Wonderland

This movie made me cry. In a good way. Now I just have to *stop* crying.

The Placebo Effect?

I'm starting to suspect that my new medicine, which made me feel SO fabulous when I first began taking it nearly five weeks ago, is not actually making me feel so great.

The consequences of being a shut in.

Finally the error of my ways has been made clear. Visiting New York means walking, and plenty of it. I woke up this morning with tight, aching muscles. But it's far better to have sore glutes than missing the sights and sounds of the city.

I'm definitely going walking once I get back home.

Books read in 2009: #5 Coraline

I had the opportunity to read Neil Gaiman's book Coraline, which is also a movie which came out this weekend.

It's nice to know the story before seeing the movie.

Coffee and nerves

I'm drinking coffee because I love it, but I'm a bit anxious about my trip today. Haven't been on a plane in a while, and now they are showing what was happening behind the scenes at the Hudson River landing of a disabled plane. Hopefully the birds will be gone for my flight.

I'm super excited about seeing my friend again. I hope think we'll have fun catching up and doing some fun stuff.

I might now blog for a while when I'm gone. I'm gonna miss my fellas at home and my laptop.
And in a funny way, I'm gonna miss being able to sit around in my pjs drinking coffee. However, I think my friend B will be accommodating if I request that as an activity.

I'm gonna bring my camera, but I need to buy batteries for it. Okay, bye!

Getting out of the house

Is much harder than it looks.

Who do you love?

Sometimes, when I'm really down I forget who I love, and forget that they love me.
Sometimes I'm amazed that anyone feels love for me. Isn't that sad?

But I'm feeling better and my health is generally good (with the exception of the side effects I've been having), but I am having a difficult time keeping myself motivated/busy to get anything done.

And for the most part, I remember those I love who love me too.

Right now I'm going to drink more coffee.

gratitude

One of the Mhs's (mental health specialist) in the hospital mall talked to me about doing a daily thing where you name 5 things you are grateful for.

I forgot to do it last night, so I'm gonna put myself back into yesterday and write those first.

1. I'm grateful to have had dinner with bf's friends.
2. I'm grateful that my son was happy when he got home from school.
3. I'm grateful for the set of Futurama discs I got "from Santa" (and I'm Santa).
4. I'm grateful for 80s music because it brings up so many memories.
5. I'm grateful for feeling free and dancing in my living room.
   

home again, home again, jiggety jig

So I've been home from the hospital for nearly a week.

Some of it (being back home) is nice, some of it stresses me out.
The new meds I'm taking are great for my mood, but they really stink when it comes to the side effects I'm having. I am even taking a med that counteracts one of my other meds. And I always swore I wouldn't do that. Sigh.

The only huge problem with right now is disorientation and a stumbling/shuffling gate. I can't seem to walk properly. I'm visiting a friend in NYC next week, which is a feat in and of itself. I had wanted to go for months but didn't have the guts to fly/be in a strange place. She said something about doing a lot of walking, and I think I should tell her about this particular side effect.

Lastly, of my side effects: the dryest mouth I've ever had. It makes eating difficult. I've got a phone call out to my nurse to see what she says about that/if there is anything I can do for it. Besides drinking a boatload of water every day.

Twenty-Five things about me

I was tagged a while ago by Marianne @ Kanalaon and finally I've gotten around to it, as I was tagged for a similar meme.
This list has 25 things on it.


1. I've been to Russia and Armenia.
2. Once I slapped someone in a melodramatic way, just like on TV.
3. I can pick up cigarettes, smoke, and then not smoke for months.
4. Currently don't have a favourite colour.
5. When writing words like favorite and color, I use the British U.
6. My laptop and I have an unnaturally close relationship.
7. My 13-year old is going through puberty. It's not a pretty thing.
8. I'd like to write my memoirs some day.
9. I don't have 25 internet friends to tag.
10. I fall asleep at night listening to my iPod.
11. Yesterday in the car, while listening to the radio, someone used the phrase Living My LIfe Like it's Golden, and I turned the radio off and started singing the song "Golden" by Jill Scott. That is one upbeat tune.
12. I take so many meds I had to get a pillbox to organize them all. That scares the dickens out of me.
13. Thirteen is my favourite number. At the time of writing up this list, I look forward to Friday the 13th in a couple of weeks.
14. Apparently, I am the only person in the world that gets the cheaper phone that doesn't take pictures.
15. I'd be thrilled to have a phone with a bell in it at home instead of the fake ring I've got now.
16. After my boyfriend, Netflix may be the best friend I have in town.
17. I love coffee, especially coffee from Nicaragua.
18. Still missing my old favourite coffee shop, Toad Hill.
19. Lately when I dream, I talk out loud, responding to people in the dreams. It's kind of freaky.
20. I'm clinically obese. It's not as bad as it sounds.
21. After a recent hospital stay, I'm trying to eat my meals at the same times as the hospital served them. Obviously I'm in dire need of structure in my day.
22. Because of the meds I referred to in #12, I'm not suppose to drink alcohol.
23. I miss hanging out at Mickey's Tavern. I miss it a lot.
24. Sometimes I laugh when I watch Two and a half Men. It is my secret shame.
25. I'd like to take up photography again.

HMO hell

My health benefits have changed, and I've got to pick one, and when I talked to someone at the Medicaid office and she said it looked as though I was already enrolled in some weird plan which didn't even cover the county I'm in. I've called 2x and got the voice mail box and no real people. I'm terrified about being locked into something which would not work for me...

Books read in 2009: #4 "Blood Hunt"

WOW, I love this book. A thriller of sorts, and a mystery on top of that, this would make a really great film. I hope it gets made. That would be awesome.

It is written by Ian Rankin, known for his books about Inspector Rebus (which have been made into a collection of films broadcast on television). It's different to the Rebus stories, and I liked that.

Highly recommended.

Books read in 2009: #3 "Bandits"

This was a good story. It involved Nicaraguan politics, a former nun, and lepers on the side. Solid, fun, a good read (If you like Elmore Leonard).