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Thursday, May 19, 2005

A few days of peace...

I'm enjoying a few days of freedom.

The husband is gone for close to a week! He took koff at 4 AM on Wednesday for the annual HAM Radio convention in Dayton, OH. I had planned to go with him and stay with his family in Kentucky, but with starting the new job and all it just made sense for me to stay home (plus, I'll get to jump this weekend! ). Let's just say it is a nice change!

I got up on time yesterday and went to work after a really nice breakfast yesterday and headed to my cardiologists appointment about noon.

I used to work at the hospital my doctors are at and its changed so much in the year I've been gone. There is a new parking garage and emergency department and the public parking lot is currently a dirt filled lot. Figuring out where to park was interesting...

Got into my appointment no problem, and on time for once. Dr. Kirk (he's a funny guy I'm trying to get to do a tandem hehe) greeted me with his usual "jump out of any planes lately?" - to which I gave my typical reply "as often as possible!". Everything was fine with my defibrillator since last time (there's never any change) and we agreed that if I really want to put off having the device changed out in the fall I can. I'll just continue to monitor it and if it shows any signs of failure (its been voluntarily recalled by the company that made it) then I'll have to have it changed out ASAP. I think I'm ok with this option - I've had two devices, both of which have been recalled now and it hasn't even been 5 years yet! He's ok with it, and well, so am I. And on the plus side, my QTc is down to .575 hehe, not that it matters, its still long...

Got home from work about 5 PM and made a nice dinner: Sweet Potatoe fries (that I burned, but they were still good), chicken burger w/ cheese and snow peas. Yum! Finished organizing some of my scrapbooking supplies and then headed over to my brothers place to watch the 2 hour episode of ALIAS.

That show is great! This season has been a little bit off the wall. They must have gotten new writters cause the dialog and story line are really off this season. But... this episode was good. They brought back Syd's mom and answered a bunch of questions concerning that - and the ending had them skydiving! How cool is that? It was pretty believable too!

So, got home about 11:30 PM and was locked out of the house. I really need to get a key to the back door! I completely understand the woman that lives downstairs locking the door - she has a small child. Its just that it always happens to me! It never happens to Shawn and he's the one with the key!

I've got my chiropractor appointment this afternoon and then I'm meeting my friend Karen for dinner - I think we're going to do Thai food. Never had it before, sounds good!

Monday, May 16, 2005

I'm boring now

Well...

I managed to finish all of my classes and graduate. Still can't believe I'm done. It'll settle in soon I suppose.

To celebrate I took some time off from life. I worked Monday - Wednesday last week but did lunch with the folks at the hospital I used to work at on Wednesday, it was a good time catching up with all of them.

Thursday was 'cat' day. I took Trina to the groomer in the morning. It was quite the experience:

Katrina is a great cat (when she's not messing on my furnitue ;) ), very loving and lots of fun. She's also very fat! I've had her on restrictive diet food but nothing seems to be helping her lose weight. She's also VERY active for a cat as large as her. But due to her size (a friend asked me last week if she was pregnant!), she has a hard time cleaning 'her nether' regions. I've been cleaning them with baby wipes as much as I can - but she smells!

So I decided to take her to a referred dog/cat grooming place. I should have known!

Stepping inside the waiting area (if thats what you want to call it) there were no seats and no place to put cat carriers, so she went on the floor - looking very confused and nervously at meowmy as the big dogs came in and out. I filled out paperwork and waited for 'the cat groomer' to come out to the waiting area.

let me tell you - I've rescued cats in quieter places than this place! I hope they have the cats in another area of this large building because all you could hear was dogs barking and water running! Not the place for a pretty kitty like my Trina Bina.

I was about to walk away with her when the cat lady mentioned she also has many knots in her fur in her hind quarter area and they may need to be cut out. Well, I'm not going to be the one doing that - I have a hard enough time cutting her nails. So I know its good for her to get cleaned up. They're going to shave her hind area so that the litter box contents don't stick to her like they have been - this is a good thing. No more smelly Trina Bina.

But I'm sick with guilt and worry at leaving her there! They said I can pick her up at 3 PM!!!!!!! My poor baby is going to be in this noisy converted garage with lots of doggies barking ALL DAY!

She's going to have to have this done again in a few months, but there is NO WAY on God's green earth I'm bringin her there again - and I will drive ANYWHERE to keep her from being traumatized like I know she is right now!

Can anyone recommend a good cat only, cat friendly groomer in the eastern CT, RI or central/eastern MA area?

What's better than this? TiSan goes to the vet this afternoon too. Just what I need - both my cats hating me! :(

Follow Up:


Got a great lunchtime treat - was able to pick Trina up at noon. Brought TiSan to the vet, and now I won't see him for another 2 days. When the two of them finally see each other they'll hiss for sure - they both smell wierd now!

Katrina did great at the groomers! She was a perfect little lady they told me. When I went to pick up the place was dead quiet with no cars in the parking lot - apparantly it was the morning rush that caused the commotion. It had been pretty quiet for a few hours.

They were able to get all the knots out of her fur and shave her hind quarters and gave her a bath with something that smells wonderful! They even put a cute little green scarf on her! She was a good girl.

I asked the vet if he knew of any groomers, and they don't. But they did mention they thought there was a travelling groomer in the area that works out of an RV. I'll look into that for next time.

TiSan did great at the vet. I have an appointment for him on the 28th, he'll get some blood work to see if he'll be ok for anestesia for a dental. I"m sure he'll be fine, but it sure was nerve racking getting him into the carrier and to the vet. I hate seeing him so distressed!

Friday I spent at Jumptown with Belinda - got in 3 great jumps. Saturday was supposed to be crappy, but the afternoon turned out to be pleasantly nice despite what the weather guys had said. I swear, no one can be as wrong as the weatherman and still have a job!!!! I would have been jumping if I knew the weather was going to be nice!!!

Instead I met up with my friend Neha from High School. I haven't seen her in many years and she just started her medicine internship at a hospital in central MA - not far from Jumptown actually. We went to an Indian restaurant and had some really great food - I'll definitely try them again. I left her place about 8:30 and drove directly to Darius' house for a 'tea party' ;) with Belinda and him. Got to meet his friend from out of town too - seems like a really great guy, he wants to learn how to skydive too - which is why it was great that we decided to drive up to Jumptown on Sunday and see if we couldn't get some jumps in...

which we didn't... of course.


But on the way home Belinda and I stopped at Cold Stone ice cream shop - that was a very different experience. I'm sure I'd try it again sometime with Shawn, I bet he'd love it.

Got home and got some much needed housework out of the way. Can't wait to get the house back in order. IT's going to be great to have my nights free from school work responsabilities!

Today was my first day of full time work (taking a break from it now ;)).
I'm a grown up - wow... this is what it feels like...

Wednesday, May 11, 2005

Wow! What an amazing bra!

So, in my pursuit to getting more fit and super trim I bought a new sports bra.

I'm a large girl in the breasts department - 34 DD. I've got both Mom and Dad to thank for that - big breasted woman all over my family. So if I'm going to run I need a good supportive sports bra. Searching around the internet I came across Enell brand sports bras. They're recommended by Oprah - so they have to be good right? Hell, at $50 they had better danm well be good.

So today it arrives in the mail. I love the packaging cause in fine print it says "Please buckle your Enell from the front, bottom to top. This will get easier with time" Well hell! I was about to call the neighbor over to help! While holding one boob out of the way with two fingers, and pulling the bottom of the bra around my rib cage I was able to clasp the bottom buckle. Slowly working my way up I got it on. And guess what - I can still breath! Woo Hoo!

So, then comes the ultimate test... jumping.

THEY DON'T MOVE!

did you hear me?

THEY DON'T MOVE!

Oh my gosh, this is the most amazing bra I have ever had the priviledge of putting on! I can definitely see myself running with confidence tonight!

Tuesday, May 10, 2005

First day of freedom

So my first day of freedom was wierd.

I got up at 6 AM and did an exercise tape. I'm determined to take off the few pounds that I gained the last 4 weeks of school - danm studying and lack of time to get to the gym. Then I went to work and was productive! Wow! I left at 10:30 and headed up to the wedding photographers new studio. You think I would have finalized all the stuff for our parent albums 2.5 years ago right? Well, now its all complete. I should have them in about 2 weeks she said.

Then I came home, got a Wendy's salad for lunch (and didn't eat it all! Wow!) and then to the gym for a little more than an hour. Danm, it feels good to work out. Did 45 minutes on the elliptical machine and did a bunch of weight machines. I also left a message at the desk to have one of the trainers call me - I need to get a new routine.

I've also decided that next week I'm going to start training for marathons. I'm going to use the couch-to-5k program I read about a few years ago - hopefully it'll work for me.

I even went food shopping - when you don't go for 3 weeks you tend to spend alot of money, and today was no exception. I got lots of healthy food for the two of us and spent $170 in the process! Wow, can't remember the last time I'd spent that much.

There was a bunch of stuff I should have done tonight - like clean the house and do laundry. But danm it if I"m going to do something at all on the first night that I don't have to! So I did my hour long yoga tape.

Gee, wonder how long it'll take for me to get burned out on all this exercising? Who wants to take bets?

Checked my grades today - got a C in my Server class. That class was ridiculously hard and how I managed to get a C... well, I have no idea. I also got an A in my excel class. I didn't do any work at all - literally. I couldn't get my professor to answer my emails. What a lazy dickhead - instead of grading assignments he just gives everyone A's. I guess I shouldn't complain, but it just seems assanine to pay for a class and not have the professor do any work for it!

Ok, time for bed. I bet I'll be super sore in the morning...

Monday, May 09, 2005

So this is what it feels like...

So this is what it feels like to be a college graduate...

I'm so very tired of school. I'm tired of the way it makes me get angry and frustrated and not enjoy myself. When I was in High School I really enjoyed school - there were very few days that I didn't want to go to school. I'm so done with my college experience right now. I hope I can/will change my mind in a few years and go back for another degree, but right now I'm very happy to be finished.

Work a few hours tomorrow and wednesday, then Thursday I'll have to myself and Friday I'll be jumping at Jumptown.

What am I going to do with all this free time I'll have now?

I know - anything or nothing I danm well please...

Sunday, May 08, 2005

Almost done...

Well, its been an interesting few days.

Last week marked the end of a few classes. My operating systems class final was really tough - everyone complained about it. My excel class was a GIAGANTIC joke. My professor has yet to answer my email regarding my sending him the final files. My systems analysis class project went down to the wire and the final went really well. I've got my Windows 2003 Server final tomorrow morning and my SQL final tomorrow night.

I took Friday off of work and headed up to Jumptown with Belinda and Jeff. The clouds were low and it looked like it was going to rain, but we managed to get up to full altitude for 2 jumps. Dennis took Belinda and I up on the jumps and they both sucked. It was little problems by both me and Belinda both times - I still had fun but I'd like the opportunity to practice all that I learned in the tunnel and I have yet to be able to practice it! I'm hoping now that the season has swung into full gear that I'll be able to get people to jump with me and learn some more.

I drove out to my best friend Kathy's house to spend the night Friday. Got there about 8:30 PM and played some Gamecube with her before going to bed. Got up early to work some on my SQL and then Kathy, her Shawn and I took a walk (in the rain) to a local coffee shop and I got a blueberry scone and tea. Shawn cooked bacon and eggs when we got back and then we went for a run through the local neighborhoods and looked at some of the houses for sale. They sounds as anxious as Shawn and I to buy a house. If it wasn't so danm expensive we'd have one already.

I left there about noon and got to JTown about 1ish. Said hello to everyone and sat down to do some computer stuff before finally deciding that if I was there I might as well practice packing - which went good once Ray spent about 2 hours with me going over it. What a patient guy - I was really taking a long time. Finally gave up trying to get the stupid canopy in the bag and had him do it. We both agreed that mine was going to be a bitch to pack this season. It kinda sucks I have to learn how to pack on this canopy. I should just start to get really good on this canopy so I can downsize... ya thats it! Well hey, I'm on my way! Stood up both of my landings on Friday and there was no wind ;)

I drove home about 6 PM, just before the club meeting and cinco de mayo party. For some reason I didn't feel like staying for the party if Belinda and Darius weren't there... met Shawn for dinner at the Roast House in Lincoln and headed home to bed after that.

Got up early this morning so I could pick up my Mom so we could head out to Bourne to visit my grandmothers headstone. We got back about 1 PM and picked up Shawn on our way back to my folks house. Did the whole mother's day dinner thing at the Tavern in Plainville - hadn't been there before but I liked it. Now I'm home, procrastinating on homework... I really can't wait for Tuesday - I'm officially done with school then!!


Almost done...

Wednesday, May 04, 2005

I have a blog now?

I figured it was about time I joined everyone else I know and start a blog. Shawn is having such fun with his, I think I might be missing out on something.

So... blogger.com seems to be the place for blogging (who came up with that word anyway?) - we'll see if I keep up with it.

Today was a boring day. Went to work at 7:30 and got home about 12:30. I like my job for the most part. Computer programming has always fascinated me, but I'll be interested to see how my attention span holds out. I find alot of the parts of programming really frustrated me - the learning curve is steep. When I graduate next week and start full-time I hope my enthusiasm holds together.

I'm supposed to be writing a 15 page paper on skydiving for my technical writing class. Its obviously a subject I care alot about (and think about constantly), but for some reason being told that I have to write a paper blah blah blah is really making me dread it. I also have lots of stuff to do for my excel class tonight...

I always thought that I'd go to school part time forever and work my way up to a masters degree, but now that I'm putting my finishing touches on my bachelors degree, I'm really starting to second guess if I want to continue. Most companies are looking for experience anyway - I just needed the degree to get my foot in the door, which I've done.

Only time will tell I guess.


Jen