Will Work for Favorable Dicta

The thing about MS

2008-05-09T18:58:00.001-07:00

Here's the thing about having MS. You look SO good! It's funny, because if you read books or websites about MS (and why would you not?), PwMS (that's People with MS for all you non-initiated) talk about this phenomenon ALL the time. I look exactly the same as I did before I was diagnosed. Exactly the same as before I had my first exacerbation (ahhh...the totally numb feet during law school, turns out it wasn't stress Dr. Smartypants!). Well, I'm fatter. But other than that, I look exactly the same.

However, inside my head, it's a different story. Multiple sclerosis literally means "multiple scars". Inside my brain are scars that result from inflammation caused by my immune system attacking my central nervous system and lead to a disruption of the nerve signals traveling to and fro. And, lucky for me, I also have scars in my spinal cord nerves...a good indicator of potential mobility problems later in life.

As a result of my scars, or as I like to call them, "Tinglemakers", I have numerous ongoing, yet invisible, symptoms. These include: numb hands, tingling in all extremities, trigemic nerve pain (pain in facial nerves and teeth - it's excruciating), headaches, blurry vision in my right eye, and fatigue. Fatigue is a result of nerves finding new, but less efficient, ways to do things. Think of saving a penny off of every dollar you spend - it adds up! If your nerves reroute themselves in a slightly less efficient manner - by the end of the day - it adds up! As a side note, most medical books call the scars "lesions", but I hate that...it sounds so...so...brain herpes.

So, I don't know where I'm going with this. I drop my keys a lot. I need more naps. I fall down quite a bit more than your average Jane. It's not the end of the world. The side effects of the meds are honestly worse than most of the actual disease stuff. But, it's coming up on my one year anniversary of diagnosis (Happy Memorial Day everyone!), and I'm not sure I can say I've come to terms with all that this means. I look in the mirror and I just see me. And I kind of think that's OK. I mean, I don't want to be one of those sad-sack, I'm all about my disease type of people. But, when I feel really shitty, I kind of wish I could have a rash (ok, maybe not a rash so much) or turn blue or something...just to prove I'm not faking it. Maybe I just need physical validation of my occasional internal ickiness. (PS: Dear God, I promise I do NOT need physical validation in the sense of a cane, wheelchair, breathing tube, or any other horrible MS related medical nightmare. I'm sorry I even brought it up. Love, E. Spat).

OK. I've rambled enough. The Boy is making me dinner and has poured me a HUGE glass of wine, so off I must go. These meds are supposedly hard on my liver, but I kind of feel like a life without wine and cheese is a life I'd rather not live. They test my blood every three months - someone would let me know if I was sliding down hill in the liver department - right? Let's drink to healthy livers!!!

PS: Go visit Postcards From Yo Momma. Hilarious.

Stuff and things.

2008-05-04T16:36:00.000-07:00

Today we registered for wedding gifts. It sounds fun, but really it's exhausting. By the time we were done I pretty much didn't want to get married anymore - even with the free gifts. We also had a hard time because we kept feeling guilty about how much everything costs...I mean, I don't want to ask people to buy me a $129 Calphalon sauce pan...but, somehow I overcame my fear and registered for a bunch of stuff that I will love and use all the time, but that is NOT cheap. It's weird to think about having grown up cooking implements. This is my third marriage and his second, and it's the first time either of us has registered for gifts. It was fun to point the scanner gun at things though. Click - it's mine! Click - it's mine! Very easy to get carried away.

We also bought wedding rings today. Tungsten steel for him (no, seriously), and two tiny diamond bands for me, one for each side of my engagement ring. Mine might not be ready by the wedding, but that's OK...we'll still have the piece of paper, the unending love and devotion, and a 10-piece set of Calphalon to show for it. Right?

That brings us to the wedding. June 13th. Friday, June 13th. Friday the 13th. Oh well. My mom was born on Friday the 13th and she's pretty cool, so I'm going to work with it. We're going to Vegas...a small elopement there and then a HUGE reception/party here in July. I think it works better that way. Then we can really enjoy the party without the wedding stress...we're doing a huge backyard barbeque. With a cupcake tower. I heart cupcakes!

Let's see...what else. I'm typing this on my beautiful sunny back patio, which is pretty cool. Other than that, we are just trying to keep up with wedding plans, honeymoon plans, working, taking care of the house (The Boy is drywalling the basement right now), and doing all those regular life things. Add in the MS, perpetually numb hands, and medication side effects, and it's pretty much a neverending party. WOO!

Oh yeah, I also bought an at-home chemical peel and gave it to myself today. Swear to God, the label says that if it's burning, it's working. No pain, no gain - I guess.

Brokeback E. Spat

2008-04-27T15:45:00.000-07:00

For Christmas, The Boy and I went to visit my parents. If you're a reader from way back, you remember they live in the mountains in southern Oregon. They were very excited to have us there for nearly 10 days, and planned LOTS of activities for us. Including riding ATV's. As it turns out, shifting with my hand while braking with my other hand is not really my strong point. During my "training session", there was a point where The Boy and Daddy Spatula were yelling "HIT THE BRAKES! HIT THE BRAKES!" I was yelling "WHERE THE HELL ARE THE BRAKES???" You would think the first part of the training would be where to find the brakes. But, you'd be wrong.

Exhibit 1: The Hedge

You don't actually "know" me in person, but you can trust me when I say that the hole in the hedge is the exact shape of an E. Spat on an ATV going full speed.

So, even though any person with an IQ above freezing would know that I am clearly not cut out for the high adventure of ATV riding in the woods, we set off for just such an adventure.

To make the long story short...shifting from neutral into first while accelerating will definitely cause the ATV to go straight backwards onto the back wheels, throwing the rider off onto the rocky path. Hard. And, just as an aside, if this ever happens to you and you hear a giant "CRACK!!", it's not your helmet hitting the ground, no matter what everyone tries to convince you. It's your T-10 vertebrae breaking. Just so you know.

Exhibit 2: My T-10 vertebrae

I didn't go to the hospital for nearly two months. It was two days before Christmas, I didn't want to make a scene and ruin everyone's holiday. My mom was already crying when we showed up from our ride with me covered in dirt and barely able to walk or move. I decided I had pulled a muscle and left it at that. When it still hurt at the end of February, I went to my doctor, had an X-ray, and...well...I guess the picture speaks for itself.

It's feeling pretty much better now. The ortho I went to told me it would probably take 6 months to heal most of the way, and hopefully I won't need surgery. Going to the ER probably wouldn't have changed anything - it still would have been a wait and see thing, but I would definitely have gotten better drugs. No one could believe I survived this on Aleve and a couple Flexeril the first day or two that my mom had left over from a hip injury. It hurt. Bad.

So, the moral of this story, if there is one, is that ATV's are dangerous and I'm a bad shifter. And also, I'm a total badass because I broke my back and didn't even cry!

Out of towners

2008-04-26T15:27:00.000-07:00

We decided to make a spontaneous trip to Oregon to see my dad for his 60th birthday, which was yesterday. We flew in, showed up, and surprised him pretty good. It was fun. Anyway, since I have been pretty much the world's least reliable writer over the past few months, I thought I should say...no I haven't disappeared, yes I will be back in a few days, and no my home wireless internet isn't working. Again. Oh, you didn't ask? Well, it isn't. Just so you know. Not that I'm bitter.

In other news, my mom took us to lunch at her golf club today. The food was horrible. Not just run of the mill not that great. Truly awful. I actually didn't eat past the first bite because I knew I would be sick later. They did give it to us free. Yay. Too bad they couldn't have given it to us...say...edible. But, hey...whatever.

Third time's a charm (you know that's what you were thinking)

2008-04-23T19:29:00.000-07:00

That's right guys - I've been gone for, like, six months. Sorry about that. The short version of events is that I was dealing with my MS and medication side effects, then I got engaged, , then I broke my back (oops!), then we bought a house, then we moved, then I made like a billion business trips. Whew.

Moving in order of occurence, I'll start with the engagement. It was very romantic...and, of course, there's kind of a funny story.

So, The Boy took me to Victoria, Canada, for the weekend (this is in mid-October). On our second night, we decided to walk to this restaurant right on the harbor and have dinner. As we're walking, we come across a girl in a motorized wheelchair. For someone in a motorized chair, she was moving at exactly the speed of totally stopped. We stopped to talk to her, and it turned out, the battery in her chair had died.

The Boy, being the nice guy he is, asked her if it would be OK if he took a look underneath the hood (metaphorically speaking), to see if he could help. She said "sure", so we spent a good half hour trying to get the chair moving. While The Boy is trying to become an expert on Canadian motorized wheelchair technology, I start talking to the girl. It turns out she has MS, and has just suffered a severe exacerbation that left her unable to walk. She was 26.

The Boy offered to disengage the emergency brake and push the chair to the restaurant we were heading to, where she said they would let her sit at the bar and recharge her battery. Unfortunately, the e-brake did not have a "disengage" setting.

To make a long story somewhat shorter, The Boy pushed this girl, in her motorized wheelchair (a total of at least 250 pounds between her and the chair), UP HILL, for probably close to a mile. We got to the restaurant and she pointed out her apartment, just at the top of the hill. So, yeah, he pushed her the rest of the way home. Swear to GOD.

Meanwhile, the boy has developed a certain, shall we say, sheen. He won't take his jacket off, no matter how many times I ask. Finally, on the way up the last big hill, he handed it over. He told me later he was terrified I would feel the ring box.

We get back down the hill to the restaurant and walk in, both of sweating like pigs. The bartender goes "Is it raining outside"? Uh, no. So, we tell this story and get a free round of drinks. Finally, we head up to the balcony and eat a lovely dinner overlooking Victoria Harbor. After dinner, The Boy proposed - with the ring of my dreams and two colors of pink M&M's printed with "E. Spat, will you marry me?" (half the message on each M&M, them's a lot of words!)

So, we came back engaged, and with an added bonus of good karma.

Also, at another bar we said we had just gotten engaged, so the guy next to us bought us some shots. After we did the shots, he goes "So, are you pregnant?" Yes. Yes I am. My baby loves Jack Daniels and secondhand smoke! Who asks that?

And, perhaps the best part - which I learned later - The Boy sweat so much that he had to go to the bathroom for probably 15 minutes to find two M&M's with the words still on them. Sweaty M&M's are so awesome!

In the next few days, I'll tell the scintillating story of how I got a compression fracture of my T-10 vertebrae.

I'm considering coming back.

2008-04-23T12:42:00.000-07:00

Thoughts? Is anyone still checking for updates? Drop me a line. I haven't checked my email for nearly 6 months (I suck), but I miss writing, and I miss all my pals. I'm still not practicing law, but I am getting married, and I am doing really well. Tell me if any of you are still out there!

I promise!

2007-08-14T19:35:00.000-07:00

I am CRAZY busy attending a work conference, and have been doing a bit of traveling, both for work and for fun. I am going to answer the question in the comments below about working through the fatigue associated with chronic illness, particularly MS, and I have a couple of other ideas percolating in the brain. So, by the end of the week, when I'm caught up at work and not feeling QUITE so much like a crazy insane person, I will be back with new posts.

In the meantime...good news for those with MS - a possible vaccine.

I heard I was in town.

2007-08-05T09:38:00.000-07:00

I'm not dead or anything. Just very, very, very busy. I had to go out of town for work for a few days, and I've been having a lot of MS related fatigue. So, IF I'm able to make it through a work day, I come home and lay on the couch until I go to bed very early. Isn't life fun?

Anyway, not much else going on besides work. The Boy's mom's birthday was yesterday. I made a lemon cake with raspberry filling and lemon buttercream frosting. It was quite delicious if I do say so myself. I also bought pink candles. With glitter. I think she loved them!

Next weekend we're going to see my parents, so I'm getting excited about that. It makes me feel so much better to be around my mom and dad. I wish they'd move closed but I know they won't. They're very attached to Retirement-vile.

So, I just wanted to reassure everyone I'm not dead or anything. But, not much to write about except boring stuff or depressing stuff (Hey guys - my left arm and lower right leg are numb! YAY!).

Sweet revenge

2007-07-18T18:03:00.000-07:00

I promised myself I wouldn't talk about work on here, so I won't. Except to say there is no better feeling than knowing you FINALLY have the power to make a truly heinous person's life just slightly more miserable.

Other than that, life has been moving along in that way it does. Fast mostly, with moments of extreme fatigue. Saw the neurologist today...he seems to feel I'm tolerating my meds very well, and will have me back for a checkup and a liver function panel in October. I thought he was doing my first liver panel today so I haven't had a drink for several days...WASTE! Three more months? Think of all the whine opportunities I missed this week!

Anyway, we saw Harry Potter last night. I haven't read the books (for shame, I know!), so the movies are always a big surprise for me. It was good...but slower and darker than the others. I guess they're setting us up for the last two (or three...or whatever).

I'm off to surf the couch. We've recently become addicted to Last Comic Standing, so I have to get ready. And have a drink because, shit, I have THREE WHOLE MONTHS to study for my liver test!

Badonkadonk

2007-07-09T21:21:00.000-07:00

Tonight was injection night at the Spatula-Boy house. Because he's so awesome, The Boy has been very helpful right from the beginning with my medication. Normally I do my own injections, but every third time (Thighs, Abdomen, Butt), he has to help me and do my injection for me. Right in the butt. Needless to say, this has caused quite a few chuckles around the house.

"Are you ready to inject me in the butt?"

"Coming dear, just getting the warm washcloth ready!"

Yeah...you have to rub the injection site with a warm washcloth for five minutes after to diminish site reactions. It sorta works. Mostly I have a WHOLE lot of pink polka dots on my thighs, stomach, and butt.

Anyway, tonight was butt injection tonight. We got everything ready and The Boy cleaned off the area with an alcohol wipe. I felt him doing it and then...the following:

"No, that's too high. Move it down!"

"Here?"

"No, to the fat part!"

Silence......

"I mean, the really fat part!"

To his credit, he didn't laugh until after I started. And, I got my injection in the really fat part. Woo!

Who wants a moustache ride?

2007-07-06T18:59:00.000-07:00

Here's one great thing about MS. When I got my first brain MRI I discovered something very important about myself. Namely, I might be a TAD claustrophobic. Although, I've gotta tell you, I defy anyone to get into a plastic coffin with the equivalent of a catcher's mask attached to your face and feel really great about it. Add in the disembodied voice in your ear telling you to PLEASE not move and the horrible sound of the giant magnet irradiating your brain cells, and it's really awesome.

BUT, the upside of this situation is that when I was told I needed a second MRI for my spinal cord, I knew just what to say.

Hand over the drugs, biatch! I mean, Dr. Biatch...

So, because of MS I got to have my very first drug experience. I admit it, I'm a big old goody two shoes. Between that and never having been sick before so not having access to prescription meds, I had never really had a truly great high before. Enter...my new best friend Valium.

Before my spinal MRI I took a couple Valiums and The Boy carted me off to the hospital. By the time we got there I was in a full-on giggle fit. The radiology tech gave me the form to fill out before the MRI and I had a FINE time. It has a little drawing of the front and back of a person. You're supposed to circle where it hurts. I drew antennae, pointy ears, a smile, and a tail. Oh yeah...totally stoned.

Then, the best part happened. As I was getting situated on the little board they use to shove you into the ~~coffin~~ tube, The Boy leaned over to look in the machine. Since I wasn't *IN* the MRI machine, he thought it was off. Yeah. Not so much. The giant magnet is ON. Always. It literally sucked the glasses off his face. Right. Off. His. Face. I laughed so hard I almost died, the radiology tech had to go in the machine to retrieve his glasses, and he was, I think, happy to have provided me that level of comic relief.

So, anyway. If you have to get an MRI anytime soon I highly recommend the taking the Valium train to Happy Town. Really.

In other news...The Boy and I just went on vacation to Puerto Rico. Here's a pic of paradise. We stayed on Vieques Island. Sigh. It was...heavenly. PS: Please keep your crabs off the island. Geez.

I dropped my keys. Again.

2007-07-03T16:24:00.000-07:00

Hello!

Long time, no write...I know! But, I discussed it with my trusted advisors and decided to come back, at least in limited supply. And there is a reason...

I am still living with The Boy. We moved in together in February. He's still wonderful and awesome and great. It's bliss! We're considering buying our own place in the next year or so. Woo!

Work is still great. I definitely still believe I made the right decision not going to a "traditional" legal job. What I am doing is exciting, fun, and lucrative. What more could a girl ask for?

Well, I didn't ask for anything else, but I got it. After an episode of numb feet in law school that was attributed to a pinched nerve, another episode of facial numbness also attributed to a pinched nerve, and a series of key droppings so widespread as to require an entirely new blog just to describe them in greater detail, I have been diagnosed with MS.

I know. I was shocked too. I thought I was just clutzy and fell down and dropped stuff a lot. Which, frankly, is probably still true. But, in addition, my immune system seems to be waging war on my central nervous system. FUN! Rather than explain the entire history and etiology of multiple sclerosis, I think I'll just direct you to the National Society. Let me say though that I am happily injecting myself with the disease modifying drug Rebif three times a week (works better if you've got more fat...hell yeah!), which may or may not work to modify the course of the disease, but definitely satisfies my Type-A need to do something proactive.

And, to pre-answer the inevitable question: Yes, I am doing fine. My latest exacerbation, the one which caused me to seek an answer to why my nerves were so pinchy, consisted of a numb right arm from shoulder to fingertips, numb spots on my scalp, partial tongue and mouth numbness, and various other sensory symptoms. This has mostly gone away and I am left with occasional hand numbness, fingertip numbness, and some mouth numbness if I get overheated. I am very lucky to be manifesting extremely mild symptoms up to this point and to have insurance which allows me to start disease modifying drugs right away. I have had no mobility impairment at this time, for which I am eternally grateful. Every day that I can walk unassisted seems like a gift now!

Which brings me to my next point. You may be asking yourself why I decided to write this. Well, it's because some people apparently believe that if you're sick you probably brought it upon yourself by being a lazy fatass. I know that most people who read this blog don't "know" me, but I hope knowing that real people really get diseases that they really didn't bring upon themselves might be informative for anyone out there who still believes that not everyone deserves quality medical care.

So, I have been missing writing, but I still lack time to post on a daily basis. I think I will attempt to post more now though because lots of funny stuff has been happening both in my life and in the lives of others who I can make fun of anonymously, so I feel compelled to get those observations out of my system somehow.

And don't worry - when that MS Walk comes up next March I'll be expecting ALL of you to walk for a cure...if not, me and the numbclaws of death will hunt you down!

I can't say I'm missing it Bob.

2006-12-04T20:21:00.000-08:00

Dear Readers,

Well guys. As you can tell, I literally have NO time to write these days, and even less to say that I'm willing to write on the internet(s). I don't want to discuss my job, The Boy prefers that I don't discuss him (although we're moving in together in February! YAY!), and my tiny amount of free time every day is not spent on the computer.

This blog was started as a diary of my law school experience, and after having made it through law school, the bar exam, and the start of my first post-law-school job, I feel like it has run its course. So, on that note, I'm done. At least for now.

I will leave up the archives, probably indefinitely, but at least for a good long while. And if I decide to start another blog, more personal to my life now, I will let those of you I've become friends with behind the scenes know.

Thanks to everyone for reading, commenting, emailing me, supporting me, and just being cool as shit (generally). You guys rock, best of luck in your law school experiences and legal careers, and keep in touch.

E. Spat.

Floridays

2006-11-21T18:08:00.000-08:00

I'm off to Florida to see M. for Turkey Day. Hope you all have a wonderful holiday with your friends and family. I have a lot to be thankful for this year, and I intend to reflect upon that this week. In Florida. At a bar on the beach.

Red eye

2006-11-18T15:30:00.000-08:00

Not only am I taking a red-eye flight this week to spend Thanksgiving with M., I am currently suffering from a gigantic red eye, courtesy of (I think) a stye. I am using warm compresses to try to make it better, per the advice of WebMd, but so far it's just gross looking. On the upside, I'm meeting The Boy's mom for the first time tonight and I look totally diseased, so that's nice.

I am VERY excited about my trip to Florida next week to see M. I leave on Tuesday after work and come back Saturday night, and frankly I can use the break. I've been SO busy, I barely have time to think, and if I have to leave the state to get some time off, I'm willing to do it.

This week I had six, SIX, work events. Three lunch/afternoon things, and three evening things. Plus a law school friend was in town, so we had dinner on Friday as well. That means that on Friday I had three back to back events to go to. By the time I got done and go to The Boy's house last night I was totally exhausted. I took a shower and fell asleep. Poor guy, he didn't get so much as a "hello."

Let's see...what else is going on.....uh....not much. Fifty billion work events (ie: "marketing") per week, plus trying to meet my billables. Spending time with The Boy. Too tired and busy to do much else, like go to the gym, clean my house, or shop for groceries. I'm starting to definitely feel the pressure of my chosen field. I work with lots and lots of brand new associates, and a few partners, and I honestly think I work just as hard as an associate at any firm, plus I have to market a lot more than any of them do. Good thing I love my job, right?

So, in review, I leave for Florida on Tuesday, get back Saturday night, have three days of work, then leave for San Francisco the following Thursday through Sunday for a work event. I will try to post in between, and maybe I'll even get some pictures up of Florida.

Life happiness = bad blogging

2006-11-11T14:57:00.000-08:00

Well, as we've all discovered...the fact that my life is going well (and busy) seems to bad for the blogging business. I honestly blame it on a combination of being happy in my relationship, getting TiVO, and being so busy at work. Mostly TiVO to be honest with you. Holy shit, by the end of the week I have about 30 shows recorded, and then I spend all weekend laying around watching them. Because that's how I roll.

Today The Boy and I are enjoying our Saturday apart, which is nice. I think it's good to keep some personal time to yourself, so that you don't get on each other's nerves. So, what's new?

Last night we saw Borat. Holy shit. So freaking funny. Oh my God. Get thee to a theater immediately and see this movie. It's so politically incorrect, it's awesome. The Boy has a special talent for languages, as I think I've mentioned before, and has been talking like Borat for the past month...he was so excited before the movie, it was like having a 5 year old there. He's been walking around since last night going "Very nice!' I asked him how long this is going to last, and he told me anywhere from 1 week to 15 years, so that seems...uh...ominous. I'm not sure how much I can really take. Good thing he's such a good boy, I'm willing to put up with near constant Borat-isms for at least a little while.

So, today I am making an apple pie, cleaning my house, watching some taped shows, and reading a book...pretty much all at the same time. The other night one of my friends told me that I was the person who had changed the most since we graduated from law school because I'm so different now. I told her that I'm actually the person that has changed the least. If they had known me BEFORE law school, they would know that I was never like that before, and I hope never to be like that again. I am starting to get back into the swing of real life. I like it very much. Next week I'm getting sworn in...if there's any lesson to be had there, it should be that you can have fun in law school, decide not to follow all the lemmings off the stress cliff (as much as possible), and give up on believing grades have anything to do with you as a person, and still pass the bar exam, get a great job, blog all your experiences and make some great friends, and end up being sworn in as a lawyer just like all the people who wasted three years of their lives in abject misery.

Home.

2006-11-06T18:58:00.000-08:00

Hello! Well, I made it through my first B&B experience intact, and I had a wonderful weekend. The hot tub was HUGE, although not particularly heart-shaped...well, maybe a little bit. It was awesome! The island we went to (in the San Juans, near Canada) has a lavender farm, so we were able to buy all manner of fresh lavender bath stuff and dump it in the tub. So yummy!

The Boy and I had a very romantic weekend. He's WAY more mushy than me, and I have to admit it's nice to have someone be so enamored of me. We did tons of fun stuff, and probably drank and ate too much, but I got to sleep a LOT and that was so decadent.

OK, so, briefly, the Advantage Rent-A-Car story.

Advantage was apparently bought out by another company. Through a whole series of complaints I made to various people, who shall remain nameless, the COO of this new company heard about me. He call me personally, apologized profusely for my terrible experience, and gave me his cell phone number and told me I could call him anytime, day or night, and get a rental car anywhere, no matter what. It was a very nice gesture and he really impressed me with his speech about how the company is trying to make a change as far as customer service, etc. I hope it's true. I don't know if I'll use Advantage again, but it definitely took the edge of my anger. All I wanted was for someone from the company to recognize the legitimacy of my complaint.

Let's see...what else. I don't know. I'm happy, in love, busy, and generally pretty content with life.

I heard I was in town.

2006-11-03T17:28:00.000-08:00

I have been informed via email from more than one reader that I have been shirking my duties around here. I am so busy, I really apologize. At any rate, The Boy and I are headed out of town for the weekend, and we'll be back on Sunday. So, I will make an attempt to do a lenthy update on Sunday, but promise I'll have one up by Monday night. At any rate, I am not dead, kidnapped, abducted by aliens, or in any other way missing, maimed, and/or possessed by spirits of the undead or the otherworldly.

Back soon. We're going to a place with a heart-shaped hot tub. No really.

It's funny...

2006-10-29T18:24:00.000-08:00

One weird thing about blogging is that I kind of know you guys, but I kind of don't. The anonymous part of me feels like I could tell you anything, but the part of me that feels like I know you forces me to censor myself at least a little bit. So many weird and interesting things happen to me all the time, but they seem almost too personal to share with you if you DO know me...like, I would only tell my very best friends, or a stranger, but not acquaintances.

A couple of weeks ago I was misdiagnosed with an illness. Not a fatal illness, but something that worried me a great deal, only to find out when I sought out a specialist, that I actually had something totally different, totally common, and easily curable. It was very stressful, and if I knew you *less*, I would have told you all the ridiculous details.

In the meantime, lots of good stuff is happening in my life. The Boy officially used the "L" word! I know, I'm shocked too! He really is just a kind, good, decent person who is normal, and funny, and smart. I have no idea where it's all going, but for once in my life, I'm doing a pretty good job of not trying to control everything. He told me the other day, "Don't you know that you deserve to be treated well? You're amazing!" I thought...huh? I mean, really, no one has ever cared about whether I knew I deserved it before, let alone actually done it! At dinner last night I told him that I love that he doesn't try to snow me with a bunch of bullshit about all the nice things he's going to do for me, he just does them, quietly, and doesn't trumpet it to me or the world. I'm so appreciative of that after all the guys I've been with who just talked, and talked, and talked and never did shit.

Ummm...let's see. I have an AWESOME Advantage Rent-A-Car story/satisfying ending to tell you about, but it's going to have to wait until at least tomorrow. I'm due at dinner with my girlfriends. Yay!

I'm alive!

2006-10-28T16:02:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the extreme lack of posting. I wish I had a great excuse, but I don't. It's the busiest time of year from now until April for us...lots of accidents come (unfortunately) with crab season.

I have been trying to go to the gym after work, which means that I rarely get home before 8pm. Add in doing stuff with The Boy, hanging out with my friends, and just doing life stuff, and basically I'm home for an hour a week, which I don't particularly want to spend on the internet.

So, let's see. What's been going on? Uh....nothing.

I'm drinking too much, which you already knew. I'm spending too much money, which you probably could have guessed.

I'm taking crocheting lessons to learn a few things I need to make The Boy an afghan for Christmas - a really, really nice afghan. I figure if we break up, I'll still love it, so it's the perfect gift.

I saw a van today with a magnetic sign that said "Professional Latino Painting" on it. If anyone has a Latino they need painted, apparently there is a service here that will do that for you.

My only real plans for this weekend are to force The Boy to go to Ikea tomorrow with me, to see The Prestige tonight, and possibly to make some cookies. If I feel motivated. Maybe.

Back to the grind.

2006-10-23T18:09:00.000-07:00

M. left this morning after a very fun but whirlwind visit. We drank, shopped, and ate too much, all of which are FINE by me! We got to spend lots of quality time together, and really catch up, which was awesome. She met The Boy and has given her seal of approval, so that's good as well.

Work is very busy. The end.

The Boy is good. Really good. He made M. and I homemade gnocchi for dinner on Friday night, and strawberry napoleans because one time, in passing, I said that I loved them. He pays attention. He does instead of saying he'll do. I really am so glad I gave this whole thing a chance, because he is a wonderful person.

Having so much fun!

2006-10-20T10:26:00.000-07:00

M. and I have been having so much fun! Yesterday we went and got massages and facials...it was awesome. Then we went and had Indian food and came home and made cookies and drank wine. Tonight The Boy is making us dinner at his house, and we're going to spend the day shopping. Tomorrow is Girl's Night Out with all my girlfriends at a fancy restaurant. It's been really, really wonderful having her here and getting lots of best friend bonding time.

Anyway, more updates later. Nordstroms is calling me..."E. Spat, spend money noooooooooow."

M. gets here tomorrow!!!!

2006-10-17T18:55:00.000-07:00

YAY! I cannot wait to see M. in the morning. I pick her up at the airport in the morning, and then we have five days of fun, fun, fun planned. Massages, facials, hair appointments, and a girl's night out with all my friends at a fancy restaurant! Plus, The Boy is making us dinner on Friday at his place...I'm nervous for him, this is a big test that he *has* to pass. I think he'll be fine though. I like him quite a lot, and I think she will too.

I still have several stories that I want to tell on here...I just have to find some time. Maybe while M. is here and I have some time off work I'll get around to it. Right now The Boy is bringing me takeout, since I am trying to get the apartment ready for M. and doing laundry and stuff.

Updates on her visit will be forthcoming.

You know you're in a relationship when...

2006-10-15T17:48:00.000-07:00

You buy The Boy a coffeemaker because he loves coffee, you don't drink it, and watching him struggle through mornings pretending it's OK with him that there's no coffee just breaks your heart. I put it on the counter with a bow on top and two mugs next to it. We'll see how long it takes him to notice.

Weekend update

2006-10-15T13:15:00.000-07:00

Daddy Spatula made it through his surgery, and seems to be in good spirits. When they went in, they found that his collarbone was actually broken in five places, but they decided to pin it anyway. Depending on how it heals, they might have to go back in a couple of months and put plates in.

Yesterday The Boy took my car all day and put on new brakes with the help of his brother. When he brought it back they had detailed the whole thing and washed it and all that stuff. So nice! I made him and my other friend dinner, and LQ's famous cupcakes...it was quite a hit.

Today I am spending the day watching all my recorded shows and reading. I spent all day yesterday cleaning house while my car was out of commission, so I'm basically ready for M. to get here on Wednesday. I'm also doing all manners of beauty treatments while I'm home today. Technically I think my boss expected me to be at work at some point this weekend, but I just don't really feel like it. I didn't bill nearly enough last week, but I had a stressful week and I had other things on my mind...hopefully this week (until Wednesday at least) will be more productive.