cageyness

Ok, so it's not much of an update--I've been busy, yo! As clearly much of the rest of my neighborhood has been judging by the lull in posts lately. Last night after working out--lifting weights like a weakling--I stopped by Central Market and ordered a little margherita pizza to go for dinner. While waiting I wandered around and over toward the bakery...and I gave into temptation. I bought a loaf of French artisan bread, then started snacking even as I waited for my pizza.

I tore bits off and ate it--the bread, not the pizza--all the way on the drive home. It was so good. So. So. GOOD. The crusty, nutty outside layer and the soft, fluffy white inside. Bite after bite, mouthful after mouthful, was absolute heaven. I ate about half of it.

And then I realized...bread is my favorite food. Not chocolate. Not even my grandma's enchiladas. Just bread, of all kinds and cuisines. Crusty French bread, earthy multigrain country bread, rye bread, wheat bread, pita bread, naan, knobs of shiny Italian goodness, sourdough...you name it, I love it. And I can't help myself. Yes, I admit it.

My name is Vanessa, and I'm a bread-aholic.

And I am so hungry all of a sudden...I think I need some protein.

[Incidentally, in my sleepiness last night I forgot to put the bread in the fridge and just left it on the edge of the counter. This morning I found it on the floor--obviously pulled down my kitties. While it was still in the plastic, I hadn't put the twist tie back on and the possibility that the kitties had been nibbling was too much for even this bread lover to chance. I tossed the rest of it. I shall just have to buy more soon.]

Conversation with my sister this evening:

Her: "I just finished taking notes on my assigned chapters for that damn Latin American econ class I hate. [Quoting her professor in exasperation here:] 'Just read the 15 chapters 3 times and you should be fine.' [Back to herself again.] Excuse me, sir, how do you say 'fuck you' in Portuguese? [...] I'm venting cause I just spent hours of my life studying for a test I probably won't do all too well on...moral of the story: sucks to live in Latin America. Sucks a whole lot more if you're poor...oh and wash your hands--diarrhea can kill. Lessons from latin america [...] At least I'm not hung over any more."

It should be noted that she said this at about 11:30 pm. She'd been hungover literally all day since she woke up at noon. And if she didn't have the exam tomorrow, she'd have been out getting her drink on again instead of talking with me. I assure you.

It's been about two weeks now since my allergies decided to try to kill me. While trimming the Lilu cat the other night couldn't have helped, it's just the general Austin weather and air full of pollen and such that is bringing me down.

It hasn't been this bad in a couple of years. For a long time now, whenever I felt my allergies might be kicking in, I just started taking a 24-hour Claritin (and then its OTC generic) religiously and I wouldn't have to deal with them at all. I could mow the lawn, wash the dogs, whatever I needed to do outdoors or inside and still be okay.

Well, Claritin appeared to have joined the long list of allergy meds that have stopped working for me--the first being Actifed (which, by the way, is still THE worst tasting pill ever--it started dissolving the instant it entered your mouth so that tasting it was unavoidable--like strange, bitter, sour, metallic lemon rind, or something like that--blech!) I swapped to Benadryl, but that didn't seem to do much other than make me a little drowsy. I finally went to the store and did some comparison shopping. I never took Zyrtec when it was a prescription--I never needed to--but I figured I'd give it a shot. I bought a pack of the generic stuff last Sunday and had high hopes it would save the day. A week later, things are hardly better if not worse. There don't seem to be any other alternative meds, can you think of any?

Today, while mowing the yard, I was so horribly sneezy and runny nose-ed that I actually just took off my t-shirt and started using it as a hankerchief. I know, gross, but I was desperate. (No, I did not put the shirt back on--I'm not that gross.) I'm vacuuming constantly and I've changed my sheets again, I try to change my clothes and brush out my hair as soon as I get home in case I have residual allergens on me. I use rewetting drops all the time to try to keep me from rubbing the hell out of my eyes. (But oh how I would love to rub the hell out of them right now.) I haven't been this bad since two jobs ago when I couldn't even put my contacts in for two weeks and had to wear my glasses to work the entire time. As I type this I am holding back sneezes and trying not to breathe too deeply for fear of starting a major fit of them...I'm a serial sneezer...fourteen in a row is not unheard of for me.

Anyway, since nothing pharmocological is doing the trick, I've decided to go back to nature--which I should have remembered sooner than this--for another tactic. What's the answer? Honey! LOCAL honey produced by bees who are gathering pollen from all the stuff that's making me sneeze. They say a teaspoon a day is a good supplement. I've already had my first dose. Cross your fingers for me that this will work for me since I really do feel like digging my eyes out of their sockets right now. And my throat? I won't even get into how itchy that is. I feel it in my ears!

Forty-five minutes, mutliple sneezing fits, one giant pile of fur, and one very pissed off cat later, I am reminded (again) of why it is SOOOOO worth it to take the furballs to a groomer for their summer buzz cuts.

Pile o' hair

Pissed_off_cat

Skinnier_fat_cat

Better yet, I'm going to hire someone to make a house call. It makes sense with the other long haired critters in the house. There's one more cat and three dogs who need trimming. I don't think me and my allergies can take it.

I'm sorry. I know. But, really? Really? This is the new super men's competitive swimsuit? It's...um...different looking.

Image_6945321

The new Speedo suit, like similar competitor products, apparently is a real technological leap. It sounds rather cool actually. Read the article from the Austin-American Statesman here.

However, I would find it less difficult to, um, keep eye contact if he were just naked instead of wearing a target of sorts around his package.

Update--I have a question for the men: Doesn't that kind of hurt? I mean, smashy sportsbras aren't exactly comfortable, but they're not painful--at least not for my modest bosoms. Men however, in my experience don't like to be smushed down like that and tend to act like breathing on the thing causes spasms of pain. (Except, of course, when it's pleasure that's intended, and then it's a whole other physiological discussion, but this is not that kind of post...) You think he's just mind-over-matter-ing it? A little pain in exchange for a competitive edge?

Such a busy weekend and lots of news on the home and personal fronts, but it will all keep for another day. For now, I've pilfered this quiz content from urlgirl at her livejournal blog. Who knew I was so militant?

So, it's a been a big few days for me and I found myself suddenly overcome with sleepiness at about 5:30 pm today. I sat down on the sofa for just a minute and ended up taking a mid-evening nap. I had the strangest dream...

I peed in my backyard (!)...just squatted down and 'went' in each of the three different sections of the yard.

Interestingly, I did not remember this dream until several hours later while in mid-conversation with a friend, who commented that I must have been "marking my territory."

I laughed my ass off.

Squat. My house! Squat. My house! Squat. Mine. Mine. Mine!

Funny how the mind works, huh?

Despite the nap, it's time for bed. I'm still a tired girl. G'night!

My girlfriends Annalisa and Vanessa sent me some lovely flowers on Monday to further brighten my day. They're just so pretty I had to bust out the camera and save them for posterity.

I thought the little faux bird was actually quite cute--I didn't even see him at first!

Springtime on the inside!

Springtime on the inside!

Springtime on the inside!

Springtime on the inside!

Springtime on the inside!

Thank you, girls!

Papers signed. Records filed. Name changed at Social Security office and with DPS. Check, check, check and check!

Wanna hear something funny? I overslept...by hours! That's what I get for staying up late and working 'til 3 a.m. I woke up in instant panic realizing there was no way I had woken up on my own at a quarter-to-seven. It was 9:30! I'd slept through three alarms! In the end I made it to court just before 10 am--and still looking fabulous, by the way. Turns out I didn't miss anything because my attorney was 'dealing' with his attorney in the interim. I made a brief concession to some language I'd wanted to add, but it was ultimately just a matter of sign here, here, and here.

We had just a little bit of casual interaction at his attorney's office afterwards to sign some additional paperwork dealing with the house, and then again a few minutes after at the County Records Office where we had to file them. I finished first, and stuck around to say good-bye. Ready for a handshake, he instead pulled me in for a hug--stiff on my part, I mean, I'm sorry, but it wasn't really a huggable moment for me, you know?--kissed the top of my head, and I said simply "I wish you the best in everything." He turned away without another word, choking up a bit.

I ask you, what sort of silly man divorces a woman he still seems to love?

The answer? My ex-husband.

I am strangely cheery...unexpectedly and blessedly cheery. And relieved and joyful and peaceful at heart. It's a beautiful sunny day outside--the sun came through the clouds just after I left the Social Security office. It matches my hopes and my dreams and I am so terribly proud and thankful to have made it through this last year that I just don't know what to do with myself...oh yeah...I have a conference call to jump on right now. Guess that's what I'll do. ;-)

You see...life goes on.

after seeing CupCate's photos, I have decided that I will be in Tokyo this time next year. Period.