I’m no Rockwell
Yikes! I’m dating myself, well – whatever. (I made a freaking
Rockwell joke. I am old.)
I’ve been watching you. Well, noticing you. And I thank you for thinking of me and reading and linking.
I’m lame and haven’t done a template update in a while, but I’m going to do my annual holiday overhaul in a few weeks. You’ll see changes then -
oh the changes.
For now – you should visit some of Big Red Blog’s Interweb friends like Miss Rachel at
Picky Eater and Kim at
Pagooey and Omega at
her Diner (and her lovely
husband Glen) and Zander at
Beautiful Vacuum (who has a link, but you can visit him again anyway) and Gus (and his mom Janna!) at
Baby Days.
Labels: 2004
By: Alyssa | Thursday, December 09, 2004 at Thursday, December 09, 2004 | | 
Cancer free is the way to be
Hurrah! I have no tongue cancer, yeast infection, herpes, cooties, diphtheria or rabies. The small whitish area on either side of my tongue is - as expected - a function of my teeth irritating (I'm not touching you, I'm not touching you) my tongue.
The periodontist guy said he wasn't even going to bother with a biopsy. Double Hurrah! His fellow doctor guy came in and looked at my tongue too, because it was slow - and he agreed. No bad stuff, totally normal. However, I should "keep an eye on it" in case anything changes. If I have any pain or if anything looks funny I should call him.
Done and done.
And the doctor said my giant eyebrow zit is probably not a brain tumor pushing its way through my skull. Whew - that's a relief.
Many thanks to all of the nice people who emailed me or posted supportive comments. You all rock hard.
Labels: 2004
By: Alyssa | at Thursday, December 09, 2004 | |
Self Diagnosis
I love the Interweb for a lot of reasons – but one of my favorites is that I can look up weird medical stuff and do some self-diagnosis.
I would never go to the doctor if it weren’t for the fact that she’ll cut off my birth control prescription if I don’t show up annually. She’s wily that way.
After doing a bit of research, I feel like I probably don’t have
tongue cancer. Although – I won’t find out until after the freaking tongue biopsy (aka the birthday biopsy around my house) this afternoon. Well, until after the results are back – which better be fast because there’s nothing like the impending doom of tongue cancer to ruin the holidays.
Not like last year when the
dog died AND some
jerk stole presents off my front porch.
Christmas, you will not win! This I vow.
Plus, I’m currently sporting a giant zit on my eyebrow courtesy of the birth control that I so relish using. Thank you prescription-drug induced adult acne. I do enjoy such things as I am about to turn 30. I just can’t believe that I would have both the giant zit and tongue cancer at the same time. It seems grossly unfair.
I did not think I would be using benzoyl peroxide and retinol at the same time.
Labels: 2004
By: Alyssa | at Thursday, December 09, 2004 | |
The greatest gift ever purchased on a Saturday for less than $19
Saturday I was at Target – because that’s where I go, okay. Do not judge.
As I was cruising to the Christmas decorations on the quest for cool garland I blew past the toy section and then came to a screeching halt that nearly caused my husband to crash into a lady with like nine kids.
“Oh my God!” I exclaimed! I grabbed a box from the shelf and started doing this weird happy dance. “LOOK! Look at this! Oh my God!”
“What?” Deeps asked, clearly annoyed.
“It’s
Ms. Pac Man!” I cried moving into some kind of fugue state where all I could do was dream of the Pac Mans living together in happy harmony.
“We have to buy it! We have to!” I begged. Then I remembered that I’m in charge of the money and tossed it into the cart. *
I grabbed one of those little game consoles that are popping up in malls and stores around the country. It’s plug and play – you just throw in a few Double A batteries, plug it into your TV and you can play (in this case) 5 classic old-school video games: Ms. Pac Man, Galaga, Pole Position (my personal favorite), Xevious and Mappy (which was apparently popular in Japan).
This little console has taken over our happy home. The cord is just long enough to plug into the front of our VCR and where we can sit on the bed, reclining against giant fluffy pillows. Or in the living room we can play from the very popular chair. It’s the greatest thing ever. We carry it around from room to room, plugging it in and playing for a few minutes here and there.
It’s all the joy (and for me, mostly frustration) you can get from a computer game console for a lot less money. We never had anything like this at home; growing up until I was like 14 and by then I wasn’t too interested. However, when I was about 8 I would hang out at a neighbor’s house and play Frogger and Pitfall to my heart’s content. I really sucked at it but I didn’t care. It was blissful.
And now I might be able to live the dream again. I’ve heard from a little birthday fair that there’s a little Frogger console on the market and that perhaps it will find it’s way to me by Sunday.
Great day!
*Buying stuff impulsively is never encouraged and rampant, unchecked consumerism is driving the country into the financial toilet. However, in most of the rest of my life I’m pretty responsible with dough (I have an insanely detailed budget and savings plan). I’m an adult and sometimes I get to live a little – for less than $20, I was able to recapture a tiny bit of my childhood.Labels: 2004
By: Alyssa | Wednesday, December 08, 2004 at Wednesday, December 08, 2004 | |
When H-E-Double hockey sticks freezes over
I try not to swear in the blog too much because my parents read it.
Last night was cold, cold, cold. This morning around 6 Deeps got the heat working again. Ultimately I blame myself because I should know better than to let the man wander around in the basement with a flashlight assuming he knows what he’s doing. It’s not fair to him or me.
And I was fighting a war on two fronts. First I was just trying to stay warm (front 1) and second I was fending off the aggressive attacks of one Poopus the Malevolent (cat and tormenter).
She was incredibly well behaved when my parents visited. She snuggled in laps, napped quietly, didn’t knock anything over or try to attack my face while I was sleeping. I was relieved but I knew it would not last because she is pure evil and must make her will known.
While she likes to think I’m her worst enemy at night she really has come to hate my alarm clock. It’s really small and battery operated (picked up during the great power outages of 1998) and doesn’t really harm anyone. Except the Poopus because she really just wants to knock it around on the floor every single moment that she can.
This morning Deeps commented on the war – he sleeps through most of the battles – but in light of the heat situation, he was awake.
Deeps: And this happens every night?
Me: No – it’s just bad this week.
Deeps: How long has this been going on?
Me: Off and on for like 8 years.
Deeps: No wonder you don’t sleep.
Me: I’ve been thinking, maybe we should get another cat because then they’d keep each other company at night and leave us alone. She gets really bored.
Deeps: (looks at me like I’m crazy) That is so not the answer.
Me: Sorry – it’s the lack of sleep and the frozen butt talking.
Labels: 2004
By: Alyssa | Tuesday, December 07, 2004 at Tuesday, December 07, 2004 | |
I am not interested
I’m not interested in being a grown up.
I went to a first-time homebuyer’s class tonight with Deeps. We have to sit around for eight hours and learn about buying a house. From what I’ve seen so far, I learned more from the book.
When we got home from the class we discovered that the heater was not working (again) and that the house is like 60 degrees. After two hours trying to figure out what the H is wrong – we’ve given up, despite the dropping temperature. Thankfully I have the arctic weight comforter. I didn’t think I’d have to test it to arctic temps.
And I have a freaking mouth biopsy scheduled for Thursday.
Getting old sucks.
Labels: 2004
By: Alyssa | at Tuesday, December 07, 2004 | |
What you don’t want to hear from the dentist
I went to the dentist today for my routine 6 month check-up.
My dentist’s office is kinda low-rent. You walk in and think “Am I at the dentist’s or a nail salon?” It could go either way.
Anyway, I went today and waited for like almost an hour before they saw me. I guess there was a dental emergency or something which made everyone run late.
I got in, got the lecture about how I need to floss more (my dentist is all stick and no carrot) and then she started breaking the bad news to me. I am getting old and hence my teeth are getting old.
“You are grinding your teeth a lot,” she hissed from behind a giant plastic face mask. “You need a mouth guard.”
Sexy is the first word that comes to mind.
“I mean it – if you don’t do it then you’re going to have nubs in a few years. You’ll grind your teeth away,” she intones.
Fantastic.
“Now hold this mirror,” she instructed – shoving a small hand mirror in my hand. “Look at your tongue – move it over towards me. Do you see that big white spot?”
I look and see something kinda white – there’s one on both sides of my tongue. “Yeth,” I say with my mouth gaping open, tongue akimbo.
“You need to have that biopsied. It could be something serious,” she replies.
What? Biopsy? Holy crap? Do have mouth cancer? I try to be cool.
“What do you think it is?”
She starts to pull off her mask and gloves. “Well it could be over developed salivary glands, or taste buds or just an irritation. But you should have it looked at next door – I’ll write you a referral. Call them Monday.”
Great – mouth cancer and I have to wait until Monday.
“And I want you to take a look at this X ray – see this shadow under your gold filling? I think its decay and it’s sitting on the nerve. We need to do something about that immediately,” she says – I think she’s relishing all the bad news.
“But otherwise, you’re fine.”
“Thanks,” I mutter as I walk into the lobby with my biopsy referral, instructions about a mouth guard and make an appointment for further exploration of the gold filling (aka pimp tooth) in my back molar.
Deeps picks me up a few minutes later. “So?” he asks.
“It didn’t go well.”
Labels: 2004
By: Alyssa | Saturday, December 04, 2004 at Saturday, December 04, 2004 | |
At the movies
I know someone who is hosting visitors in a few weeks – sisters with small children (infants of about 6 months old). There was a general discussion about where one could go with a child that young, given that it’s December in Boston.
One guy piped up that you could go anywhere with a baby – even to the movies.
I nearly choked.
I’ve been at movies with babies present for a while – at least 5 or 10 years. It never ends well. (Disclosure – I don’t bring the babies or know them.)
Movies are loud. Really, really loud – it’s part of the surround sound movie experience. Babies generally don’t like loud noises.
Often, parents almost never know when they should take the baby out of the theater – like when the kid starts to wail. Nope, they paid their $10 and they are staying to see the big fight or final court scene or confrontation.
We went to see The Incredibles last week and some people behind us brought their kids including a two-year-old toddler. He was really restless and didn’t want to sit for that long – and who can blame him? He’s two – he’s got stuff to do like run around and scream. (And as a sidebar – while I thought
The Incredibles was a good movie, I would not say that it’s especially made for a kid audience. It’s pretty sophisticated, deals with some heavy themes, and there’s a lot of mayhem and death.)
I’m not going to begrudge anyone taking his or her child to a kid’s film where really anything goes. However, I’ve been to showings of movies with small kids – like under 5 – that were clearly too intense for kids (
Xmen 2) and then there was the woman who was breastfeeding during
Eyes Wide Shut – the kid wasn’t that interested and cried a lot (given the film, perhaps that was appropriate).
If you poop your pants regularly, you probably aren’t ready to be at a movie theater.
Labels: 2004
By: Alyssa | Friday, December 03, 2004 at Friday, December 03, 2004 | |
Holiday Olympics
My oldest niece – I’ll call her Blondie – wants some heinous holiday gifts – like musical CDs from Ashlee Simpson and Hilary Duff.
I bought her Britney CDs a couple of years ago when she HAD to have them. I’m not sliding down that slippery slope again.
She also wants a thing called a Fur Real Kitten – which sounds horrifying and after seeing one in person… well, my first guess wasn’t wrong. But you know – I cannot deny her.
When I was her age I’m sure I wanted something equally hideous – in fact I know I did. I really wanted this creepy “preemie” doll thing that was filled with bean crap that made it feel heavy and it was disturbing and doll-like and I HAD to have it.
I’m sure my Aunt and Uncle felt the same way about that doll as I feel about the creepy Bratz and Polly Pockets Blondie asks for. Have you seen the
Bratz? They look like porn stars.
Kids like what they like. I’m the aunt. Not the parent. Still. I’m not buying those stupid CDs. Amazon thinks I like Britney and no matter how many times I explain it was a gift I keep getting Britney-related recommendations. Ick.
But I got lucky – because she also asked for books.
I was browsing through a list of nice kids books. Blondie is a big reader – despite her questionable taste in music – she has a great intellect that I’d like to encourage her to further develop. I tried to remember novels (chapter books as Blondie calls them) that I read as a kid and I asked Deeps for suggestions.
He said no one read to him and he had to read to himself when he was old enough. Of course – because the baby doesn’t know how to read. Right. So I went back to some
Bev Cleary classics and picked out a few favorites along with a couple of new books.
The hard part about giving most kids books is that there’s almost never any instant gratification. They never open it and go
“YAAY! I love this! It’s just what I wanted.”
And to be honest, around our house at Christmas it doesn’t happen anyway. As the grandchild of divorced grandparents – Blondie goes to like 14 Christmas celebrations with gifts all around. All the kids get lots of stuff and by the time they get to your gift, if you get a thank-you … well, you’re lucky.
But my pay-offs come later. Much, much later. I hope the kids will remember that I encouraged them to read. That they’ll do well in school and be life-long readers and really love books and stories.
Sometimes the tiny dividends are enough to sustain me.
I asked my sister, Bangles, what my nephew, Focus, would like for Christmas. She told me some toy stuff – then I asked about books. In the background I heard a resounding chorus for
NATE THE GREAT!
He likes that book? - I asked her incredulously. She confirmed that it was his favorite.
I was quite pleased – that is what I gave him last year.
Labels: 2004
By: Alyssa | at Friday, December 03, 2004 | |
Look - it's a marble dog guarding a tomb. This is how we spent Thanksgiving. Not guarding tombs but inspecting them all through the Mt. Auburn Cemetary. I've got lots of pictures like this. Makes the simple grave markers you see in most modern cemetaries seem a little lame.
Labels: 2004
By: Alyssa | Thursday, December 02, 2004 at Thursday, December 02, 2004 | |
I have spirit
A few weeks ago I went out to hunt for boots. I lost two good pairs over the past couple of winters – as pedestrian, good footwear is a key to success. Depending on what I do - I can walk between 2 and 5 miles a day (not counting what I do at the gym).
I vowed this would be my last attempt. As with shoes and boyfriends – sometimes it is best to not look but rather come upon them. But I digress. I was hunting.
I hit the mall and walked around for a while – searching and stalking. About an hour into my hunt I thought my search would be fruitless. Then I turned a corner and saw a giant sign that said 50% off.
I ventured inside the Easy Spirit store.
It should be noted that prior to entering the Easy Spirit store I had stopped by a few other times over the past two years. Every time I went inside I was pleasantly surprised by the clientele (women my age – in their late 20s) and by the shoe selection. They had a small offering of dowdy shoes – but most were very stylish, cute and comfortable.
I thought they had targeted a new demo, diverging from their previous target of women over 100 (approximately). Surely I’m not the only urban woman who walks a lot and would prefer not to wear sneakers and then haul the “cute shoe” to work only to find myself with a giant collection of shoes in a desk drawer. Surely.
Back to that 50% off sign: a sign like that in a shoe store is like – it’s the thing almost any woman looking for shoes hopes for. There’s almost nothing better, except maybe 75% off. The sign had me so intrigued that I took no notice of anyone or anything around me except for the sleek black boots perched on the wall display. I picked them up and turned to the saleswoman. It was then that I noticed I was… outnumbered.
Every granny in town was parked on the little curved sofas trying on hideous shoes. With their smell of lavender and mothballs – the place was swarming. I was the only person there under 70.
Boot in hand, I paused for a moment. Was this what I wanted? What I am to become? Then, I figured what the heck – it’s 50% off. Sure the place is running rampant with old ladies. And now I’ve crossed over to the world of possibly ugly but comfortable shoes. For half off.
I took the size 8.
Labels: 2004
By: Alyssa | Wednesday, December 01, 2004 at Wednesday, December 01, 2004 | |
An Open Letter to Christmas
Dear Christmas:
Hey there, Christmas – what is up? I am fine. How are you?
I wanted to let you know that you cannot beat me. Thanks to the Interweb I did all of my Christmas shopping in like 2 hours. Yep. I’m on fire. An unstoppable gift-giving machine.
bff
Alyssa
A response from Christmas
Dear Alyssa:
Hey there Alyssa, whazzup wit you? I’m rockin’! LOL.
BTW, just wanted to let you know that there are still like 25 days left until you have to actually travel for Christmas. Let’s not forget what that’s like. I mean you’re traveling with gifts and all your girl stuff – plus your husband. I don’t think it’s a good idea to taunt me now.
M’kay?
X
A response from Alyssa
My dearest Christmas,
This morning I discovered a couple of emails saying that a few of my awesome online purchases were rejected because of a “problem” with my credit card. This seems odd to me as I just paid off said card last month and there’s a lot of room to make holiday purchases.
Did you have anything to do with this? If so – please give my credit card its sassy mojo back. I really need to buy some new sheets.
So sorry if you thought my previous message was serious. I was TOTALLY joking!
bff
Alyssa
Labels: 2004
By: Alyssa | Tuesday, November 30, 2004 at Tuesday, November 30, 2004 | |
Chapel at Mt.Auburn Cemetary - Thanksgiving Day
Labels: 2004
By: Alyssa | at Tuesday, November 30, 2004 | |
Little Sarah - Mt. Auburn Cemetary, Thanksgiving Day
Labels: 2004
By: Alyssa | at Tuesday, November 30, 2004 | |
Mt. Auburn Cemetary - Thanksgiving Day
Labels: 2004
By: Alyssa | at Tuesday, November 30, 2004 | |
Tales of Turkey
The menu for the next few days:
Turkey sandwiches
Turkey casserole
Turkey soup
Turkey taco pie
Turkey cakes
I had no idea a 10 pound bird had so much freaking meat!
Slim and I dismembered the carcass after dinner on Thursday – Slim is really good at this part. It was very CSI.
Me: What do you think is the cause of death?
Slim: It’s hard to say – I think the lack of internal organs played a role.
Me: Right – along with the missing head.
Slim: And I can’t rule out the role that being in a 350-degree oven for several hours played.
We are hilarious.
To ourselves.
Labels: 2004
By: Alyssa | Sunday, November 28, 2004 at Sunday, November 28, 2004 | |
Things to do in Boston with your parents
I’ve just dropped the parents off at the airport. They’re winging their way back to Indiana as I type.
We had a good visit – I think they had a good time, I fed them pretty well, and my turkey meatloaf –cakes were a big hit! Who knew that meatloaf in the shape of cupcakes would be so beloved by all?
We played poker, hit a giant cemetery (that’s what we do for fun), watched some DVDs – including Old School which my dad told me was an “excellent film” (I have to agree), and we drove down to the ocean and walked along the beach collecting seashells for like five minutes before we decided it was too cold and headed for a shopping mall like the rest of America.
I even put up a tree this year. It’s not as sad as Rags, our tree from two years ago. I bought these little tiny trees that go on top of tables or something. It’s like Christmas-lite, which works for me since I’m not big on too many decorations. Plus decorating the tiny trees was like an arts-and-crafts activity we did while my we lured my Dad into the first season of Arrested Development.
And we built a fire! And we opened the flu and guess what – we still filled the apartment with smoke while my Dad took a nap. Slim and I had flashlights and broomsticks trying to figure out if there was an obstruction. Everything was clear – smoke was going up the chimney – but a good deal was flooding out into the living room. So the house now smells like a bad campfire.
We determined that the fireplace is crappy (like the rest of the apartment) and we abandoned our effort once I started loudly complaining about the smell and the smoke in my eyes. Yes, I’m a big baby. Whatever.
Labels: 2004
By: Alyssa | Saturday, November 27, 2004 at Saturday, November 27, 2004 | |
Magical turkey
I popped the turkey in the oven and covered the breast in aluminum foil and we went to the Mt. Auburn Cemetary for a walk. Seriously - how can you ever not buy a pre-cooked turkey? It's like instant dinner.
Yum.
Also - we're seriously considering "door busting" tomorrow at 7 AM - which is an hour later that suggested by both Target and Kohl's. Usually I bag out on this event, but I need some new pillows, dammit.
Will offer full reports from said busting and will also upload many nice cemetary photos - because this what we do on the holidays. We take nice long walks through beautiful cemetaries.
Labels: 2004
By: Alyssa | Thursday, November 25, 2004 at Thursday, November 25, 2004 | |
Oh the hilarity
Part 1 – Wherein I let the cat of the bag
So I get an email from Cuddles this morning. She’s figured out that
I’ve broadcast the news of her pending spawn to the world (or at least the Interweb readers who visit my site).
Her email is short and sweet – basically, she had not been able to tell everyone about the pregnancy (it’s that new people!) and that her in-laws found out about it from the blog.
Whoops!
Now, full disclosure here – of all the pregnancies, I have usually found out about them much later than anyone else (I think it’s due to the fact that I’m usually geographically separate from the rest of the family. I get told after my sister(s) are like 10-12 weeks along. So it didn’t even occur to me that anyone wouldn’t know. I finally got in on one early! Sweet!
Additional disclosure – I’d like to offer up as evidence to the fact I’m the last to know, the following conversations:
Slim: I think it will be like when I had my gallbladder out – it’s not that invasive and I get out the next day.
Me: You had your gallbladder out? When?
Slim: Oh, like two years ago. You didn’t know?
Me: NO! Nobody tells me anything.
And even better… this one is kinda famous.
My sister Bangles was pregnant while I was finishing up my senior year of college. She was due in June – after my graduation, before I moved to Chicago. I called home around the 4th of July (about 3 weeks past her due date).
Me: Hey so – shouldn’t Bangles have had her baby by now?
Parents: Uhm….(silence)… I thought we called you.
Me: Seriously – this has got to stop.
So there you have it. I’m not totally responsible for letting the cat out of the bag. Just the same, I’ve kinda confirmed that no one is horribly mad at me and I did end up helping Cuddles out.
She said that she and BIL were trying to think of a unique way to tell the family.
Done and done.
Part 2: Wherein I go to GNC because I love Slim
Slim and Pops are coming for a visit in a few days – for the big Thanksgiving. Slim is on a special diet that requires she drink these protein thingeys once a day. No big – but I had to get them at GNC so that she didn’t have to haul them on the plane from Indiana. (She is bringing her own oatmeal, so I thought I would offer up something.)
She told me the name and that I could get it at GNC. Fine – I went. I have never been inside of a GNC before and if all goes well, I’ll never have to go back again. In the name of all things holy – what is wrong with the people in there?
I dragged Deeps along, he’s a witness. I think GNC’s target audience is weenie teenage boys who are looking for a) hot bods to get girls b) some weird sex enhancers c) something more disturbing I prefer not to think about.
This was an actual conversation I overheard:
Teen boy 1: But it’ll like you know – make me feel good, right?
Middle-aged woman clerk: Uh – well, I’m not sure what you mean.
Teen boy 2: He wants to know what it does to his sex drive?
Teen boy 3: Yeah does it just make you warm and fuzzy or does it really turn you on?
Middle-aged woman clerk: I think it just really makes you feel good – it’s about the beta….
She trailed off and looked at me as I stared back in abject horror. There was no disguising it.
Middle-aged woman clerk: Can I get with you guys in a minute? I want to check out this customer.
She motioned to me to pay.
I paid and ran as fast as I could away from the GNC of the Damned.
Part 3 Wherein Slim and I have a good laugh
I called home to find out when the ‘rents are arriving. They are coming on Wednesday for Thanksgiving.
Slim answered the phone and hunted down the details – not before she laughed and laughed about the pregnancy revelation (see part 1) and my guilt/freak-out before getting the all-clear from Cuddles.
Anyway, she pulled up the information.
Slim: We come in around 8:30 on Wednesday night.
Me: Really? Because I thought the thing you sent me last month said you leave in the morning.
(there's a long pause - she's reading)
Slim: No, we fly out around 6:15 on Wednesday evening.
Me: Okay, I must have been confused. I thought you were landing in the morning. Well – whatever. Who are you flying on…?
She gasps.
Slim: Oh NO! NO! NO! I can’t believe it! NO!
Me: What’s wrong? Is everything okay?
She starts to laugh really hard.
Slim: I misread the times – I thought it said PM but it says AM!
Now I laugh – really, really, really hard. Snorting hard. Hilarious.
Slim: Oh my God! Your dad is going to be mad! He is going to have to take off of school! And I have to take the day off! And – we’ll just take a taxi from the airport and go to a restaurant or something…
Me: We already took the day off like…weeks ago, when you first sent your itinerary. I just couldn’t get into my email to confirm. So, we’ll pick you up.
Slim: Oh my god! Six o’clock on the morning!
(Hysterical laughter followed by a loud door slam) Uh oh – here he comes. I’ll have to break the news to him. I’ll call you later.
*click*Labels: 2004
By: Alyssa | Tuesday, November 23, 2004 at Tuesday, November 23, 2004 | |
Melee
I’m not sure what bothers me more – the horrifying assaults or the reaction to the consequences.
As a good Hoosier, I have loved the
Pacers for many years. Sure, I don’t really follow basketball anymore – but there were several years when I followed them closely, hoping for a basketball miracle. If you have spent any time in Indiana you’d see that it’s a state that loves basketball. There are hoops everywhere. It’s bigger than football. We are devoted – from Junior Varsity right up to the Pros.
Which is why I find what happened Friday (and what’s happening today) so very disturbing.
So there was a
big fight between Pacers’ players, Pistons’ players and fans attending the game. It looked very, very bad.
Yesterday the commissioner of the NBA handed down heavy suspensions for the players involved. The consequences may have effectively decimated the hopes of the Pacers’ for a championship (it’s early in the season, so it’s hard to say how viable that proposition is).
Fans in
Indiana are outraged that their team was seriously penalized. I think their outrage is misplaced.
I have a hard time believing that the reporter couldn’t find anyone in Indiana who thought the suspensions were justified. But maybe he had a tight deadline. One of the best quotes from a fan comes from one Orville Henry, he says, "I think that it's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of. They've never suspended baseball players, football players or hockey players for the whole season. This is just terrible. It practically puts our team out of business."
I think fans were way out of line in attacking players and running out onto the court. Security was clearly lacking if fans were able to get so close as to throw food or drinks or fists. That said, your right to swing your fist ends where my nose begins. It’s just as wrong that players attacked the very people who make them a) valuable sports commodities and b) famous entertainers.
It’s all a show and
you don’t assault fans. It’s like a rule you learn as a kid – don’t feed the animals, don’t poke the angry dog, don’t play with fire, don’t throw things at the players, don’t assault the fans.
How hard is it?
This year has been rough for players and fans. The San Francisco Chronicle has an
alarming timeline of assaults in sports. Sure, they’re like plane crashes – they don’t happen often but they are heavily covered and publicized. But there seems to be an attitude – and a pattern – that this kind of thing is okay and to be expected.
Really?
I’m not sure why this happens. Maybe it’s the beer. Maybe it’s the fact that buying a couple of tickets and some hot dogs at a game could set you back close to a $100 and people feel entitled. Maybe the security is bad. Maybe we’ve turned into ugly Americans and hooligans.
Or maybe we’ve lost all sense of sportsmanship. Last week people were up in arms because of a
semi-racy skit at the opening of Monday Night Football. There’s no shortage of outrage over this – but I think it’s woefully misplaced. After all, won’t someone think of the children?
Labels: 2004
By: Alyssa | Monday, November 22, 2004 at Monday, November 22, 2004 | |
Guess who’s pregnant?
Not me –
settle down.
That was the question I was posed this morning when I called home to find out a few specifics about food for my parents. They’re arriving in 3 days for Thanksgiving and I was doing some pre-holiday grocery shopping.
“What kind of oatmeal do you like?” I asked my step-mother, Slim. “Do you want plain or flavors?”
“Plain – actually, don’t worry about it. Guess who’s pregnant again?” she gushed excitedly.
I’m not one to drop an F-bomb in the middle of the cereal aisle… but bombs away.
“Is it Cuddles? You’re kidding! I just talked to her!” I replied. Cuddles is a champ actress when she’s keeping mum on the preggers situation.
“Yep, she’s just started telling people,” Slim replied. “You know twins run in the family for us too!” She was excited.
So the six-pack (now +1) will only hold for one Christmas. And in keeping with the pace Cuddles is at, we could have new babies every Christmas for a few more years. You know, because the older kids start getting all squirmy when you try to hold them and kiss on ‘em after a while.
They can be uncooperative.
Labels: 2004
By: Alyssa | Sunday, November 21, 2004 at Sunday, November 21, 2004 | |
Holiday Shopping
I’m not quite ready to bust out my holiday shopping yet. But I did hit the big Macy’s sale a few days ago. I was on the hunt for a couple of sweaters.
I was not alone.
The big Macy’s sale (50% off of everything – unless it’s not on sale or something…. you might want to ask or use that price check thingey) brings out the blue hairs in force.
I saw a woman wearing a full-length fur coat (beaver I think), fire red lipstick (applied a la Baby Jane) and a jaunty hat (probably purchased in 1949). She really wanted a Macy’s shopping bag because something she was carrying was heavy (possibly her head).
“Darling could you give me a shopping bag, please, honey? I’m just carrying too much today,” she loudly shouted at the Haitian woman ringing up the woman in line in front of me.
The woman handed Baby Jane a bag and was promptly showered with accolades and hosannas.
“Oh thank you dear, you’re very, very good. You take excellent care of your customers. I’ll tell your manager. And I’ll be back tomorrow to make some purchases from you. You are very good,” Baby Jane yelled and gushed at the woman.
The lady behind the counter laughed to herself and went back to ringing up the old lady in front of me. She wanted price checks on everything.
“How much?” she demanded – holding a blouse. (Sidebar: Why is hideous the new black this season? Anyone?)
“That’s $13,” the woman replied after scanning it.
“That’s too much!” the old lady replied.
This went on for a while – as the old lady wanted several items checked. They were all “too much!”
I finally got to the front of the line to pay, our exchange was uneventful – although I saved many dollars (no sweaters but three blouses – hurrah). As I left I heard another old lady (apparently I was shopping in the old lady department) unleash on the woman behind the counter.
Now I know whatever happened to Baby Jane.
Labels: 2004
By: Alyssa | at Sunday, November 21, 2004 | |
In the name of science - my Seasonale reportI now give you the girly, Seasonale science report.
Disclaimer: If you’re a dude or squeamish about birth control – click away now! Here, go visit someone else nice like
DaddyTypes. He’s doing some lovely writing about well-designed baby furniture (among other things - like good places to change diapers in public).
Also – I’m not a doctor or anything. I’m just sharing what happened when I started taking it because like 15,000 women asked me to tell them what happened.
Still here?
Okay. I started on Seasonale a little over three months ago. I chose to write about my experiences now because a) any woman I told got excited about the idea of it and b) because everyone was like – tell me what happens!
The pitch:
Seasonale does in an easy way what doctors have been doing for women with chronic menstrual problems (painful menstrual cycles, ovarian problems, etc) for years. It’s a form of birth control that also
reduces your cycles from once a month to once every three months.
Why would you want to drop your monthly cycle to a quarterly cycle? Well for me – I call it “the curse” for a reason. I like not having to deal with it, not having the crankies, and generally prefer living my life without having to think about the pending curse. Is it coming? Is it going? Is it here yet?
The Pros: Just four periods a year; periods are like your other BC-regulated periods (short and relatively light); less PMS – see only 4x a year; according to my doctor it’s as safe as other BC, it’s just less periods; less trips to the pharmacy because you have to get 3 months at a time
Cons: Cost – until very recently my Seasonale was not covered by insurance so I had to shell out $150 cash for my 3 month supply; Still new and no one I knew was taking it, so I had no guinea pigs to bother about it (hence my blog entry); breakthrough bleeding – I had a lot more spotting during this pill than I ever had with any other pill I’ve taken (primarily Ortho-tricyclen); the stupid packaging – they could work on this to make it a bit less bulky and include labels for days of the week (as alternatives of S-Sa, because not all of us start on Sunday)
What happened to me:Month 1: Nothing – just like normal and I was pleasantly surprised when the end of the first pack (you get three packs, stacked up) and had no PMS symptoms. I sailed into Month 2.
Month 2: More good stuff – still nothing happened. Again, I sailed right into Month 3.
Month 3: The good times ended for a week while I had light spotting every day (usually in the morning – dissipating by the afternoon). After that first week – which my doctor did warn me (as does Seasonale literature) about as a side effect during the first 3-6 months of taking the drug- I had no problems and returned to my normal, happy period-free lifestyle. When the curse did arrive (seriously – you get that I refer to it as the “curse” in jest – I’m all ironic and stuff) it was like any other period I’ve had while on the pill. It was light, lasted a bit less than 4 days and then it was gone.
Anything else?I’m not sure if I’m totally happy being off of Ortho-tricyclen. One of the side benefits of that pill is that you have pretty clear skin. When I switched to Seasonale I think I gave that up. I have noticed a few more breakouts than I normally have. However, that might be because I’ve also switched moisturizer (FYI – I’m 30 in like 2 weeks, so I don’t usually have acne issues anymore). Anyway, it’s something I’ve noticed over the past 3 or 4 weeks – I’ll have to do more investigating. It’s probably not enough to make me switch back.
And good news – I have JUST learned that my insurance company will cover Seasonale now so when I get another pack (sometime in January) I will only have to pay the co-pay on a 3 month supply (which for me is about $60). Plus I’ve added the cost of the prescription (co-pays) to my medical flexible spending account allotment for the year and I’ll be able to reimburse myself for the cost of the drug.
The verdict:Everyone is much happier – I’m less moody at the end of every month, whereas now I’m hormonally-induced moody only once a quarter. The cost has come down enough that it’s more affordable for me to continue to take Seasonale. I have not suffered any side effects that I can’t deal with (light spotting for 1 week) and I’m not sure about the light break-out thing. I think it’s the moisturizer. I switched to something with retinol (I’m 30!) and that might be the problem. I hate the stupid bulky packs, but it’s better than hauling around tampons all the time. I’m sticking with Seasonale until we go crazy and decide to try to have a baby (which isn’t happening for a while – thanks for asking, Cuddles).
Updated Dec. 21, 2004: I'm still happy with the results and my skin seems to have stabilized. I'm having much fewer breakouts. I gathered a bit more anecdotal evidence to indicate that the change in hormones (from the Seasonale) probably resulted in some breakouts/skin irritations.
I'm almost through my fifth month and have seen an improvement in my skin - at least, I've seen fewer breakouts. If this trend continues, I'm going to keep up with Seasonale. I think my body has adjusted enough - hopefully - to the new dosage that I don't experience any side effects. I'm also curious to see how month 6 goes as I experienced a lot of spotting (for about 2 weeks) during month three of my last 3 month pack.
I've seen a fair amount of traffic to this entry, as I expect people are curious about how the drug works and what, if any, side effects manifest. I'll do what I can to update through the next 3 month pack and provide whatever anecdotal information I experience.
Updated Feb. 20, 2005: I'm still sticking with my decision. I've been through two full cycles and the skin breakouts have gone away. I wish I'd known about this
homemade recipe (which is apparently
quite effective) much earlier - it would have made the transition easier.
The only thing that still lingers is the month three spotting (when you get to the last month of the pack). At the start of the third pack I spot lightly for about 4 days then it goes away. When I get my period at the end of the pack it is very, very light (but heavier than the spotting) and only lasts about 3 days. So far, I'm pleased and have suffered no weird side effects or had any health-related issues in taking Seasonale.
Labels: 2004
By: Alyssa | Saturday, November 20, 2004 at Saturday, November 20, 2004 | |
Talking Turkey
America – we need to talk.
It’s that time of year again; we drag out the big roasting pans and scrounge for anything that might possibly resemble a gravy boat.
I know I’ll spend at least 20 minutes this weekend searching for mine.
Some people really go all out – whole hog (or turkey) if you will – for Thanksgiving.
They make gigantic birds; they make pounds and pounds of starches (Atkins be damned!), vegetables, and pies. They eat and eat and eat and eat. They eat more.
The stress over cooking such an enormous meal (even if you’re feeding a small group) is intense and the task is daunting.
With that in mind, I offer up this modest proposal – it’s time to “cheat”.
I’ll share with you my little “secret”. I order a pre-cooked turkey dinner from a local grocery store and it is excellent. For less than $50 I get a pre-cooked Butterball, mashed potatoes (just like your mom wished she could make), rolls, green beans, stuffing, squash and pie. I think I get enough food to overfeed 7 or 8 hearty eaters or 10 less hearty eaters. All I do is put a bunch of stuff in the oven at 400 degrees and set the timer.
My parents like to come visit us for Thanksgiving because we have such a low-key event plus we have no kids, so they can lounge around and relax. We go on a nice brisk walk up and around Harvard and Radcliff – then we wander home for a nap. While everyone else is having pre-meal dreams, I pre-heat the oven.
By that point my biggest challenge is just making sure I have enough serving dishes and big spoons.
I throw together a salad and defrost some peas and wait. In less than 2 hours everything is thoroughly heated, piping hot and ready for eating.
There’s no crying, there’s no pots clanged in frustration or snippy exchanges over the drippings.
I call it very civilized living.
Labels: 2004
By: Alyssa | at Friday, November 19, 2004 | |
Greatest Hits
Wow – I used to get the bulk of my traffic to a couple of places….
A
Seinfeld story I wrote for the Chicago Tribune way back in 1998 and a story I wrote about the
CIA way back in 1996.
Good times.
But now…. well I am happy to present the first ever greatest hits list. Some items on this list make sense – topics I wrote about months ago that are in the news. (
Nick Lachey– I’m looking at you.) Or maybe something that’s just unique to me like pictures of a blizzard or my sweet Apartment Screener.
I present, in no particular order, the
short list:
I’m not still not a Desperate Housewife (yet)
Nick Lachey and the Golden Handcuffs
The Apartment Screener PDF – it’s not the most elegantly designed form I’ve ever made, but it still holds up pretty well when conducting an apartment search.
Blizzard in 2003
I went to France and got VAT
The Big E! (People can’t get enough of the Big E.)
And then there’s the weird stuff – someone has some Google ‘splaining to do.
Too Much SplendaLabels: 2004
By: Alyssa | Thursday, November 18, 2004 at Thursday, November 18, 2004 | |
I know the baby doesn’t read
The following is a true story.
For reals.
Deeps’ cousin recently had a baby. We decided to take down a little gift to the wee one – we spent some time picking out an assortment of excellent children’s books and a squishy toy.
For the record - books and squishy toy is our standard new baby gift because most people don’t get
books for their kids when they are that little – but
reading to babies helps them to develop their brains faster/better, to develop language skills, and generally helps them to (someday) become better readers.
This was the
actual reaction to our gift.
Deeps’ parents: Can I see the gift?
Me: Sure.
I hand them the Curious George bag with some books and a little stuffed monkey inside. It should be noted that I voted for a stuffed chicken but Deeps really liked the monkey.
Deeps’ parents: Books?
They quickly switch from English to their dialect and talk directly to Deeps. I piece together what they’re saying. Below is my rough approximation.
Deeps’ parents (not in English): Why did you buy him books?
Deeps: Because it’s good to read…
Deeps’ parents (not in English): But he can’t read! He’s just a baby!
Deeps: I know he’s a baby, Dad. But you’re supposed to read to the baby.
Deeps’ parents (still not in English): How silly to buy books for a baby. He can’t read. You should just have given them money. Why didn’t you give money like everyone else?
I swear to you that this
actually happened. The best part is that this reaction was not limited to Deeps’ parents. His aunt and uncle said the same thing.
Labels: 2004
By: Alyssa | Wednesday, November 17, 2004 at Wednesday, November 17, 2004 | |
A cry in the dark
The
three-
entry arc</ 
