vocal

You know, for most of my life I had jobs that revolved around talking.

Can you believe it? Me, the girl who will go an entire weekend - hell a whole week - without picking up a phone used to talk all day every day.

Back in the day as part of my every waking minute duties I had to speak, and then of course in-between speaking to customers I talked nonstop to friends and coworkers. How to make a mongolian stir fry, where the safety exits were on the plane, and what kind of lenses would work the best for your prescription.

How the hell? Today I had to train someone and after talking for two hours my vocal cords were just shot.

Of course, I suppose that I did stop and listen once in a while, giving me breaks in the verbage. For the duration of these gigs I was also able to stay on my feet for seven hours at a time without wanting to shoot myself so obviously not just the talking has changed.

Even though sometimes it could be a bit of a strain, I think I do miss being 'on' for people. Now the only audience I get comes with a meeting, and heaven knows they aren't necessarily all that fun to run.

Getting older I totally appreciated getting off my feet. But do I miss the talking? God knows I love me some attention. Natch.

city club

Back in my 20's every weekend you could find me with my friends at City Club in Detroit. Old school goth before Marilyn Manson and Hot Topic. More Ministry and Front 242.

Whenever I go home and visit the marrieds we half-heartedly joke that we should go back one night. It was always open to 4 am, unlike all the bars that close at 2. Somehow we always find a reason not to go. The biggest one being out doubts about it still being open.

Seems another Detroit ex-pat made the journey (toward the end of the post), and City Club is still around.

That's it, next time I'm in town we're goin!!

job madness

Seriously I can't WAIT until I move on from this job so I can blog about it.

Back when this thing was a secret on occasion I would let loose on the nine to five gig. Bitch about coworkers, the company, etc etc. Now that it is known by people in my company that this thing exists I can't work blog for fear of self harm (getting fired or being named in a lawsuit) of for harm of others (political ramifications and feelings getting hurt).

This can be said. Mother of god life is stranger than fiction. The political hijinx that go on in my workplace are the stuff of legend.

Working for GM I recall politics existing, but not really any subterfuge about them. Like when I complained about how my supervisor did not add to my work experience (With the help of Dirk I would find my own assignments) instead of giving me a new supervisor mine got more involved and kept me in the office so he could provide projects. Creating flow charts. Yeah, that's when I started only showing up for work an hour each day. And no one noticed.

In the restaurant and bar world the political game slaps you in the face. You know that to get anywhere you need to kiss management's ass, and the favorites get what they want. If someone is higher up on the totem pole you find out what they did to get there and beat them at their game. So by god if you want the good shifts you better be comfortable with marginal sexual harassment. And I was, it didn't has never bothered me.

Flight attendant? No politics. At all. Seniority and attendance was king.

Optician? Pretty much a retail gig, so again all about favoritism but with less flirting.

But oh the world of corporate publishing. Wow. I don't know if it is because of the NYC connection or the fact that business is centering on talent, which can be subjective. Every day I'm amazed by the subterfuge. Luckily where I'm at a level that I am directly affected by it I don't necessarily have to participate to survive.

No matter where you work there will be politics of some kind - natural byproduct of interpersonal relations. I suppose the key is finding a gig where they come naturally so you don't even think about them. Honestly I can't imagine being a shark and being at home in the big leagues. Do I even know anyone who is?

dinner with friends

What do you get after preparing and hosting a dinner party for friends?

Just a little pile-on...



If that isn't enough visual love, you can check out the pics.

fictional science part deux

Oh Fat Fairy, nemesis of mine. You cunning minx.

Another of your tricks has been revealed to me.

Just like any weight-obsessed American Woman, every day pre or post shower I carefully inspect my body for any potential weight gain (on a good day weight loss.)

Week over week things have remained the same. No extra rolls, no new body shape. That line down my abdomen still exists; meaning the layer of fat on my belly has not grown.

In addition to the self-inspection, like most people I perform the pinch test. You know, where you pinch the fat under your arm or around your belly, if the thickness of the bunch grows so has your waistline. Professionals even use this one (although the whole point of these posts is to note that the science about weight loss is pure bunk) calling it the caliper test to measure body fat percentage.

These self-evaluations have shown naught, yet I actually had to buy a larger pair of pants the other week. Why?

Oh Fat Fairy, I figured you out. Damn you for foiling me yet again. You have been putting fat underneath my skin! Lacing my muscles and organs, adding inches to my body so it grows, but in a way that was not immediately apparent with my regular benchmarks.

Don't worry my dear readers; I have busted out the measuring tape and journal. This evil sprite will not beat me!! Like most netherworld spirits it is merely a matter of knowing her game to beat her at it.

hurrah!

Tina Fey is making a movie!!! Fans of 30 rock unite!!

the odds

Often I joke with people that if I were born 100 years ago without all this modern medical technology my life would be quite different.

When I was four it was discovered I had a lazy eye, and through two years of wearing an eye patch and muscle therapy it was cured.

At the ripe age of twelve I was diagnosed with scoliosis, which I was able to correct through years of chiropractor visits.

Of course you can't forget my prognosis of Crohn's Disease when I was seventeen.

That's right - 100 years ago at this point I'd be a hunchback with a lazy eye who would often be walking around with fun tummy troubles.

But wait!! It gets better! Today my knee doc gave me a jingle, seems the test results from my joint fluid returned pyrophosphate crystals...providing me a with a brand spanking new diagnosis.

Pseudogout.

Yeah, it is a form of arthritis that is rare, often found in people as they grow older. Guess what percentage of people in their 60's have it? C'mon, you know you want to guess. Three percent. Three frickin percent. Odds for someone my age? Not even on the chart it is so low.

So correction to my above description. A century ago I would have been a hunchback with a lazy eye LIMPING around with fun tummy troubles.

Seriously, what the hell was my mom taking when she was pregnant with me??? Was something in the water I drank growing up??? The odds of all these ailments all happening to me seem awfully high don't they?

Ah well, at least now I have a diagnosis. That’s a start.

modern medicine

Cortisone is a miracle worker.

Explaining my ongoing knee woes to my orthopedist, he referred me to a rheumatologist. But not before taking some fluid from my knee for testing and injecting me with some cortisone.

Everyone warned me how much the shot would hurt. They obviously did not have the fantabulous doc that I have. (Thanks Spags for the referral!!) Before any shots came he numbed my skin, and then before injecting the steroid he threw some novocaine in there.

I'm telling you people, all I felt was a slight prick. (Sounds like my last date, ha ha ha)

Here I am two days later and the swelling is completely gone for the first time in MONTHS. Not that I am going to do anything to change that. This girl is going to set up the next doc appt and take things slow.

So excited to have a full range of motion! Here I come yoga!

election 2008 - part two

Cowards.

All of the media. They are.

Think about it. For all the debate and all the poling. All the pros and cons.

Keep in mind here, I am the most positive glass half full- sunny side of the street - rose colored glasses - only see the bright side - damn hopeful person on the planet.

I am.

Yet no one is asking the real question of this election.

Who does the American Public hate the least?? (alphabetical order thank you very much)

A black man in power

A woman in power

Another republican white male in power


Historical decisions here people.

In a world where Katrina happened because it wasn't WASP, the equal rights amendment still hasn't passed for women (surprise, it is true), and a cocaine addict can start a war in one country because a terrorist from another country does an unspeakable act.

It isn't who this country trusts the most, it is who they trust the least. But with just a little bit more hate and prejudice thrown in for fun.

Happy voting.

election 2008 - part one

Yeah...so is it bad that I think the reason Hilary won the New Hampshire primary is because she cried on camera the day before?

I really do.

joints

If you are one of my longtime readers you may have notice how absent running has been from my posts lately.

That's because I haven't been. Running, that is. Believe it or not it has been four months.

The knee is still messed up. Yes, I have been a good girl and seen a sports doctor. Did the MRI thing and that didn't tell us much. He prescribed three Advil three times a day with rest, once for three weeks and then for five. Each time I have tried to get back on the wagon it got bad all over again.

Now I am not afraid of pain. Working through it, running through it. But my knee gets swollen and just stops working, so this is something I can't just plow through.

Next I'll have to see my doc again and get a cortisone shot or get scoped. Or both.

But in the meantime, what is a girl to do? Early on in my recovery I was swimming, biking, and using the elliptical. But after I didn't heal right I opted for just plain rest. So of course since I did nothing and thusly I have lost tons of fitness and gained a few pounds. (Aaaaaargh)

Most of all I miss actually running of course. The movement, the sort of speed, sprinting down a hill in central park. It acts as a huge stress reliever and really brings those endorphins out and about.

Now I'm determined though, to get some of this damn fitness back. And I have an idea how to do it and still heal the damn knee. YOGA. Yep, low impact focusing on strength and flexibility. Just what the healing muscle/ligament/tendon called for.

Just have to wait for the swelling to go down enough to be able to sit in the child's pose...hopefully by next Sunday when my beginners seminar starts.


If I said it once I'll say it a thousand times. My body is out to get me. Damn body.

distinctive

Remember the jingle from Sesame Street?

Which one of these is not like the other...

(larger image)

Don't get me wrong. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Ellen Page.

Juno? Awesome.
Hard Candy? Mind blowing.
X-Men the Final Stand? Just cool.

Its just how she appears in that pic really defines how I feel in NYC sometimes...

cougars and crumudgeons

Also while home I spent a little time with the marrieds. As always we had a good time, so great to catch up.

Oh, and we took a couple pics...(sorry for the flash glare)


Of course the single one is still on the prowl. And the guys? With their hero.


Ronald Reagan. Booya.

service announcement

This is some general information for the greater good.

Smart Meat brand meatless meats.

Bacon? Awesome.

Hot dogs? Not bad.

Bologna? Mother of god terrible.

You may now return to your regular programming.