September 16, 2008

September 15, 2008

  • Whenever you go see a doctor, they ask your medical history and if you're allergic to any drugs.

     

    I write down: "Cymbalta"

     

    I just realized that I've been telling them the wrong thing. It's "Celebrex"!

     

    They both start with C but treat completely different things.

     

    Cymbalta for depression

    Celebrex for arthritis symptoms

     

    Oh dear, I guess I should do some correcting soon.
    S and I had quite a laugh about it yesterday when it dawned on me.
    How do doctors and pharmacists remember all those different drug names?

September 12, 2008

  • "With all the sadness and trauma going on in the world at the moment, it is worth reflecting on the death of a very important person, which almost went unnoticed last week. Larry LaPrise, the man that wrote 'The Hokie Pokie' died peacefully at the age of 93. The most traumatic part for his family was getting him into the coffin. They put his left leg in. And then the trouble started."


    Come on! You know it's funny!


    (This was a joke that circulated on the internet when he had passed in 1996.)

    Yay, tomorrow is Saturday!

September 11, 2008

  • There are fruit flies in our house. They're feeding off the broken nectarine pit that I threw in the trash can. Where do those insects come from? "This very mystery, vermin from nowhere, gave rise to a charming and durable belief called 'spontaneous generation'." But of course there is no such thing. They can smell ripe fruit or fermenting foods from a great distance and "can maneuver into your kitchen through window screens, door jams, or any other crack in your home. Occasionally, they may catch a ride in your grocery bags or hatch from eggs laid in less than fresh food brought home from a grocery store."

     

    They look pretty easy to catch since they don't fly very fast but when I think I've caught one and open my hand, there's nothing in there. Houdini flies.

     

    Thanks to the internet, I learned how to build a homemade fly trap.

     

    Excitedly, I went home and cut up a plastic water bottle, poured some vinegar in there, then taped a paper funnel on the bottle. Last night there were more than 10 fruit flies in there! I felt so powerful!! It was fun to watch. Kind of like watching fish swim in a fish tank... but not really... and it gave me goosebumps - like when you see lots of ants. I wish I had a kid to show them these little flies in this contraption. I will surely teach my kids to not be afraid of insects.

    But I should have took them out last night... when I looked this morning some had escaped!

September 3, 2008

  • Yeah! First day of training over! I get to go home tomorrow!!
    It rained today and will tomorrow as well. Good thing S packed me an umbrella! Looking out the window, it's currently raining sideways. There's even a flood watch.


    I went to walk around one of the many Wal-mart Supercenters today. It's a Wal-Mart + Supermarket + Optomery + Hair Salon + Nail Salon + I forgot what else. Very convenient.


    On the hotel front:


    I banged one shin on one corner of the bed yesterday. I banged the other shin on another corner today. Oh mama, it hurts!!


    The air unit in my room makes wind noises sometimes. It sounds JUST like a ghost!!! "oooooooo....  ooooooooo..." It's a higher pitched "ooooooo"; a girl ghost... the scariest kind! It's not only annoying but also a bit creepy...

September 2, 2008

  • Hi Everyone! I'm in Rogers, Arkansas - on central time. 
    There's nothing to do here... I saw cows on the drive in.

    I'm staying at a newly opened hotel. I assume they're targeting the younger or hipper crowd. There's club music playing as you walk in, where the bar is in plain view. The rooms are very nice and simple and doesn't have those flowery bed covers. My only complaint is that there is no room service! What?! How can that be? I wanted to watch the 90210 premier on the flat screen while someone brought me food.


    After being excited about the show all summer, I was not impressed. It was only interesting to me when the old-cast was on. Well, that's one less show to watch. The main characters are too young anyway. I only care about Kelly and Brenda. High school was so long ago.


    I'm so happy there's free wi-fi in the rooms! I'm catching up on work that I missed today due to travels. Being behind stresses me out plus I have nothing else to do anyway.


    The highlight of my day tomorrow will be going to visit the Wal-Mart Supercenter. This is the birthplace of the huge chain.

September 1, 2008

  • firefliesFireflies in decline as natural habitats are destroyed by urban sprawl, industrial pollution and artificial lights.


    S found this news article for me. It's so sad.


    They are one of my favorite insects. "There are about 2,000 species, and researchers are constantly discovering new ones. Many have never been studied, and scientists know little about the potential threats to them, or about the meaning of their Morse code-like flashes, which signal anything from love to danger."


    I remember having caught one when I was very little and being completely fascinated with its glow... watching it intently, huddled in the back of the car while some song about a fragrant flower played on the radio.



August 26, 2008


  • This month has been full of friends from near and far. It's been so good.


    My first yoga class, Taiwanese food, Getty's, Olympics party, new babies, boba, coffee, Glen Ivy, dinners, friendship bread... marinate it in great conversation, then finish it off with a wedding. Wa-la, that's a sweet month for ya.

     

    I have hermit tendencies but truly our lives are meant to be shared.

August 21, 2008

  • I'll be travelling to Bentonville and Seattle in September. Ticket prices are horrendous! Just terrible!

     

    At first when I saw "AR", I was like, "Oh, Arizona, that's close." No, Judy, it's Arkansas. Arkansas?! I think Arkansas would look nicer with AK, no?

     

    Back in 5th grade I knew all the states and their capitals. Now I barely know where's what. Why can't our brain just remember everything? I need one of those puzzle things with the 50 states.

    Who divided up the states like that? How did they get the lines so straight? Why are the states on the left side bigger than the right?      

    I haven't decided if I'm excited about the trips yet. Afterall, it's not like I'm going to play and training is draining for me. Trips to the airport are never fun. Neither is driving on unfamiliar roads. But it'll be nice to meet some of these people, see a new place, and breathe another state's air.

     

    us_map

August 19, 2008


  • light as a featherS was gone all last week. He called me one day to say hello. Maybe it was the mountain air he was breathing or just that he missed me… but his voice was so sweet and gentle and like cotton candy. It's like all of a sudden he was speaking with a soft-focus filter through the phone. It's been years since I've heard that voice, who is this guy? So I was floating on air the rest of the day. I was reminded of that phrase, "swept off my feet"… where you feel like everything's soft and dreamy and you could just float or melt away.


    And then I started thinking of silly things he says or does.


    We went to have pho the other day... Why is that stuff is so good?
    But I can't stand the smell of it lingering on my clothes, my hair, my skin afterwards.


    J: Yuck, I hate food smells on my clothes. I stink!
    S: I like food smells.
    J: Maybe if I walk around I will attract some Vietnamese boys that like food smells.
    S: Then you can sing: "My pho smell brings the Viet boys to the yard and they're like 'It's better than yours… "


    I don't know where he comes up with this stuff.
    Cracks me up.