who thinks he's sleeping with every woman... ever... I think so too.
• And Ellis!  What a snake!  I want him to mess up, and Tom to slap the smile off of him!!!

And more next week.... or after I watch it again...

Friday.... yay?

I am seriously struggling today.  And by seriously struggling, I mean I desire to curl up under my desk and cry.

Why?  Who knows...  It could be that this is the birth control placebos week.  It could be the serious stress my job has been.  it could be the impending doom of medical test results.  It could be the waiting to see if the UTI that wouldn't die will come back.  It could be that it's 80, and the co-eds are wearing shorts that should be classified as underwear.... and it makes me feel like an ugly tub 'o lard...

*sigh*

But this too shall pass.  I just hope I can keep it together until 5.

An Interesting couple of days...

Tuesday I visited a variety of doctors for a variety of reasons.

First was my Primary Care Physician.  I thought I might need to go in to get the UTI that wouldn't die, but it seems to be dead (knock on wood).  So I got the blood draw to measure my cholesterol.  I know those numbers won't come back good.  And the Spousal Equivalent's numbers weren't spectacular either.  I'll have to watch the diet and lose weight, because I do not want yet another drug added to me regimen!

What does this mean?  It means I'm working out when I get home!

Later that afternoon I went to that yearly fun at the lady doctor.  The practice I go to is quick about getting people in and out.  While there I asked about tubal ligation and the Essure procedure.  Yes folks, it's official.  I'm cutting off the baby-making capabilities.  It's something that I've thought long about, and since I'm 37 and broke, I think the decision is a good one.

Besides, down the road the SE and I want to get a house, and help out the kids that the LGBT Center of Hampton Roads try to find homes for.  The poor kids that come out, then are kicked out of their homes.

And now, back to the grind!

Jesus Christ Superstar

It's one of my favorite musicals.  And you might ask why, since I'm not the most Christian of people.  It was the first musical that I saw on the stage, for one.  It was also part of the beginning of my questioning of religion.

Twentyish years later, I caught this version on PBS.  I was blown away!  I thought the setting was so inventive.  They took it out of 1st century Israel and put it in a more updated, hippie-ish setting.  It makes you focus on the person and the message more than the biblical-ness.

The musical in and of itself is an interesting work.  It's told largely from Judas's perspective.  I saw an interview with Andrew Lloyd Webber once where he mentioned that the work was built around one idea:  What if Judas Iscariot had God on his side?

The work doens't focus on Jesus's divinity.  It focuses on the man, his choices, his message of peace, and how everything was set in motion and largely out of anyone's control.  By focusing on the peaceful revolutionary aspect of the Jesus story (which he was), the designers of the production were brilliant.

But I'll stop gushing, and put the soundtrack on.  I have work to do.

GleeCap: On My Way

I couldn't wait on this one. Seriously.

~I had a feeling this was going to happen to Karofsky. Him being instantly OK with life would be wrong. Him disappearing would leave loose plot threads. Him offing himself and succeeding is a bit strong for the show. As sad as it was, it almost had to happen.

~Quinn has her shit together. So of course things are going to happen. And now we know the dangers of texting and driving. I screamed. The dog barked. Then a curse at Ryan Murphy.

~I'm hoping the the Quinn car accident will stop the Hudson/Berry nuptials.

~and lastly, I LOVE Rachel's dads. They need their own show.

How long until Glee comes back?

The SCA and I

I spent most of my youth, and much of my 20's at the Sterling Renaissance Faire. I just didn't go.  I dressed up.  I tried Elizabethean language.  I even worked there.  I loved it.  I loved the other Rennies.

Then I moved.  There wasn't a faire 15 minutes away.

So I decided to try the SCA.

It wasn't the same.  the SCA is for people that fight, or love research.  it's for crafty people, and at times, people with money.

I'm not really any of those things.

I loved Renaissance faires because there were interesting things to see and do, shows to watch.  All while wearing pretty clothes.  The SCA requires a lot of participation.  Participation above my comfort level at times.  And I really don't like research (even when I was a History major).

After some tries, and many events, I think I'm finally calling it.  I've packed away my fancy dresses.  The SCA is a dream for another day.

Why the nostalgia?  My first even was Tir-y-Don's Birthday and Investiture all those years ago.  The Baron and baroness I saw get... invested.. are stepping down now.

But I don't think I failed.  I just think that I never found my place.

Can I do the weekend over please?

Saturday morning saw me waking up in considerable pain from the damn UTI that I'm taking meds for.  At 8am I ran to the store to get over the counter pain meds.  I was also naughty and bought 2 $5 DVD's.  We ran some errands, got hair cuts and then when home, where I was in considerable pain for most of the day.  Sunday was also painful, though I was feeling considerably better by dinner time.

Saturday I also noticed that my feet and ankles hurt.  First the right, then the left.  being paranoid, I looked up the side effects of Cipro.  There it is.  Tendonitus.  Great.....

Sunday also saw the demise of my week old iPad keyboard case.  Seriously, the thing lasted as long as my latest course of the a fore mentioned Cipro.  It won't charge now.  I emailed Think Geek to see if I can replace it.  But I'm just pissed in general.

Now it's Monday.  I'm feeling really good.  I'm currently wondering if the UTI that wouldn't die got wind of me seeing a doctor tomorrow.  To be on the safe side, I'm going to start taking some of these.  I have to go to the doctor tomorrow anyway.  We'll see if it's for pain or blood work when 8am rolls around.

Right now I'm going to keep my feet up, keep drinking water and call about my iPad case.  (Seriously, these things always happen to me!)

Pain and comfort

I've been in pain for the better part of a week. I know that eventually the doctor will give me the meds to make this thing go away.

So today we're going to put away the laundry and I'm going to rest and pray the over the counter meds work.

In other news, 2 doctors appointments on Tuesday. Hopefully I can get answers.

Avoidance

I'm looking at a busy weekend of trying to exercise, washing the dog and completely cleaning the house.

Also, the current state of affairs (you know, the removal of many of women's, and the LGBT community's civil rights) is causing me considerable anxiety.  I can feel the panic attack about to start, and I'd like to not do that in my office.

All I want to do is eat popcorn and watch romantic comedies.  When things get frantic, all I want to do is hide.  And eat things that aren't good for me.

Wish me luck getting it all done and staying calm.

Suffolk, Virginia is in the news.

Basically Suffolk wants to put into their dress code that students can only wear gender appropriate clothes.  This is silly for many reasons:

1. Does this mean that all the girls have to wear dresses?
2. Can the guys not wear skinny jeans?
3. What about the more tom-boy-ish set?  Are we going to force prom dresses on them?

But in all of this, I need to mention this is why I think that school uniforms are WONDERFUL!  Seriously!  If every student in the school wears khaki pants and a polo shirt, they can all be unhappy together.  And teacher can stop having to ask guys to pull their pants up, and girls to put some clothes on.

But in all seriousness, I'm all about the freedom of expression, but the dress that some of these kids call clothes is disruptive.  I worked in a middle school for a year and not a day went buy where I wasn't writing someone up for dress code violations.  The teacher begged for uniforms.  The parents said no.

Also, as a teacher, I understand that some trans people want to start experimenting with dressing as the other gender.  Dude, if you're that brave, go for it.  Unfortunately, the rest of the teachers have to deal with your jack-ass classmates that will disrupt class (and every other time) trying to bully and mock you for it.  That's the only reason that I'd lean in favor of a thing like uniforms.  It'll keep the mouthy teens in line.

It's a hard issue.  And I've seen both sides.

but as a former teacher, I can't say it enough.  Put those kids in uniforms.  Please! 

Things are slowly but surely getting there

This week was interesting to say the least.  Over the weekend we had some kitten visitors.  These cats undid much of the cleaning progress that I did in the computer room.  But that's ok.  I needed to clean that room better anyways.

The mattress and box spring covers came today.  The new, pet hair friendly vacuum and the air purifiers are on their way.  Y'all know that this means...

(I got it from here)

So this looks to be my weekend:

Today:

• Put the sweaters away in the computer room, where they were supposed to go.
• wash the couch covers
• vacuum the couch, and the living room rug

Tomorrow

• put away the clean laundry

Saturday (the tricky one)

• strip the bed, and move the mattress and box spring elsewhere
• vacuum under the bed and around it
• cover said bed items in the new snazzy covers
• make the bed with clean sheets.
• Somewhere in there I NEED a haircut.  When you get up and put the hair in a pony tail... it's time to cut it short.

WHY am I doing all of this?  Well with the addition of just the dehumidifier I've been able to stop using my inhaler.  Imagine what I can accomplish during the part of the year where the pollen drifts like snow?

GleeCap: Heart

I'm not sure if I liked this episode.  I mean Bravo for trying to do the reverse psychology on Finn and Rachel, but it won't work.  Those two can be a wee bit dense.

The new character, Joe Hart, is very interesting.  He's a bit over the top.  But then again.. isn't everyone on the show?

Actually, the most startling thing were the previews.  Something has GOT to happen with NYADA to get Rachel to move the wedding up to NOW.  And that slimy Dalton kid is involved.  I just KNOW it!

Faith

It's a very loaded word:  Faith.  Religious people the world over proclaim they have it.  Heck, George Michael said you have to have it.

But as a Unitarian Universalist, how can you have faith?  I mean, we don't necessarily believe in God, or Jesus, or any sort of deity.  So what is our faith?

Collectively, I have no idea.  But let me tell you what I consider as my "faith."  It all comes back to the seven principles: 

1. The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
2. Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
3. Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
4. A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
5. The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
6. The goal of world community with peace, liberty and justice for all;
7. Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

I have faith that somehow, someday everyone will treat others with dignity and compassion.  I have faith that somehow, someday everyone will have liberty and equality.  I have faith that somehow, someday it will get better.

I know the nay sayers will now start coming around, telling me that to just believe this isn't enough.  That I'll need to go on protest marches, picket the government and have sit ins.  Yes, those things work for people strong enough to do them.  I'm not that strong.

I'll continue to do what I need to do in order to get by.

And I'll continue to have faith.

Because without that faith is life even worth living?

Valentine's Day.. and Smash

Can you believe that I haven't blogged about Smash yet?  I know!  Neither can I!

But first.. V-Day!

We all know that the Spousal Equivalent and I don't celebrate.  But we are this year.... kinda.  I had another surprise influx of cash yesterday.  We decided that we might celebrate the occasion with one of my favorite dishes!  Well my health and general state of luckiness prevented us from going to the store.  So the SE is going after work.  We'll prepare the meat so it can marinade overnight and have it tomorrow.  But I did request chocolate cheesecake also be retrieved!  I know, I'm supposed to be doing the Weight Watchers thing.....  but there might be room for a little cheesecake.

(truth be told... I've been VERY lax in the weight loss.  Feeling like crap will do that to a person.  I know.. bad me.  I'll see if I am up to working out after work.)

Now!  Smash!  So, as someone who grew up doing Musical Theater, a person that most of her MP3 collection is musicals, a person that loves Glee.... of course I love the show!

There's only been two episodes so far, but each episode has produced music that I'd go to iTunes and buy, and that's saying something.

I won't spoil it much, but I will say that I'm rooting for Karen Cartwright.  I think Ivy is trying too hard.

I'd really like a weekend do-over

Well, thanks to the lovely (or not) bladder infection, I spent the majority of the weekend at home and on the couch.  Much of that was sleeping.  Either I was tired, or bored.  Or maybe a little of both.

Honestly, while I do feel better, I don't feel great.  I have these meds until Thursday, and Friday might see me back at the doctor, asking for a referral.  Because this is just silly!

In other news, we had two extra cats in the house.  It wasn't pretty until about Sunday when we kept the peace (on the dog's part) with a squirt bottle.  A cease fire has been called.

Unfortunately the cats have all but stalled any cleaning efforts.  the infection didn't help either.

Seriously? Again??

4 weeks to the day since the last had a UTI. Yesterday I was back in the doctor's office with the same urinalysis showing nothing. This time the pain was worse than before.

On top of that, we're cat sitting. Misty is NOT AMUSED. She's been up at 2am every morning to bark, loudly, at the cats. So not only am I in pain, and frustrated because of it, I'm also exhausted.

I'm back on Cipro. I'm not happy.

All I want is chocolate, and for this pain to go away.

Merrily We Roll Along...

New day, same stuff.  Or so it seems.

In a very un-brilliant move we decided to help some friends out by cat sitting.  Yeah, I know.  Cats are the #3 thing I'm most allergic to.  (#1: dust mite, #2: Rabbits, #4: trees that rain pollen, #5: grasses and #6: dogs).  but they needed help, and will repay the favor for us later on.

I've been doing research.  I know where to get the bedding protection from.  It's where we got my brother's years ago.  I've picked a vacuum.  I've picked two air purifiers: one for the bedroom, and one for the living room.  I'm picking up a dehumidifier today and ordering the bedding protection tonight.  Now all I need are masks for cleaning.

Plus, after the cats leave I'll be getting the house into "we can have company again" shape.  I seriously need to get back on the Fly Lady bandwagon.  Along with the Weight Watchers bandwagon too....

Now, only if I could clean like this!


Except without the roaches, turns out I'm allergic!  And the rats... they're in the rabbit camp.

GleeCap: The Spanish Teacher

Dear Glee Writers,

Could you get someone to help you figure out how real schools work?  Please?

Love,
All the teachers, ever.

Seriously, Shue is the Spanish teacher because that's the job that was open?  What in the world is his degree in?  And tenure doesn't work that way.

Also, Rachael and Finn getting married?  Bravo for every being all negative about it.  And bravo especially to Kurt for confronting Finn about it.  It might have actually sunk into Finn's thick skull.

And lastly, those boots?  Can we not?  Ever?

I made a really good start on the battle against dust mites!

After a few phone calls, I now have a plan of attack against the dust mites! I'm borrowing a dehumidifier from a friend, and my mom is helping us buy the vacuum cleaner so I'll have enough money to buy the bedding! (a little more comparison shopping is needed first)

The second part of my attack plan started today. I left work early to clean out a closet and sort through a box. Four bags of trash, one bag of clothes and one bag of stuffed animals later i feel like I've started to make a dent. I'm hoping to get my bins of teaching materials ready to deliver. After a few more trash bags and conquering Mt. Laundry I'll be set!

Hard decisions

This morning I did some comparative shopping

• $150 for a stronger vacuum
• $170 for the protective covering for my bed
• $100 for a dehumidifier
• $200 for the air purifier machine
• $50 a month co-pay for the Singulair.

That all adds up to a WHOLE lot of money.  I was prepared to go and spend $186 on Weight Watchers.  I know that losing that last 40 pounds would help me, and that I do better on Weight Watchers than I do off of it.

But can I really justify spending that much when I need to shell out the above pile of money?  Especially when I spent a very large chunk of it yesterday just getting the allergy testing?

The answer is no.  Instead of spending money on Weight Watchers, I'm going to take that and get a dehumidifier.  We'll look at the mattress and box spring covers another day.

Now that I've read more...

I've got a lot to do before the pollen starts drifting like snow:

• declutter in general, make sure everything has it's place, get rid of all the extra stuff I don't need.
• buy a more powerful vacuum
• buy a dehumidifier
• buy an air purifier or two
• get the ultra allergy reducing furnace filters
• buy mattress covers, box spring covers, and pillow covers
• Wash the current comforters and put in vacuum bags
• buy more fleece for blankets
• dust and vacuum the hell out of this apartment.

It's stuff that has to get done, and with the exception of the "buying stuff" part, needs to get done ASAP.

Now to find the motivation to clean.

A trip to the Allergist

This afternoon I left work early to get allergy testing. It's interesting stuff, watching things make your arm swell.

The results? I'm highly allergic to dust mites and rabbits. Those made IMPRESSIVE hives. I'm also allergic to cats, trees, grasses and dogs.

So now I have a plan. We need to do some environmental control around the house (bedding covers, lots of dusting and vacuuming plus a dehumidifier and an air purifier) along with drugs. She wanted to keep me on the Nasonex, but it gives me huge headaches. So we're trying Singulair.

Are we going to do allergy shots? Maybe. It's expensive, but if I can't manage with everything else we'll look into it. Now I'm home and looking at at the prices of all the things I need to buy. Oi!

Valentine's Day

It's February, so things have turned red and pink in anticipation on Valentine's Day.

The other day, while driving to the store I turned to the Spousal Equivalent and asked if we wanted to celebrate.  He answered no, citing that it's a made up holiday named after a martyr.

"But can be buy discount chocolate on the 15th?"

"Of course!"

Super Bowl Sunday

And we're having a Firefly marathon (complete with Chinese food and Sangria). I really don't care about the game so we're recording to watch the good parts: the halftime show and the commercials!

As for the Sangria, I was brilliant with it! I'm not a huge wine lover, but I love cheap red wine mixed with juice and diet Sprite. I got smart and bought a glass pitcher (alcohol and plastic don't mix well) and mixed half Rebel Red wine and half Cranberry/Pomegranate juice. I can keep it in the fridge and mix it with the diet Sprite when I want!

I hope everyone enjoys the game, though!

I'm tired.....

I think it's the weather.  It's grey and rainy here today, which does no good in raising people's spirits.  It also doesn't help that I've just felt... off.. for a few weeks now.

I decided to return to Weight Watchers... if the money comes in.  If I can get my tax return ASAP, I'm going to enroll in the at work program here.  If that doesn't work out, we'll see...

Honestly, there's nothing exciting going on in my life.  I'm waiting for the tax return to come in so I can pay some things off.  I'm also anxiously waiting for my allergy testing on Monday.

Maybe I'll take a Mental Health Day tomorrow...

But until then... here's the song that's been running through my head all morning.

GleeCap: I'm really behind!

Yes/No

• Bravo for actually putting a dose of reality in the Will/Emma love fest.  I know she's taking meds, but the OCD she has can be very hard to live with!
• Finn proposing?  Seriously?  *facepalm*
• SUMMER NIGHTS!  It made me squee in delight

Michael

• Artie dancing!  YAY!!
• And like I posted yesterday, I wanted to reach through the TV and slap Sebastian.  Like Santana said: "You may look like the villain out of a cheesy '80s high school movie, but you should know that I'm fully prepared to go all Daniel LaRusso on your ass."
• Poor Blaine!!  He took a slushie to the eye!!  And it must have been a good excuse for him to go to New York and star on Broadway. 
• Again I say:  I had forgotten that those are the real lyrics to Bad.  I keep getting it mixed up with Weird Al's Fat.
• Could they have a more random list of MJ songs?
• Rachel, take Quinn's advice!  Well, take some of it.  Don't get married NOW!  Date the guy through college then see!  I hate the she only said yes because she thought she wasn't getting into NYADA.

I loved the episode, even if it was random.  But REALLY waiting for the Valentine's day episode.  Samuel from the Glee project is going to be in it.  As wells as Rachel's dads!