Movin' out

Hi Blog!

So, yet again, an unexplained absence. But let me explain ... I'm moving. No, not to another country this time ... to my own apartment! Where I can walk to Dunder Mifflin! And Starbucks! And Trader Joe's! Or ride my bike to the beach! The only downside is it's 20 miles away from Duc, but I think this will be good (he is unsure, but is excited for me - although he has yet to haul a box). We were at the point where either we were moving in together or I was moving to my own place, and I wanted to live on my own and see how I felt about that. I didn't want to bounce from my ex-husband to living with another man ... I wanted some independence. He understands. Besides, it will be nice to hang out in MY PLACE for a change!! He can have a drawer at MY PLACE!! He can sleep at MY PLACE!! In my bed!! With my hot pink linens!! That I chose myself!! For MY OWN APARTMENT! MINE! ALL MINE! My own! My preciousssss ...

Ahem. All Gollum-ness aside, can you tell I'm super excited?

So about Chez Moi. It's in a 4-unit building built in 1948 and it's (as my landlord calls it) "quirky." That has a lot to do with the dark green tile floors throughout the entire place ... which I love. It's great - charming - a lot of character - and a TON of space, especially since I've been living in one room at Mutti and Vati's for the past two and a half years. I have an office-slash-yarn room-slash-guest room! Mutti and I spent the last weekend painting; I'm painting the living room yellow, the kitchen orange, the dining room bright coral, the bathroom purple, and my bedroom pink. The spare bedroom is staying white - #1, because I couldn't come up with another color; #2, because I'd already spent $200 on paint at Lowe's; and #3, because I couldn't handle painting another room.

Of course, I own nothing except all the dishware I got in the divorce, so I spent last weekend furniture shopping and ended up with a BRIGHT ORANGE COUCH. It's awesome. Mutti says it looks like a rainbow threw up in my apartment, "but in a good way, sweetie. It's a house of happiness. You're going to be happy here. You're going to have a nice, fun life here." (Eating dinner on my parents' old patio furniture until I find a dining room table, but that's another story ... ha!) Vati piped up, "Yeah, if Ex-Husband liked dark, neutral colors, no wonder the two of you didn't work out." Point well taken. Because really: Hot pink is a neutral color. And orange, I'm discovering. I didn't even realize I liked orange until recently - but I love it! And it goes surprisingly well with the teal Kitchen-Aid stand mixer that I got in the divorce. (And the platter with hot pink owls that I found at IKEA. It was one of those "Oh, I really NEED that" moments.)

Don't worry, there will be photos. Of course, I have to unpack and finish moving. Everything's at Chez Moi except my clothes and my furniture; I'm expecting to "officially" move this weekend. Right now, I'm cleaning at my parents' and discovering all sorts of interesting things shoved in the back of my closet. I just found a trove of letters from Ex-Husband, back when we were dating, before we were engaged; I flipped through them and it was weird, I didn't even feel anything. It was like reading a novel, if that makes any sense. It feels like another life. Someone else's.

In any case, work is keeping me hopping - I really should have taken off this week, but there's no way. Especially since I somehow found myself part of executive board meetings as of a few weeks ago ... I still feel like "Which of these things is not like the other?" but I'm getting used to it. So I'm hauling boxes at lunch (five minutes door to door! NO MORE 405! The joy!) and unpacking after work. My commute has been extra heinous the last few weeks, as if the universe is telling me, "Yes, Miss M, You are doing the Right Thing."

So that's the news from here! Are you as excited as I am????

Working from home

I'm in my pajamas, and I'm answering e-mails. There is something to be said for this.

Especially after an 8-car pileup on the 405 meant it took me 45 minutes to go 1 mile this morning. Yes. I almost pulled over and cried.

On the bright side: the bruises on my arms are fading, so I only *kind of* look like a heroin addict with bad aim!

The old college try

So much for posting every day in September ... but I had a good excuse: I've been in the hospital for a week. I'm much better - all patched up and rehydrated and treated with good drugs - but am home from work today. I'm going to try and go back tomorrow.

The verdict? I had a staph infection in my GI tract and my kidneys. I caught a viral infection on top of that which pretty much did me in. (I'm on medication to wipe out my immune system, so when your white blood count is approaching 10,000 - that's not good news. That's not good news for someone WITH a healthy immune system, because it is the marker of a systemic, severe infection.) Plus, due to weeks of sustained nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc, my potassium level was so low my doctors were worried about heart arrythmias. The good news is that they got me in the hospital before it got worse. The bad news? My IV blew a vein in my left arm, it took them 4 tries to restart it in my right ... and I'm black and blue from my knuckles to my elbow. Sigh. But - nurses are the bestest!! My nurses Jason and Daniel are my heroes! They're total superstars. I may hate every doctor who's ever touched me, but nurses are the best people in the world, and they don't get enough credit for all the things they do. Which may not have been apparent when I was cursing them for not feeding me for almost 48 hours, but still.

What really frustrates me is that I've been back and forth to the doctors saying, "No, this isn't just a flare-up of my colitis. No, this is different. No, trust me, it's been under control for four years, it's not just going to go bananas like this for no reason. WILL SOMEONE JUST LISTEN TO ME?" and no one did. It's the old "when we hear hoofbeats, we think horses, not zebras." I'm all about being an advocate for your own healthcare, but you'd think at some point, even though I don't have an MD, I do have a chronic health condition I've managed successfully for eight years, and what I have to say might count for something. You'd think that - and you'd be wrong. But you could still think it. (You know how you can tell I'm feeling better? I'm getting testy, cranky, aggravated and BORED.)

Oh - and I have about 25 prescription bottles on my desk. Yep. Because I'm sexy like that.

On the bright side, I'm feeling much better, and I think I might be able to pout enough to con Mutti into getting me pad thai for dinner. Because nothing makes you feel better than thai food! Right? Right!

Regularly scheduled posting to resume soon. Tomorrow, hopefully!

What would Brian Boitano do?

I have a slight addiction ... to the Food Network.

Now I know this seems odd for someone who as of late can't eat without vomiting, but somehow watching food preparation doesn't bother me. In fact, I find it kind of interesting. And there's no show I love as much as "What Would Brian Boitano Make?"

The first reason: His theme song is "What Would Brian Boitano Do?" from the "South Park" movie. I figure that shows a guy with a good sense of humor - both about himself and his image. Number two, he cooks dinner for a squad of roller derby girls and the entire menu revolves around bacon. (I love a guy who loves bacon as much as I do. I don't eat pork, but I tend to consider bacon its own animal.) Number three, he's talking about how his dad can peel an apple in one piece with a paring knife and he can't, and he turns to the camera, stops and says, "Yeah, so what? He can't do a triple lutz, either."

Also - he has a penchant for showing up in a red spangled skating costume with a neckerchief for no reason. What can I say? I love the camp. (Seriously. His website has a "Brian Boitano's Costume Closet" feature. Love it!!) And I love that he - unlike some people on the Food Network, SANDRA LEE I AM LOOKING AT YOU, Brian Boitano actually knows how to cook. Watching his show, you believe he came up with these recipes because he likes to have his friends over and he likes to make good things for them.

Yep. Brian Boitano and Duff & Geoff from "Ace of Cakes." They're my Food Network boyfriends. Love them!

Sick day

Well, I got to work today, was there for a half an hour, and was throwing up so much I turned around and came home. (Actually, one of the managers sent me home, because I looked like death warmed over. Also, the whites of my eyes are starting to look a little yellow.) I've also developed a pretty wretched sounding cough - I'm starting to think my personal episode of "Mystery Diagnosis" is trending more towards "House."

I'm hoping four solid days of rest will help me feel better. My doctor prescribed some Cipro to halt what they think is a kidney infection, with the side effect that if I run across some anthrax, I'll be in good shape!

I did promise to post every day in September, but I didn't say it would be exciting. Be careful what you wish for ...