Wiffle ball

Hello!

Well, today started out a bit differently than usual. I did sleep in until about 10:00 a.m. Anyway, shortly after I woke up, my friend (PM) from a previous workplace texted me to ask if I could play on his wiffle ball team. They were short some girls and he knew that I lived nearby the field -- and he and I were on the same kickball team once, so he knows I like sports. It sounded intriguing, so I threw on some clothes and made it to the field shortly after the game started.

My first at-bat was a total embarrassment, but I felt pretty solid after that. The first time I hit the ball and started to run, I immediately felt pain in my left hip flexor ... primarily because I didn't stretch, didn't warm-up, and haven't sprinted in quite some time. Then, the second time, I got on base and had major pain in my right hip flexor -- like thought-I-was-gonna-have-to-leave-the-game bad. I ended up scoring that inning and, thankfully, it was the end of the game. I have been in pain ever since, but only on the right side. It mainly hurts when I walk and when I lift my leg for any reason, such as going up the stairs, repositioning myself on the bed/couch. I honestly think that a wiffle ball injury is more humiliating than my infamous cornhole injury. We'll see how it feels in the morning. Oh, it also hurts when I laugh or cough. LAUGH 'TIL YOU COUGH! Needless to say, the wiffle ball incident impeded my exercise goal, but at least I did something active.

The rest of the day has been pretty relaxing. I came home, worked on some mass emails, then watched some college football with my roommate. My friend (JM) and I went out to eat at MiMi's Cafe, and I got meatballs and ravioli. It was good!

Tomorrow is a big day for me! Not only is it my last day before the hospitalization, but I am going to my parents' house for a cookout and then the BRAVES GAME! I am really, really looking forward to it all, which is why I'm getting an early night's sleep.

I've got my Braves pajama shirt on. GO TEAM!

Loving the view from cloud 9

Oh man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Braves just made me so proud! When we were down 4-1 going into the 7th, I've got to admit I was getting a little concerned. Then, WAM BAM, THANK YOU MA'AM to tie it up in the 8th. It took 11 innings, but the Braves and Giants are now tied 1-1 in the 5-game series. Whew! I wish I could articulate how excited I am right now. It's funny because I'm so wound up that I don't even feel tired! It's so similar (yet different) from last night.

So, the Braves lost a very uneventful 1-0 game last night (Thursday...it's Friday in my mind right now). I mean, I think there were seven total hits between both teams and it was basically a pitchers' duel, although Lincecomb definitely outpitched Lowe. Anyway, I was just perturbed because of the umpire's botched call that kept a runner on base -- that particular runner being the only player who scored in the entire game. I literally was up in the night having a conniption fit over it. When I woke up this morning, it was the first thing that crossed my mind. Now, though, that junk is chump change. CHUMP CHANGE! AHH!

SUNDAY CAN'T COME SOON ENOUGH! I am exerting so much energy right now.

Well, yesterday (Thursday) was a really great day, despite the game. I received a comment on my blog that made my entire day, if not my whole week. It's incredible that something simple can make a big difference to someone. I find myself feeling so inspired this week. It's odd to imagine the 'woe is me' person I was on Monday when I feel so invincible now.

This morning I saw my cousin (BH) before her appointment with the CF doctor. We went to IHOP and I had a really great breakfast. PANCAKES! I was feeling so appreciative that I left a gigantic tip. Now, I know it's not really generosity if you feel like you need attention for it, but I am trying to illustrate that happiness/positivity really does have a snowball effect.

What else? My sinuses are causing pain in places I've never had it before, such as directly behind my eyeballs and in my cheekbones. I can truly say that I am looking forward to my surgery. RELIEF IS ON THE WAY!

Gosh, I need to chill out. It is 2:00 a.m. I'm going to try to get to sleep, I guess. Tomorrow's gonna be an alarm-free day. Oh, and I think I'll exercise.

LET'S! GO! BRAVES!

How things change again...

I am in totaaaaaaaally different spirits than I was on Monday, so get excited, y'all!

First, to give you an update, the rodent has been eRATicated. Last night when I got home from work I noticed a fly. Now, I remember doing a double-take, thinking that I'd never seen a fly in my house in two years. The fly was dying on the floor, so I went to the library and to Publix. Well, that's not why I went those places, but anyway... After my errands, I walked back in and saw a few more flies buzz by. At this point, with my malfunctioning nose, I decided (in my mind) that I smelled something. My roommate was not here to borrow her sense of smell, so I called my uncle. He came over, looked under the dishwasher (where I'd convinced myself the smell was), and said, "Your suspicions are confirmed." He then extracted the carcass. THIS IS A RAT-FREE ENVIRONMENT. Ugh, the weight of the dead rat in a grocery bag made me nauseous.

Speaking of nauseous, the Phillies pitched a no-hitter tonight. I'm hopeful that they've now blown their wad too early and will completely flop. Rather than smack-talking, I should probably just say that I'm way excited to watch the Braves tomorrow. My boss has even given me permission to wear Braves attire to work, so it's gonna be a great day! GO TEAM!

I've totally digested and accepted the hospital news, so that's just chump change to me at this point. Do y'all know what chump change is? I've always used that saying, especially with my family. I Googled it and there were results, so I guess I'm not crazy.

I know I sound totally soapboxish, but it's amazing what can happen when you spend your time on positive things. I had a related email conversation with a friend (SW) today, and it really is incredible the difference it can make. :-)

How things change...

Well, today went much differently than expected. That sentence sounds weird, but I'm out of it. Anyway, I went into work super early (7ish) because I wanted to get home early so that I could see a friend who is (was) leaving the state tomorrow. When I got to work I was very focused, knowing that I have a lot to accomplish this week before I take off for surgery. I emailed the staff about my upcoming leave and started cranking things out.

Out of nowhere I started getting a call from an unknown number. I could tell it was an Emory number, so I answered, thinking it probably had to do with surgery talk or something. To my surprise, it was one of the CF doctors. I still assumed she was calling to verify that all systems were go, but she was instead informing me that some tests from my doctor's appointment (on September 2) showed that I had developed a bacteria in my lungs. As you can imagine, I was very shocked - not only because that appointment was so long ago, but also because this information was nowhere to be found last week.

After an emotionally exhausting day, the new plan consists of me getting admitted to the hospital next Monday to start IVs, with surgery being postponed until next Thursday. As tough as today has been, I am feeling at peace with what is going to happen. Needless to say, I was too much of an emotional wreck to tack on the goodbye, so that has been postponed until tomorrow.

In positive news, THE BRAVES ARE IN THE PLAYOFFS. I am going to the game on Sunday! The doctor tried to get me to come into the hospital on Friday, but I negotiated my way out of it. When I was emailing the surgeon's assistant to explain my unrelenting need to get the date changed, I was like, "To be completely honest, I am a die-hard Braves fan." She was very sweet and encouraging - one of the highlights of my day. My friend (ES) gave me some Braves SillyBandz today! I have on a tomahawk right now.

I am running on low emotional fuel right now, so I'm going to go to sleep. Although I never would have imagined it earlier in the day, I'm starting to see the positive...

Thank you for any thoughts of healing and happiness that you can send my way.

P.S. No word from the rat.

I'll rat you out

First things first, yes, it's early, but I'm about to go out of town. I am a horrible packer.

Anyway, I was in the show last night and it was fun. I had EIGHT friends/family members there, so I was super-excited about that! ES was the emcee, and I played Emo School (I was a teacher), Phones (off-stage), Sounds Like A Song/Rap, Buzzer Game Show, and Oscar Musical. Since I probably won't get to be in a show until the last week in October (or maybe early November), I was glad to send it out with a bang. BANG! It was also my friend's (BA) first show, and he did awesome!

Well, a rat has been the focal point of my life for the last two days. Uggh... Shudder. When I woke up on Wednesday morning and walked down the stairs, I noticed an unwanted creature in the hallway, right near the crawlspace closet. I tried to trap him in the closet with a towel, thinking someone could help me extract him. However, he moved the towel, and the next time I saw him was when I hurdled him in the kitchen. I was literally on-edge all day, and I still don't feel comfortable sitting here. Atlanta Pest Control came yesterday and set up a few sticky traps (in addition to my real trap with peanut butter), but the critter hasn't taken the bait yet. There's one trap I haven't checked yet. I will do that right now while you wait in suspense.......NOPE. Rats!

I am excited for the weekend. It's gonna be good to get out of town and have some escaping-reality time.

Love you all.

TOMAHAWK CHIZZZOP!

I am in such a great mood today. I'm really not even sure why, but I feel awesome. I mean, physically my face is aching because my sinuses are my worst enemy. But mentally? I feel spectacular!

I just got home from Starbucks. If you need a decaffeinated option at Starbucks, I highly recommend the Spiced Apple Cider. I can't remember if that's the name of it, but it is AMAZING! I chatted with my friend (MV) and it made me think about a lot of life-related things, which often gets me energized. Woooohoooo!

Today I went to Willy's, which is par for the course on Tuesdays. I don't think I've ever used that saying, but it felt good. Anyway, my steak nachos were off the chain. I don't think they could have been any more incredible than they were. True story.

THE BRAVES ARE ONE STRIKE AWAY FROM WINNING!

Umm, last night was way enjoyable. I read some, I watched TV, I took some naps, and the night dragged on forever. I ended up falling asleep pretty early, and woke up to a pleasant extra-innings win for the Braves. Come on, boys!

THE BRAVES WON! (Right now.) While the Phillies clinched the NL East last night, the Braves are in the running for the Wild Card. I have a GOOD feeling about it! Now I just need the Cubs to beat the Padres tonight.

I'm pretty sure I'll stop talking right now. It would be the first time I've done that all day.

There's no place like home

First things first - I thought about backdating this post, but I didn't. Either way, this is solely about my Saturday and a teensy bit about my Sunday.

Well, homecoming weekend was a BLAST! Even though I sometimes complain about the things I have to sacrifice to work on the weekends, commencement and homecoming are always a lot of fun.

On Saturday morning, I worked at a movie screening of a film produced by an alumnus from the Class of 1990. Unfortunately I didn't get to see any of the film, but it seemed like it was a big hit. I also got to chat with the filmmaker, Mark Goffman. I need to send him a follow-up email for something work-related. Anyway, that was pretty awesome. I'm bummed I didn't get to see the movie, but it's called Dumbstruck, so remember that you heard it here first.

Then I walked all over creation running errands for people. Next up: working the Indigo Girls concert. I was at the wristband tent, so I pretty much awkwardly looked at IDs. Thankfully I don't think anyone tried to pull a fast one on me. If they did, congratulations. I got to sip on a few beers while I worked, so of course that made the sweltering heat more bearable. My biggest accomplishment of the afternoon was helping a lost child reunite with her parents. She was a tiny little thing - probably about two years old. She said her name was "Maggie" between sobs. She said her last name was "Care Bear." I think she was lying to me, but we found her parents regardless.

It was then time for the PARTAAAAAY! I worked with SG at the Class of 1990 reunion. Talk about some party animals! By the time all was said and done, they had close to 200 people in attendance, which was LOADS more than (almost all of) the other reunions. Those folks liked to drink! Even though they were a rowdy bunch, I wouldn't have had it any other way. I had a ton of fun and was thoroughly amused throughout the entire night! I didn't get home until close to 1:00 a.m., but I enjoyed every minute of it...except walking to the car on tired feet.

Sunday was pretty much a day of relaxation - a day of frustration with the Braves and jubilation with the Falcons. It was rainy, too, which made it much easier to lay around being useless. Anyway, it was the perfect end to the weekend.

Been tryin' to get down...

to the heart of the matter. Tonight's song is "The Heart of the Matter" by Don Henley. There's no secret meaning to that - it just got stuck in my head because of a random conversation earlier.

So, where did the week go? I don't even know.

Well, I do know that on Tuesday night I worked a graduation show at the theatre. I was on lights, which meant I was in charge of recording the DVD. Now, this was nerve racking considering this show was only happening because it was a redo of a show that did not record several weeks ago. However, the recording was successful! I had a really fun time working in the booth during the show, and then went out with a couple friends (JR, TO) for a few beers afterwards.

Wednesday one of my greatest fears came true... kinda. My friend (AM) called after she got off work - she lives in Virginia. We were chatting as I made my way down to Midtown to do a little work before rehearsal. Out of nowhere, she was in mid-sentence, and she said, "Whoa, whoa, whoaaaaa." Then, I just heard crashing, much like when you're in a restaurant and a server drops a tray. She was like, "I just got hit. I gotta go." Thankfully I could tell it wasn't too horrible because she sounded relatively calm. Either way, it scared the living daylights out of me. I've always had this unrealistic fear that I would hear something like that happen.

Last night I attended the 10-year anniversary party of the house where we work. I was supposed to be working at the registration table, but we had plenty of people, so I pretty much got to mingle and sip on cocktails. When my shift technically ended, I decided to rush down to Midtown to see my friend's (JR) first show as an apprentice. Man, it was so fun to be in the audience without any obligations! The show was awesome and I was thoroughly amused.

It's Homecoming, so I have to work pretty much all day tomorrow. I start at a movie screening at 10:30 a.m. and will basically work until midnight. I know it will be fun because it typically is, but MAN, that's a long day. I'm working at the Indigo Girls concert after the movie screening and then I head to the Class of 1990 reunion. I've got a big day ahead of me!

I have nothing to say about the Braves. NOTHING.

Well, I'm starting to get impatient waiting for sinus surgery. I have headaches pretty much all the time now. Two weeks to go!

I worked out today, so I am proud of myself. I haven't felt like it much lately with my head feeling the way it does, but I'm glad I went. I plan to exercise tomorrow morning before I head over to campus for my slew of events.

Red wine and Ambien

I haven't had red wine and Ambien; I was simply quoting a John Mayer song. I have, however, had a similar cocktail. Ambien is really cool. At lunch at Wendy's yesterday, my mom was telling me how Ambien shuts down parts of your central nervous system. It's crazy because, sometimes I take Ambien and don't feel very tired, but I won't have remembered doing stuff when I wake up the next day. We'll see if this blog post falls into that category...

Yesterday was a very relaxing day. I slept til about noon, and then got up to watch some college football. My mom came over in the afternoon and, as you may have guessed, we went to Wendy's. We then stopped by Marshalls where I fed my jacketaholism. I got the cutest navy blue, lightweight pea-coat type ordeal! Oh man, it is so cute. I want to wear it NOW.

Last night I met a friend (ER) at Pappasito's for some margaritas. We got this pitcher of something called the Wave, which was part margarita and part sangria. It was pretty good, but my stomach gets a little fierce when I've had too much sour mix. Man, I love that girl. It was so much fun just to chat and what not. AWESOME!

Today was another worthless day. I slept until about 11:00 a.m. and then tried to go exercise. While I did exercise for a good chunk of time, some of it was spent walking on the treadmill because I was kind of enthralled in a girly book I was reading. I came home, showered, and got ready for an uneventful day.

The highlights of the day consist of wins from the Atlanta Braves and Falcons. The Phillies, however, pulled out a come-from-behind RIDICULOUS win, which made me pretty angry.

I spent the rest of the day writing aimlessly in different journals, experiencing pain in my sinuses - you know, the usual. I literally stepped outside twice - once for the gym, and once to take the trash out. I guess I needed one of those pointless days, but it would be nice to feel productive right now. Who knows... maybe some of the stuff I wrote has significance.

ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAR

I'm at one of those points again where the world just feels like it's spinning out of control. I literally feel like I blogged yesterday, but apparently it's been four days. In some respects that makes me glad because I know I'm out and about accomplishing things. In other ways, though, it's discouraging because I know I'm not stopping to smell the roses, which is kinda stressing me out.

Well, I will vomit if I talk about the Braves game on Wednesday. My record has dropped to 6 and 4. BLAH BLAH BLAH. The Braves and I are not on great terms right now, but I was happy for a win tonight.

My surgery is officially on the books for October 11. I'm not sure yet what the plan is as far as getting admitted, going on IV antibiotics, taking off from work, etc. Honestly I'm still processing the fact that it's scheduled, so I'll give it a few days to start finalizing those details. I feel a sense of relief, but I'm also overwhelmed.

I was in the show last night and it was fun! It was one of the new apprentices' (AF) first shows, so that was cool. He and I were in every scene together, too! I played Remote Control Styles, Musical Styles (80s love ballad, 90s boy band, R&B, rap), Repeat Scene Stereotypes (drag queens, drunk drug dealers, rednecks), and Oscar Musical Funeral (as Barbara Buchanan). Yeeehaw!

Today I met my siblings (and my brother's girlfriend) for lunch at Chick-fil-A. Then, for dinner, I went to Los Bravos with KW. I needed to get out and do something because today was kinda 'mleh.' I had a great time. We watched a documentary called Dear Zachary and it was really interesting. Although today had its ups and downs, I'm thankful to be ending on an 'up.'

Sleeping sounds so awesome right now! I am really excited to sleep and feel new in the morning!

When I wake up in the mornin'...

Sometimes I fail at things. Lately, that thing is writing blogs. It's funny because blogging is something I enjoy, so I don't exactly know why it's been falling to the wayside lately.

I had a good weekend. I took it VERY easy - really made the most of having a weekend without obligations. Honestly, it seemed like it lasted FOREVER! I stayed home pretty much the entire time, mainly watching sports. I saw Georgia Tech and the Atlanta Falcons get their first losses of the season. Ugh!

Atlanta's athletic failure continued on Sunday night when I went to the Braves game with BA. We had a lot of fun! Unfortunately the Braves lost. I did, however, eat some Dippin' Dots. I really, really didn't want to witness another loss this year, but sometimes the stars just don't align. I'll have another opportunity, though...

TOMORROW! Me and my brother are going to the game, and it's at 12:10 p.m. I'm pretty excited because I don't think I've ever taken off work to go to a sporting event. It makes me think of Zack Morris on "Saved By the Bell" when he plays hooky and catches a ball at the Dodgers game and is caught on TV. The main difference here is that I requested time off forever ago, but it will still feel risque! However, I might be on TV! My brother got us awesome tickets in literally the fifth row. AHHH! I am excited!

I don't have a whole lot else to say. I got the official call about sinus surgery today, so I should have that scheduled within a week. The nurse mentioned that recovery would be about two weeks, which kinda surprised me. Now I've just gotta coordinate with the CF doctor to see if I should try to do IV antibiotics or anything while I'm already getting thrown into the slammer. Decisions, decisions.

Have a great night!

Did you hear about the corduroy pillow?
It's making HEADLINES!

If I could turn back time

Don't you wish I would stop quoting songs in my post titles?

I just got home from working my last crew shift of September. Now, that's technically a slight fabrication because I think I'll be helping out at a [repeat] graduation show on the 21st. Either way, it feels good to have that out of the way early in the month. That means I have some full-fledged weekends ahead of me! And, when I say "weekends," I mean "one weekend" because I have to work at homecoming on the weekend of the 24th. I trained someone on lights tonight. I'm not sure how successful I was at training because there was only one show and he didn't really get to practice, but he seemed to get it - the light bulb seemed to go off for him. HAAAAA!

Last night's show (I guess two nights ago now) was a lot of fun! The piano guy was sick, so we had to do it musicianless! That was a first. I played Repeat Scene Direction (masculine, nerdy ninja, schizophrenic), Foreign-Dubbed Soap Opera, Remote Control Styles, ABC Buzzer Cooking Show, and Helping Hands Oscar. It was so much fun! The crowd wasn't gigantic by any means, but they were really supportive and it seemed like everyone in the cast had a blast. It was such a great end to a somewhat stressful [mass-emailing] day. For the first time ever, a patron told me she laughed so hard she cried. SUCCESS!

Today I swam some laps during lunch. I've been soooo horrible at exercising lately and decided I'd give it a whirl today. It was enjoyable, even though I didn't swim all that much. Tomorrow I plan to run for a while. I'm kind of in that chicken-versus-egg-not-working-out-because-I'm-too-tired-but-tired-because-I'm-not-working-out scenario. Time to correct that JUNK!

Tomorrow I have a friend leading a team (SW) at the Great Strides walk at the University of West Georgia. I am so thankful to have an extension of Drew's Crew -- Drew's Crew Two -- representing at the walk tomorrow. I was hoping to make it, but should have requested off from the theatre in advance. I feel loved even though I am supporting from a distance.

Bedtime for me. I'm exhausted. Even though this week was short, it was JAM-PACKED! I got my CT scan done Thursday, but haven't heard back from the doctor. I'm eager to get that sinus surgery on the books.

Good night, world!

Standin' in the light of your halo

I am not a fan of that song by Beyonce (the one I quoted in my title). I don't even know why I put that as my title. I'm never going to look at this post again.

Well, first things first, it's kinda late. I went to Starbucks this evening and got a half-caffeinated vanilla latte. I don't think I got too caffeinated, but this shortened workweek also has me slightly off-kilter. Anyway, I plan on going to sleep RIGHT AFTER I finish this post. Take that, Blogger!

Yesterday the Braves fell out of first place for the first time since May. It hurt. It truly did. However, the good news is that there's still plenty of time. I really don't want it to come down to the wire, so I have trust that they'll pull through. I changed my Facebook profile picture in their honor today, so they better not do anything crazy.

I'm in tomorrow night's show, so I'm excited for that! Also, we found out tonight that we're going to have Mondays off of rehearsal for the next couple of months. I'm pretty sure I'm in shock, but I am also feeling super-relieved. With how run-down I've been feeling lately, I could definitely use an extra night to rejuvenate - especially at the beginning of the week. I can't wait to get on that stage tomorrow!

I had a marathon study appointment yesterday. It was this big check-in appointment where I did basically everything that I did when I was originally screened for the study. The ironic part is, since I haven't been on the study drug (OR PLACEBO!) for almost two weeks, testing these things was absolutely unnecessary. The bottom line is that I'll get paid and they wanted me to do it, but it sure was worthless. Regardless of whether or not I was on the drug or the placebo, it would have been out of my system.

Tomorrow I have my sinus CT scan, so hopefully I can schedule my surgery sooner than later and proceed like normal. I can't believe my ENT appointment was only a week ago. It seems like I've been waiting to schedule this surgery for MONTHS. Ooh, drama queen.

Honestly, I know there's more to say, but I don't think I'll try to retrieve it from my brain. Odds are that it's just more rambling...per usual.

Have a good night!!!! HAPPY THURSDAY!

Moving picture

Helloooooooooo! It's bedtime! I know it's early, but I'm trying to take advantage of the Labor Day holiday - and my parents' anniversary. This week will be AWESOME if I start it off with some solid sleep!

Well, my hair appointment was successful on Saturday. I got my hair dyed brown with some blonde highlights. I like it so far. We'll see how its unveiling goes at work tomorrow.

Saturday night's crew shift was surprisingly short because the 10:30 p.m. show got canceled. Although it stinks that it got canceled, it was refreshing to finish up earlier than expected. I ended up going out for a few drinks after the show, so I still got home as late as usual (2:00 a.m).

Sunday I slept in until about 11:00 a.m. and then headed to the gym. I spent most of the day being lazy. I did, however, go to a MOVIE! I went to see The Other Guys (with MM), which was pretty funny. I hadn't been to the movies in forever and I really enjoyed it. I didn't fall asleep during it, either, which is an accomplishment for me.

Today was a lazy day, too, but I got to catch up with a friend I haven't gotten to see much this year (ER). Between her endeavors in Israel and my crazy-busy life since she's returned, it was good to catch up. We had some beers at the pool and talked life. It was so good to see her!

Finally, I went out to eat at El Azteca with JM. I hadn't seen her since her BIRTHDAY last weekend, so that was fun, too. It was a Labor Day well-spent.

Now I'm gonna get a solid night's sleep!

Laaaaaaaaaaaabor Day

I am getting so bad at blogging. I cut myself some slack, though, because it feels like I haven't been home much at all this week.

Well, Thursday was an eventful day. Because of all of the kidney issues, the doctor mentioned wanting to hospitalize me to give me fluids to help flush out my kidneys. They went ahead and moved next Tuesday's CF appointment up to Thursday so that they could put me in the hospital with as much information as possible. So, I went to get bloodwork so they'd have the results by the time of my appointment. Now, for the dramatic turn in all of this - my kidney bloodwork was almost back to normal and my PFTs were up another three percent. Nobody understands at this point, but the hospital talk was merely a scare and now it's only a matter of scheduling sinus surgery. This has been such an emotional roller coaster!!!!!!!!!!

Thursday night I spoke at a CF fundraising cultivation event. It was fun! Since I was running around all day, I really had zero preparation time, but I still think it went well. Yeehaw!

Yesterday (Friday) was a good day. My roommate was working from home, too, so it was a lot of fun. I wish she got to work from home with me every Friday. :-) When I got off work early, I went to meet Claire at the pool. We hung out and chatted for a few hours. On my way to work at the theatre, I treated myself to Yogli Mogli and ate many things shunned by my low-oxalate diet.

I worked the lights without any supervision last night, so that was fun. Light-wise, all went extremely well. However, the lights person is also in charge of recording the DVD, and I got the dreaded "Disc cannot be finalized" message. Thankfully everyone was really laid back, but it made me so mad. That was the easiest part of the last three shows. People were like, "Oh lord. I know that message." So, OOPS, although I heard I couldn't have done anything to fix it.

Right now I'm sitting at my parents' kitchen table. I'm about to go get my hair did(!).

Happy birthday to my brother (yesterday), and happy Labor Day to all!

He knows my nose

Wow. Wow. I can't believe I haven't said anything in so long. It feels like I was just writing in here... Well, where should I start? HECTIC.

Saturday was a fun day. I slept in and went to the gym. Then, my mom and I went over to my grandmother's house and we all (plus my uncle) went out to eat at El Toro. At one point, my grandmother said, "I had something so hot I couldn't eat it the other day and I thought of Drew. My tongue caught on fire." I don't know why, but it cracked me up. Lunch was delicious!

I worked lights on Saturday night and I'd say it was pretty successful. Aside from a few iffy music cues, I thought it went really well. It was fun and mentally stimulating all at once. Woohoo!

Sunday was lazyish. I slept in (again!) and went to the pool. The weather was actually pretty cool, so I didn't stay out for very long. I came inside and napped on and off for most of the Braves game. The Braves made a MIRACULOUS comeback to win the game, so that left me with a warm and fuzzy feeling!

On Sunday night I dreamt that my front four teeth were messed up. It was almost like they were baby teeth again. The weirdest thing is that I know someone else (MM) who also had a jacked-up-front-four-teeth dream simultaneously. Tell me something cooler than that...

Rehearsal was canceled on Monday since we don't have a show this week, so I ended up going to the Braves game (again!) with ES. The Braves killed it, so I happily improved my record to 6-2; I broke my two-game losing streak, thankfully. Even though I probably shouldn't have stayed out so late on my one night off this week, it was a lot of fun. I wouldn't take it back!

Today was taxing. I went to the ENT for a check-up and it looks to be time for SURGERY. I get a CT scan next week to get the full scope, but it's pretty much a definite thing. This came as no surprise, but I'm still irritated. I also got an email about needing to see a kidney specialist, so add that to my list of nonsense. Summer 2010 will go down in history... I'm ready for it to end.

I worked the camera at a graduation show tonight, which is why I'm still up after 1:00 a.m. on a work night. This isn't my idea of a smart decision, but I've only been home for an hour. The Braves killed it tonight, but the Phillies won, too, soooo... We're up by 3 games, so I'll take it!

You are the only exception

Well, I went to the Braves game tonight (ES!). As much as it pains me to say it, they got absolutely destroyed. Tommy Hanson gave up solo HRs to the first two batters, so it just didn't start off the way I would have liked. After a saddening loss (score: 7-1), I saw my first Friday night fireworks of the season. That was definitely the highlight of the night! The last two were rained out, but I finally succeeded.

So, when I went to type "Friday," I accidentally typed "Fridney," which reminds me that I've been having a lot of conversations about my kidneys lately. I ended up getting ultrasounded yesterday. While I haven't officially spoken to the doctor, I've gotten word that my kidneys have changed from the initial pre-study ultrasound. All I really heard was something about how one used to be 9cm and is now over 10cm. Hmm, I guess that could explain some of the pain. The lack of urgency makes me think that nobody's overly concerned, but I hope to talk to a doctor on Monday.

Today was my last Summer Friday, and I'm not exactly pleased with how I spent it. That sounds kind of depressing, but I really have nothing to show for it aside from the Braves game. It was the epitome of a lazy day. I guess that's how it should have been, but I didn't even end up at the pool, the gym, or anything like that. Oh well! Maybe tomorrow.

I've been feeling kind of overwhelmed lately, but I think my interpretation of reality is skewed since I haven't been in tip-top physical shape. Sometimes I wonder how much our minds and bodies truly affect each other. I'm totally starting to philosophize, but I've felt uncharacteristically unhealthy this summer, and it seems like my happiness has been wavering, too. Which came first? The chicken or the egg? It crosses my mind all the time.

Now let me use some sleep to heal my mind and body! :) I'm requesting that positive energy be sent my way!

Party in my mouth

Cherries make the day better.

Well, today was an interesting one, I must say. Early this morning I got an email from the study coordinator. Although the blood level we were originally concerned about was normal, I've had two abnormal creatinine levels. Basically, from my understanding, if this level is high, it indicates poor kidney function. So, I got taken off of the drug. Now, I don't know if this is a permanent or temporary thing. I believe I am going to be getting an ultrasound done tomorrow, but I don't know for sure. The study folks are consulting other folks and I guess I'll learn more. It's got me wondering if the bouts of pain were from an actual kidney stone or just my kidney. I WANT AN ULTRASOUND! In other news, I have GOT to be on the real thing, right? Vanilla doesn't make your body go haywire.

I went to the grocery store today during lunchtime. I picked up a few items, and one of those items was CHERRIES. They have made me happy despite my angry kidneys.

I had rehearsal tonight and we worked on dialects. I was in a surprisingly good mood and laughed A LOT. Dialects are funny.

The Braves blew a 9-run lead today, so that was impressive. Thankfully the Phillies have also lost three games in a row, so we're still hanging on to our 2 1/2 game lead. Today's game was an absolute embarrassment. I kind of wished I hadn't been telecommuting so I didn't have to see it unfold.

I better rest up for tomorrow. I'd like to exercise in the morning and I have NO IDEA if I'm in the show or not. Plus, since I may or may not be getting an ultrasound, tomorrow will be spontaneous.

SLEEP WELL!

WiLLY NiLLY!

So, I came up with a new character idea today. I'm not prepared to announce details yet because they're still being finalized in my head. However, I am super-excited about this character's potential. It looks like Dottie has some competition!

Today was an okay day. I intended to get up and work out this morning, but sometimes things don't go as planned. I opted to sleep instead. I took my gym clothes to work in case I had a burst of energy, but I'm still waiting on that as I type...

I had several meetings today, totaling about four hours of my day. The new character was born in one of the meetings, so that was very worthwhile. :-)

Some colleagues and I (LT and BC) went to Panera today, and it really hit me how much nonsense I'm not supposed to eat anymore. I realize I can eat these things in limited portions, but dang! The list is so long. I ended up going with a chicken ceasar salad so I didn't eat too much bread.

After work, I headed to Starbucks to meet a friend (MV). I enjoyed our time together, per usual. I then went to El Azteca (with MM) and got a quesadilla and a margarita. Bueno!

It's bedtime. Actually, it's past bedtime if anyone's counting.

Upside down

I guess it's officially Tuesday. Booooo! I mean, I have no problem with Monday being over, but I wish it was about an hour earlier so I could get enough sleep tonight. Oh well! I'm over it.

Sunday was a good day. I slept in pretty late - almost until 11:00 a.m. It felt GOOD. I headed to the pool for a bit and it was literally unbearably hot. It caught me off-guard. It was almost impossible to sit there. I read a little bit and spent the rest of the time people-watching.

The Braves then DESTROYED the Cubs 16-5. It felt so good.

I then headed down to an improv workshop at the theatre. We worked with someone named Chelsea from Upright Citizens Brigade. While UCB does longform improv and we do not, it made me think about some things differently. The three hours passed by really quickly, but I had fun. It was neat to hear a different perspective on improv.

Monday was a good day! I don't like saying "Monday" because it still feels like it's Monday. Anyway, I hoped to work out before work, but I simply couldn't make myself get up. I headed to work and had some meetings. The Willy's group went on Monday instead of Tuesday, so that was a fun start to the week. I ended up leaving work a bit early so I could...............drumroll...............

get bloodwork done! When they drew (THAT'S ME!) blood for the study last week, one of my levels came back pretty low, so they needed to retest it. I should find out on Wednesday (hopefully) whether or not it is back to normal. If it isn't, I'm pretty sure I have to temporarily discontinue the drug.

I also got my official diet recommendations regarding this oxalate thing, and basically the list of restrictions is a mile long. The saddest part I read today was that I am not supposed to eat pretzels. That was surprising.

I worked out after work and hope to go in the morning if I can get some solid sleep. We had 9:00 p.m. rehearsal tonight, which explains why I'm up so late. We spent the time talking about strengths/weaknesses/goals, so I've done a lot of self-reflection today.

Looking forward to a new day... <3

One last thing! Today I checked my mail and got summoned for JURY DUTY! I am way excited. I'm in a standby group, so I am super-hopeful that we have to go. Then, after that, I hope I get selected to be on the jury. I love learning how things work.

Our house. In the middle of the street.

It is late! I need sleep!

I just got home from my first night of training lights at the theatre. It was a lot better than I expected it would be. For one, it didn't take as much out of me as is does when I'm mingling with the patrons. Mainly, though, it was easier than I thought it would be ... probably because my teacher was DA BOMB (KW)! I watched the entire first show and then did (almost) all of the second show with moral support. Awesome!

What else? The stone. I had another bout of kidney stone pain this morning. It wasn't Vicodin-worthy, but it was pain of a there-are-almost-tears-in-my-eyes level. Thankfully I took some ibuprofen and it was pretty short-lived. The anxiety-provoking thing about this is that, now that I know what I'm expecting, I know that the pain should be returning. That is NOT a good feeling! I got some twinges of pain throughout the night, but nothing long-lasting. Let's see how tonight goes!

I had J. Christopher's today. Spinach and bacon skillet in the houuuuuse! It included many things that I believe are on the do-not-eat list, but that's okay. I forgive myself.

Tomorrow evening I have a workshop at the theatre. That being said, I'll probably take it easy all day since the weekend has been a little hectic. I went out last night and was up until about 2:00 a.m., and here I am at the same hour again tonight. What a wild child I am! At least I'm enjoying myself...

The eyelids are heavy, so I better give in and sleep.

I love y'all.

For real.

Every little step I take

First off - The title of this blog is a lyric to a song. I actually wanted to title my last blog this lyric, but I didn't because a friend had just titled a blog about "steps" and I didn't want to overSTEP my boundaries. HA! Anyway, I chose to title the last blog the NEXT line of the song just so I didn't seem like a copycat. However, each time I've seen that title, I've been like, "What? 'You will be there?'" because it's not as obvious and takes me a minute to figure out, even though I wrote it. So, in summary, the last two blogs have been inspired by Bobby Brown's "Every Little Step I Take," which was actually inspired by ANOTHER friend's Facebook status.

Now, if you know me, you know that I can go off on unnecessary tangents like the one above. (BTW: Now I'm listening to Bobby Brown.) However, you probably also notice that it's after 3:00 a.m. and I don't have the day off work or anything. Both of these mysteries can be explained by one simple fact, and it's that I'm pretty sure another kidney stone is rearing its ugly head.

I got my first twinge of back pain last Saturday before the show, but it was gone before I began performing. This pain is FOR REAL, though. So, to explain the unnecessary tangent, I'm actually on Vicodin right now. I tried ibuprofen and didn't keep it down, so I upgraded to bigger guns. I think I'm about to add another half of a Vicodin to the mix to try to get the pain below a 3 or 4.

Well, yesterday (Wednesday) during lunch, I went to exercise. I wore my bathing suit under my gym clothes, planning to take a dip in the pool after I finished running. Shortly after getting on the treadmill, I decided I'd rather swim laps. I ended up getting off the treadmill and heading out to the pool, even though I was goggleless. The result: I swam 30 laps! Now, the pool at my complex isn't Olympic-sized or anything, but it's between 15 and 20 yards. So, that was a big accomplishment. It felt good to do the butterfly for the first time in what felt like forever. It was a great workout! Now I want to get a membership at some kind of indoor pool so that it can become a habit.

When I woke up with the back pain, I was hopeful that it was swimming induced. As I learned with the last stone, though, when there is not a single physical position I can contort myself into to feel better, that's bad news. Ugh. I am nauseous.

Well, I've got a big few days ahead of me, so I guess we'll see where I stand after another bout of sleep.

You will be there

Yo! It's Tuesday night.

The Braves won big tonight and it made me proud. They've been scoring a lot of runs lately, so that makes me smile! I was kinda hoping to go to the game tonight since my theatre schedule isn't exactly conducive to seeing games. Buuuut, I wasn't feeling all that great and already had plans to meet my friend (MV) at Starbucks (AGAIN!), so I didn't go. It would have been fun, but perhaps I'll be able to go to some more games in the coming weeks... Before we head to the play-offs. UNNNH!

Well, let me go ahead and say that this Cipro oral antibiotic is not making my body happy. Lung-wise I'm doing fine. Stomach-wise... NO. "Food" sounds like a curse word. That didn't stop me from eating Willy's today, which may or may not have been a bad idea.

I got blood drawn yesterday! It only took two tries, so I was very pleased. I sat there using a space heater for about 20 or 30 minutes before we even attempted. I don't know if that actually helps, but it comforts me from a mental standpoint.

I'm telecommuting tomorrow. I need to go to the gym either before work or during lunch. I went for a hot second this morning, but I felt too sick to my stomach to continue. So, it's time to kick it back into gear. I feel a little lazy lately.

Tomorrow will probably be a late(ish) night at the theatre. Our annual fundraiser is on Thursday, so tomorrow will likely include a lot of last-minute prep. Friday is the only night I don't have to be at the theatre until next Tuesday. Sometimes I understand why my body doesn't like me so much anymore.

Enough yapping. Life is a cool thing.

Easy like Sunday moooornin'

I am up earlier than I should be.

Well, yesterday was a good day! I got up and did my morning breathing treatments before heading to the gym. I exercised, then came home and showered so I could meet a friend (MV) at Starbucks. We had a good time chatting and laughing; I love when she and I crack up about random stuff.

After that I headed to Goodwill to meet one of my fellow actors to look for some costume gear. I ended up purchasing Dottie's outfit in case I wanted to be her in last night's show. I guess that's the perfect segue into last night's show...

TONS! O'! FUN! The show was sold out and the crowd was pretty awesome! I had some people there supporting me, so that always makes me happy. While Dottie has not yet been birthed, I played Buzzer, Repeat Scene Family, Phones (on-stage), and Remote Control Styles. I just had so much fun with my fellow castmates. There's nothing better than having just as much fun as the audience.

Although I was worn out from the show, I decided to hang around to watch one of my friends make her mainstage debut (KW!). The show was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed being a patron; it's been a while since I did that. I was like a proud parent out in the audience! I also ran into two people I know (separately). Atlanta can get pretty small sometimes!

Well, today's gonna be a relaxing day. I plan on takin' it eaaaasy. I think I'm about to read some more of my third library book. READING IS FUN!

Riddle me this

Even though I don't feel like I have a lot to show for it, today was a very worthwhile day.

Yesterday I ended up finagling my way onto the doctor's calendar for today - both the CF doctor (not my usual one, but a good one!) and the endocrinologist. So, I ended up waking around the same time as usual to head to the doctor.

My study coordinator was there to try to get blood from me and we gave up after three sticks. Trying again Monday...

The endocrinologist had all the reports from my blood and urine fiascoes, so that was a relief. It sounds like many things checked out well, but it looks like the tests showed that I need to go on a low-oxalate diet. Basically my risk of forming kidney stones is extremely high because of the overabundance of oxalate in my body. Now, I don't really even know what oxalate it, but I did learn a few things. I remember the doctor specifically mentioning not consuming wine and chocolate. I was pleased to hear that a lot of vegetables were blacklisted, so that's a perk. All I know is that I need to touch base with the nutritionist next week to talk about this new diet. As for the funny part, I also need to go on a low-calcium diet, but I'm bordering on osteoporosis. RIDDLE ME THAT!

Now, the CF doctor went surprisingly well. My PFTs had risen from my study appointment, and had only dropped slightly from my pre-vacation appointment. I actually couldn't believe it. They think it can probably be attributed to my new inhaled antibiotic. The doctor mentioned throwing me in the hospital since I feel bad, but said that she thought we should try 21 days of oral antibiotics. Obviously they want me to feel well, but it's also hard to warrant putting me in the hospital when my numbers are pretty good. I guess that's a good problem to have...

I met my old boss for lunch at El Azteca after the visits. We had a really great conversation, per usual, and it had my mind spinning for the remainder of the day. I was thinking a lot about vulnerability and taking chances. Sometimes it's hard to live vulnerably in a world where being 'tough' is the socially acceptable way to be. The more I do improv, the more I become comfortable with being vulnerable in many aspects of my life. I really cherish life and I value the relationships in my life, but sometimes I think I ought to do a better job of demonstrating that. I want to know that, no matter what happens in my life, I stayed true to myself and I wasn't afraid of being open and honest.

Tomorrow I'm performing in the 8:00 p.m. show. It hasn't quite hit me yet. The closer it gets, though, the more excited I am.

The Braves won. YEAH!

If I knew what I was doin'...

I'd be doin' it right now. GEEZ! I love that song. It's called "I'm In" by Keith Urban.

Today was a surprisingly good day! After yesterday's shenanigans and weirdness, I didn't expect to have such a good day. The telecommuting helped in a major way. It's nice to escape from human interaction every now and then.

Here's the big news of the day, though... At lunchtime, I decided I'd take a stab at exercising. I didn't feel up to it, but I forced myself to do it anyway. Well, guess what I did?! I ran 3.2 miles without ever stopping at all. Not a foot on the side of the treadmill or anything! It really surprised me because, with the breathing issues I've been having, I didn't know I could accomplish that. However, no matter what my body was telling me, I told myself to keep trucking along. I consider this a big accomplishment; it reset my mind to where it needed to be. I'm hoping these are the first steps on my road to recovery.

I had an orange mango smoothie from Starbucks for semi-dinner. Thank you, favor-doer!

We had rehearsal tonight. I had to go downtown early to handle some fundraiser-related stuff for the event at the theatre next week. Rehearsal was neat because it was different than usual. We did some stuff I'd never seen/done before, so that kept it interesting.

Tomorrow is THURSDAY! And I'm off work FRIDAY! I am pretty stinkin' stoked!

Until you're back here, baby...

Mlaaaah, mlaaaaaaaaah. Before I forget, I want to say that I was super thankful last Thursday. I went to Willy's (me??? Willy's???) and the owner was like, "You come here all the time." I was like, "What up." Then he gave me half-off. What a wonderful man he is.

The Braves just pulled out a mega-win in the 9th inning. It was a miracle after last night's debacle. Thankfully, though, I didn't have the TV on to witness what happened last night. I had a difficult time getting to sleep last night. I think it's this whole not-feeling-well thing.

Today was an odd day. I had a ton of meetings on my calendar, but I didn't end up making it to two of them. The first one included biscuits from Chick-fil-A! The second one was with my team at work. The meeting went well, but then I got into a conversation about possibly going into the hospital and the day steadily went downhill beginning at that moment. I ended up heading home because I didn't feel well mentally or physically, so I've been home since about 4:00 p.m.

I have nothing to say. I am going to read a bit before I head to bed. I was supposed to go to a meeting at the hospital tomorrow followed by some bloodwork (me??? bloodwork???), but I'm gonna stay home.

<3

Listen to me complain

Whining Wanda here.... Today was NOT a good day.

I got up early to go to the gym. I figured that, since I wasn't feeling too great yesterday, maybe a morning workout would help get my body back into gear. Well, to my surprise, I actually went to the gym and worked out for about 25 minutes. I read one of my library books while I took it easy on the elliptical.

Then I got ready for work and, by the time I got to work, I wasn't feeling very well at all. For some reason my hoarseness turned into a cough, and I spent much of the day coughing. It was extremely obnoxious. I ended up having to leave work at about 3:00 p.m. because I just couldn't seem to get it together. I kept feeling like I had a fever, but the thermometer said I didn't. I just keep breaking out into hot spells. Typically I'm not a thermometer person, but I've checked it a handful of times today. I actually hit 99 on the most recent one, which is high for me because I usually hang out in the 97s.

Anyway, I got a salad from Chipotle for lunch. It was sooo good! I remember we used to have Chipotle pretty frequently at my first job. I didn't have much of an appetite so I figured I'd grab something light. Good choice, me!

What else happened today? Umm, I dunno. Even though I feel down and out, I'm happy.

We don't have a show this week, so I was glad I didn't have to miss rehearsal tonight. Free night on Thursday, too. Cool!

Off on the wrong foot

Happy Sunday!

Well, let us see.... Yesterday wasn't the most productive day of my life. I took about three naps which totaled to probably four hours of resting. I guess I needed that. Despite my naps, I did a few things of substance...ish.

I did end up going to the library, which was fun. I checked out five books. Two of the books are nonfiction and are about creativity, and the other three are fictional. I started one of them yesterday evening and am almost halfway done. What can I say?! Reading is fun!

I stopped by my grandmother's house and saw my uncle and mom for a bit.

Last night I made a last-minute decision to go out to dinner with a friend (BA). We went to Taco Mac and had a blast. We had some nachos and wings and I was just in hog heaven! Then we went to Coldstone to grab some ice cream before heading home. Although I have gotten sorbet with gummy bears every trip for several years, I switched it up last night. I got coffee ice cream with Reese's peanut butter cups. It was pretty delicious. We were literally laughing the entire time! Man, I laugh when I think about watching the ice cream cone hit the pavement. Sorry!

I practically have no voice today. It's kind of interesting.

T-N-T. DynaMITE.

I didn't realize I hadn't posted in so long. Yeah, a couple days isn't all that long or anything, but I'm just surprised. Part of it, I think, was that I was tired this week and slept better than last week.

Thursday's show was fun. It was sold out, so that was exciting! I played Sit Stand Lean Oscar, Repeat Scene Family Type, Buzzer Talk Show, Narration Switch, and Musical Styles. The audience was kind of quiet for it to be a sold out show, but they all seemed pretty pleased when we came out to mingle after the show.

Yesterday I got an oil change. I know that's not exciting at all, but I did it. I don't like dealing with anything like that, but it's a lot easier since I have a maintenance plan and don't have to barter with anyone or pay anything.

Last night I went to the Braves game. I hate to say that I was handed my first loss of the 2010 season. Also, because of the Phillies' hot streak and the Braves' evenish streak, the Braves are only one game ahead in the NL East. We've been in first for so long that we simply can't let ourselves fall behind. No sir. I had a blast at the game, though. It started two hours late because there was a rain delay, but I didn't get rained on much and I enjoyed myself!

I'm hoping to make it to the library today.

Hmmmmmph

I am blanking on what to even say. I think that means that I'm either tired or that my life is uneventful.

Congrats to me for working out. I got up and exercised before work. I consider this a pretty big feat since I ended up backing out on Monday. I did about 30 minutes of cardio this morning, so I felt pretty accomplished before I headed to work.

I ate Willy's for lunch with the Tuesday crew.

Well, I went by the lab today to get some bloodwork done and to pick up my new 24-hour urine collection jug. Doesn't it seem like I get blood drawn every five seconds? It sure does to me. Today only took two sticks, so that was relieving. It was funny because they were all like, "Oooh, it's 'Dotson.'" I am a Laboratory Celebrity - a Celaboratory. Hey, that's close to "celebratory." Anyway, the endocrinologist saw some abnormal levels on previous my lab tests, so I was doing a few repeats today to make sure I'm screwed up.

I took a journey to Publix tonight. I got more of my new favorite thing - CHERRIES! Last week I was in a meeting and people were eating an unusual-looking fruit. Coincidentally, people had been eating them at the hospital meeting a few weeks ago, and I meant to Google images of fruit so I could figure out what they were. Well, it turns out they were cherries! I tried one and LOVED THEM! I got some when we were down at the beach and got a big ol' bag tonight. I think I could get carried away. CHERRIED AWAY! Can you see my enthusiasm?

There was a drunk guy in the Publix parking lot. He stumbled out of the liquor store and was cussing about how Applebee's wouldn't serve him (it's in the same shopping center). For one of few times in my life, I was glad I looked like a pre-teen because he didn't try to ask me to get him alcohol. However, he did look at me and give me a friendly smile and greeting. He actually seemed like a really caring person. It kind of made me sad. He was a good-looking, 50-something man and it just made me want to learn about him. I'm well aware that interviewing him would not have been a good idea, but it just kinda made me wonder about his story. The words "his story" are basically "history." Do you think there's a connection?

Okay, this is what happens when my day wasn't eventful. I just ramble about random things and pretty much let you in on the thoughts inside my head.

Happy Wednesday almost!

One last thing - The Bachelorette season finale was last night. She was down to Prince Charming and Prince Not-Quite-As-Charming-But-More-Real. I was really hoping the latter would win, but he didn't. I really admired him because, having lost his mom less than two years ago, he was really focused on quality of time versus quantity. I think that's very important.

That was my last hoorah for the night.

The clock on the wall

I'm at home and in my own bed. Sometimes I forget how much I love my own bed until I go without it. I'm getting ready to try for an early night's sleep since it's back-to-work tomorrow. I'm not sure why I've been having sleeping problems lately. I feel like my mind has been going faster than usual; it's probably just trying to keep up with everything. Usually I'm a champion at sleeping, so I'm assuming the last week has been a fluke.

The beach is a great place for thinking. There were a lot of things on my mind, including what I want to do next. When I say "next," I'm not even really sure what I mean. I was just kinda thinking of what's up on the agenda, and I feel like I'm on the verge of some exciting things. I know I sound really vague and borderline nutty, but I just feel very appreciative of life right now.

When I got home tonight, I noticed that the main clock on the wall downstairs had stopped. It was simply ticking the same second over and over again, and it kinda reiterated all of the things I was thinking throughout the weekend. Time isn't standing still, but I often feel like I am.

Tomorrow I have rehearsal at 7:00 p.m. and will then come home and cry at the Bachelorette season finale. I'm in Thursday's show, so I'll be looking forward to that all week. It looks like a group has pre-purchased 70 tickets, so that should be a fun show. AWESOME!

Time for bed. I'm going to get up and exercise before work. I haven't exercised in an entire week. I can't tell you the last time I went so long between workouts. PUMP UP THE JAM!

Toes in the sand

Hi! I am writing from the beach - Cape San Blas. I'm down here with my mom and aunt and am enjoying myself. This is a true escape. We have nothing planned. Yeah, we've only got about 24 hours left, but it's nice not to have anything on the agenda.

Before I forget, Thursday night's show was a blast! I played Sounds Like a Song/Rap, 1-2-3, Helping Hands Oscar, Buzzer Talk Show (BB), and Musical Styles. It was fun to be on stage simply having a blast. There were many points in the show when I was just having so much fun that it was next to impossible not to laugh. I had some fun friends in the audience, too, so it was an all-around good time. Yeehaw!

I've started my new inhaled antibiotic and, while I have to do it three times a day, I feel like it's going to work. Good things ahead!

Well, I'm a lucky girl. I know a lot of awesome people. Thank you all for being fantastic!

zZzZzZzZz

Welcome to Tuesday. I just wrote a blog post and lost the whole thing.

I really realize how pointless my ramblings are when I don't even know if it's worth retyping. Basically all I said was that I could

___

Well, what you see above is what I wrote before work today. Now it's not even Tuesday anymore, I'm tired, and I have no idea what irrelevant information I intended to share this morning.

I'm sure I mentioned how I couldn't sleep last night. I think the whole staying-up-until-dawn-on-Sunday thing put a little wrench in my plan. I was literally in bed for a few hours when I decided I should go ahead and get my morning shower. Then, after that didn't make me tired (at 3:00 a.m.), I decided to do sudoku. DORK! I dried my hair after that and then finally fell asleep for a few hours. I haven't had a night like that in forever. I am really surprised I made it through the day. I'll confess, though, that I had a Monster at about 5:30 p.m.

Today was quite the day. I sat at my desk for all of two hours, and none of that was in a chunk that exceeded 30 minutes. Chunk is kind of a gross word. Anyway, I had meetings from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., followed by sitting in on an interview/discussion for another hour and 45 minutes.

Tonight I was working on camera at a graduation show. I truly had a blast! One of my friends that was originally in my six-month class performed. He and his story are both incredible.

I'm about to start an inhaled antibiotic. It's pretty new to the market, but the doctor suggested that I start on it. She said, and I quote, "It may help stave off a course of IV antibiotics." We can only hope! I want to get my hands on it before I head out of town for the weekend. Yeeehaw!

Well, I usually telecommute on Wednesdays, but I have a training that requires my being in the office, so I'm sure that will be enthralling.

FORE!

Hi! I am up for a little mid-slumber post. I decided to go to bed at 7:30 p.m., but this is my intermission before I sleep through to the morning. Why am I in so much need of sleep? Well, I'm glad you asked.

I didn't get the most fitiful sleep on Friday, partially due to the unexpected asthma attack that woke me up in the wee hours of Saturday morning. Asthma attacks are SO. NOT. FUN. With the combination of the asthma attack and my general feeling of GROSS, I decided to start the antibiotic that my doctor prescribed for me to take with me (for safety purposes) on my DR trip. Fast-forwarding to today, I already think I feel a little better.

Yesterday I got up and ran to Target to pick up a prescription. Then, my roommate and I went out to the pool for a little while. It was literally scorching hot outside, but in a good way. I know the heat index has been well over 100 lately. Needless to say, we spent a lot more time in the pool than out.

We headed back and tried to nap up for Bar Golf 2010. I ended up going to workout for a bit and then got dressed up for some good ol'-fashioned bar hopping. I wore my unlucky argyle sweater, shorts, and a Titleiest hat. Although I didn't look like a legitimate golfer, I was legitimately awesome. I had a blast meeting new people and running into old ones. It was an all-around good time. Yeah, we drank more than we should have, but that's kind of expected when you're going from one place to another; it's like a whirlwind!

My roommate's boyfriend ended up picking us up at close to 6:00 a.m. to bring us home. I got in my bed at 7:00 a.m. I slept until about noon, but got up because I had someone (MM) coming over this afternoon to go to the pool. It was once again unbearably hot outside, but it was fun. We came in, saw the Braves lose, and then I headed to eat some delicious El Toro with my sister.

That's a rap. I know it was kinda lame, but I'm on Ambien and what not.

No, urine trouble

I'm kinda perturbed with the lab. When I walked down the street with my jug o' urine and arrived at the lab, they informed me that they actually needed to give me a specific collection container. They said that they had a kit they needed to order for the 24-hour test. So, it appears as though that entire shenanigan was for nothing whatsoever. Congratulations on: 1) making me do all that for nothing, and 2) dragging out this "what's wrong" thing out a little longer.

Although it's very rare for me to go shopping, I've got to admit that I went AGAIN yesterday. I was so excited to have my Thursday night free that I went to a few stores on the way home. I got three items, and they include: a new purse (it is made out of recycled bottles!), a pair of bright blue shorts (just like the gray ones from Wednesday), and a pair of skinny jeans. Yes, I said it - skinny jeans. I've always been too weirded out by the way I look in them, but these fit like they were made for me...a 4-inch taller version of me. I'm still slowly adjusting to the thought of them by trying them on periodically throughout the day.

I know I am talking about it more than I should, but I really don't feel well. I woke up this morning sounding absolutely horrible. It got a little better as the day went on, but I'm feeling gross again now. I am doing my vest in hopes of helping the situation, but it feels like it's mainly sinus-related. A part of me wonders if it's time to go back to the ENT to talk about Sinus Surgery #3. NOT INTERESTED.

I ran three miles today and then jumped in the pool. It was miraculous!

Yesterday I had Willy's and a good time. It, too, was miraculous!

I'm watching the Braves right now. This game has been such a roller coaster! Not too long ago, they were down 4-1. Then B-Mac got a 3-run homer, resulting in a tie game. Pretty much immediately after that, the Marlins got another run, pulling into the lead. Then, in the top of the 9th, there was not only a rain delay, but the Braves pulled ahead 6-5. There is one out in the bottom of the 9th and I'm praying the Braves can pull this through. Go team!

Tomorrow I plan to go to the pool and then go out with some friends. Exciting!

Put on my new suede boots and I boarded the train

So, I thought of that title earlier today and totally forgot about belting it out at a bar the weekend before last. Man, that was kinda fun, but that moment is over. Moving forward... onwards and upwards.

I went to Marshalls today for my telecommuting lunch break and got some super-cute suede boots. They are flat and gray, and I make them look good. I also got a pair of gray shorts. I don't envision myself ever wearing those items simultaneously. The boots were only $29, but I found online that the actual retail price is........ TWO-HUNDRED AND TWENTY DOLLLLLARS. Can we say 'bargaining baller'?

WAY TO SCREW UP, BRAVES. Sorry. Forgive me for that anger. They're in the 12th inning, which is annoying in and of itself, but geez louis.* Get it together. High five on giving up two runs. NOT.

I sound entirely too hyper for it to be after 11:00 p.m., huh? I'm just in a really good mood. I woke up feeling awful (like really sick) today and, although my physical health is not my strength these days, I feel really great mentally. I need to recuperate this weekend.

Mmm, I better get to bed. I have to take my JUG O' URINE to the lab in the morning before our going-away pancake breakfast with the old boss. I guess I made it a pancake breakfast in my head, but it's not technically a pancake breakfast. I'm also going out to lunch tomorrow. I'm excited!

I exercised like a champ today, which makes me happy because I think it will help me feel better.

*I spell "geez louis" the way I pronounce it, which is like the way the city St. Louis is pronounced. I know that's not the phrase, but I pronounce it that way because I think it's better like that. It also originated from someone at one of my sister's former jobs who seriously said it that way.

Urine trouble

I have urine in my fridge.

Isn't that a good hook? I think I'd have to keep reading if someone started a blog with a line like that. Anyway, I started my 24-hour urine collection at 6:00 p.m. tonight, so I'm five hours into a good time. The worst part is that I have to keep it in this orange jug in the fridge. Mmm, I'm thirsty. Tonight's not a good night to start sleepwalking/drinking.

Today I officially filed my claim with the bank since the jerk's transactions were finalized. I also went and filed my official police report. So, it looks like I've pretty much done everything on my end. I'll have to sign some papers that the bank is sending, but otherwise I'll count on those fraud detectives to make someone's life a living hell. Congratulations on replicating my card. Now punch yourself in the face.

The highlight of my day was Willy's (per usual). Five of us went out to lunch together and I just adored the silly out of my steak nachos. Tonight I drank wine while I watched the Braves win, so that was a win for me as an individual. I also had some macaroni and cheese.

Tomorrow I plan to exercise. I've been feeling really run-down lately. I feel a little feverish or something, and just can't muster up the energy to do much. Exercise seemed to help me get lively yesterday, but I couldn't bring myself to do that today.

That's really all I can say. I am very sleepy.

Bump in the road

Today was a pretty good day, all things considered. I think I'm getting pretty desensitized to life's shenanigans.

I received an email at work from a colleague who was doing a fundraiser, so I went to double-check the balance in my online account before I made a donation. When I logged into my account, I noticed a lot of money was missing. It turns out some rotten fool has apparently stolen my card number and was spending my money in Conyers. I put an end to that nonsense ASAP, and hope that all of yesterday's charges (and today's declined ones, SUCKER) land that clown in jail. I truly have no sympathy for anyone who does anything like that. I almost feel like I shouldn't even be talking about it - like it's off-limits or something - but I do hope the investigation lands someone in a lot of trouble. One mo' thing to take care of. Less money, mo' problems.

I had sushi for lunch today, and it was OH. SO. GOOD.

My bloodwork was such a breeze today! It literally took all of ten minutes from sign-in to completion. I wrote my name down. I gave a urine sample. I got stuck with a needle. Lots of blood filled up lots of tubes. I got my jar to collect urine at home. I walked out. DONE! I'm not sure when I'll hear results, but I guess the endocrinologist should receive the results from the lab once they've done whatever they need to do.

What else? I came home and chilled out a little bit before rehearsal. I went to the gym and got in a solid workout. Even though I felt really lethargic, I forced myself to exercise and I'm glad I did; I felt much more energized afterwards. We had late rehearsal tonight, so I only got to watch about 25 minutes of the Bachelorette before I headed to the theatre.

I watched the rest when I got home, and tonight's episode was remarkably uneventful... probably because I was too busy judging Frank and comparing him to people I know in my day-to-day life. Anyway, she has two good guys left and I like them for different reasons. If I was looking for a husband, I'd totally go with Chris. Kinda dorky, I know. Judge your little heart out.

Tomorrow equals Tuesday.

Givin' Lip

Well, well, well... Where to even begin. I'd say Shoot the Hooch 2010 was a success if I've ever seen one. By the time we got to the end of the course, there were literally cops waiting for us. Now, I'm not a fan of law-breaking and what not, but I've got to admit that I am impressed we could cause so much uproar on a river that there would be cops awaiting our arrival on land. Perhaps this year's pirate theme was appropriate. There were 16 girls, and we sure caused a lot of chaos. I don't think it's smart to negotiate with a cop while wearing a shirt that says "Givin' Lip."

My uncle graciously picked my roommate and I up. However, in our post-Hooch stupor, I forgot that my house key was in my car at the put-in. So, we got home and had to sit outside while my uncle and cousin went to retrieve my car. We successfully made it into the house and were pretty useless for the rest of the night...until Burial 2010.

When my roommate went up to bed, she came down and told me that one of her hamsters had died. Between the way we were feeling and the way she was acting, I was laughing entirely too much about poor Goober. My roommate was talking to Goober's child saying, "Nothing to see here, Peanut, " and "Your mama's not doing so well, Peanut." What an end to our day!

Today I met a few Wolf Camera friends (DH and MS) at the Cheesecake Factory for lunch. I devoured a BLT Blue Cheese Burger and we all split a piece of Snickers cheesecake. It was so fun to catch up and talk about everything under the sun. I love lunches like that. It was the perfect start (and end!) to my Sunday afternoon.

The Braves scored lots o' runs today, so they're still carrying the NL East by five games. Ballllerrrrrr! All of those disappointing seasons feel well-worth it this year.

I guess I'm gonna go get all of my crazy bloodwork done tomorrow afternoon. I have a lunch meeting, but it should be a relatively calm day otherwise.

It's like thunda...lightnin'

Well, the weather doesn't exactly look glorious for Shoot the Hooch 2010, but WE WILL PREVAIL! According to the hourly forecast, it's supposed to rain pretty much all day. We'll see where the day takes us, but I'm positive we'll have fun!

So, let's talk about the doctor. Booooooo. Yesterday's appointment with the endocrinologist went pretty well. I have to get about 8 million blood tests done for different things, so I guess I'll be knocking those puppies out on Monday. My bone density has been dropping and they want to check out all kinds of stuff. They also want me to collect my urine over a 24-hour period to see if my parathyroid is jacking up my calcium levels. There is a nice little rhyme that indicates something is wrong with the parathyroid, "moans, groans, stones, and bones." The most ironic thing is that the kidney stone debacle hadn't even happened when I was forced to make this appointment. WE SHALL SEE!

Then, onto the study appointment. Well, we successfully got blood on the first stick today! *round of applause* Basically I sat in a chair and we had a space heater in the chair in front of me blowing right at me. It worked like a charm! Then, onto the dreaded PFTs. I didn't realize the PFTs were dreaded until I saw the results. I last went to the doctor on June 1 - before the travels and the Series of Unfortunate Events. My numbers have dropped pretty significantly in that short time. These are hospitalization-worthy, hands-down, but we'll see if the information is relayed along to my doctor. I don't feel bad enough to warrant going into the hospital, but I do know these are pretty much the worst numbers I've ever seen. Laaaaaaaaame.

Yesterday I had lunch with my friend (ED), her mom, and her brother. It was fun to catch up and eat MEXICAN FOOD! We got kicked out of the restaurant because we're cool like that. And they were also closing for the afternoon.

I operated the camera at the theatre last night. The show was sold out and a lot o' fun.

Off to tackle the Chattahoochee!

You're beautiful

Sing that title like James Blunt sings it, please.

Well, it's late, but I haven't even been home for an hour. Tonight's show was fun. Like I mentioned, it was a private event for a consulting firm. Ironically, when I ran out at the beginning of the show, one of the first people I saw was a person I had a lengthy meeting with the other day at work. He is a member of the alumni board. That was actually extremely shocking, and I could tell he was just as surprised. In the show, I played Conducted Orchestra, Buzzer, Repeat-Scene-That Kind of Family, and Emotion Interview (with a physical characteristic thrown in the mix). I had a lot of fun in every single scene, which felt really great!

Today was a very hectic day work-wise. Yes, I worked from home, but it felt almost busier than if I'd been in the office. When I walked out the door for the show, it hit me that I hadn't even eaten a real meal all day. I'm not saying that like I'm proud, but I'm just surprised that today was that crazy. For the first time ever, I even forgot two of my three study drug doses. I'm not proud of that, either. I did end up using my lunch hour to go to the grocery store today, and I successfully bought a cart of groceries for the first time in at least three months. Pathetic, I know.

I can't remember if I mentioned this or not because my mind is so ... gone, but I have my endocrinologist and study appointments tomorrow. Then I'm heading to meet my friend (ED) for a late lunch. I am pretty excited for the day! It's a little busy for a day off of work, but it will be nice. I work at the theatre tomorrow night, too. Saturday means floating down the Chattahoochee with some really fun people. I soooo look forward to this day!

Well, my voice is halfway gone, which is a great foreshadowing for tomorrow's appointments. I am interested to see where my PFTs sit; the hospital is typical for me in August...

I am feeling a lot of positive energy lately. Heck yes!

One last thing - I had a crazy dream this morning. Sorry to all you cat people. I was walking to my front door and there was a cat staring me down. The cat was gray and pretty fluffy. I noticed as I neared the door that his tail was unattached, sitting next to him. When I got close, he jumped up and tried to bite my hand. I was trying to violently shake him off because it hurt so bad. I ended up hurling him off and the funniest thing is that this happened in real life. I literally woke myself up chucking a pillow across the room. I know that probably doesn't sound as funny as it was, but I could totally see that being a YouTube sensation if it had been recorded.

HUSTLAH

I'm a hustlah, y'all.

So, this morning I forgot to mention that I got up before dawn and worked out. Yeah, you heard it here. I ran on the treadmill and then hopped on the elliptical. I think that should be my order from now on because running on the treadmill really gets me going and then I can coast on the elliptical. It seemed more worthwhile, and I'm gauging that completely on the fact that I started sweating sooner and maintained it throughout the entire workout. Hot, I know. That's what I do.

The meeting at the hospital was pretty cool. It was neat to learn some of the inner workings, but it was also nice to give an objective, firsthand opinion. I feel like this is going to be a great experience. We're already en route to implementing an idea that I suggested today.

My boss is on vacation starting tomorrow through July 26. This means I am the boss of all communications at work. I am making that sound much more important than it is.

I accomplished a first today(ish). In a 24-hour period, I had Starbucks three times. So, last night I only had a hot chocolate because I was drinking it so late and didn't want to be up all night. Today I went to Starbucks at lunch to clear my head (bad mood) and got my White Chocolate Mocha latte and some fruit. They stamped that come-back-after-whatever-time-and-get-a-$2-grande-iced-drink thing on my receipt, and I was sold. I ended up going there for a little while between work and rehearsal, and enjoyed an iced Mocha latte. In both Starbucks sessions, I worked on some creative endeavors, so that was fun!

Rehearsal tonight was fun. We talked about/worked on a game I've never played and rarely seen - Jam Session. It's a musical game and we all know that singing is my expertise. Right, farmer? JERK. After the casting was announced for this week's show (the private event), there was a slight change in plans because the show was supposed to be mainstage. I was already calculating how I would efficiently utilize my time on Thursday night, but found out tonight that I'm going to be in the show anyway. So, although the groceries will have to wait, it will be fun. My mom will officially miss her first show tomorrow, but I know she'll be there in spirit! She would be there if it was allowed.

I have some exciting book-related things to do before I go to sleep! I realize it's already after midnight, but this is the kind of energy I had after I took that writing course at Emory. I'm all riled up! It should be okay if I stay up kind of late because I'm telecommuting tomorrow, so I can knock off the two hours it takes me to get ready and sit in traffic.

Please advise

Hi!

This is going to be super-brief, but I'm about to walk out the door to my first meeting at Emory University Hospital as a Patient Family Advisor. I had my little intro meeting and what not, but this will be the first glimpse into the role that I've accepted. I'm kind of excited because I know I'll see some nurses that take care of me when I'm in the hospital. NURSES ROCK!

Umm, yesterday I met a friend (MV) at Starbucks and had a good time talking life. She really made me think a lot about some things, and it also kind of helped me devise a plan. I really don't mean to sound vague; it's just too long of a story to tell in here. Ultimately, though, I left there feeling pretty energized.

I came home and released some creativity, which felt wonderful. Memo to the world: I'm about to get crackalackin' on my book thanks to the encouragement of the people in my life. That book is too close to done to let dwindle. That was entirely too many to/toos in that sentence. Tutus.

TODAY IS AN AWESOME DAY, KIDS!

Two cups o' coffee

Man. I just finished watching The Bachelorette. Bad move. I am kinda bummed right now because she sent a really good guy home. For everyone who is judging me for watching the show, I DON'T CARE! It is a fun guilty pleasure, so you can't blame me for wanting to have fun. Yeah, so maybe the concept seems dumb and maybe it makes me emotional. Oh well!

Today was a pretty good day, but it seemed so stinkin' long. I got up and worked out before I headed to work. It was a two-cups-of-coffee day for me...for no real reason other than wanting MORE. A few colleagues and I were walking down to get coffee and I was really giddy. We heard a little clink on the stairwell and my friend BC was like, "Wow. You know Drew needs to lay off the coffee when she's already losing an earring." I looked and was like, "My earring!" The only weird thing is that it wasn't one of the earrings I was wearing. It was definitely mine, though, from a pair I haven't worn in what seems like forever. WEIRD! We think it must have been attached to my sweater or something. I need to remember to take it out of my jeans pocket. Yep, I wore jeans to work.

What else? Rehearsal tonight was fun. We just kind of jammed different games we felt like playing. It was great to experiment with different things versus honing in on one game and getting all heady about it. I'll get to be in Thursday's show, too, which is a private event, so that should be fun. I don't think I've done a private event before - at least not one that is closed to the public. Fun times, but I wish I could invite people to my first post-vacation/stone performance. Perhaps next week!

I saw my FLPITW (favorite license plate in the world) today. It simply said "HUSTLAH." That's my new screen saver. I'm a hustler, baby... I just want you to know. It ain't where I been, but where I'm 'bout to go. I'm going to get that song stuck in my head every time I look at my phone now.

Let's all be considerate people, okay? Deal.

The return to normalcy

Boy, it hasn't been easy, but life is almost back to normal...

Thursday.

An indifferent day. I went to eat lunch with my former boss at Maddio's, which was a highlight of the day. I also picked up a few prescriptions from Target, which wasn't a highlight, but was necessary. Finally, I called the guy at the dealership to see if my car was ready and, DING-DING-DING, it was. I headed to the gas station to re-gas the rental car. I looked like a silly goose trying to figure out which side the gas thingy was on. Then, I ended up pumping gas twice because I had to turn the car on to see how I was looking fuel-wise without unnecessarily giving Enterprise free gas.

I got to Enterprise and my insurance company had canceled my rental car claim. SURPRISE! Another thing to resolve! Thankfully that fell to the hands of the Enterprise workers, and I got taken back to the dealership to get my car. They tried to run my debit card and, for some reason, it said a referral was needed for the purchase. We tried again and got the same message. I called Bank of America and I guess they were trying to protect me from identity theft, and I reassured that it was me making the charges. However, between the two pending charges at the gas station and the two $500 charges at the car place, I guess a hold was placed on my card. I didn't have my checkbook or any other form of payment, so I literally had to have my uncle come bail me out of the car place. I think that was the final complication until further notice.

Thursday night I went out to Cheesebuger in Paradise and Taco Mac. I had a swell time.

Friday.

Friday was largely uneventful. I worked from home (on my sister's borrowed laptop), and got a lot accomplished. Not a lot really happened until the point that I went to El Toro with my sister. I came home and watched the Braves beat the Mets (awww, YEAH!). Then, I made a split-second decision to go out for some drinks. I stayed up/out entirely too late, but I had a wonderful time. I am a sleepy thing.

Saturday.

Today is Saturday. I have done many things today, including getting my hair done and buying a new computer. I haven't taken the laptop out of the box yet, but all that matters is that it's my favorite color. I don't even care what it's capable of as long as it continues to be a beautiful aqua. I'm gonna open that bad boy after I get back from Starbucks.

Have a great night, world!

Balla

I am a balla in a Chevy Impala. Man, I am not a fan of driving a car that doesn't feel like mine.

Anyway, today was a really busy telecommuting today. There were tons of mass emails to send and those fools are all sent.

Now I'm returning this computer to my sister and heading down to rehearsal.

Hopefully I will be back on the blogging front soon. I know all of my fans are having withdrawals, but I need a new stinkin' computer and probably won't get to that until this weekend.

In summary

I'm tired and don't feel like saying a whole lot.

- The Braves just beat the Phillies in extra innings. MWAHAHAHA!
- My allergies have been acting up all day - in the form of sinus pressure and sneezes.
- I had Willy's steak nachos for lunch. DEEEELISH.
- I ellipticized at work this evening.
- My car goes into surgery tomorrow morning.
- My computer needs surgery, but my sister was so kind as to let me use her laptop so I can still telecommute tomorrow (and write this worthless post).
- Tomorrow is already WEDNESDAY, Y'ALL!
- Walk like an Egyptian. That has no meaning, but was stuck in my head.

Cherish the days.

I'm proud to be an American

I'm pretty bummed that I didn't hear my favorite 4th of July song this year. OH WELL! I guess the radio stations weren't feeling patriotic.

I just got back from watching fireworks with my mom and roommate. I'm actually at my parents' house. After my grandmother's 86th birthday party today, I headed back here with my parents. My mom and I ran by the mall to return a few things and then watched the Braves lose (sadly).

Well, I've been feeling allergy-tastic these last few days. It honestly blows my mind because it's the middle of the summer; it doesn't seem like I should be sneezing with an itchy throat. I woke up in the middle of the night on Thursday and have been coughing more than usual ever since. Oh well...It could be worse; I could have a kidney stone.

What else?! Friday was one of my Summer Fridays and it was a really dreary day. I worked a bit and took several naps. Friday night I went out and ate some Turkish food and then hit up Starbucks. Ahhh! Starbucks! I hadn't really gotten a chance to enjoy a good ol' coffee since I got back in town.

Saturday I got up, worked out, and then headed to meet my sister at the pool. We laid around and talked for a few hours and then headed to El Toro (!) for some lunch. After that, I came home and took yet another nap, which ended up being three hours long. Impressive, I know. The emcee for last night's show then called to see if I could stop by the grocery store to pick up some ingredients for ABC Buzzer Cooking Show. I got the oddest combination of things, including candy corn, Vienna sausages, and turkey gravy. I also treated myself to an iced White Chocolate Mocha at Starbucks in Kroger. Oh man! I forgot all about this interaction until right now.

Me: I'll have a grande iced White Chocolate Mocha.
Worker: (messing with register) Grande iced White Chocolate Mocha. Hot or cold?

The show was fun last night. The 10:30 p.m. show was canceled since the holiday weekend has been kinda of quiet. It was a nice treat considering how tired I'd been feeling. I could have lasted the two shows and would have enjoyed myself, but I was EXHAUSTED!

I ran three miles this morning.

I'm riding back to our place with my roommate tomorrow morning. Yeehaw! We plan to spend the day at the pool, so I'm hoping for nice weather!

Drop it like it's hot.

So, let's backtrack. The last time I wrote in here was Tuesday night when I was in excruciating kidney stone pain. Right after the post, I started chugging water at a very unhealthy speed. As I browsed the web for quick fixes, I read something about olive oil, so I took a swig of it. It didn't really help the situation. At all. The combination of the water and oil had me hovering over the toilet about to vomit. Water and oil don't mix. I thought of that myself. I was feeling sick all throughout the night. Kidney-wise, I didn't feel very good on Wednesday. I planned to go into work but was in too much pain. So, I continued with the narcotics.

By the end of the day yesterday, it felt like the pain had shifted. Then, when I woke up this morning, I was positive that today would be the day. The pain had moved significantly lower and I just had a good feeling about it. My strainer and I headed to work. I took the strainer with me to the bathroom several times and, at one point, I was sitting at my desk and felt a sharp pain. I was positive it was ready. Drumroll.... The stone was cast!

It is so small that I feel wimpy, but someone at the theatre tonight who'd had experience before (working in a hospital) ensured me that it was not. It's my lil baby. I'm still thinking of a name.

My internet and cable also went out and Comcast is coming tomorrow to fix it. I am bewildered by the fact that it is working right now. My A/C is working, too!

On a sad, yet uplifting note, my friend KM passed away early yesterday morning. One would think that her death would be the final piece of news on this bad luck streak. The thing is, though, that she was ready and comfortable with this. She fought a long, hard battle, and assured us all that she was prepared. While it is saddening for a wonderful person to be gone at such a young age, I am confident that she is happier.

Rest in peace.