Show My Face

Six Word Saturday

2012-02-11T03:02:00.000-05:00

Husband in India, I'm running amok

Want to play along? All that's necessary to participate is to describe your life (or something) in a phrase using just six words. For more information, try clicking here. Feel free to explain or not explain. Add an image, a video, a song, nothing. I love seeing what everyone does with their entries.

Each week (probably on Sunday or Monday), I use random.org to select a bunch of entries to visit. Or I visit everyone. Or even numbered entries. Or odd numbered entries. Or multiples of three. Depends on what's going on that week. In addition, please visit the person ahead of you on the list (or visit everyone if you like!). That way everyone receives at least one visit!

If you play along in your blog, please add a link to the Mr. Linky. I appreciate a link back (shiny code below if you like!). Otherwise, you're welcome to leave your six words in this post as a comment.

Please be sure to link either to your main page or (preferably) directly to the 6WS post. Links to blogs that do not contain a 6WS entry will be removed (sorry, just the button in the sidebar doesn't count as participating).

Why the ER Should Forgive My Debt

2012-02-09T09:51:00.000-05:00

Remember two and a half months ago when Joe was in the ER and had his appendix out and then two weeks later I was in the ER for dehydration and then 10 days later I was in the urgent care because I tried to sew my finger onto a scarf? Seriously, this girl knows how to celebrate the holidays! We've received and paid (or set up a payment plan) all of those bills, except for my ER bill. We received an initial statement (you know, the kind that says in large letters THIS IS NOT A BILL) indicating they would submit around $4k in charges to the insurance and then nothing happened.

Today, I would like to present my case for why they should forgive my bill completely.

1. When I arrived at the ER, I filled out their little form to enter me into the computer system. Two hours or so later, Joe asked if they would be calling me soon because we had been waiting a long time. They had never put me in the system, despite having my form in their pile of papers. They then rushed me through as the next patient and straight to a bed for treatment, everyone along the line apologizing profusely and calling me a saint for my patience. I did not make a big deal of this since once the mistake was discovered, they reacted properly to make it as right as they could. I even got an apology note in my release papers.

2. My husband has already set up a payment plan with the same hospital for the eleventy bajillion dollars we owed for the removal of his appendix. Can't we through in a little dehydration visit for free?

3. After two months of receiving no bill and ~~daily stalking~~ occasionally checking the insurance website but seeing no submissions, I actually had to call them this week and say "Could you please send me a bill so I can give you some money?" They had the wrong insurance policy number. Would they have waited indefinitely if I hadn't called? I think the fact that I had to call and ask for a bill should mean my debt is forgiven.

4. Isn't there some statute of limitiations on billing? Like if I don't receive a bill in a timely fashion for services rendered, too bad for them?

My guess is that I'll have to pay them somewhere between $85 (the amount left to reach my deductible for the year) and $872, which would be my deductible remainder plus 20% of the $4k. I'm assuming they'll discount the bill considerably once the insurance gets hold of it, so hopefully it won't be too bad.

Especially after the discount I'll get for reasons 1-4 above. Right?

Jealous of Prison Inmates - No More!

2012-02-07T09:00:00.000-05:00

Are you watching the new show, Alcatraz? Or, are you familiar with what an Alcatraz prison cell looks like?

Image from this site

Their cells look like that.

Anyways, we started watching this show when it premiered a few weeks ago. Overall, I'm not sure that it's amazing. But they keep showing those cells. And what I see is those two shelves. Awesome bookshelves. I'm SO envious of those inmates with their bookshelves.

Or, I was jealous of their bookshelves.

Last week, I went to Target and bought three inexpensive bookshelves for less than $20 each. I assembled them and put all my crap on them and I'm quite pleased.

Even more pleasing? I'm no longer considering doing something to necessitate a prison sentence just to have a place to store my books. Awesome.

Six Word Saturday

2012-02-04T03:02:00.000-05:00

organizing my things organizes my brain

Answering 21 Questions

2012-02-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

This is the second part of last week's post.

I tweeted the following:

Let's do this - you ask me some questions, I'll answer them in tomorrow's post. Anything you like. You have 30 minutes.

I answered the two reasonable questions from normal people last Tuesday. Which leaves for today the twenty one questions asked by my "friend" Sarah. She saw my tweet as a challenge and she rose to the occasion. Since I promised (and she seemed fine with me dragging them out a bit), here are my answers to the random questions she came up with.

How many apples can you balance on your forehead at once?

I'm going to guess one. I didn't have any apples handy to try but I was able to balance one cell phone and all the cat hair you can eat on my forehead.

What is the first book you chose to read more than once- not including Dr. Suess. That's too easy.

Probably Anne of Green Gables.

What tv show have you watched the most episodes of?

I watched the entire series of Lost. And all seven or eight seasons of 24. Most recently, I'm up to the middle of Season 6 of How I Met Your Mother, which I only started about two months ago.

If you were trapped on a desert island, and could have any man- other than Joe- there with you, how long before you killed him?

However long it took for him to kill all spiders/creepy crawlies plus about three seconds.

Why are pin cushions shaped like tomatoes with a strawberry? And is it a strawberry or a pepper? There's debate on that, here.

First, it's definitely a strawberry. I'm not as sure on the "why" but I imagine whoever made the first pin cushion had leftover red fabric which is why we got a tomato instead of a lemon or lime.

How would you fill in the blank: "I like my coffee like I like my _____."?

Oxygen. (aka: always available)

What is your secret method for keeping cut flowers alive?

I keep that method secret even from me. My secret is to replace them frequently.

What do monkeys and mammoths have in common?

Both look adorable in little bowties and top hats.

If one of them had to disappear, PBS or NPR?

PBS. Only because I'm currently obsessed with StoryCorps on NPR.

How often do you turn your camera horizontally when doing art photography?

24.7% of the time.

Should leather jackets be pink or teal?

No.

Should shirts have words printed on them?

Not in public.

What's the worst thing (you're going to have to work hard on this one) about not being in an office setting anymore?

I have to pay for my own coffee.

Mechanical or wood?

Mechanical for writing. Wood for drawing/sketching.

What's the best pickup line you've ever used?

Maybe you've been eaten here before.

Kathy Griffin- with or without bangs?

I prefer my Kathy Griffin with Anderson Cooper. Bangs optional.

What kind of accents do accent walls have?

Croatian.

When are rose petals "too much"?

When they turn moldy and start to smell bad.

What is too old for long hair? For dudes, specifically.

I prefer my men with fairly short hair. I'm going to go with thirteen.

When is the last time you were pleased with a candid photo of yourself?

Two years ago.

What's the best time of day to stop drinking?

Probably BEFORE I open myself up to thirty minutes of questions on Twitter.

NAILED IT!

Will it Fit?

2012-01-31T11:07:00.001-05:00

This weekend, we went to World Market and bought a media cabinet. Fully assembled, the cabinet is 62 inches long - the box was closer to 6 feet. As we backed Joe's Prius up to the loading dock, the store employee just shook his head.

We've seen that reaction before - that look of "who are you kidding, this is never going to fit in there." We've also seen the disbelief before when, indeed, this DOES fit in there.

"Did you see that Hummer pull out as you pulled in? He bought the same cabinet. We had to tie his hatch down. Hope he wasn't going far." We then closed the hatch on the Prius and took off for home.

Other things we've fit in the back of that car:

three boxed toilets
a full-size porch door
a futon
50 inch tv
2 angry (caged) kitties
5 adults, comfortably enough to get around town (wouldn't want to road trip)

My point? Don't tell me you HAVE to have that big-ass SUV to haul stuff. We can get just as much or more in some cases in our little Prius. And then when you're getting 16 mpg riding around town with an empty cargo space, we're getting 50mpg. If you want/need the SUV for other reasons (the Prius isn't great in snow, for example), that's fine. But don't tell me it's because of cargo space.

P.S. Sarah's ~~eleventy bajillion~~ 21 questions are coming Thursday.

Six Word Saturday

2012-01-28T03:02:00.000-05:00

c'mon, weather, make up your mind!

Answering Two Questions

2012-01-26T15:35:00.001-05:00

Since I skipped the questions I was supposed to answer on Tuesday's post and I also had no idea what to post about today, I tweeted the following last night:

Let's do this - you ask me some questions, I'll answer them in tomorrow's post. Anything you like. You have 30 minutes.

After which, I received two questions from "normal" people, and 21 questions from my "friend" Sarah. I'll tackle Sarah's questions next week but since today's post is already late (I had a busy morning and I was too distracted assembling new bookshelves last night/this morning to blog), let's just answer the questions from people who aren't overtly insane.

@CBethTweet asks: "What's your favorite fast dinner? (Optional: One to be cooked inside, one to be cooked on the grill)". Thank you, Beth, for asking one reasonable question. I may have griped about the two part answer but you labeled it "optional" and did not follow it up with 20 additional questions.

A quick but awesome inside dinner is a pasta dish I tweeted about earlier this week. Boil some angel hair pasta. Put some olive oil in a pan, saute some garlic, onion, and red pepper flakes. Dump in some basil and a can of diced tomatoes, including the juice. Stir and let it cook down until most of the liquid is evaporated. Remove from heat and stir in a small can of evaporated milk. Toss with pasta and bury in parmesan cheese. I like this because it's very forgiving. If you're too lazy to chop up some onion or if you don't like the heat of the red pepper flakes or you're out of basil, it doesn't really matter. Sometimes I like to splash a little white wine in ~~my mouth~~ the pan before adding the basil and tomatoes. And sometimes we add some cooked shrimp or chicken to make it more hearty.

I find the majority of grilled meals to be quick. Let's go with salmon. Joe slathers on a little olive oil and some salt/pepper. Then he takes it outside and I have no idea what he does with it until he brings it back in to the table. It's like a tv cooking show - voila, it's prepared! A quick side salad or a microwaved baked potato and we're in business.

@religionbites asks: When & how did you meet your beloved Joe?. Thanks, Patti, for asking one question. Though I guess it's also kind of a two-parter if I want to get technical about it.

Joe and I attended neighboring high schools and a mutual friend asked if I'd go to their prom with Joe. I told him since I had never met this Joe guy, I'd like to at least meet him first to make sure he wasn't a serial killer. We went on our first date (a double date with mutual friend and his woman of the week) about a month before prom and have been together since. First Date Fun Fact: I've always been more or less anxious and spazzy, including the night of that first date. I called and told my friend I wasn't going and begged to cancel. He wouldn't let me. I then seriously considered jumping out of the car at a stop sign. Yeah, I had serious game.

Next week, I'll deal with Sarah's many questions. In fact, I may spend both posts next week dealing with Sarah's many questions.

Some Random Stuff

2012-01-24T10:20:00.000-05:00

I have friends who participate in a Random Tuesday post. And then I was tagged over at Torizworld. While I'm not always responsive to tagging, I had a whole lot of nothing for today so I'm gonna go with it as an opportunity to share some of the little things bouncing around in my head that haven't been worth an entire post.

Eleven Random Things About Me: (aka the small stuff that isn't necessarily small or at all related to each other)

1. This morning, I woke up to discover a friend request on FB from a convicted murderer sitting on death row. I accepted. And then I spent two hours reading about the denials for a new trial and appeals and lost untested evidence and circumstantial evidence. I spent that time mourning for his family - I was 13 at the time he was arrested for murdering his estranged wife and her boyfriend. He left behind four children younger than me and they continue to go into debt to seek a new trial for their father. They (and I, for what it's worth) believe in his innocence and they've spent the last 17 years missing their dad. Sad as hell.

2. I told my grandmother that Joe is excited about going to India for work. Five minutes later, she said "where's he going in Chile?" No, Gramma, not Chile. India. "Oh, I always confuse them because they're so close to each other." Huh?

3. I told my parents that Joe is excited about going to India for work. "Why?" Why is he going for work? "No, why would he be excited about it."

4. In looking up tourist attractions for his trip (not that he's going to have much time for that kind of thing), we came across the Art of Living Center. Wow, is their Bangalore ashram ever beautiful. Anyone have any experience with this organization? They're non-denominational and seem to do some really interesting things. They have programs everywhere, including my undisclosed location, and I'm considering their intro course about meditation next month.

5. Next month. Is almost here. How did that happen already?

6. I haven't reported on the kitties in awhile. They haven't been interested in blogging because they seem to be hibernating for the winter. Tonya's had a nice spring in her step lately and we made a resolution for Rusty that he wouldn't poo outside the box anymore. So far, he's "only" done it three times, which is, sadly, a huge improvement.

7. I mentioned on Saturday that the new routine is kinda working. I'm still falling short of things every day, but overall there is progress. I even managed to spend some time yesterday brainstorming some edits for a story.

8. My sister took pictures of my nephew, staged to look like mugshots. I don't think she should encourage that. Kid is a (completely awesome) terror. I don't dare ask what crime was committed.

9. I had a dream last night about a baby. Her name was Paige. I'm pretty sure that had more to do with caring for a book (Paige = page) than it did with an actual baby. Right?!?!

10. If anyone ever tells you that Mary Karr's The Liars' Club is a funny book? They are lying.

11. Is it Spring yet? I don't mind the temperatures and I wouldn't even mind some snow. But I do mind how gloomy everything looks right now.

So, that's eleven. I'm also supposed to answer eleven questions and tag some people. I'm not going to do that because this is already long. And also because it's my blog and you can't make me.

Six Word Saturday

2012-01-21T03:02:00.000-05:00

finally getting the hang of this

After two weeks of the new routine, it's finally starting to feel, well, routine. I even managed to visit more than 50% of 6WS entries last week!

Is It Supposed To Look Like This?

2012-01-19T09:00:00.000-05:00

I've spent a lot of time this week working on my resume. Finally, I was ready for my husband to take a look.

me: I'm only concerned about the content right now. I know the formatting needs work.
Joe: Okay, sounds good. Formatting isn't my thing anyways.
me: Thanks!
a few minutes pass
Joe: Is it supposed to look like this?
me: Seriously?!?! I said disregard the formatting! I'll fix it later!
Joe: Okay.

We have some discussion about various job duties and wording.

me: (pointing to Joe's screen) What's with my name?
Joe: You mean how it's not actually your name?
me: Must be you don't have that font installed so it's just symbols.
Joe: That's what I pointed out an hour ago when I asked if it was supposed to look like that.
me: Oooooooh.
Joe: I was wondering how you managed to spell your name wrong.

One school of thought would say that I shouldn't have been so quick to assume he was picking on the design of my resume. The other school of thought would say that Joe should've said "your name is appearing incorrectly" instead of being so obtuse.

Guess which school of thought I attend? Yeah, the second one. (Duh.)

Two Rules of the Husband

2012-01-17T09:13:00.003-05:00

A couple of weeks ago, I baked little heart cakes to enjoy after dinner. Unfortunately, I was a bit distracted chatting with my pal SomeMonkey and they burned a bit.

me: crap, i burned the cakes
i checked them, the top was still really wet but now they're burnt
SomeMonkey: are they burnt on the bottom or something? or through?
me: the one is just the bottom
the other, seems a bit more through
i think i can salvage the one
and i'll eat the smaller less-hearty looking one
thankfully, i know the two rules of the husband
1. he'll forgive anything if it tastes good
2. he thinks everything tastes good after enough alcohol

And that is why I then poked in a few holes in the plain yellow cakes and doused them in Baileys. And that is why I was then heavy-handed in mixing the husband's drinks. And that is also why he thinks those were the best cakes EVER!!!

P.S. It may also be why he woke up with a headache the next morning.

Six Word Saturday

2012-01-14T03:02:00.000-05:00

stop being sad, be awesome instead

If you get the reference, I'll send you all the cat hair you can eat. For the record, I am NOT sad. Just awesome.

Will It Crock?!?!

2012-01-12T08:59:00.003-05:00

Remember how a million years ago there was a company with super-powerful blenders and they came up with this really viral marketing campaign called Will It Blend?"? (Question - did that sentence really need an extra question mark? Does it just show that I'm double questionny?) The idea was that their blender was SO awesome that you could put in anything and it would blend it up. Ipods, skeletons, glow sticks. Yeah, so they'd make a video of them sticking this random stuff in their blender and seeing if it would blend. (Spoiler: it always blends.)

Yesterday, I used another kitchen appliance to invent a new ~~game~~ method of cooking called "Will It Crock?" (Again, I'm questioning the punctuation. I need to look this stuff up.) By which I mean, if I stick all this crap in my slow cooker and set it on low for 8-10 hours, will it be edible?

This week's "recipe" includes: pork roast, a can of flat Coke from 2006, half a bottle of Kraft Basil Parmesan Vinaigrette w/ Olive Oil (that expired in Sept of 2010), Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, part of an old onion, and red pepper flakes.

Verdict: The pork was tender and yummy. Joe was pleased with his dinner. We both survived the night without intestinal distress. So, yes, it WILL crock!!!

New Posting Schedule

2012-01-10T10:15:00.001-05:00

Yesterday officially began my new year and it wasn't a bad start. I didn't get everything on my list done because some things took longer than others. And that's okay. What I'm hoping is that the list will become the normal - I didn't expect it to necessarily happen on the first day. It takes awhile to find that new routine, especially when you're busy playing catch-up.

One of the things I'm carving out specific time (one hour) for each day is blogging. It's hard to keep up with multiple blogs and even though I gave myself permission not to post every day, there was no set schedule and so every day I was still feeling that anxiety about whether or not I should post something. Now, I have a nice schedule I'll be trying out - this blog is scheduled for Tuesday, Thursday, and of course (Six Word) Saturday. I've set similar schedules for my other blogs.

I've also dedicated a certain amount of time to other priorities - freelancing/professional activities, reading, writing. Exercise I tackled a bit differently - a minimum amount of time per week. The latest suggestions are at least 30 minutes a day so my weekly goal is no less than 210 minutes (excepting legit interruptions like sickness or travel). More is obviously better but I feel good about that as a minimum requirement.

There are other things I'm trying to incorporate into my routine as well. Quick daily activities that keep the house from raging out of control. Tasks that keep me organized. All of it with the goal of moving towards goals this year instead of just treading water.

Not every post is going to be rocket science but within a few weeks, I hope they will at least be appearing regularly and the goodness will come with time. I like writing and storytelling - and I want this blog to get back to that.

I hope 2012 is behaving for everyone so far!

Six Word Saturday

2012-01-07T03:02:00.000-05:00

my new year starts on Monday

Yes, that's right. I've decided that my new year officially starts on Monday. This past week involved some travel (Lake Tahoe and Reno are beautiful) and some ups and downs and unnecessary drama and a general lack of routine. And that's okay. I'm thinking of it as a transitional period. Monday, Joe will be back to a normal work schedule which means I can also get myself on a regular schedule of so many things - exercising, posting, writing, reading, 6WS-visiting, and the other bajillion things that go into this thing I call life. I'm excited!

Word of the Year: 2012

2012-01-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

Each year, I pick a word that I want to guide me. You can see past picks in my sidebar to the right. Last year's choice, better wasn't a huge success. This year, I'm choosing mindful.

Main Entry: mind·ful
Pronunciation: \ˈmīn(d)-fəl\
Function: adjective

1: attentive, aware, or careful (usually followed by of)
2: tending toward awareness and appreciation
3: having specified facts or feelings actively impressed on the mind

Synonyms: alive, conscious, cognizant, sensible, thoughtful, vigilant
Antonyms: absent-minded, careless, unaware, insensitive, oblivious

I've cobbled together the above from several online dictionaries and thesauruses. (Thesauri?)

Here's what mindful means to me for the new year:

aware of long-term goals when making short-term choices
appreciative of opportunities in the here and now
thoughtful about the effect my words and actions have on me, others, the world
able to find gratitude in current situations even if they aren't my ideal

How does that apply on a practical level? I'll think (long-term) before I act (short-term). It comes down to being conscious of my goals at all times, making them a priority over instant gratification. It also means making the most of this moment as I seek those results. I'll skip the right-now-yumminess of that cookie because I'm focused on my overall health and weight goals. I'll take ownership of my actions and attitude in my current place instead of using circumstances outside of my control as an excuse to be lazy. I'll appreciate the efforts of those around me and be aware of the attitude and effort I'm giving back to them.

A lot of this is about approach. Instead of seeing myself as unemployed while I wait for Joe's job situation to work itself out, I now consider myself a full-time freelancer. I will dedicate time each day to actively seeking new opportunities. (Know anyone that needs some writing, editing, or marketing done? Hook me up!) Instead of focusing on the overwhelming amount of weight I need to lose, I'll concentrate on the benefits of being active, drinking water, and taking vitamins every day - all of these things have immediate advantages in addition to moving me towards a lower number on the scale. I will take the small steps necessary now to make progress towards those larger goals.

I've experienced a lot of discontent and depressions and anxiety this year. My attempt to change this is in being mindful. If I'm making more deliberate decisions and being more aware of my destination, maybe that will bring me some peace of mind.

So, in 2012, I intend to move forward even though we're still in a place of flux with Joe's job. I wasted the majority of 2011 because I was waiting and putting too much responsibility on him. He has enough worries without me running amok. It's time for me to make my own way. It's time to remember where I'm going so I can actually get there. I hope that twelve months from now, I can look back and say that I was indeed mindful in my thoughts and actions.

Six Word Saturday

2011-12-31T03:02:00.000-05:00

wishing us all joy in 2012

Thank you for joining me for the chaos that was 2011. There was joy, there was disappointment, there was progress, there was regression. Next year at this time, I hope to find myself in a more content state of mind. I wish that for all of you reading as well.

BlogHer Book Club: The Magic Room (Jeffrey Zaslow)

2011-12-27T14:21:00.002-05:00

The Magic Room: A Story About the Love We Wish for Our Daughters by Jeffrey Zaslow

Many books feature a short title followed by a longer subtitle that gives a hint to the focus of the book. This book is about a Magic Room. It is not, however, a story about the love we wish for our daughters. I tried to come up with a better statement of focus but failed. Fitting, as I felt the book lacked focus overall. The three pieces of this book never quite come together, though each on its own holds potential.

The main focus is Becker's Bridal and the generations of family who have run the store in small-town Fowler, Michigan. Becker's Bridal is also home to the Magic Room, a special space defined by mirrors and lighting where brides-to-be bring their final selection for tears, family bonding, and eventually fittings. The book also features the stories of eight brides who make their way through the sales process at Becker's Bridal from their first visit to their fitting to their wedding day. Zaslow's final focus is on sharing a lot of research and survey information regarding the changes to marriage, societal norms, and the wedding industry over the years. He tries to intersperse these facts into the stories of the Becker family and the brides but it often feels out of place.

Overall, I thought there was a lot of potential but that the book was poorly organized and executed. I could not pinpoint a clear purpose for this book - was it to tell the story of the shop, the Becker family, the brides, or society? Establishing a clear purpose often helps non-fiction works fall into place organizationally and I feel that this book suffered for lack of that definition. Zaslow has applied a very factual presentatation style to stories that begged for more emotion. The stories of the brides were divided into three parts each and scattered throughout the book. I found myself wishing he had kept these tales whole as I frequently forgot each bride's story by the time he returned to it. The trials of a widow remarrying quickly despite friction with her kids and the triumphs of a newly-engaged woman recovering from a horrible accident would've been more compelling told as a whole. Story flow was decreased by facts and figures about everything from divorce rates to sexual promiscuity to bridal shop failures while not providing enough information to be considered a real examination of societal changes. Perhaps organizing the book into three separarate sections - Becker family/shop, Becker brides, relevant research tied back to the stories - would create a more cohesive experience for the reader.

If you're interested in reading The Magic Room by Jeffrey Zaslow, you can purchase it from a retailer such as Amazon. Or, once I'm finished with my BlogHer Book Club duties, I am willing to forward along my copy to an interested reader. For more discussions about this book, check out the conversations at BlogHer.

This post is part of the BlogHer Book Club. I received a small payment and a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion and discussion participation.

Six Word Saturday

2011-12-24T03:02:00.000-05:00

enjoying the holiday after much drama

Holiday Greetings

2011-12-23T12:02:00.000-05:00

With everything that's happened in the last month, I had to let go of a few ideas I had for making Christmas gifts and decorations. However, sending warm holiday greetings to my friends is always a priority and I made sure to mail out bunches of cards.

And of course, I had to uphold the tradition of creating a special greeting for my bloggy pals.

Whatever holiday you do or don't celebrate this time of year, I thank you all for the kindness you've shown me. Some of you wave in passing, others have become very dear friends. But I'm thankful for each of you and hope you all feel loved.

How I Gave Christmas the Finger

2011-12-19T09:06:00.000-05:00

To catch up on the past month or so of my life, it's involved Joe turning down a job, Joe's rebellious appendix, and my stomach virus. The longer version can be found here in this handy post from last week.

My six words this weekend were "busy making up for lost time" - and we were doing an amazing job. Yesterday morning, while Joe went for a massage (I had mine on Saturday), I was finishing up some Christmas gifts for the family. Beautiful ruffled scarves that are so easy to make - cut the fabric, run them through the sewing machine twice (straight lines), then pull the bottom thread.

Except somehow, on scarf #2, it all went very wrong. Feel free to skip the next paragraph if you are the cringe-y type.

CRINGE WARNING: I managed to stick my left index finger under the sewing needle as it was running. The needle went twice through the nail before it broke and I got the machine stopped. Then there was a lot of bleeding and sobbing and swearing. When Joe returned home from his massage, we decided it was best to go to the urgent care because we couldn't find part of the needle and we were afraid it might still be in my finger.

CRINGING OVER!

They did an x-ray to be sure there was no bone fracture and no needle still in my finger (all clear!) and then cleaned things up for me and sent me on my way. My finger is in what they call a "froggy" - it's a metal and foam splint that wraps around your finger, mostly to keep me from smashing it into things. And they wrapped the tip of the finger in a bandaid.

Yes, that IS Daffy Duck. Jealous? The nurse wanted to use that size and that's the only one she had. I'm totally rocking it. Once the nail regrows (no picture of that - it's kinda gross), everything should be just fine.

And that's the story of how I gave Christmas the finger. Or maybe how Christmas gave ME the finger.

P.S. I was so mad at myself that I came home and finished all four scarves. Screw you, sewing machine!

P.P.S. I'm SO over all of this drama.

P.P.P.S. Typing is hard without that finger. I probably won't be commenting on many 6WS posts again this week.

Six Word Saturday

2011-12-17T03:02:00.000-05:00

busy making up for lost time

Where's Cate?

2011-12-14T10:00:00.001-05:00

I haven't been blogging much lately and while I don't really feel like I owe an explanation (it's MY blog!), I'm going to give one. Mostly because I need to reflect a bit.

The week before Thanksgiving, we were all wrapped up in Joe's possible job offer. Which he ended up turning down.

The week of Thanksgiving, Joe had an emergency appendectomy.

The week after Thanksgiving, Joe was still recuperating and we were slowly returning to normal.

Last week, I got a nasty stomach virus, which put me in the hospital with dehydration, and then afterwards I was (and still sorta am) dealing with the remnants of the stomach virus.

Which brings us to this week.

I'm still having some virus-related issues and I'm exhausted.

I'm completely behind on my holiday plans, which involved making a lot of gifts because that's more thoughtful than placing Amazon orders off wish lists. Not that there's anything wrong with that, just that it's not what I wanted to do this year. Only, since I lost the better part of 4 weeks, I'm running out of time. So last night we went shopping at Ten Thousand Villages and took care of most of the gifts we needed to buy. It seemed like a great compromise between buying plastic crap and just making charitable donations in our families' names since they ~~are selfish bitches who want presents, dammit~~ will not get a gift and we've supported fair trade and people in developing countries.

But mostly what I'm dealing with right now is a ridiculous amount of anxiety relating to medical bills. I'm glad we have access to healthcare. I'm glad we have insurance. I'm glad Joe and I are both recovering from our unrelated ailments. I'm glad he's made smart financial decisions that mean we'll be able to set up a payment plan and be okay. Still, realizing how much we might end up owing with both of us being sick within 2 weeks of each other is causing a big huge mental funk. Add to that the usual depression I feel around the holidays and my mind is a bit of a mess.

So where's Cate? I'm here, but I'm struggling. I'm getting through each day the only way I know how - a mix of working furiously through my to-do lists and hiding under the blankets. I haven't been blogging. I didn't visit any 6WS posts this week. I'm having trouble finding the joy of the season.

That's where Cate is right now. On the edge but hanging on with all her might. And talking about herself in the third person.

Why did I share this? It's not that I want a million comments full of pats on the head and sympathy. I just want to serve as a gentle reminder that there are people out there right now who are fighting. Depression this time of year - between the weather, lack of daylight, and holiday expectations - is a big deal. If you're suffering from it, know you are not alone and we WILL get through it. If you're fortunate enough to not be suffering a down time, you can do two things for me: be grateful for your blessings and be kind to those around you because we may not all be feeling so blessed.

Six Word Saturday

2011-12-10T03:02:00.000-05:00

three weeks I'll never get back

For the faithful who may have noticed I didn't post at all this week, it was another (almost) complete loss. I ended up first in urgent care and then in the emergency room being treated for severe dehydration caused by a nasty stomach virus. So between Joe's appendix and my stomach, the last three weeks have been almost completely unproductive. I dare not make any predictions or dreams for the future.

Another six words: One day at a time, folks!