MUSHY WARNING!!!

If you're easily grossed out by mushy stuff STOP HERE. If not, keep reading.

Today is our third anniversary. D's out of town so I wasn't goingt o make a dela out of it today. Thought we'd go out to dinner some time when he gets home later this week. But look what he sent to my office today!!!

I heart him!!

A vote for centralized medical databases!!

I know - I sound like a dork running for office... but I have a great idea. Well, I'm sure it's not my very own idea. As a matter of fact I think I read about this a handful of years ago in a mag...

So, if you're reading my blog then you're a close enough friend to know about my car accident as a toddler. If you don't know me and happened upon this blog by accident, let me clarify... I was not driving a car as a toddler and got in an accident. Rather, I was involved in a terrible car accident when I was 22 months old. Hope that clears things up a bit.

Now that we have that settled.... I've been having more headaches and mentioned to my doctor here that I have copies of CT scans, reports, etc... She asked to get copies because that would be great to be ablet o compare the scans from 2000/2001 to now and to be able to read the reports from the surgery I had at that time.

No problem, I said. I've got it all at home. But apparently I lied because I can't find them. As I started looking I remembered that I had given everything to a doctor I saw at the Cleveland Clinic in 2003. Did I make copies of the reports? of course not. Did I make copies of the CD's? actually, I couldn't do that anyway...

So I've been on the phone all of lunch calling my old ENT, the hospital, the imaging center, to get copies of reports and disks. Pain in the ass.

So then, why can't all of our medical info, reports, imaging, tests, etc... all be centralized?? Especially in this day and age people are moving all around. Keeping track of all that is quite a task for someone with my medical background. Plus, I couldn't even make copies of the CD's of the CT scans anyway. What if I were in a major accident and they could easily save my life if only they could pull up that CT scan from last year??? Well, that's assuming they'd even know I had a CT scan a year ago since it wouldn't be in their system...

If computers are/ have been supposed to turn us into digital beings then why is the medical industry lacking so far behind??? If I remember correctly in the article I read about this, one issue stopping a "centralized medical database" was issues of privacy and the issues surrounding keeping that info safe from hackers, etc...

Now if I had any computer skills whatsoever at all I'd be going out, solving this problem and making myself millions. But since I don't can someone out there please develop this?? and soon!!!

I debated

I debated telling you this. But since I was dumb enough to share the cat-shat story I figured this isn't even as bad.

By the way - I have since determined it wasn't cat poop - but something out of his anal glands... It makes me feel better - that it wasn't actually s**t. David disagrees. He says it was still something from the back end of the cat and it involed my face.

Anywho - back to this story....

So, I've had an "issue" that required me to see an colorectal specialist. Yeah. Just the doc I want to see. I brought up the "issue" with my regular doc and she's the one that sent me to him.
Dr. Cami: You'll love him. He's great! He's young, you know.
me: Um, I don't want someone I'll "love" looking at my ass. I want an ugly, fat old man. Can you accomodate that?
Dr. Cami: No, no. I mean he's a great doctor. Don't worry about it.
me: so long as he's not a) just out of med school and 2) drop dead gorgeous
Dr. Cami: No, he's not just out of med school... and he's a good looking guy.
me: like I said - send me to some old, fat guy. please?
Dr. Cami: Don't worry - you'll like him.
me: fine. whatever. I see I'm not going to win this battle.

So I went to see Dr. Nesbitt. His name is also a problem as I dated a Nesbitt in high school/ college. I'm praying it's no relation....

So the doctor isn't drop dead gorgeous - but he wasn't bad looking either. But he made up for it by having a nurse that is EXACTLY what you'd expect at a colorectal office. Old, craggy face (probably from a life long addiction with the cancer stick) and stern, serious. Ok, I immediately felt better just having her there. She was no-nonsense, get the job done kind of gal. PERFECT!

It started innocently enough. Just talking - all my clothes on. Fabulous. Then he had to get " a look". Ugh. I'll spare you the details but did you know that colorectal docs have their own special exam tables? Serious nurse was giving me directions on how to properly, um, situate myself for the exam.

After taking a look-see it was done. As I was pulling my pants back up serious nurse cracked a smile and said "wait, tell me - what's that the Japanese symbol for?" For a minute I was totally confused. what was she talking about?? Oh yeah. my tattoo.
me: it's the symbol for strength
serious nurse: I knew I'd seen it before
me: I'm not used to having doctors see that one.

I crashed a retirement party...

I flew in last Thursday nite for my friend's baby shower... and ended up crashing a retirement party. Dad called and said one of the guys he used to coach with in WV was having a retirement party Thursday nite. So Aunt Linda picked me up from the airport and to the party we went. Good times, good times.

Got to see some of the kids of the teachers at the party that are my age. Man - everyone seems to have kids (plural) and of school age! They don't waste any time in those parts fo the woods... Heard that one of the boys that we all had a HUGE crush on in jr high is a chiropractor - and let's say I was told he's not nearly as svelt as he once was.... (but then again I could probably say that about msot of us....) But it must be pretty bad that that was specifically pointed out to me....

Then Friday was the ever-important ice cream social. There were many men in their late 30's yelling " Mr. D!! My name is on your paddle!!!" Remember - dad's been gone for 17 years... These guys were proud that their name was on his paddle (you know, back when they were allowed to paddle....) And then there were the groups of women, same age as the men, "Mr. D!!! How are you! We all thought you were the cutest teacher we ever had!!" Puke. There are just some things that a daughter doesn't want to hear....

I did see a few people from jr high but not many. But of course - my hair was lookin' especially hot....

Sunday was the baby shower. Good times, good times. TF gots loads of booty (as in gifts... you know, pirate booty.... never mind....) She has one of the new Jeep Comanders, or whatever their huge SUV is these days, and it was packed full-o-gifts. I think that qualifies as a successful shower.

Let's all wish TF good luck pushin' the little one out - preferably as close to August 19th as possible. (for her sake, anyway....) D and I will be camping in their neck of the woods over Labor Day so hopefully we'll get to see the little booger. But if not then I'm sure to make a trip when it's most convenient for them.

Sick of airline regulations

Tomorrow after work I'm on a plave heading to WV for TF's baby shower. I'm SO excited. I've known TF (formerly TM) forever. I was in her wedding... she was in mine... and now's she due in August with her and her hubby's first "kid". Can't say which since they don't know.

I saw TF back in June when I was in the area for my grandma's funeral. David and I stopped by and spent several hours visiting. She looked great at 7 months! Damn, she hardly looked pregnant. If I didn't know I would have thought she just had a little beer belly going on. Anyway - got to see the nursery - Classic Pooh. Very cute.

While we were there I literally invited myself to the baby shower. I figured she might not bother inviting me since I lived so far away - but I wanted to come!!! She laughed at me and assured me that I was being invited anyway. Isn't she sweet? I truly don't think I was on the list...

So I'm flying out tomorrow night. The shower is Sunday. You may be asking yourself why in the hell am I going so early?? Well, Friday nite is the Williamstown Ice Cream Social!! This town only has a few thousand people. Everyone who is anyone will be at the social! As a matter of fact my dad is comnig up from SC to go! So I'm hitting the road (or the airport, as the case may be) Thursday after work.

Now since it's very possible I might be seeing people at the social I went to Jr high with and the fact that I'll be seeing TF's family at the shower it is important that I look my absolute best on this trip. How does that differ when I'm traveling otherwise?? Easy - when I travel for work if my hair doesn't turn out right I don't care. They don't know what my hair looks like usually anyway. And who cares - at worst those people can just think I have a bad haircut. I really dont' care. But here.... Here I care what they think. I know, I shouldn't, but I do.

I'm not getting home until midnite Sunday. No big deal until you learn that I have to be back on at the airport at 7:30AM Monday morning to catch a flight for work. Therefore I DO NOT want to check a bag. This airport is natorious for taking FOREVER to get your bag the 100 yards from the plane to baggage claim. I want to get home and go to bed.

Now to the conumdrum. Since I'll be checking my bag I can't bring the all-important, perfect hair products. i.e. MY mousse, MY hairspray, etc... because I can't carry them on. They don't come in travel sizes - trust me, I know. I spent all nite at Wal-Mart looking.... If you know me then you know this is a BIG issue. I have crap hair. The only way I can even come close to looking "normal" is to use very specific products. What to do??

Don't laugh. But I think I have a solution. Luckily the "perfet products" I use are from a drugstore and are reasonably priced. (c'mon! I may need perfect products but I'm also CHEAP!) I've decided I'm going to hit the drug store in WV, purchase full sized products that I need and ditch them for the flight home. If I had thought about this earlier I could have put them in the box of presents I sent ahead of myself so I wouldn't have to carry them on the plane. I have thought this through.... really, I have...

I know, I know. I'm wasteful. Maybe TF can take them home with her and use them. But I sure as hell can't carry them on. But I don't care! This weekend the hair is more important than saving the environment!!! I might see DF or JW or one of the many other jr. high boys that thought I was just a crooked face with a big butt!!! I need to look GOOD!! You know, to show them that I turned out f**ckin' hot!! If only they had paid a bit more attention.....

Plus, I need to do the obligatory "girl" thing and show the WV girls that I'm walking the ever-so-fine-line of I'm-classy-but-not-too-classy-didn't-forget-my-roots-despite-the-fact-I-live-in-NY thing. Don't misunderstand - I'm not going there to show anyone up... just show that I grew up "right". Plus I don't want TF's family to think she's got a complete slacker for a friend... I mean, it may be the truth but they don't have to know that....

So you're not going to hear from me for a while. I probably won't post anything until I get back Wed. from the biz trip. And I'm sure I'll have something to say about that - since I'm the only idiot that has to go to Mississippi in late July.....

fun while it lasted

Friday afternoon I brought our new little yorkie home. Remember, I brought him home on a "trial" basis - not sure how he'd do with the cats and the other dogs. Let's just say he and Liam hit if off fabulously! Reecie (yorkie) had Liam actually playing! It was halarious to watch a 4lb yorkie getting a 100lb golden excited! Liam is so laid back - he didn't care that Reecie was jumping all over him, in has face, humping him... yep - Reecie liked Liam.

He's the cutest little thing!!! But that's the problem - he's so little. We couldn't let him out in the yard alone because there are a million places for him to get out of the fence, under the house, under the shed... we could never get all the places patched up.

Did I mention he's a vermin hunter??? and that he considers cats vermin?? Let's say we had a few interesting moments between him and the cats.... and I've hardly seen the cats all weekend.

One moment involved Reecie finding my old, almost blind cat Cabby. Cabby kept backing up as Reecie sniffed around her trying to decide if she was friend or foe. Finally she'd had enough and took off running. Bad move. He took after her like a rocket (that little shit is FAST!!!) And of course that got Liam and Nikki's attention and they took chase too. I literally had a cat being chased by 3 dogs. Round the kitchen, through the dining room, through the hallway to the family room, through the living room, around the dining room table.... every time I stepped in to pick him up one of the big dogs was in my way. I mean these guys were moving from room to room, kicking up rugs, knocking over dining room chairs... it was a fiasco! Finally I was able to catch the littel squirt. Cabby ran upstairs into David's office and sat where his laptop usually goes. She was there ALL WEEKEND. I don't think she ate, went the bathroom - nothin'. She finally moved when David came home from China and moved her so he could put his laptop back. She is forever pissed at me.

Isn't he adorable!!!!! (and small) He's essentially the size of my tennis shoe with little legs and a head. I'm serious. This guy is small!! Alas, David and I made the hear-wrenching decision to not keep him. H'es cute - but he's really like having a baby. He even has a playpen!!! I was dreading coming into work and telling his mom that we weren't going to be able to keep him. Luckily she had another family already wanting him! Whew!!! I really didn't want to see this little guy homeless. He's a sweet little dog. He'll be great for some little old lady or something.

So at lunch today I went home and told him goodbye. He's going to hs new home this afternoon. As I held him a cat started meowing in the other room. He looked at me as though to say "How can you live in this filthy house??!! It's filled with vermin!! Ugh!"

I knew then we made the right decision.

New Addition

Nope - I'm not pregnant. Don't go starting rumors....

C, from my office, has a 7 month old yorkie, a husband and a 10 year old son. Let's just say the hubby has not been adjusting well to the dog... Apparently last night he gave C the "either the dog goes or I do" bit...

Have I metioned that David has always said when the "big dogs" are "gone" he'd like to get yorkies?? I always made fun of him for wanting to go from 100 lb dogs to something smaller than our cats. And of course, there's my rule: My dogs MUST be bigger than my cats.

Well, I've met the yorkie and he's so damn cute!!!! C paid mucho $$ for him (he's registered), had him fixed, vaccinated and microchiped. He's been to training classes and is house trained.... Her son adores the dog.... She's understandably a wreck. So I called David in China and pitched him the idea of adding another 4 pounds to our current 205 pounds. This way C and her family will know he's well taken care of - plus they can still visit him, etc... we don't live but 10 - 125 minutes from each other. And really - what's one more small dog in our zoo??!!

So now we wait. I'll come get him Friday and we'll keep for the weekend to make sure there's no serious issues with the other animals. If all works out we'll keep him. barring any catastrophic issues.

Cross your fingers!!!!

Mountain Goat Dogs

Sorry for such a lag in posts... dad was here all last week and I took the week off. I really didn't feel like flipping on the computer any last week...

So LAST weekend (not the one we just had. See, I told you I"m behind) David and I took the dogs to the Adirondacks to hike Rondaxe Mt. At the top there's an old fire tower, etc.... We went with our adventure group which has a great cross-section of folks. I warned them prior to the hike that we were going to bring the dogs. I felt I needed to warn them because, honestly, I've never taken the dogs hiking before - not "really" hiking. on a path, maybe - but not a "trail"...

Might I remind you that Nikki is a 10 year old lab/chow mix that has had an ACL repair on each knee and Liam is an 8 year old golden that is easily 10 pounds overweight.... I wasn't very optimistic about how they'd do. I only took them because I was feeling guilty about leaving them home so much now that David and I have been biking a lot.

We get to the site. David has the camelback ("people" water) and "people" food. I have the fanny pack with the "dog" water and "dog" snacks. (and the metal dog dish... out "princess" Nikki wont'e drink out of anything else but metal...) I take Nikki and David takes Liam. Before we even get the trailhead I realize my ass is wet. no, SOAKING! We tell everyone else to go ahead. We may or may not make it up there with the dogs and we don't want to hold anyone back.

I take off the fanny pack - the container holding the dog water is leaking. As i'm working on fixing it David is holding both dogs as other hikers are coming off the trail with their dogs. Liam starts going bonkers. Not like "Let me at 'em"- bonkers but the "oh shit! other dogs! hide me!!"- bonkers. He backs up between David's legs, and for hte first time ever, pull sout of his collar. I'm trying to fix the water container and I hear David yelling at Liam, chasing him tyring to scruff him to put his collar back on.

My immediate thought: this isn't going as well as I'd hoped.

I was pretty sure that we would be immediately returning to the truck and heading home. But no. I fixed the leak, David got Liam's collar on and we continued on....

Not but a few hundred yards into the trail and here starts the large, smooth boulders on the trail. I took one look at them and wasn't so sure the dogs could make it - especially if there were more of these on the way. Apparently Nikki had other ideas. She didn't hesitate - jumped up and started to make her way up the rocks. Not to be outdone, Liam followed.

Nikki tracked that trail like she was following a rabbit. Her tail was wagging and she smiled the whole way up. She literally dragged me to the top. She LOVED it!! She slide a few times here and there but it scared me more than it did her. (Liam was happy to follow.)

We left before everyone else thinking we might have to hand down dogs on some of the steep, rocky parts. We wanted to have plenty of time - plus it looked as though it was going to rain.

Nope - Nikki dragged my right back down the mountain!!! She's quite agile, you know. Grandma is quite the pup!

And, of course, I have beautiful pictures of us at the top of the mt... but they're on the computer at home... so when I finally remember to do it I'll get them on my computer and post.

Congrats Leon!!!

My old boss from Clemson (when I was an RA in res life) just accepted a new position at Virginia Tech - heading up their whole housing department. YEAH LEON! Well, actully, a double yeah is in store because he finished his PhD end of last year... so now he's "Dr. McClinton"

Check him out!

http://www.vtnews.vt.edu/story.php?relyear=2007&itemno=355

??

Ok, I don't know why that's spacing those pics like that.... oh well.

Century ride

Do you know what a century ride is?? I didn't. But I do now because I'm doing one the end of September....



A century ride is a 100 mile bike ride (in a day, in case any of you were wondering....) David and I were part of a group that was approached and asked if we'd be interested in training for and riding in a cnetury ride. It's actually a fundraiser for the NY Center for Missing and Exploited Children. David and I figured it's a great way to workout from now through September and it's for a good cause... WHY NOT!!



Well, you don't want to ride 100 miles on a mountain bike. Well, you could, but it would be hard. And let's face it - this is going to be hard enough as it is. I don't need anything working against me. SO, David and I went out and bought road bikes. Yep! NEW TOYS!!



I won't even give an estimate as to how much we've spent on this - as of last night. We have a GREAT bike store close by and we got our bikes there, and a bunch of accessories... and apparently those weren't enough accessories because we were back last night for more... Let's just say that it's in the mutli-thousand-dollar range.... good thing we didn't plan a "real" vacation this summer....





David's bike...

My bike. I have the cool aerobars like David but I just haven't put them on yet...














This week commences our first week of "training". I say "training" because it's a ride, not a race. The difference is that on a ride we all ride together at the same, easy pace. They average is about 15 mph. It's completely police-escorted. We ride for about 20 miles, stop at a school, have snacks, get back on a ride about another 20 miles and stop again. The kids come out on the street from school and cheer us on - they will spend the whole month learning about how to keep safe, etc.. and our stop at their school is just part of the pep rally they have earlier in the day to wrap-up the whole safety learning experience.



David and I are looking forward to it. But ask me again after I've done my first 40 mile training ride on july 8th....

The difference between boys and girls

Wednesday David and I met with our adventure group and did a 20 mile bike ride on the Eric Canal path. After all this time, David still didn't own a pair of padded shorts - a MUST in cycling. Since he had been complaining about his sore butt the last few times we went out ridding I told him just to go buy a pair for the Wed. ride - they're worth it.

So, Wed. afternoon before the ride he bought himself a pair. You know, the "cool boy" kind - padded bike shorts underneath with the loose cargo shorts outside layer.

We're in the car driving out to the canal.
D: these shorts are kinda weird. I've had them on since I bought them.
me: all afternoon?
D: yeah. they weren't too bad at first, but the padding in the crotch is a bit strange to get used to.
me: yeah, now you know it feels to have wear a pad.
D: *silence. no smart ass come-back*

I guess somethings aren't as funny to men as they are to women....

mis-information

You know - I've decided dad's aren't always the pillar of accurate information... case in point:

A few years ago my dad said he heard from someone (he still can't remember who) that my ex-boyfriend from high school owned/ managed a strip club in his town. Now, when I heard this my first thought was "people change. who knew??" I mean c'mon. This was the guy that I had to work for MONTHS to even kiss me! Even then I had to talk him into turning off the lights when we made out!! (apparently he had a previous g-friend that would only kiss him with the lights on -scared of something, I guess. don't know what...)

So for years I'd joke with friends (none of whom are from my town or know this person) that I have an ex-boyfriend that owned a strip club. It was for the effect of a joke - but it did make me secretly feel like a good "dirty girl". Kinda like "I took this innocent, pure boy and turned him into a raunchy, sex-driven man!" Whoo-ho!! Damn I'm good!!

Turns out - not so much. I happened to run onto his little sis on myspce and we started chatting. I had to ask her about the whole strip club thing ... turns out what he does is quite respectable. (damn!!) I was really hoping to have a dirty past...

Turns out he's moving soon to be with his girlfriend. I wonder if he makes her keep the lights on when he kisses her... Nah! He was way past that point by the time I was done with him. *evil grin*

Ah, high school

A friend of mine (the wife of a good high school friend) thought it would be funny to send me some pictures of me that her husband had from high school. As you can imagine I couldn't leave it there. So I found a few of her husband from high school and sent those to her!

And then while looking up these picutres I found one of another high school friend, Brad (Bradical in myspace). He, he. What's up with the guys having the bowl cuts??

I hate the dentist

Actually, my dentist is a nice guy - but with all the years I've had dentists, orthodontists and surgeons poking at my mouth... well, I've had enough.

Today was no different. I put on my big-girl panties and tried to behave. I have a million idiosyncracies dealing with my mouth and oral hygiene. I won't bore you with all of them, but I'll name a few just so you see what I'm talking about:

- I don't like mint flavor. give me cinnamon, give me citrus, give the kids bubblegum for god's sake - but don't give me mint. It makes me gag. Don't ask, I don't know why.
- every time I rinse I must have a new cup. yep, I'm a one-woman anti-green machine.
- after every rinse I must have a new kleenex to wipe my mouth. hey, c'mon. It eventually composts...

So you get the idea. All the ladies in the office understand these issues (or proabaly feel sorry for me when they see my x-rays) and have decided to just indulge me. Well, not today.

I got the "new guy" today. And I don't mean "new to the office staff". I mean "I just graduated from hygenist school, um, YESTERDAY!" Don't get me wrong - he did a GREAT job. But I'm sitting in the chair and he's scraping my teeth (which reminds me - I forgot to bring in my iPod, because hearing the scraping is another "issue" with me.) scrape........ scrape........ scarpe....

DEAR GOD! PICK UP THE SPEED! I'm going to be here all day! Now, all the other hygenists get the job done, but they get it done quickly. (so the scraping sound inside my brain is over faster...) Not this guy.

Not to mentin that he didn't read all the notes in my chart about my "special needs". I won't even get into that here. Let's just say I had to keep myself from gagging as he was polishing my teeth with, yuck, mint cleaning stuff.... and I had to keep rotating the rinse cup so at least each time I rinsed I wasn't putting my mouth on a part that it had already touched... and luckily in this room they had the kleenex by me so I could grab as many as I needed, whenever...

Actually, I'm not so sure it took him that much longer than the ladies - but he didn't talk. And you know me - either I'm talking your ear off, or in the case of the dentist, I want you to talk my ear off to take my mind off the horrible scraping noises.... He tried a few times, but that's where he just made it all the more obvious he's new to the profession. You know, that uncomfortable I'm-trying-to-talk-a-little-because-that's-what-they-teach-us-in-school,-but-I'm-not-comfortable-doing-it-because-I'm-more-concerned-with-scraping-you-teeth-and-not-your-gums kind of conversation.

Ok, I almost feel guilty for ragging on him like this but this is the one instance I insist on being treated like a diva. If you saw me, a few days after surgery when I was 18, where my face was SO swollen I didn't even have a neck (I'm NOT kidding) and then watch me, ME of all people, on a liquid diet for the next 4-5 weeks... then you'd understand.