Month: October 2021

I woke up, (thankfully) looked outside the window and thought “how cool is it that I live here”.  I then continued with my now daily routine of turning on the hot water for my tea, brushing my teeth, pouring the tea and then sat in my chair and proceeded to write my morning pages.  Morning Pages is an exercise suggested in the book I’m reading, the Artists Way, suggested 5 years ago by my old blogging pal/teacher Amy.  Amy is now (and maybe was then) a world-renowned wedding photographer.  I have never seen better wedding photos (she posts on Instagram. I am a huge fan).  She may even travel the “world” to photograph a wedding. Here’s her site. Amy Sampson Photography. ANYWAY, I picked up the book when I first bought it 5 years ago and life just got in the way and it’s been sitting.  Recently, while listening to a webinar it was suggested that we purchase the book How to think like Leonardo DaVinci.  Being a sucker for these types of books, I bought it.  When I got it I realized this is the same concept as Artists Way.  Why don’t I just use what I already have? (and I’ll gift the Leonardo book – I have the perfect candidate) Soooo, 5 years later I am now committed to this process.  IF I become a world renowned photographer we will know, without a doubt, that the process works.

Anyway, back to my original story. I sat on my chair and I wrote my three pages.  I shared with myself how great it is to wake up and just love your life, love where you live and just have this positive outlook. Yay for me.  By 8:15am it all went downhill, and continued downhill throughout the day.  I did attempt to make it better and took myself out for a lunch break to complete another Artist Way assignment, which is to take myself out on an Artist Date once a week, by myself, so I went to the free Serbian Women artist exhibit on Liberty Avenue.  I was the only one in there and really took my time and used up my whole hour.  I read every plaque and looked at every exhibit.  One of the exhibits was very cool – an embroidered tapestry kind of thing that depicted scenes from their town.  Very rudimentary stitching. It really told a good story about their town.  The rest of the exhibits just wanted to make me kill myself.  I shouldn’t really joke about that kind of thing, but my goodness, these exhibits just make you glad you don’t live in Serbia, or at least that you’re not an anguished, tortured soul taking it out in your art.  Very disturbing and depressing for the most part. And I really did feel grateful for where I live and how I live. Sometimes, I believe, we lose site of how great we really do have it, most of us. And like Diane always says, “there’s always someone better than you and always someone worse.” Although they say, grief and heartache do make for good songs.  Look at Adele. Hello, it’s me…

Well, it’s the end of my workday, and I REFUSE to stay in a down mood now that the aggravating computer can be shut off.  I shall remember that I am thankful for that stupid job that pays the bills.

And then hope for the best after looking out onto this scene just now. Winter is settling in and my view, in one day, went from blue sky to this:

Your typical grey Pittsburgh sky.  I certainly hope this isn’t going to be it until March. That’s what happens around here. I checked flights and can go roundtrip to Florida for $120.  I should book for once a month until April. Stephie get my room ready!

I also need to make a note not to go to a depressing art exhibit on a depressing day.  The attendant at the exhibit gave me a couple other galleries to try.  He assured me they are more uplifting. Still it’s good to broaden my horizons and think about what kind of artist I want to be.  I don’t want to be someone that brings people down. I want to be the “up” artist.  UP. Rise UP….hmm, perhaps that is the first line of my first paragraph of my next first novel. Grey skies are gonna clear up, put on a happy face….

Oh, that’s already taken.

I’ll keep working on it.

xoxoxo

Well, I’m a bit disappointed.  I got my Covid Booster shot yesterday.  I work in healthcare and I’m 6 months past my first shot (like 9 months) and well here’s the bottom line on reasoning a vaccine for me, other than Covid.  My mother went blind because she didn’t want to go to the doctor to refill her prescription. Ya know?  So, I say learn from your mother’s mistakes and do everything possible not to go blind.  This is why I’ve changed from never having a flu shot and never wanting one to “sign me up.”  Although, my roots (mother), tells me that flu shots are a racket, which I also tend to believe, and I also believe the MMR shot can cause autism.  I know I am in the minority there, but I just think wait a while.  Get that shot right before you have to get that MMR for school.  Give your little body a chance to develop, ya know?  Does anyone die from not getting that shot as a baby (I don’t know, does anyone?) Get that whooping cough shot early but why not wait on the other? Just wait. Anyway, why am I disappointed?  With my first Covid booster shot I had no reaction other than a slightly sore arm.  With my second shot I had a full-blown reaction.  Fever, chills, like just achy flu like symptoms.  My temperature lasted about 8 hours and the rest of the day was just a jammies-kind-of-day.

So, in anticipation of another jammies-kind-of-day post Covid shot, I went to the Farmers market, stocked up on veggies, got some extra water (forgot the Green Tea) and today when I woke up, I put on clean jammies and kinda made myself ready for a jammie- kind- of- on- the- couch- day.  Much to my chagrin I feel fine.  Perfectly fine.  Maybe even a little better than fine. Of course, the slightly euphoric feeling could also be a side effect. My arm doesn’t even hurt.  Nothing. It’s kinda pissing me off. I mean I had some movies lined up and everything.  But no, nothing.

I am not a true fan of western health care.  I admit that.  Mostly because in my experience no one ever knows what they’re doing.  So so many stories of people who are sent home with “there’s nothing wrong with you, take an aspirin” and then wind-up dead, or with cancer.  I mean those stories are endless. ENDLESS.  I’ve shared my Jimmy story (not Jammie), didn’t I?  When he was a senior in highschool and fell on his head and I took him 3 times to the doctors because he kept complaining about his head.  Finally took him to Children’s Hospital in the middle of the night, which was like an hour drive, because I just assumed I would get the best care there.  I told every one of those doctors how he fell on his head.  And the Children’s Hospital doctor told me he thought he was on drugs and drug tested him.  Never even looked at his head or neck.  Drug tested negative by the way.  Finally, the 4^th time I went to Dr. Hennessey and kinda yelled.  I said “GIVE HIM THE EFFING XRAY” – he went had the x-ray and then went off to basketball practice.

While he’s at practice for some reason the doctor calls Jimmy’s grandma.  Not his mom or his dad.  It was bizarre the phone calls made and the doctor was FRANTIC. Jimmy had broken his neck.  Seriously broken his neck.  And the doctor said get him IMMEDIATELY and don’t let him move. Well anyway, we all know (or for those of you that don’t) that he is fine now.  The C6 is not a paralyzing bone to break. (I think it was the C6 but whatever one it was not the paralyzing one) He did miss the rest of the basketball season in his senior year and he was on fire (as in doing really well) before this happened.  I mean “fire.”  It was very very sad.  Both for his neck, of course, LOL, but because you just can’t regroup those high school experiences. Anyway, health care.  Yea, so Children’s is giving him a drug test and his neck was broken.  Why didn’t they check the very first time when I took him in and told them he fell on his neck.  WHY?  Like just why. 

My story is not uncommon at all.  At all. And these are my issues with healthcare. If you don’t advocate for yourself, and end up screaming, no one listens to you. They just give you a drug test.  And here’s one more stupid story.  My 89-year-old mom (the blind one) was in the shower and one of those mega shampoo bottles fell onto her foot.  Well, it got really bruised and swollen and a surprise miracle my mom said yes to going to the hospital.  She got an x-ray and had to sit there for 10 hours before getting the results.  They told her it was soft tissue damage and when my niece (who was with her) asked if she could she get a prescription for like 800 mg Motrin for the pain they said they prefer not to give her that. Why? Cause Motrin is addictive? Why? Last week I go into the urgent care because I also stubbed my finger and it wouldn’t stop hurting (after a month).  They did an x-ray; it is slightly swollen – gave me a splint and prescription for 600 Motrin saying same thing, soft tissue damage although admittedly couldn’t find anything wrong with it.  But my poor mother whose foot looks black, made her sit 10 hours, that is not an exaggeration, and no prescription.  Unbelievable.  UNBELIEVABLE.

She’s getting better.

My finger still hurts – it just goes numb sometimes. And it’s still swollen. I really jammed it.

Anyway, who knows about these vaccines and what we put into our bodies.  Seriously who knows. But I don’t want to go blind.  One of the conspiracy theories is that all the people that have been vaccinated will die in 18 months.  That’s a pretty interesting one.  So, I’ll get my affairs in order, just to be of in case.

Except I have no affairs to get in order so that’s easy.

I’ve always promised my brother my pots and pans in the event of an untimely death.  This must have been at a time when he was single because I don’t think he wants my pots and pans now.  But I’ll show him, he’s getting them anyway.  Except he’ll be dead too because he got the vaccine.

I also saw on the weather channel this morning that bad storms and tornados are expected in this area today.  Look at this sky.

I just really wanted a jammie day.  On the couch with storms.  Just disappointment everywhere.

xoxoxo

Here are my random thoughts for this blog today …

• I’m too busy for work
• I love juicing, but not my juicer
• Did anyone miss me last week and my weekend with the girls.

I couldn’t decide on just one so bear with me while I do all three.

I’m too busy for work.  Why?  Because Life.  I mean just life.  Am I right?  I have things that I need to do and I just can’t get to them because I have this job.  I’m really not too busy to work. I’m too busy for my “job” – see the difference?  It’s very slight, that difference, but once you get it, you get it.  My life should be about my work.  Not about my job.  Now I’m just waxing philosophically.  Like this blog I’m trying to write on Fridays and don’t have time for which brings me to:

Did anyone miss me last week?  I was on my, what’s turning out to be, yearly fall trip with the Sewickley girls.  Here we are in Deep Creek, Maryland:

You know what’s unique about this group?  I mean other than we’re all a little crazy?  Like everyone else?  No, it’s how we’re all connected.  So, there’s me and my sister.  We’ve known each other about 63 years, give or take.  Cause really, do you ever really know someone? Now Jerry and Janice are first cousins.  Their dads were brothers.  So they’ve been “like” sisters their whole life.  Diane is a distant cousin to Jerry and Janice but I don’t know if she knew that until she was older. If I remember correctly Jerry and Janice’s grandfather and Diane’s grandmother were siblings.  Something like that.  Kerry (my sister) and Jerry were in the same class in high school and they were friends back then as well.  Diane and I were in the same class in high school but didn’t know each other until 2 years after graduation when we met each other in secretary school.  Janice was a year ahead of me and Diane in the same high school and although we were at the same parties sometimes, we didn’t really become “besties” until around 2013.  I mean. Relationships.  Am I right?  Now Jerry’s husband Dickie I’ve known since 7^th grade because I was BFF’s with his sister Susie.  And he used to call me Fidget. I don’t remember why.  I guess I was fidgety. Jerry and I had children within days of each other (Lucy and Jimmy) and we have photos of them in their car seats at 1 month old and throughout their school years.  For awhile Lucy dated Jimmy’s best friend and then was best friend with his other best friend. See what I’m saying? Diane is Lucy’s Godmother. Are you still with me?

Are all small towns this way?  So interconnected and weaved together?  And isn’t it interesting that Diane and I weren’t friends in highschool but friends ever since.  It used to really throw people at class reunions.  Like we weren’t allowed to be friends now.  Pretty funny these rationalizations we make in our lives.

And the third topic for today?  Is really a lesson.  Always, always, always, spend the extra money and get a good juicer.  Years ago, like years ago, I was advised by a very wise friend, when I started juicing, to spend the extra money and get a good one.  I listened then.  I lost that particular Juicer in the last reorg (that’s what I’m going to start calling my life changes) – So you know that time, that I talk about ad nauseum where I lost everything, now called my last reorganization…bottom line I don’t have that juicer now.  So, when my nutritionist said, “drink a green juice every day and you’ll be healthy as a horse” I decided to get another juicer.  I started small – $40.  Worked well enough, until I guess I put the lid on wrong and ground half the juice cup into my juice not realizing I must have been drinking plastic along with my Kale.  Anyway, I ordered another one.  Same brand so I could interchange parts if it happened again.  This time it was only $30 on special (all on Amazon)…Well, it doesn’t quite fit the other juicer so my hopes to make the parts interchangeable did not come to fruition.  And now this juicer leaks.  Something is going on that the juice sometimes dribbles down the side and doesn’t go in the cup.  A lot of it does make it into the cup but some of it dribbles.  AND I’m finding that the pulp left over is kinda wet – which it should be totally dry because the juice should be sucked out of it.  So although I am getting the juice, I am not getting all of it.  I COULD send it back but then I wouldn’t have a juicer for a week or whatever until the next juicer came.  And now I’m addicted to the juicing.  Just one a day.  I’d lose weight if I didn’t eat Junior Mints immediately following the kale juice.  Anyway, had I just bought ONE good juicer again like my very good friend advised years ago I would not be having these problems now and therefore nothing to write about.  Well, I would have something to write about and perhaps it would be more interesting that this.  But there’s a lesson in here.  SPEND THE EXTRA MONEY.

Am I right?

xoxox