Amazing

Today was amazing. Let me share why and how:

I've had a really solid cough the past 24 hours or so. You know the kind the rattle and vibrate like I've been smoking for 60 years?  In a meeting today I tried to talk but instead started coughing.  I left the room to get water but headed straight for the restroom because if I was going to lose a lung I was going to do it in private. 

My co-worker's mother/spidey sense kicked in and knew something wasn't right. Shortly after my exit she came into the restroom finding me struggling to breathe.  Coughing, tears rolling down my face, gasping for air. I was freaking out. I kept going in and out of one of the stalls because I was pretty sure I was going to lose my delicous lunch I just paid $10 for.

Her first question: do I call 911?
I shake my head no
Her second question:  Is it pertussis?
WHAT?! At that moment I couldn't care what it was.

I mustered the breath to squeeze out "doctor." My thought:  I work with so many doctors, the closest MD would do.  She grabbed my boss.  Because that's the condition I want my boss to see me in.  A red-face, clammy, teary mess. That's not embarassing and totally amazing.

Bosslady comes in and immediately grabbed my wrist to check my pulse, I'm still hacking up a lung and now losing color in my face. Meanwhile, an audience has gathered in the ladies room. There are now 6 of us.  That's not embarassing. She instructs an audience member to go find a paper bag to treat hyperventalation; we resort to a napkin in the meantime. 

Now you remember that I have a hyper-active parasympathetic nervous system so that when my body freaks out, I tend to faint.  No bigs. So when I couldn't breath for awhile, I could feel it coming on. This has happened enough times to me, that I know to prevent injury the best course of action is to get to the ground as fast as possible, 1.) to get your heart above your head, 2.) if you do faint you won't hurt yourself on the way down since you're already there.   So there I am a hot mess, sitting on a bathroom floor, with an audience.

Amazing. Shining moment in my professional career.

Things are starting to calm down. I'm breathing deeper and slower into a napkin. The paper bag arrives. And its not just any paper bag.  It's CB's cookie bag, a few days old with crumbs inside.  Amazing.  We were totally McGyvering the crap out of this situation.  But, I've calmed down enough where the bag is no longer necessary.

Now the conversations begin, in truest spirit of intellecual dialouge that we like to claim.  Someone asks why do you cover your mouth when you're hyperventalating?  Boss explains why (here's why; something about the exchange of oxygen and CO2). Totally fascinating. I start explaining about my hyperactive system and what happens and come to find out my boss has the same reaction and both have scars on our chins from falling down stairs because of it.  Granted hers is from doing rounds when a resident in med school which is way better story than mine. Also, when she explains what happens it sounds way more legit.  So here we are, 6 women, hanging out in the bathroom. Chatting.

Amazing.

We eventually disperse and I am escorted to a corner to lay down.  The nearest sofa is a floor down and I am going nowhere near stairs.  Thankyouverymuch.

I'm still not feeling great, just feeling the general instability of not being able to breathe and almost fainting.  My vision is blurry, my face is tingly, I'm exhausted. The boss and others come to check on me every 45-60 seconds.  A colleague brought me some salt infused snacks, which is also what I'm suppose to eat more of thanks to my low blood pressure.   I lay on the ground and watch the clouds zoom by.  Feeling ridiculous.

But you know that delicious lunch I mentioned?  It was pho from my favorite Vietnamese place and it was ACTUALLY amazing. 

Good day guys.

Sprung

Monday in Seattle spring was in full effect. Sunshine, blossoms, cotton candy clouds and pollen.  My allergies were kicking my trash I could barely muster the breath to walk down the hall (weezy weezerson over here), let alone run. So I decided to at least get out and walk around top of the hill. 

The sun was shining.  I sat down on a bench to soak up the sun and a homeless gentleman wandered by. I looked up, we made eye-contact and exchanged smiles. With a few day’s stubble, his eyes were crystal clear blue and his smile was kind, sympathetic and genuine.  It tugged on my heart-strings just a little. 

He sat down at the end of the bench. The wind was blowing in just such a direction that I could infer that he hadn’t showered in quite some time.  Listening to my music, I could see out of the corner of my eye he began talking and gesticulating, grand gestures and booming statements.  I could feel the reverberation in the old planks of the wooden bench. I couldn’t hear what he was saying over the music I was listening to but it sure seemed important. 

Unable to curb my curiosity, I turned the music off but kept tapping my foot to give the appearance of not eavesdropping and to mitigate potential actual conversation.

At first I couldn’t really understand what he was saying.  Then I heard a lot of vulgar and graphic swearing around the sentence, “Yeah, I murdered her but you’re gonna have to murder me” blahblahblah, and something about Bellevue police. It was officially crazy-town and I got real nervous. 

Luckily there were lot of people around.  But he kept talking.  More swearing, which usually doesn’t bother me, but there was something underlying violent and vengeful about his language that made me think I probably shouldn’t hang out here too much longer.  Trust your guts folks.

 I stayed around a few more minutes before exiting the premises as quietly as I entered them.

 So here’s the take away:  What started as an exchange of smiles, connecting one human to another, quickly deteriorated to crazy.  My moral of the story,  we all gotta little crazy in us, just masked by a smile a little bit better than others.

Also, it further proves I attract the crazies and need to change that karma. And pollen will be the death of me.      

Happy Spring!

Now Playing: The Gun Show

It is with great pain that I write this. Literally, from my chest down my arms, through my fingers, I hurt.

You see,  some people expressed envy of my long-ish legs, straight hair, I oddly enough get complimented on my feet which is a running joke in the family. 

One thing I've never heard people jealous of is my upper body strength.  You know why?  BECAUSE I HAVE NONE!

Zero.

Zilch.
Nada.

On a scale of weak to strong, I hover somewhere around overcooked spaghetti.  So in the effort to reach some fitness targets I've added some weight-training to the regimen, which started this morning.  At the very early hour of 5:30 I rolled out of bed and made my way over to my body pump class, lead by a highly caffeinated instructor. 

Having been to various weight classes before, I knew to aim low when it came to picking my weight.  That bar is deceptively heavy, I'll have you know.  So I tacked on 5lb weights to either end and knew I'd be in for an achievable struggle.

Forty minutes in, I was done, cooked, pushed, pulled, squated, rowed, pressed, done.  Tricky part is is that there were still 20 minutes left in class.  I took a quick swig of water which was the poorest decision of the morning.  I instantly felt nauseous.  I couldn't lift my arms and now I was going to puke.  It was time for an exercise of mind over matter.  By the grace of God alone I made it through without puking or fainting.  It was a miracle of miracles.

I hobbled out, drove home and got ready for my day. It hurt to shampoo my hair, blow dry my hair, apply eyeliner, put on tights, open the car door, basically anything that involves lifting my arms further than 4 inches from my body.  Hell, it hurts just to sit. 

Here it is, 14 hours later and I've just rubbed my pecs (the most manish thing I could probably say) with tiger balm and tossed back a couple of advil. My body is pissed. 

But, I've got goals I'm aiming for somewhere in between Michelle Obama and Gwyneth Paltrow guns.  Even if it kills me, which half-way through this morning, I thought it might.

So, all that to say, happy friggin' Monday!

Done.

And done.

I kinda love it. Just in time for this snow.

OCD

I have Obsessive Crocheting Disorder (OCD).

I.
can't.
stop.

It's an introverts dream and definition of a group activity.  Also, if my desk job doesn't give me carpal tunnel, crocheting most certainly will. Small price to pay.

I've started on a cowl and will be done in no time.  I am a skien short which may require an emergency trip to Michael's asap.  "Emergency" is obviously loosely defined.

I also wondered while watching a movie, do people crochet and put a movie on or do people watch a movie and crochet to keep busy.  I'm undecided, but it's really irrelevant as long as I'm crocheting.

So, curled up with my cocoa, candles and cowl in process, I find bliss.

1

365 days ago today, baby A came into this world after the 9.0 earthquake shook Japan. 

I missed the party this weekend which pained me terribly, but I go for a visit for a month from today and we'll do a redux of the party. Complete with cake.

Here's the party I missed:

He looks skeptical about the cake. Give him time, I will show him the ways.

Still not sure

Thata boy!

And it would be a post about my nephew without some (old and never before seen photos) of the little man.

Remember when:

Welcome! Way to make an entrance!

sometimes you just need a little help from some machines.

Baby and mama

So sleepy....

.

Him napping on me has got to be one of the most precious and amazing moments. ever. Also maybe one of the most uncomfortable because I was frozen for a good hour.

What?! I'm how old?!

His eyes are saying: Mom thinks its funny when she bundles me in my straight jacket.  I think its funny when I pee all over her.  Its a give and take.

And nap.

Huge props to my sister who has weathered quite the storm with him and has done an amazing job doing so.  That little boy is so lucky to have such a wonderful mother.

Happy birthday baby buttface! 

You are loved, all over this world. 

xo, auntie miss c 

Here's What You've Missed

Oh, hi, it's me again.  I have a just few musing/thoughts/stories for you so sit back, relax, and enjoy the show:

+The last 7 guys I've dated have been blonde haired and blue eyed.  That's weird, right? The part of them all being blonde hair and blue eyed, not the part about me dating 7 people.  It's almost like I have a type but I really don't. I promise. I'm an equal-opportunity dater.

+Thanks to the good folks at Rekdal Hopkins Howard, PS, I filed my tax return. Before the deadline even.  RAH makes it super easy by filling in all the blanks and then attaching a giant "SIGN HERE (DUMMY)" sticker where I just had to, well, sign.  Also, my refund was all of $16...so watch out world.    

+I'm obsessed with TED Talks right now.  Watch this, this and this.  You won't regret it. 

+Here's a story: After my run at Green Lake last weekend I hobbled back to my car.  A smidge tired, I open the door and thought, "Weird, when did I get rubber floor mats? I've been meaning to get those. Cool."  Then I thought, "Weird, the inside of my car looks a lot darker than usual."  Then I thought, "THIS ISN'T MY CAR!" I unlocked it like it was, and opened the door like it was, and went to step into it like it was, but I do not in fact own a red Jetta with rubber floor mats and a black leather interior.  So like the cool cat I am, I stepped/jumped back and after slamming the door shut, paused, guiltily looked around for a split second while running through my mind what just happened, and casually sauntered over to my car a good 15 cars down the line.   The funny thing, this is not the first time its happened, but the second.  Funny, huh?

+I finally painted my room a very soothing and charming gray. Ya know, just wanting to bring a little of the outdoors in. I like it.

+Some days I wish it wasn't so dangerous to blog about work….because boy...I could say some things.

+ I learned how to make candied walnuts last night.  I then promptly added them to my spinach salad creating a counterbalance of all things nutritional about said salad.  It was the best decision all day.

 That's all I got, now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Celebrate with Cake...always

Recently a very lovely and dear co-worker of mine became engaged. Hooray! To celebrate we had a small dinner gathering tonight.  She's super happy and thus we are happy for her.

Equally as exciting, today is my half birthday!  6 months down, 6 months to go to the big 3-0.   

There was cake obviously.

Remember how I made a list of things before I turn 30.  Well, here's the update:

1.) Paid off car - and yet I still pour money into it

5.) Have made 3 new friends, like, real ones

7.) Made a few new recipes:

Sweet potato & Black bean tacos

Mexican rice

Brownie fruit pizza

Mexican Chicken tortilla soup

Chicken & Dumplings

Banana Oatmeal Raisin Muffins

8.) Training for a half-marathon June 2 here in Seattle.  Now at 4 miles a run/day. Also training to the STP July 14-15. Will start getting time in the saddle soon, once the weather clears up, so like….June. 

12.) I'm on track for 1 book a month, but I'm counting The Hunger Games series as 3 books even though I read them in 3 days like a crack addict. In process: The Book Thief, A Prayer for Owen Meany.  Open to suggestions. 

13.) While I'm not meditating I'm inching close to better night's sleep. I now stick to a schedule and allow no electronics in my room.  Its in created a new level of ambiance and depth of sleep that is creeping me closer to meditation.

14.) Crafting:  I started crocheting a cowl.   It won't look like the picture for sure but I'm giving it the good college try. Next project: felted rocks. 

15.) I'm still at 80% flossing every day, could be worse

16.) I make more conscious effort to sleep clutter free and bed made, I would guess….75% of the time.  Now my floor, that's a different story.

17.) 7 down, 23 more to go. 

On a higher level note, I’m doing really well.  Some days I wake up smiling in disbelief of the degree of blessings I have in my life.   I find bliss every day, and maybe its not all day, but at least something that makes my heart happy.  And that's pretty great.  Life is so good folks.