MIA…again

Feel like there has been so much going on the last couple months. I am working in less than 9 hours, so instead of write it all out I thought I’d post some pictures Who doesn’t like pictures!?

She's so lovely after we finish at work, also...she looks like a squirrel.

Whoops! The torn out site debacle from the D-Meetup w Jess & A (talk about an embarrassing time to happen!)

She's my favorite when she sleeps...so peaceful...and not eating things.

It's usually best to take walks in the rain with rain gear on, maybe I'll remember next time

First regular season Sharks game in a LOOONG time...at least five years.

Got decent discounted seats...AND they won...in a shootout, but a win's a win!

Took my sister with me Dinner and a Sharks game...can't get much better than that.

How adorable is she?!?! Her name is Tori, she was boarding at work...love her!

Rocky and Rocky...also from work.

Another Sharks game! Same ticket price...WAY better seats

Such good seats! AND I had decent seat neighbors, they knew about the sport! (not too typical here in SJ, sorry if that's offensive)

We won again 3-2 Started a bit slow & couple rough PPs...but we fought hard & came away with it.

Ignore the mess and lack of makeup...but my hair has faded SO much! (have been noticing the last few days lol)

And that’s the recap. Could say more…and I will eventually when I can, I have my yearly bday update to post!

Just Because There Needs to Be Happy Here

Idaho Falls Zoo, I think this was the mom watching her two babies play in the sun

I really loved visiting this zoo. Firstly, because I love zoos. Secondly, because they trust their visitors to not be complete jackasses and try to go play in the animals enclosures, so you get to stand closer. Thirdly, I think it was all of $5/person to visit. Fourthly, it’s the last place I stopped in Idaho before leaving…which isn’t terribly happy, but the event was happy.

Diabetes Debacles

Attack of the Symlin

This is what the right side of my stomach looks like right now. The left isn’t as bad, but there’s less space to inject. Thank goodness I won’t be in a swimsuit any time soon.

Tubing Death Pt. 1

Sometimes I reuse tubing.

Tubing Death Pt. 2

Sometimes that’s a bad idea.

I Wish…

If more Americans could be induced to visit these scenic treasure houses the
public will come to appreciate their value and stand firmly in their defense.

Allen Chamberlain, Appalachian Mountain Club, 1911

100 years ago. How has it been 100 years? I wish we, as a society, embraced our public lands as steadfast as we embrace the newest iPhone, iPad, game console, movie, etc. They really are “scenic treasure houses”, it’s sad so few have had the opportunity to be awed by its existence.

…in other words, I miss Idaho

NEW Hair!…Again

Flippy!

Double Tails!

SteeeRATE!

It was a fun Saturday night playing with my hair and makeup. I’m not sure you can see the differences in the eyes, but there were

Lessons Learned

Things I learned on Thursday:

There are a large percentage of people who believe it’s acceptable to text while having sex. Texting while sexting! (This was on my co-worker’s, who’s not really a co-worker because I don’t really work there, news radio station this afternoon. I didn’t hear, but she told me. We briefly discussed imagining how this was possible and quickly decided we didn’t need to think about it)

The difference between midgets and dwarfs. (Thanks to Ashley. I know one has proportionate limbs & head…I think midgets. The other has smaller limbs, and I think that’s dwarfism)

I really really should not watch infomercials while I’m on IV pain medication (I managed to order some skin care stuff while I was in the hospital in ID…and they’ve JUST charged my card for refills. I didn’t want refills and really shouldn’t have gotten the first shipment to begin with! NO more infomercial purchases! It was my first, and hopefully last)

Apparently macaroons can help with diarrhea. (This was on Facebook, from a Crohn’s group. It got me started thinking…)

D-Feast Friday!

I took the time to write out my internet-inspired recipes on 3×5 index cards. Then I thought I lost them! After a mini late night wild goose chase, they’ve been located. Have no fear, the recipe is here!

Orange Cranberry Muffins

2 1/2 c Almond Flour (you can make your own in a food processor, it’s best to used blanched almonds)
1/4 tsp Salt
3/4 tsp Baking Soda
2 eggs
1/2 c Honey
3 TB Butter
1 c Fresh Cranberries
2 clementines or 1 orange

Preheat oven to 325 F.
Remove rind from one orange and leave the other as is, removing only it’s stem stub.
Process both oranges in a food processor.
Put oranges in a mixing bowl and add the remaining wet ingredients.
Mix well.
Add dry ingredients.
Mix well.
Place in cupcake lined tin, 1/2-3/4 full. (Almond flour does not rise the same as normal flour, so they won’t get too high)
Bake 35 mins. If you decide to make a loaf instead of muffins it’ll take about 10 mins more.

When I made them I made about 14 muffins. There are about 14 carbs and 190 calories per muffin. (The whole recipe is 191 carbs and 2663 calories if your muffins are smaller/larger)

Enjoy! They’re super moist and incredibly delicious!

Thank You Mom!

She got me the best gift I could ask for yesterday. A heating pad. I pop it in the microwave for a minute and I have sweet sweet bliss for a good half hour. It’s not terribly bulky, so I could wear it, say…like today when I work in my dad’s office!

Love

Now, it’s not an attractive look to put under my shirt. But it’s not 100% noticeable either. We’ll see how much pain I’m in before I break down and break out my new pal.

It doesn’t relieve all my pain, but it makes it bearable enough to sleep and bearable enough to not have the pain be my focal point. At this point, I’ll take whatever I can get.

This heating pad has many perks. 1 – I can also freeze it and use it as an ice pack! 2 – I don’t need to be attached to a power outlet in order to use it. 3 – It has a band that I can even wrap it around myself 4 – It was one of the cheapest options at CVS

I know it’s just a heating pad. But right now, it’s so much more!

Perhaps My Worst Photo Ever

*disclaimer: I don’t need you to agree OR disagree with me, I promise. I merely find it humorous.*

Wednesday was my first day of school. I’m still figuring out the whole financial aid issue, so I have no books and have yet to pay my tuition/fees. But, if it all works out, I will continue to stay in school. Initially I planned to take one “on” campus class and keep the rest online…for work and medical purposes. My “on” campus class is not really ON campus. It is located at a local high school, during their first period of instruction. I can’t believe they start school at 7:35A! Anyhow, it was quite an experience…

Day 1:
6:55A – Leave for coffee!
7:30A – Arrive in general vicinity of school and opt to follow the multitude of vehicles turning down a side street
7:32A – Arrive on campus with 2000+ other people (I asked the secretary the enrollment number)
7:33A – Find students with big “?” on their shirts and ask where building 5 is located
7:34A – Walk into HUGE center with lines and LINES of students in front of offices. Find an office with no line and pop my head in to ask what I need to do as a college student
7:35A – (Start of class) Am told the class is NOT in building 5, but in room 312; which pleases me greatly as that is one of my favorite number combinations. Am directed to the classroom and told to fill out an emergency form “at some point”
7:37A – Arrive in class with my cup of iced coffee. It is CLEAR I am much older than the 15 and 16 year olds in my class. The interpreter is speaking, the deaf instructor does not notice my arrival; she is passing out paperwork. I choose a seat next to who I am certain is the “smelly/nerdy kid” at school.
7:37-8:30A – Role call – find I’m not on the list. Discuss syllabus. Key Points: NO tardiness, if you are tardy you must have a signed note from the main office. NO drinks in class
8:30A – Sit at my desk utterly confused. Class is supposed to end at 9:22A on Wednesdays. The teacher says we’re finished. The bell rings. I go with it
8:32A – Talk/sign with instructor regarding my name lacking presence on the attendance sheet. She said she didn’t know. But it was fine
8:35A – Barely survive my trek down the hallway. A “couple” making out stops to make out right in front of me…I nearly ran into them. I tower a good head or two above 99% of the students. Find the open office I found before class
8:40A – Arrive at the main office. The secretary, Lorna, welcomes me and has me fill out a form. She informs me she will be placing my emergency card in with the Senior advisor and will have people check on me in class to make sure my diabetes isn’t killing me. (Okay, not those words exactly…but close) She asks a man if I can take a Staff ID picture, so I have some form of idea. Unidentified man, who turns out to be the principal, says that’s a great idea and to take me over.
8:45A – Lorna walks me to the ID/School photos in the cafeteria. On our way we discuss school population, having a service dog and my random placement in a high school at the age of 24.
8:48A – I am handed off to a parent volunteer. She stands in line with me to get my order form. She is also fascinated by my attendance in high school at 24.
8:52-9:00A – Stand in line. Talk to a teacher about a pretty fascinating program the school offers for students. One I wish I had enrolled in when I actually was a high school student. I ponder the idea of becoming a teacher and what would have happened had I listened to all of my teachers.
9:00A – Complete picture. It’s terrible. The woman offers to take another, I pass. I doubt the next will be any better. Now, this isn’t because I find myself to be particularly ugly. I slept approximately 3 hours. I rolled out of bed, pinned my hair back, threw on some clothes…one of which was Tuesday’s shirt.

Without further ado:

If you look closely in person my eyes are not headed the same direction and are different sizes!

The best part of having a Staff ID card is now I can get discounts at Michael’s on Wednesdays…and apparently at some other stores I don’t shop at, like NY & Co. I won’t be participating in my discount abilities until I actually have a regular income though.

A note on my teacher pondering…I had to go to Ohlone to attempt to figure out my financial aid situation once again. It turns out I may be able to get $600 worth of aid if I enroll in this seminar for teaching math and science. I go to the class for the first time tomorrow. I’m not sure I’ll stay in it, but looking at the program is worth a shot. PLUS, I could REALLY use $600 for school. Being that my current budget is $0.

A second note on teacher pondering…I stumbled upon a brochure for a school in Montana (where I’d like to move) that has discounted tuition for CA residents and has an education program. AND an outdoor education center too!

I’m certainly not committing to anything, because I can’t at this point. But I’m excited at the potential of possibly having a path.

Where These Feet Have Traveled

As a child and even young adult my hatred of feet had always been abundantly clear. Doctors had to force me to remove my socks for my yearly physical. I suppose I’ve always been self conscious of my feet. While I was never blatantly disliked in grade school, the one thing I’d been teased about were my too-large, too-skinny feet. By grade 4 I was wearing a 9.5! I think I nearly cried in the shoe store.

In recent years I guess you could say I’ve developed an appreciation for feet. I like the symbolism of footprints, which are impossible without feet. I’ve come to accept my size 11-12 shoe size. And I no longer jump 5ft in the air if someones foot grazes any part of my body. An even bigger step, I’ll still talk to you if your feet touch me. I may even consider politely asking for its removal.

Mostly, my feet haven’t failed me. Perhaps they’re not the prettiest feet around; but come on…they’re feet! They are callused, scarred & maybe a bit odd shapen. Yet they’ve never failed me. They take me places, put up with the poor shoe choices I make from time to time, swiftly adjust from pink to blue to purple painting…they are probably my most loving body part. After a long day of work, of course they’re sore. They’ve had their share of blisters, cuts, burns and even a wart problem as a young child. 

The real question, I guess, is why the hell am I writing about feet?!?! And, honestly, I think it’s because I need something to appreciate about myself. Silly, I know. It’s just been too much lately and my feet haven’t given up. My immune system has revolted (even more than normal), my hormones are off and as a result of the immune troubles, my muscle tone has also given up working. It seems as though my body is quitting and it’s killing me. I need to stop hating me. And my feet are dependable. A fresh splash of my favorite nailpolish and they even appear halfway decent! 

Some day I may look back at this with sadness, pity and embarrassment; though I hope differently. We should be able to appreciate ourselves, every little piece. So, today, I choose my feet. A small part of all of me. It’s all I can muster to appreciate at the moment as I lay in bed, in pain, overtired and a bit defeated. Feet, I’ve decided are a good place to start. They’re the ones who move you, right? 

And today, they’re taking me to Montana.