OK, can someone offer guidance??

MH - is this what I get for buying the curlers WG suggested and not the hooker/ evangelist ones you suggested??

Last night I went to good 'ol Wally World and purchased myself some "Hot Sticks".  I should have known better when I read online that the skill level required for them was "moderate"...

I sat on the sofa with my new purchase when the hubby asked what I had.  Hot rollers, of course!  He smirked and said "oh, the gap between you and my sister is quickly closing..."  He almost got to sleep on the couch last night for that comment.....

So this morning I plugged those suckers in and went downstairs for breakfast while they were heating up.  I came back upstairs prepared to "girl it up"!

I had a hard time keeping the ends of my hair wrapped around the stick.  Any suggestions? 

Because the sticks are rubbery to avoid hair-slippage they also yank the be-jesus out of your hair when you take them out.  Ouch!!

Here I am mid-curl....  I took one out of the front and you can see how it frizzed out...  Then the long one on the other side just fell limp..

Above you can see where I took out the rollers but hadn't yet "pouffed" out my hair.  Some of the curls are loose and more natural looking.  Some are pretty tight!!  The roller set does have 2 sizes.  I started in the front with the smaller rollers.  I grabbed about a 1" section for each, as indicated in the instructions.  I'm thinking I need to grab a lot more!  I had some really kinky, frizzy curls goin' on!  The back ones were better but usually too loose.  And then I couldn't get any of the hair at my nape to stay in a roller, even a small one.  Don't know how I'm going to deal with that...

When I was done I did the obligatory head flip, ran my fingers along my scalp to shake out the curls and wha-la: (photo complete with the obligatory lip pout...)

That crazy pouf out on the the left side is from all the tight frizzy curs.  You can't really see it but I have a mini-Farrah going on in my bang-area. 

I think the reason I may have some issues is that my hair is layered.  Those layers make for a bitch to get wrapped correctly!!  I'm going to give these rollers a few more tries to clarify whether the above look is purely user-error or just not the right type of roller for my hair.  Since they were only $15 I don't feel bad at having spent the money on them.  If I decide not to use them I'm sure I'll be able to find them a good home. 

If I move on to another set - I said "IF" - I'll go with the traditional cylindrical roller with clip.  And as MH pointed out - they would come in handy if I wanted a career change into TV evangelism or a hooker.  Oh, wait - I don't think she suggested that I become one of them.  I think she said if I wanted to look like one of them... 

I'll let you know how subsequent tries turn out.  In the meantime I'm doing a 5K trail race on Sunday.  Wish me luck!!

!!!!!!

OMG! I just heard they're opening a Sephora in our mall!!!

I think I may relapse back to my make-up hoarding self!

HELP!!!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.4

Well, that backfired!!

I try cooking all sorts of things.  Not all of it ends up being "my favorite" but I generally like most things I make.  I would say 90 - 95% of recipes fall into the "I'll make that again" category.

Rarely is it that I make something that I can can barely eat or absolutely hate.

So this must be one of those rare times...

Last night, after making dinner (from a Cooking Light recipe, where I get most of my recipes) I whipped up a quick soup, also out of CL.  I knew tonight would be busy, the hubby at practice and then I leave to swim and run before he gets home.  And I won't be home until 9 or so.  I figured I'd make this soup, take some for lunch today and then eat it for dinner too.  The hubby surely can heat up soup for his dinner, right??

I was interested and excited about this soup.

1. It was easy to make
2. It only made 4 servings so I wouldn't be left eating soup lunch and dinner for the next week
3. It had parsnips - which I feel is a very under-utilized veggie in my house
4. It also used a gourmet mushroom blend - and I love me some fungi!!
5. It had chickpeas and I'm trying to incorporate more beans into my diet (flatulence aside...)
6. It used a prepared rotisserie chicken - can't get easier than that

I whipped all of it together while doing other things like cleaning up the kitchen, watching TV, etc...

Today I just heated up the soup for lunch and...

Ugh!  It was awful!!  Not often will I say that about a recipe.  I practically held my nose to get it all down.  (It was all I had for lunch, after all....) 

Shame on you Cooking Light for publishing that recipe!!!

Hopefully I can get the hubby to suck down a serving before I bring to his attention that I didn't care for it and throw out the remaining 2 servings... (or for my luck he'll actually like it...  who am I kidding?  He doesn't like mushrooms and I don't think he really cares for parsnips....)

I'm like a retriever

The past four months that my back has been bothering me has caused me to notice 2 lumps in the same general vicinity as the pain.  Although I can assure you they do not appear to be connected to my back pain. They're just there.

Any of you with a lab, or probably any other old dog, may be familiar with lipomas.  They are fatty, soft blobs right under the skin.  Usually harmless.  I figured this is what I found - but in our culture they sure do a good job at teaching us to get all lumps checked out. 

So I did today.  My doc wasn't worried, but did admit it doesn't look/ feel like a usual lipoma.  (it's not "just under the skin", it's deeper.  So you can't actually see it if I were in, say, a bathing suit.)  On the other hand it doesn't look/ feel like any other of the sort of bad things you would worry it could be.  Just to be sure she sent me to have a sonogram.  Looking at the screen during the scan both lumps I have appear to be nothing of concern.  But of course I'll have to wait for the "official" diagnosis.

So now you can call me "Lumpy".  Or "Old Dog"...  But don't be surprised if you get a whack upside the head for the second one...

My computer is "fixed".. but my hair is not.

And I don't mean "neutered"....  at least I don't think so...

Week before last I had to send my laptop to the mothership to get it upgraded to Windows 7 'cuz it just wasn't cooperating.  And believe it or not, I do  have a job I have to get done on this thing....

I got it back up and running this morning (no more of dealing with the "loaner" computer...  pshaw!)  Within an hour I had to reboot.  I'm still getting an alarming number of "Not Responding" messages.... 

On the bright side - files are opening much faster!!  (as in "I don't have to get out of my chair, take a bathroom break and then maybe my file will have opened"...)

In other news I think I've given up on my morning spinning classes.  Between trying to get in the pool at least three times a week and being required to run 6 days a week for my running group I'm not finding a lot of time where I want to wake up at 5:20am to get to a spinning class. 

And on a related note - really!... MH you'll be happy to know I'm considering purchasing hot rollers.  Only "considering" at this point.  I have not yet purchased.  My rationale?  I've been working out in the evenings which requires me to take a shower at night.  My hair is never dry by the time I go to bed.  (I really hate to use a hairdryer if I don't have to!)  I wake up in the morning with wacky hair.  By "wacky" I don't mean "sticking straight up in the air" (thank god...)  But it will be flat.  Or have weird kinks on my scalp that give those crazy bumps if you try and put it in a ponytail.  (did I mention my hair is a bit past my shoulders now??  Which falls into the "long" category for me.) 

Sooo - I figure if I get hot rollers I can just throw those puppies in while I'm getting ready and look a bit more put together.  Anybody have any experience with doing this?  Am I hoping for a miracle that will never happen?  If so PLEASE tell me before I buy the darn things.  I obviously don't want to spend money if it's not going to work and I DEFINITELY don't need yet another unused hair "thingy" taking up space in my house.

hot!

I've decicde we MUST get my hubby a huge, full size pick-up 'cuz he looks SO hot driving one!

I guess I'm just a pick-up girl! ; )

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3

great ideas

I went downtown for a craft show today that took me a part of town I rarely go. Previously these RR overpasses were covered in grafitti buttoday I noticed something different!

I don't know who repainted them but I thought it was a great idea! I only wish I was able to get you photos of all of them because they are so neat!!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3

Internet Idiocy part II

Have you ever watched a show where they show you the suspenseful ending first and the rest of the story is how they ended up there in the first place?? This is that kind of post.

I just opened the browser on my phone with the intent of checking email. My phone browser keeps your last search on the screen. So imagine my surprise when I opened my browser to find....
A close up of a naked man's "micropenis". (The wikipedia entry, if you're interested...)

Not what I was expecting. I was momentarily disoriented. Then I remembered what I had been doing. It was innocent I SWEAR!

Now I feel compelled to explain how I got there.

Earlier today I was reading one of my fav sites, slate.com. A woman had written in to "Dear Prudie" how she's been dating this great guy but after their first sexual encounter she was disappointed to find that he had an extremely small penis.

The response partly included a quick reference to the medical condition "micropenis" and the fact that Prudie googled it before responding to this reader's letter. I was curious and wanted to do the same. Not because it was male genitalia but because I admit to having a perverse interest in abnormal medical conditions. (I totally want to go to the Mutter Museum in Philly!)

Of course I wasn't going to google "micropenis" on my work computer. I know they don't monitor our computers but I didn't want to chance it.

So I looked it up on my phone browser!

And that's why I just gave myself a shock when I just opened my phone browser only to see a real "micropenis"!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3

Internet Idiocy

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

I think I threw up in my mouth a little...

In case you were wondering Garmins are not impervious to tiled bathroom floors.... I accidentally dropped it last night. I swear I think I threw up in my mouth a little when I realized what I had done.

The good news it that I think I can send it in to be repaired for $100. Which is better than having to buy a new one for $350.
Whew!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3

the Doc's office

When you go to the doctor are you one of those people that makes sure to wear "nice" undies (like not granny panties...)??

I've been having back problems so I'm at a specialist. Didn't even consider I would need xrays today. I wore both an underwire bra AND a thong. Ooops! Guess the doc's gonna get a show... the xray techs sure did!!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3

Already "one of those days" and it's not even noon...

Ok, as I'm writing this is past noon.  But that's only because it took my computer that long to get to this page.  It was before noon when these thoughts started.

My work computer is acting up again.  I swear it's not me.  But it really is.  Let me clarify - I'm not getting into the "innards" and trying to fix issues myself thus more royally screwing up my computer. (and we all know someone like this...)  I appear to have electric or magnetic hands or something.  Whenever I'm around a computer for a period of time it goes hinky.  I don't know why.  It just does.  That said - don't let me near your computer... 

One of the main issues I'm having - my computer won't open programs, specifically PDFs.  Which was frustrating when Bagel Boy came in first thing this morning needing me to open and review some PDFs.  Well, I can't.  Can you print them out for me?  I'm not trying to be a princess but I'm having computer problems again...

And then some people out of the office start acting like infants (that would be non-communicating, panic-ridden children) and I'm bombarded with emails and excel attachments with "can you look into this?!?!"  Well, I would if I were able to open the excel files.  Ok, they opened but not in what I would call a "timely fashion".  I know I have no patience but when I click a file to open, get up, go to the restroom, come back and it's still not open?  PA-LEASE!

And combine that with many other "issues" this morning and I already want to call it a day. 

Which is a good thing I start his running program at the Y tonight.  Of all nights I'm going to really need it today!  The program goes through the middle of December.  The idea is to keep you running even when it's cold outside.  So every Wednesday at 6:30pm and Saturday mornings at 7am I'll be outside with a bunch of other nutters running in the cold.  I believe they give us personalized running program to do on our own aside from the two organized runs.  I have a feeling I may be doing those on a treadmill.  Let's face it - sometimes it's just waaay too cold to run outside - like whether or not my snot is freezing on my face. 

But today looks like a beautiful fall day outside and I'd rather be "out" than "in".  Alas, I must stay inside in order to earn my paycheck.  I'll have to remind myself what a great job I have one day when the rain is pouring down... or worse, when we have snow  up to our private parts...

I love fall!

Have I mentioned fall is my favorite season??  I LOVE it!  Where we live we usually get, oh, three weeks of fall before the depressing winter sets in.  I don't know if it made the national news but the last few weeks we've have rain of biblical proportions - luckily no sump pump failure this time! - but there might be a day here and there that peeked through of TRUE fall.

And I just saw the weather report for this coming week.  It looks FAB!  Highs in the low 60's, high 50"s....  clear or very slight cloudy sky....  leaves are still turning...  THIS is Fall!

And how do I like to spend fall?  Outside with a big cup-o-Timmy's!

Outnumbered asked me "what about the Tim Bits"??  I should explain:  "Timmy's" is my affectionate name for Tim Hortons - only the best coffee EVER!  "Tim Bits" are their version of donut holes.  But that's not how I spend my weekends.   As soon as I get up I brew up some Timmy's coffee at home and then head out to a great little local bakery for some yummies.  So I'm still getting my favorite coffee and still supporting a a local establishment.  And I love this bakery - not only are they yummy but they open at 6AM so I can go as soon as I get up and walk right in with my cup of coffee, still in my jammies.  That's my kind of place!

If you've never heard of Tim Horton's it's understandable.  It's a Canadian coffee/ donut place.  Their only US locations appear to be in the Eastern US along the Canadian border.  I was first introduced to Timmy's when I live in Toledo, OH.  We now have them here!!  Several have opened in the past year in our town and surrounding 'burbs.  I'm in HEAVEN!! 

 I'm not a Starbucks fan - I find it bitter as though they over roasted their beans.  I was a huge Dunkin Donuts fan but I find the coffee tastes slightly legume-y.  I don't know how else to explain it.  I'll still drink it if Timmy's isn't around....  But Tim Horton's is definitely the BEST!  I can even get ti in the grocery store!

If you are a big coffee drinker at home let me know.  I WILL send you some Tim Horton's to try.  Let me know!!  If you're sold I'll send you cans to keep you stocked!  (ok, you'll have to pay me for the coffee if I start buying you big cans...) 

!!!

Damn you pesky chin whisker!!!  *shakes fist in air*

WARNING: Possible TMI

It occurred to me the other day I should have put a warning on my piano tuner rant.  Nobody cares about my issues with a piano tuner.  But I had to get it out of my system.  So "thanks" to you guys who read it and commiserated in my misery.

On that note I realized I should put a warning on this entry too.  But it's not a rant.  It's more of too-much-info in nature.  But if you're my friend then you're used to this anyway so read on.  (the voices in my head are asking me why bother with the warning 'cuz ya'll know I share TMI all the time anyway.  Good question.  I must have a full discussion with voices at a later date.  Full conversations to ones' self in the office could lead to psych eval or immediate dismissal.)

Folks, I remember why I'm not a lover of cycling.  Yeah, I know, I've done two century rides but that was to spend more time with the hubby.  I don't hate it per se....  it's just not my favorite.  And here's why.

I've been taking spinning classes for the past few weeks.  I never even bothered to get my bike out this year so this class was my first time back in the saddle since last year's century ride.  Over the weekend I noticed some numbness.  And this numbness wasn't in my fingertips.....  (for those of you still clueless, I am referring to female anatomy that, when shortened, rhymes with "pit".  With me now??)

Using the phrase that MH prefers - This ain't doing it for the "marital relations", if you catch my drift.  And we all know that, generally speaking, married folks usually have their own slew of issues over this matter so I don't need to be contributing to the problem.  I'm only interested in finding solutions!!

Which I must point out is ironic since one of the reasons I started this whole endeavor was to also lose a few pounds to perk up my self image thus to perk up....  well you get the idea.  And now that has backfired.

So, in my usual manner what do I do??  I ask my tri-coach, TM, if she too has heard of this issue and has any solutions.  Last might was my second time meeting with her.  If I'm anything I'm not shy.  But it appears I'm not the only one suffering from "Ahcantfeelmyclititis". 

I knew they made saddles with cut outs for guys. (to stop putting pressure on nerves that are "down there" that in turn cause numbness and possible other issues.)  But I didn't know they made then for women too!

See the "complete cutaway is comfortable on soft tissues"??  Yeah - this is what I need.  The problem?  This saddle is $75...  They have another one that I'd actually prefer...  but it's $135.  And of course - this is only for my road bike.  Can't do anything about the spinning bikes they have in the gym. 
Well honey - if you want to know what to get my for Christmas.....  (BTW  http://www.terrybicycles.com/)

The only adult in the world

Have you ever had a day in which you feel you are the ONLY adult on the planet??

That was me yesterday. 

But today is a new day.  And even though I totally crapped out on working out (and yesterday morning too.  I might as well fess up...) I am generally in a good mood this morning. 

Now - about being an adult....  I'm pretty sure that in order to get your "grown-up card" you must show some sort of discipline in your life.  Man you should have seen me before I turned 18!  "Discipline" was my middle name.  Everything was scheduled, planned out, done with purpose.  I was motivated, driven by goals (albeit relatively abstract ones like "making only A's and B's" and "getting into a good college".)  And those reasons were good enough to drive me to lead a disciplined life.

But somewhere around college I lost that discipline.  (ironic, since I'm pretty sure I wasn't an adult at 18)  I first thought I didn't have discipline because I had nothing in my life that required it.  So I started piano lessons.  Then this whole tri-thing.

They have given me a goal.  But I'm still having trouble with the discipline part.  Any suggestions from the "real" adults out there??  If you had it at one point wouldn't you think that would make it easier to remember how to have it?!?

Side Note:  It occurs to me that I have become quiet disciplined, although inadvertantly, on keeping up with my chin whisker.....  Maybe it's not "discipline" per se and more just OCD...

chin whisker update

Ever since I discovered my chin whisker I realize I have developed a nervous habit. I rub the underside of my chin "looking" for the scratch of the beginings of a whisker!

And as soon I feel the slightest roughness I'm overcome with a determination to pluck that sucker out!

Problem is it needs to be long enougb to be able to pluck. Doesn't stop me! I figet with the tweezers until one of two outcomes:
- I actually pull it out
- or I start to bleed!

Seriously! I'm beginning to get a scar where I keep digging at it!

What to do?!?!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.2

Being a good business person

If you read my current status update you may know what's coming....

I had the piano tuned Monday when I was out of town.  So the hubby was holding down the fort while the guy was there.  I told the hubby to expect to pay around $65 for the tuning as I had been told by my piano teacher this was the going rate.  I found out later that the tuner charged him $110!!  I couldn't blame the hubby because he didn't really know any  better - he knows nothing about pianos or going rates, etc.  He was told the piano had to be tuned "twice" and normally the guy charge $130+ but he gave us a "deal" and only charged $110.  Did I mention that he never mentioned any of this until the work was complete???

Needless to say I was HOT!  As soon as I found out I called my piano teacher to see if what he claimed was feasible.  (let's face it  I really don't know squat about piano tuning either....)  She and another musician confirmed I essentially got conned.

So today I called to let them (tuner and his wife) know I will no longer be using their services because I felt taken advantage of and they were unprofessional in how they handled the tuning.  Needless to say this didn't go over well....

me:  Hi, your husband came to tune last week when I was out of town.  After discussing the situation with my husband I am very concerned about what happened.......  the charge was much higher than expected and the excuse was it required a "double tune", which it didn't.  (this I do know for a fact.  I had 2 notes ever so slightly out of tune....  I have an electronic tuner...)  I felt very taken advantage of  and the way it was handled was very unprofessional.

Wife: Well, why don't you wait until Husband gets home to discuss it with him.  But we didn't quote you anything so how do you know how much it was supposed to cost?  It hadn't been tuned in over a year so it HAD to have a double tuning.

me: That's part of my issue.  I never was given a quote and I assumed it was the going rate of $65.

Wife:  THAT's not the going rate!  We charge $85! 

me:  I'm not arguing to get any money back.  I'm calling to let you know that we will no longer be using your services and I was going to explain why in the event you want to change your future business practices for new customers.

Oops.  Apparently the "we're not going to use you any more" really set her off.  The next thing I know she's going OFF on me, defending how they do business...

Wife:  Your husband should have asked how much it was.  He was there!!

me:  This has nothing to do with my husband.  He doesn't know anything about pianos or music. 

Wife:  Well it sound to me that the communication is in YOUR household, not ours!

me: EXCUSE ME?!?!  I really don't appreciate what your saying. 

Wife continues to argue with me (even though I'm really cool as a cucumber.  I'm not arguing at all. Ok, maybe I raised my voice a little when she tried to turn the tables on us....)

Finally I hear her away form the phone telling her husband:
Wife:  I'm too mad at her!  She can't be reasoned with !  YOU talk to her!  I'm DONE!

??????  really?  All I'm telling you is that we won't be using you anymore and why. 

Husband gets on the phone.  I reiterate in a nice, calm voice that we won't be using them again and if I were a business owner I'd want to to know why so I could better my business practices.

He was no better.

After I'd explained why I was calling:
Husband: Well, your husband was just standing there playingwith the dogs the whole time!

(??  did you expect him to HELP you tune the piano himself?? WTF?!?!  Anyone with dogs knows my hubby was keeping them occupied to stay of of tuners way...)

I went through the same crap with him as the wife.  We ended in the same spot.  Him going on and on, not letting me get a word in edge-wise.  The whole time I'm on the other end: "Sir, excuse me, sir.  If you'd please let me finish.  Hello, sir?  Please, allow me to finish."

He wouldn't stop so I finally hung up on him.

I really hate doing that.  Honestly I do.  But he wouldn't be quiet so I could wrap it up.  What an idiot!

My next call was to the store where I purchased my piano - and to the owner who had recommended this tuner.  Again, if I owned a business I'd like to know more about the guy I was recommending!!   So we'll see how this all works out in the end.

Actually, I'll tell you.  I'm getting a new tuner!!

NOTE:  I am very aware that my biggest mistake was not getting a quote up front.  However, that had no bearing on the guys sketchy business practices or the ridiculousness of the phone calls that followed.  Learn from my mistake - ALWAYS ask for a quote upfront!

Chlorine - an effective, yet painful sinus rinse

I've been in Canada this week for work.  Unfortunately my phone plan does not include any internet access when out of the country so I couldn't do any quick blog updates or check FB or anything of that sort.  I could have plugged in at night at the hotel, but folks I was pooped!   Each night I came home from dinner and went to bed.   (in my defense I usually didn't get home from dinner until 9:30 or 10pm...)

Since my training session with TM I was trying to find a way to incorporate swimming while I was on this trip.  Lucky for me there was YMCA located right across the street from my hotel!  Two separate mornings I got up early and went to swim.

Ok, swim might be an overstatement....  I spent 30 minutes each time doing the drills TM showed me during our last session.  In between the drills I would swim a "regular" lap.  For some reason the more I swam the more water I got in my mouth, up my nose, in my ears, in my eyeball!!! (somehow a bit of water slipped in my goggles.  I still haven't figured out how that happened!)  And when I say "the more I swam" I don't mean the further into my 30 minutes.  That would make sense because I would be getting tired and sloppy.  Nope - my Thursday swim was lots worse than Tuesdays.  That doesn't make sense because I would think I was getting better at it, not worse.

Perhaps I'm over-thinking it....

But I have been getting a lot more water in places it doesn't belong.  Especially up my nose.  Which burns like a mother.  So I would like to apologize to the members of the London, Ontario YMCA Centre Branch for any inadvertent snot rockets that I may or may not have left in the pool.

While writing this it reminded me that I have still been swimming with only one suit.  Yes, WG, I can hear you now "swimming with one suit on should suffice"...  So I went online and purchased my second suit from splish.com.  Of course I got one on sale 'cuz I'm like that.  (unless said item is a Clark shoe...)

Once I confirm my size with this company I'm sooo getting the Wonder Woman suit or what I call the "Super Hero" suit!!