You lucky dogs!
So, I had intended to be at a design/art fair thingy, today, but I was stood up by the fellow who asked me to go.
I do NOT take kindly to being stood up, and I kind of made that plain when he called (45 minutes after we were supposed to go to the fair) to apologize profusely and beg for a do-over, to take place tomorrow. I am making an exception, this time, and granting one.
And I will give him s*!& forever about it, if he manages not to sleep through our appointed date time (we were going to meet at his house - near the location of the fair - and I sat outside the place for 20 minutes. After knocking. And calling. And texting.)
SO.
What am I doing, instead? Reviewing my annual budget figures using the new numbers from my salary (woohoo!) and looking for places to live.
My lease is up July 9, and I don't like to leave these things until the last minute. I'm in the process of negotiating to see an apartment in Montrose on Tuesday, hopefully, that's in my budget and will allow me to make decent contributions to my 401(k), Roth IRA, and savings accounts, because I have some serious catching up to do, now that I'm leaving grad school.
Because "smart women finish rich," according to an excellent book my mom once gave me (by the same title) that helped me target my financial goals. Of course, it also caused huge anxiety when my 401(k) from 2007-2008 lost 2/3 of its value, but whatever. I'm young, right? Right...
And now, I think I'm going to work on my much neglected design scrapbooks. They're big (12" x 18"), and I miss working on them. So here I go to wreck some scissors and get my hands all sticky! Fun!
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Hallelujah!
I saw my doctor, today, about the whole candida infection thingy. I'm doing much better (with one major/minor exception, which we won't go into here, because it's not THAT big of a deal, usually). She was very pleased, as was I.
Huzzah!
Also, I asked her, during the appointment, if I could have 1) a glass of wine with my graduation luncheon; and 2) dessert at my graduation luncheon.
The answer: yes, but give it a trial run first to make sure I don't make myself ridiculously sick.
Wait, you mean I HAVE to have a glass of gluten-free alcohol and a gluten-free dessert between now and my graduation?
Oh, damn. I was really hoping... well, okay, I was hoping that I'd get to eat a gluten-free dessert and drink booze, so...
Huzzah!!!
In other news, I've been reading, since my thesis presentation took place. And, I mean, reading a lot. I just finished reading Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, which was spooky, but not keepyouupatnight spooky (unless you're upatnight because you're addicted to the book. Melatonin took care of that, for me).
Neverwhere is about a guy named Richard Mayhew. And a girl named Door. And people who speak to rats and don't ever keep their lives on their person and hunters and bloodthirsty assassins and angels and general amazingness. Because Neil Gaiman is generally amazing.
I recommend it.
Highly.
(I also just discovered that it was a TV series in the 1990s. Crazy.)
And now, I'm reading Where'd You Go Bernadetter?, which has a chick-lit looking cover, so I never would have bought it, in the book store, if not for the fact that one of the bloggers on BoingBoing.net recommended it.
It's told through multiple viewpoints: emails, first-person narrative, etc. and it essentially involves the disappearance of one Bernadette, mother to Bee and wife to Elgin, who has some emotional issues (like severe agoraphobia), along with a virtual personal assistant in India ($30/week? Sign me up, baby!). So far, it's pretty engrossing. I'm about 1/3 of the way through it.
And now, on to plan my gluten-free dessert-fest, because I'm going to space out the consumption of dessert and booze. You know. Just to make sure...
Huzzah!
Also, I asked her, during the appointment, if I could have 1) a glass of wine with my graduation luncheon; and 2) dessert at my graduation luncheon.
The answer: yes, but give it a trial run first to make sure I don't make myself ridiculously sick.
Wait, you mean I HAVE to have a glass of gluten-free alcohol and a gluten-free dessert between now and my graduation?
Oh, damn. I was really hoping... well, okay, I was hoping that I'd get to eat a gluten-free dessert and drink booze, so...
Huzzah!!!
In other news, I've been reading, since my thesis presentation took place. And, I mean, reading a lot. I just finished reading Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, which was spooky, but not keepyouupatnight spooky (unless you're upatnight because you're addicted to the book. Melatonin took care of that, for me).
Neverwhere is about a guy named Richard Mayhew. And a girl named Door. And people who speak to rats and don't ever keep their lives on their person and hunters and bloodthirsty assassins and angels and general amazingness. Because Neil Gaiman is generally amazing.
I recommend it.
Highly.
(I also just discovered that it was a TV series in the 1990s. Crazy.)
And now, I'm reading Where'd You Go Bernadetter?, which has a chick-lit looking cover, so I never would have bought it, in the book store, if not for the fact that one of the bloggers on BoingBoing.net recommended it.
It's told through multiple viewpoints: emails, first-person narrative, etc. and it essentially involves the disappearance of one Bernadette, mother to Bee and wife to Elgin, who has some emotional issues (like severe agoraphobia), along with a virtual personal assistant in India ($30/week? Sign me up, baby!). So far, it's pretty engrossing. I'm about 1/3 of the way through it.
 |
| An American Girl doll dressed up as Bernadette, standing next to the book. Awesomeness. |
And now, on to plan my gluten-free dessert-fest, because I'm going to space out the consumption of dessert and booze. You know. Just to make sure...
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Since FOREVER
That is how long it has been since I last wrote.
And, yes, I understand that almost every one of my most recent blog posts begins with me confessing to how terrible a blogger I am. It's part of my guilt/anxiety issues. You can talk to my former psychologist about it. (Actually, no, you can't: she legally can't discuss it with you, regardless of whether you buy her a beer or not).
Lots of things have happened:
1) I began the candida (yeast) cleanse and have seen pretty good results.
2) I discovered I have a benign cyst in my brain (because I need another medical issue. No really.)
3) I was informed that I have the 2nd highest GPA in my graduating class. WOOT!
4) I got a job. WOOT WOOT!
#1 Candida Cleanse
I've been dairy-, grain-, vinegar-, mushroom-, sugar-, and soy-free for over a month, now. I think it's actually been about 6 weeks. I've completed all the anti-fungal medications I've had to take, and I feel better.
Up until about two weeks ago, though, I did NOT feel better. I was exhausted constantly, despite the cortisol and hormone supplementation, the vitamins, and the B12 I was taking. And, due to some hormonal abnormalities my non-holistic doctor noted before I began the yeast cleanse, I had to go in for an MRI to see if I had a tumor on my pituitary gland.
The good news: No tumor, and I've now met my $2500 deductible for the year (okay, the second one is only sort-of good news).
The bad news: I have a cyst on my pineal gland.
#2 Cyst on my pineal gland.
What the hell is a pineal gland? Well, it's a gland shaped like a pine cone (thus the pineal part) that regulates the body's production of melatonin. And what does melatonin do? It partially helps regulate your sleep cycle. And when does your body create melatonin? When you sleep (it's a whole big cyclical cyclical cyclical thing). When I did some research into my pineal gland and its function, I realized that its presence - and hindrance of melatonin production, because mine is large enough to be symptomatic - might be why I'm constantly tired.
Solution: supplement with melatonin. Result: feel more rested, less exhausted, and the full effects of the yeast cleanse kick in because I'm now sleeping.
Granted, I'm doing the whole "sleep four hours, awake 20-60 minutes, sleep four more hours" thing, but apparently, according to anthropologists, that's the way people are really kind of supposed to sleep. The problem comes when you stress out because you're not getting 8 solid hours of sleep. Don't stress out, just accept it, read a book, needlepoint, do whatever, and you'll go back to sleep eventually.
So, overall health: vastly improved. Migraine frequency: decreased. Energy levels: increased.
WOOT!
#3 Second-highest GPA.
I'm smart.
#4 I'm employed!
I interviewed with a large-ish local firm, and was hired. Granted, I interviewed three times - twice in-person, and once by phone - before I was hired, but still, I'm hired.
And it's a firm for which I REALLY wanted to work. And I'll be doing what I love: residential unit design.
"And the people rejoiced!"
I had hoped I'd have a week between the last week of school and my first week of work, but alas! It is not to be. I will actually be starting work on May 10, the day before my graduation (it's a Friday, which is an excellent day to kill by filling out forms and making 401(k) decisions, etcetera).
Fortunately, after my thesis presentation tomorrow (Monday, April 22, that is), I don't have a heck of a lot to do. I mean, sure, I have two papers due, but writing papers is one of the things I do best, and one of them is already (mostly) written. I just have a few graphics to create and then some blanks to fill in my paper, and the blanks are noted in bright red so I don't miss them when I'm looking at the file.
And it's a good thing that I don't have a ton of stuff to do, because I have a ton of stuff to do. I've been going through a "get this $@!^ out of my house!" phase, and as a result, I have a few bags of $@!^ piled up by my front door, mostly clothes I no longer wear - or have any desire to wear. I've even sorted through some of my books so I can purge them from my shelves.
That's how you know $@!^'s real. I have no intention of being completely altruistic and giving away all this bounty, however. Oh, no. I'm heading to Buffalo Exchange on this upcoming Tuesday to see how much I can get for that BCBG party dress, and that chiffon and lace shirt that's ten years old, looks brand new, and is WAY too big for this gal.
Did I mention I lost 10 lbs on the yeast cleanse? And that I'm considering sticking with the yeast cleanse uber-diet because I just feel better? And because I'm terrified of another candida infection? Because I totally am. Terrified. And feeling better.
Hopefully the cash from selling my clothes will be enough to help me on the route to buying an additional pair of flats, because I only really have two that I wear, and I'm afraid my favorites are getting worn out. Also, I need some pants, because I don't really have any work pants, these days.
So much to do. So much to do.
But for once, it feels nice.
And, yes, I understand that almost every one of my most recent blog posts begins with me confessing to how terrible a blogger I am. It's part of my guilt/anxiety issues. You can talk to my former psychologist about it. (Actually, no, you can't: she legally can't discuss it with you, regardless of whether you buy her a beer or not).
Lots of things have happened:
1) I began the candida (yeast) cleanse and have seen pretty good results.
2) I discovered I have a benign cyst in my brain (because I need another medical issue. No really.)
3) I was informed that I have the 2nd highest GPA in my graduating class. WOOT!
4) I got a job. WOOT WOOT!
#1 Candida Cleanse
I've been dairy-, grain-, vinegar-, mushroom-, sugar-, and soy-free for over a month, now. I think it's actually been about 6 weeks. I've completed all the anti-fungal medications I've had to take, and I feel better.
Up until about two weeks ago, though, I did NOT feel better. I was exhausted constantly, despite the cortisol and hormone supplementation, the vitamins, and the B12 I was taking. And, due to some hormonal abnormalities my non-holistic doctor noted before I began the yeast cleanse, I had to go in for an MRI to see if I had a tumor on my pituitary gland.
The good news: No tumor, and I've now met my $2500 deductible for the year (okay, the second one is only sort-of good news).
The bad news: I have a cyst on my pineal gland.
#2 Cyst on my pineal gland.
What the hell is a pineal gland? Well, it's a gland shaped like a pine cone (thus the pineal part) that regulates the body's production of melatonin. And what does melatonin do? It partially helps regulate your sleep cycle. And when does your body create melatonin? When you sleep (it's a whole big cyclical cyclical cyclical thing). When I did some research into my pineal gland and its function, I realized that its presence - and hindrance of melatonin production, because mine is large enough to be symptomatic - might be why I'm constantly tired.
Solution: supplement with melatonin. Result: feel more rested, less exhausted, and the full effects of the yeast cleanse kick in because I'm now sleeping.
Granted, I'm doing the whole "sleep four hours, awake 20-60 minutes, sleep four more hours" thing, but apparently, according to anthropologists, that's the way people are really kind of supposed to sleep. The problem comes when you stress out because you're not getting 8 solid hours of sleep. Don't stress out, just accept it, read a book, needlepoint, do whatever, and you'll go back to sleep eventually.
So, overall health: vastly improved. Migraine frequency: decreased. Energy levels: increased.
WOOT!
#3 Second-highest GPA.
I'm smart.
#4 I'm employed!
I interviewed with a large-ish local firm, and was hired. Granted, I interviewed three times - twice in-person, and once by phone - before I was hired, but still, I'm hired.
And it's a firm for which I REALLY wanted to work. And I'll be doing what I love: residential unit design.
"And the people rejoiced!"
Fortunately, after my thesis presentation tomorrow (Monday, April 22, that is), I don't have a heck of a lot to do. I mean, sure, I have two papers due, but writing papers is one of the things I do best, and one of them is already (mostly) written. I just have a few graphics to create and then some blanks to fill in my paper, and the blanks are noted in bright red so I don't miss them when I'm looking at the file.
And it's a good thing that I don't have a ton of stuff to do, because I have a ton of stuff to do. I've been going through a "get this $@!^ out of my house!" phase, and as a result, I have a few bags of $@!^ piled up by my front door, mostly clothes I no longer wear - or have any desire to wear. I've even sorted through some of my books so I can purge them from my shelves.
That's how you know $@!^'s real. I have no intention of being completely altruistic and giving away all this bounty, however. Oh, no. I'm heading to Buffalo Exchange on this upcoming Tuesday to see how much I can get for that BCBG party dress, and that chiffon and lace shirt that's ten years old, looks brand new, and is WAY too big for this gal.
Did I mention I lost 10 lbs on the yeast cleanse? And that I'm considering sticking with the yeast cleanse uber-diet because I just feel better? And because I'm terrified of another candida infection? Because I totally am. Terrified. And feeling better.
Hopefully the cash from selling my clothes will be enough to help me on the route to buying an additional pair of flats, because I only really have two that I wear, and I'm afraid my favorites are getting worn out. Also, I need some pants, because I don't really have any work pants, these days.
So much to do. So much to do.
But for once, it feels nice.
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