RIGHT? RIGHT?

I woke up this morning and saw upon my counter what appeared to be the holy trinity of prescription medications.



The light was hitting them just right and I couldn't help but be thankful that my morning doesn't normally look like this. So, needless to say I took the Vicodin and I have to say "not bad!" Honestly, my tooth was begging for it as the Ibuprofen was just not getting the job done anymore, so I gave in. I feel completely functional, although those around me might beg to differ.

My class last night was rather intense. There were only six of us in the class last week and two have dropped since then, but another two have joined, so we remain at six. Last night though, one person was gone, the two new folks hadn't done the reading, and one dude is just painfully shy. What was left? My big mouth, another girl who seemed to only be able to talk about how boring her life is and my professor who insists upon shouting out the names of authors followed by the statement "EVERYONE KNOWS HOW XXXXXXX IS, RIGHT? RIGHT? WHO DOESN'T KNOW XXXXXXX?" At which point, we all raise our hands. She then huffs and explains how XXXXXXX coined such and such theory yada yada yada. It's actually quite comical and takes me back to the scene in Good Will Hunting where Matt Damon is in the bar with that know it all Harvard kid. That being said, I quite enjoyed what almost seemed a one on one conversation with my professor. It was like we were out for a beer debating sociology, except, I don't really know anything about sociology.

This is Robin and me at Duck Walk the other night playing with the "pin hole" function on my camera.





Tonight is my only night off until Sunday.

To Vicodin or not to Vicodin?

There is this thing that happens in Chicago around February where all of us start bemoaning the winter. It is to be expected as February is terribly dreadful month. But then, once we start complaining outloud about bad it is, you start to hear people say things like "Well, don't get your hopes up. March is worse." I'm one of these people. I think March is that absolute worst month because you think it might be Spring by March but it is SO not Spring. It doesn't even pretend to be Spring. But, the thing about March is that you don't hear people say "Well, APRIL is even WORSE!" Never! In our minds, April is like flowers and light jackets and sunshine and well... IT'S NOT TRUE! Today is April 6th and it has been snowing for two days. Don't kid yourselves my fellow Chicagoans. April sucks, too.

But, May...

In my hand right now, well, not actually in my hand but next to my hands sit three bottles of pills. See I'm still nursing this killer tooth ache and I wont get the canal done until the 13th, so in the mean time I have to venture into some previously charted medicinal territory. If I hadn't have gone through this whole root canal thing before it would be uncharted, but it has DEFINITELY been charted.

The first bottle is for Clindamycin, which is an antibiotic, which is supposed the help kill the infection in my bum tooth. The thing about me and Clindamycin is that it makes my stomach all sorts of a mess. Like, the kind of mess, you don't really tell people about. But, I mentioned this in vague terms to my dentist so he also prescribed for me Metronidazole. This is supposed to even out all the bad things that antibiotics do to your/my poor little tummy. Then! comes the pain killer, our friend, Vicodin. Now I understand that many would find this prospect exciting, but having taken Vicodin in the past, I know the results are not so desirable. Sure the pain will be gone, but frankly, so will I.

So, what to do? What to do??

I don't want to deal with the pain... but I don't know that I want to deal with side effects of all these meds either.

I'll keep you posted. Or, maybe not.

Rain and snow and sleet and and and

I've read about 300 or so pages so far this weekend.

It is both raining and snowing right now.

But don't worry, through the magic of Skype I remain less than sad and mostly entertained.

Exhibit A:



Exhibit B:



I have so many other things to say, and maybe I will have time to do so tomorrow, but in short I found out on Friday that I've received grant from the city of Chicago. It is called a CAAP grant. I think I applied for it in October and am now just hearing, but regardless, they want to give me $$! Score. It is for "portfolio development." Now, if only they could pay me in time as well as money.

Oh! and if you have a chance, listen to last weeks episode of This American Life. Act II about how the FDIC takes over banks is going to blow your mind. I promise.

More tomorrow.

Hecticity!

Ok, so, I'm on day three of my first week of hecticity.

I'm doing alright. Did I tell you I'm taking Mangosteen now? My Dad takes and oz every day and swears that is has helped him with a number of ailments. So, since he offered me a bottle ($17) I've decided to give it a try. I'm only on like, day three, so I can't really speak to its benefits yet, but I'll be sure to keep you posted.

Robin and I had the most delicious curry last night before we headed off to rehearsal for the William Ferris Chorale. I'm still thinking about it. Given the nasty, rainy, and grey nature of yesterday it was just what the Dr. ordered.

Speaking of doctors, yesterday morning was time with my BFF the dentist. I do need a root canal and although I knew that going in and kind of hoped he would just do it right then and there, it turns out he just hollowed my tooth out and stuffed it with gauze covered in meds to kill the pain until I can get in with another Dr. He told me that he doesn't do molars anymore because other dentsits have more sophisticated equipment with microscopes etc, so he hands it over to them. I suppose that is good? I just want the pain to stop, honestly.

Also, in one piece of April fools news, I totally feel for the gmail joke. I mean, as I read I was thinking it was ridiculous, but it didn't occur to me that it was an April fools joke until I was thought about how Google usually pulls on us... then I realized.

My mother has cataract surgery today. There is a chance that when you have the surgery you will be able to see without glasses after. I'm hoping this is the case for her.

bfn.

The thing about me and blogging

The thing about me and blogging is that sometimes when actual things are happening in my life it is more challenging for me to muster the energy to write it on the internet. Typically when nothing of interest is taking place, well, that is when I seem to write about myself. The former is the case lately.

I've been in Michigan for the weekend, which seemed necessary given my mother's health scare. She seems quite well, btw. It was also my nieces birthday, so that was a nice event to be able participate in. And also, just trying to prep for this upcoming (actually, it is here) week where I embark on my nuttiness of two classes, work, music making, and then just life in general. I worry it is a bit much and I've been trying to mentally prepare, mainly by watching tv.

So, I got this new point and shoot digital camera. I've needed one as my old Casio is on its last leg. I mean honestly, the casing has almost completely separated from the camera. I often think it is some sort of miracle that is actually even works. So, I did a little research to find a camera that had sufficient photot AND video capabilities and I came up with this little guy:



The real reason I pushed to get it now is because I wanted to take some video of my parents in an effort to put together some sort of video presentation for their 50th wedding anniversary celebration which will take place in July. More on that and the video later, but overall I'm pleased with my purchase. These are a few moments from the weekend. Sorry they are so stylistically schizophrenic, but I was playin'.











I love this picture of my mom. Her eyes seem so sparkly.



My dad and I went for a bike ride. Quite a helmet, eh?



This is behind my parents house. They live in this weird subdivision now, but there is a corn field behind their house which I am frankly quite glad for.



My little miss sunshine, niece. She is now 12! I can't believe how much she has grown just since Christmas.



These are my nephews ingenious shoes. They oddly reminded me of the way I dealt with my old car (covered it in duct tape.)











They are all teenagers now. It totally freaks me out, but the kids are growing up and it is a reminder of the ways in which I am also older.





The cam is not so shabby for being just a lil guy. The quality of the videos I took is pretty stellar too. A pleasing purchase to go along with a pleasing weekend.

Tonight I attended my first class of the new quarter. It lasted for one hour. I think that wont be the case for future weeks, but it made tonight all the better.

Tomorrow I will head to the dentist first thing because I've been having terrible tooth pain for two weeks causing me to live on ibuprofen. Tooth pain is the worst, and don't I know it. I honestly can't even really type about this because I am so over the insane amount of dental issues I've had. It is truly unique. I hope to have it fixed tomorrow as my somtach can't take another day of those little brown tablettes.

I'm out for now. Maybe this will get me back rollin' with my regular overshare.

Cheers!

Faux

I know I've been absent, but I have a good excuse.

Actually, it seems like many around me have a good excuse as sickness and odd happenings abound.

See, I found out on Friday night after my concert that my father had taken my mother to the ER because she was having issues with her heart. In short, she did not have a heart attack, but her heart was not working properly. This is not entirely a surprise, as she has had heart problems in the past. But, it was of course scary and her two night stay didn't make my weekend all that enjoyable. She is now home, on some new meds and doing fine, so overall I think this turned out alright, but it sure disrupted business as usual. I will head to Michigan on Thursday to see her.

The concert on Friday was quite the success. You can read about it in the trib, here. The Russians apparently came out in full force to enjoy some music in their native tongue. Overall, it was quite moving for me.

Besides spending time worrying and dealing with my most recent toothache, I did get some time out in the sun this weekend. It was a stunning day on Saturday. Brunch at The Bagel with Ryan and then an afternoon of cleaning. The kind where you open up all the windows and shake out your rugs. It feels so good to be in my apartment right now as I seem to have eliminated the staleness of winter.

Sunday, Tina and I had a bit of a picnic in the park, which was honestly too cold to be that hospitable to us, but we braved the temps to take in the Vitamin D. I then spent some time working out (which I am managing to do quite regularly!) and then headed to the asian food store to by more faux meats. WHICH, everyone in my life, including my vegetarian friends are giving me a hard time about. I am just so fascinated by the fact that these are so successfully made. Take for instance, the fake shrimp I bought.



I made a tofu and "shrimp" soup, with rice noodles, onion and green and red peppers. It was delish. But, I mean, I get it. The fake shrimp are totally creepy and weren't nearly as good as some of the other fake "meats" I've been trying. It is fascinating, though. I'm not making anyone else eat it anyway, so let me enjoy.

Yesterday and today have been rainy and grey. I guess it is suitable for those who are on a real spring break and have taken off to somewhere tropical and warm. I on the other hand am just trying to appreciate the quiet. Maybe I'll sit by a heat lamp or something later.

Slow on the Blog

I've meant to type each day for the past few days but it seems my mind needed some sort of break following completion of said final.

I've also just been in sort of a foul mood and rather lethargic.
Linsey suggested it is the barometric pressure, which is a possibility, but I think there is just a lot of annoying stuff sort of creeping up on me and I'm not necessarily handling it very well.

In an effort to lift the load off of my back, I made my way to the gym last night ... which, I would like reiterate ... I hate it. I hate going down the block, changing into my gym clothes, and mustering up the gumption to get moving. But, with that being said, it feels so good! It really changed my day around yesterday and I just want to serve as a testament that if you can't get yourself to workout or think it isn't worth it, it is. I am an example of someone who hates it, but needs it.

Right now I'm sipping some coffee from the office's Keurig maker, contemplating how almost all of my colleagues decided to be gone for one reason or another today. Maybe I didn't get the memo? I often think on days like today, is it better to be here when it is so terribly quiet or should I have jumped on the bandwagon and taken a day as well. But, here I am and somewhere they are.

Also, I think it worthy to put it out there on my blog that I'm contemplating a move within the city of Chicago. If my current life plans stay true to form, I am committed to this place for at least one more year and recently I've been feeling the overwhelming urge for a change of scenery. I don't know that this will actually happen, because truth be told I live in a wonderful apartment that most would deem a "sweat deal," but I can't help but think it might be time to find my next. I've been looking online, but I think that route my not prove that successful as scammers seem to have taken over craigslist, so maybe this weekend I'll have a few hours to ride my bicycle around and check out the scene. For some reason I keep thinking I would like to be near the lake for a year, but I imagine the desirability of those neighborhoods and my need to stay within budget will keep me from that idea... but it keeps popping up.

I have a William Ferris Chorale concert tomorrow night. It is all in Russian. One piece, sixty minutes, just voices and flute. I'm tired, just thinking about it.