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I’ve long thought Chiropractors were a bunch of bogus "doctors" preying upon people’s fears, in order to screw them out of money. I mean, what other doctor tells every single patient that they have an issue that needs to be corrected? I’d heard and read tons of horror stories about people becoming paralyzed, or losing feeling in parts due to being adjusted incorrectly. There as no way in hell I was going to one of those cranks.
A few weeks ago I started noticing a stabbing pain radiating through my middle back. I remember noticing it when I was seeing Wicked for the third time. I just couldn’t get comfortable in my seat. No matter which way I shifted, little fingers of unpleasantness were running up my back. I thought the solution would be to get a massage. I figured I was just super tense, and this was my body’s way of saying "CHILL OUT, BITCH!" I made an appointment at Glen Ivy, and Ron gave me a fantastic rub down. That should have been the end of it, right? The next day I felt ten times worse. Now, granted, I always feel a little soreness after a massage, but it usually just lasts the rest of the day. This pain had intensified exponentially in 24 hours. Sitting down took my breath away. I couldn’t bend over and take a breath at the same time without knives jamming themselves into my spine. I needed help getting off the couch, because I just couldn’t use the muscles in my back to pull me up.
A friend suggested I go see a chiropractor. Yeah right. What are they going to tell me? My back is out of whack? Yeah thanks, figured that one out myself for free. But this pain was killing me. So, in a moment of extreme weakness, I made an appointment to see the same chick my boss goes to. I trust Kevin completely, so I felt a little better about going (though I was super nervous). It turns out I had nothing to be nervous about. Dr. Greene was awesome. She did a very thorough exam and took x-rays of my entire spine. When I went back and got the results, she was great about explaining anything I didn’t understand. Turns out I have 8 pinched nerves in my back, and a neck that doesn’t curve properly. Excellent! She set me up for treatment 3 times a week for the next couple months, with a re-evaluation at that time. I can tell you that I’ve only been adjusted twice so far, and I already feel better. My muscles are a bit sore, since they’re not used to doing what she wants them to do, but my back isn’t half as cramped as it was when I went in there. Hooray for Dr. Greene!
I did it. I took the advice of many and joined Weight Watchers. I’ve been enrolled in the online program for two weeks now. I keep track of my points in this nifty online journal they created. You can look up individual foods, meals, recipes, and even the points of food at some restaurants. I’ve attacked my cupboard and fridge with a sharpie, and written the points amounts on everything. I’ve followed the rules to the letter and haven’t cheated once. So how am I doing?
I’ve gained two pounds.
Yes, dear readers, I’ve gained weight on this super fabulous everyone-and-their-brother-loses-weight-except-me program. I realize it’s only been two weeks. I realize that I could be drinking more water, doing more exercise, and even eating a little better (even if I am sticking to my points exactly as instructed). But this is disheartening. If I’d only lost a pound or two, I’d feel fine. You’re not supposed to lose weight quickly. But you’re not supposed to GAIN weight either.
I’m not quitting. I shall prevail! My goal is to lose 35 pounds. Ok well my goal when I started was to lose 35 pounds. My goal NOW is to lose 37 pounds. Stay tuned.
I am terrified of E.T.
There. I said it. The whole world knows my deep dark secret. (The whole world being the one person who reads this blog).
I am terrified of E.T. I saw it when I had just turned 3 years old. My mom took me to the drive in when she was 6 or 7 months pregnant with my sister. I remember we were in the Volvo that my parent’s owned, and my mom had this huge belly that hardly fit behind the steering wheel. I don’t remember most of the movie, but I vividly recall the scene where E.T. is in the tent thing and they’re experimenting on him. For whatever reason, that freaked me out. I’ve not been able to watch the movie since. Oh trust me, I’ve tried. Pretty much every boyfriend I’ve ever had has offered to watch it with me. But I start shaking and crying and freaking out. It used to be so bad that I’d see the figurine in a toy store, and start having a panic attack. I once went running out of a bar crying, because the commercial came on the TV and caught me off guard. It wasn’t pretty.
I’m a little better now. I don’t have panic attacks as often. I get queasy and my heart races when I see the thing, but I don’t lose my mind completely. As much mind as I have to lose, that is. People used to think it would be funny to send me e-mails with pictures of the stupid creature. SUCH good friends I have. Thankfully, that doesn’t set me off anymore. Take that!
My children will never be allowed to own or watch the movie in my home. They’re more than welcome to watch it at their grandparent’s or aunt’s house, but the first time they point their finger and me and say "E.T. Phone Home" they’re getting drop kicked into outer space.
I was driving to my Philosophy class at Santiago Canyon College and listening to the Kevin & Bean show on KROQ. I was only half paying attention when I heard Ralph saying something about a plane crashing into the World Trade Center. I knew Kevin and Bean were on vacation, so I thought it was just a bit that Ralph was carrying on. After a few minutes, I started wondering if I’d been mistaken. I switched to a different station and heard the same story. I can’t explain how I felt. I was just numb. It didn’t seem real. When I got to school, the rumors were flying madly. The towers had fallen, the Empire State building had fallen, more planes were coming to Los Angeles, the White House had been hit, so on and so forth. What scared me more was that I couldn’t get in touch with Jason. He was supposed to be on his way to school, and therefore answering his cell phone. And people kept talking about how LA was the next place to get hit, so I was obviously thinking the worst. My professor talked with us about what was happening, and then let us go so we could watch the news. I went straight to work, since we had cable there. We all sat staring at the television in shock for the next few hours. Jason finally called me and told me his school was being locked down, and that he’d be home soon. My boss let us go home as well. I remember going home and holding on to him while we watched the news. It was so hard to believe what was happening. We’d just celebrated our first anniversary (of dating) the night before, and now we were watching people trying to save their own lives by jumping out the windows of a building that was about to come crashing down upon them. Part of me was horrified by what was going on back east, and yet part of me was incredibly thankful that it wasn’t happening to me. I know that’s selfish and horrible, but it’s quite how I felt, and I can’t change that.
I never thought I’d be one of those people who would become freakishly obsessed about a movie or play. I used to laugh at the people who would go to see Rocky Horror Picture Show every single time it was shown somewhere. I just couldn’t see the point in seeing the same exact thing over and over again.
I’m over that now.
I am obsessed with Wicked. I’ve seen it twice in the last three weeks, and three times in the last year, and I’m going again in two weeks. It’s amazing. If you’ve not yet seen it, stop reading this, click here, and get going!
A friend of mine went and saw it over a year ago, and said it was great. I got the book and tried reading through it, but it took me forever. I just wasn’t in the right mind to read it. Last April I went to see the play for the first time, and I was hooked. I came home, dug out the book, and polished it off in two days. It’s much darker than the play, but still an excellent read, once you get into it. Since then, I’ve been begging people to go see it with me. I’ve listened to the soundtrack once or eleventy-billion times. My windshield has several cracks from my fantastic efforts to hit notes mortal beings just can’t hit. The soundtrack features Idina Menzel (Maureen in the original Broadway and movie versions of RENT) and Kristin Chenoweth (Annabeth in the The West Wing) and is just outstanding. In fact, I think I must go listen again!
I’ve been super busy and haven’t had a moment to sit down and write anything worth reading. But I see some free time in my future, and I promise I’ll be back to entertain you sometime early this week!
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