It has been too long since I talked about what is going on in our life. And it's possible I am procrastinating because I am supposed to be finishing a presentation I have to make on Tuesday. And because of the changes in life, I no longer have time to complete it if I don't finish tonight.
Anyway, Sam is still working away at his job. This month was a really great month for him. At work that is. He was in a car accident earlier this month. Not his fault and it all but totaled the car (we kind of wish it had). We are still waiting to get the car back. And Sam anxiously waits for the day when he doesn't have to drive a crappy rental. I has now officially been a month.
The end is near for me. I am almost done with school. This month is going to be a long one though. My comprehensive exam is the first week in May (and oral defenses the following week). Grad classes are over by then (which means I have a large project due before then). But what I thought was a good idea in trying to make my last semester easy backfired. Because I am taking a few undergrad classes which do not finish until after the comp. Meaning I have to finish papers and study for finals during the comp. So I have been trying to schedule things out. I think it's going to be okay, but I'm a little worried. Not procrastinating would be a good first step.
Also, I just got a job. So all the free time I used to have is now spent at work. It's a great job - just three days per week - and I will probably be there for at least six months. Perhaps it will turn into a full time gig, who knows? We will see. I will be able to focus on work a lot better once May 15 has come and gone. Also, who thinks it's a good idea to ask for about 5 days off work right after they get a job? Yeah, that's what I thought. But I think the comp and finals is a good excuse and one they will understand. And since they're paying me by the hour...they're not loosing anything but extra people to get stuff done.
Our kitten is doing better. He's almost normal, but he pretty much always tilts his head to the right. Which actually makes him look that much cuter.
Sam and I want to move. We are paying far too much rent at this place. It's lovely, but expensive and I have had it with the management. We would at some point like to buy a house and saving about $500 per month (or more) would help a lot to that end. The lease is up in August. I have already been looking online and the search will intensify once I'm done with school. So much will be better when school is over. I can't wait. And with that in mind, I'm going to make sure I pass my classes by stopping procrastinating and getting this presentation finished.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Do you have a second to save the planet?
I hear something to this effect almost every day. Why is it that when people want money from you - and for very good causes - they phrase it that way? I mean it's brilliant. On Larchmont Boulevard where I go often to run errands, there are always people there collecting money for homeless shelters and homeless children programs.
One dude was really cool and I had just spent $4 on my coffee from Peets so I felt like I might as well talk to him. I ended up making a $20 donation to some homeless outreach program. It's fine, I'd rather donate to that than give money to panhandlers. But then literally the next day, I was walking down that same stretch of street (they ALWAYS hang out right by Crumbs so they can ambush you right when you're at the most vulnerable point of your sugar coma and/or guilt for spending $3.50 on a cupcake) and some other girl asked me to donate to another homeless thing. I very nicely told her, "Sorry, I just donated to a guy yesterday for a similar program." She shouted after me, "But this one is for homeless CHILDREN!" It doesn't change the fact that I can't give everyone with a worthy cause $20 every time they ask. It's not personal. And I think it's great that they are doing it, but the way these people ask, you are forced to sound like a horrible person when you decline.
Yesterday on campus, the Greenpeace guy asked, and I quote, "Do you have a second for the environment?" Of course I have a second and of course I do care about the environment, but this isn't going to take just a second and I don't want to sign up to have you take x amount of dollars out of my bank account every month. I looked at him and actually laughed when I said no. Because there is no way to say no without it sounding rediculous. But he and I both knew he set me up. That's how they get you.
One dude was really cool and I had just spent $4 on my coffee from Peets so I felt like I might as well talk to him. I ended up making a $20 donation to some homeless outreach program. It's fine, I'd rather donate to that than give money to panhandlers. But then literally the next day, I was walking down that same stretch of street (they ALWAYS hang out right by Crumbs so they can ambush you right when you're at the most vulnerable point of your sugar coma and/or guilt for spending $3.50 on a cupcake) and some other girl asked me to donate to another homeless thing. I very nicely told her, "Sorry, I just donated to a guy yesterday for a similar program." She shouted after me, "But this one is for homeless CHILDREN!" It doesn't change the fact that I can't give everyone with a worthy cause $20 every time they ask. It's not personal. And I think it's great that they are doing it, but the way these people ask, you are forced to sound like a horrible person when you decline.
Yesterday on campus, the Greenpeace guy asked, and I quote, "Do you have a second for the environment?" Of course I have a second and of course I do care about the environment, but this isn't going to take just a second and I don't want to sign up to have you take x amount of dollars out of my bank account every month. I looked at him and actually laughed when I said no. Because there is no way to say no without it sounding rediculous. But he and I both knew he set me up. That's how they get you.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Our dizzy kitty
Long story short: our kitten has vertigo.
He was at the vet following his declaw surgery and presented with symptoms of idiopathic feline vestibular syndrome. Idiopathic, meaning it has not definite cause as they ruled out other things that could cause it like inner ear infection. He had rapid side to side eye movement, tremors, a right head tilt and could not stand due to dizziness. After three days of treatment at the vet he was eating and drinking on his own and able to stand long enough to use his litter box. His tremors and eye movement subsided after less than a day there, and he was left with what is essentially kitty vertigo - dizzy kitty. He can walk and run a little, but he lists to the right and sometimes falls over. He can't jump up on things and certainly not down from things without falling - hard. It's kinda funny if you didn't feel so darn bad for him. So we try to play with him gently and help him climb up to his favorite spot on the back of the couch (which he can usually do on his own now; he just can't get back down).
The vet wants to see him in two weeks for a follow up. What I've read online about it gives him a good prognosis. He could be back to 100% in 7-30 days. There's a chance he could be left with slight symptoms and a very slight chance of symptoms recurring. But for now we hope for the best and are learning to live with a disabled kitten. Who would have thought.
He was at the vet following his declaw surgery and presented with symptoms of idiopathic feline vestibular syndrome. Idiopathic, meaning it has not definite cause as they ruled out other things that could cause it like inner ear infection. He had rapid side to side eye movement, tremors, a right head tilt and could not stand due to dizziness. After three days of treatment at the vet he was eating and drinking on his own and able to stand long enough to use his litter box. His tremors and eye movement subsided after less than a day there, and he was left with what is essentially kitty vertigo - dizzy kitty. He can walk and run a little, but he lists to the right and sometimes falls over. He can't jump up on things and certainly not down from things without falling - hard. It's kinda funny if you didn't feel so darn bad for him. So we try to play with him gently and help him climb up to his favorite spot on the back of the couch (which he can usually do on his own now; he just can't get back down).
The vet wants to see him in two weeks for a follow up. What I've read online about it gives him a good prognosis. He could be back to 100% in 7-30 days. There's a chance he could be left with slight symptoms and a very slight chance of symptoms recurring. But for now we hope for the best and are learning to live with a disabled kitten. Who would have thought.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Mammoth Weekend
I am moving to Mammoth, I have decided. We drove up Friday afternoon - and were making great time and having a beautiful day - until we got a flat tire. Sam had to work hard to find a tire we could use up there, but we got a new tire on Saturday and spent the day shopping and relaxing at home. Sunday we went snowboarding. My second trip down the bunny hill, I decided I quit and started crying. But after a warm up in the lodge and a cup of coffee, I decided to do one more run...which turned into three. I ended up not hating snowboarding so much, but refused to graduate from the bunny hill. So I ended my snowboarding day on a good note and in a good mood and sent Sam up to the real runs so he could have some fun too. While he was out, I made friends at the bar in the lodge. I highly recommend the Mammoth Mocha. What a fun day! Then we went out to a wonderful dinner at the Mogul. Best moment of the night was when the girl sitting at the table next to us started whining and her mother said, "All these people paid LOTS of money to come have a nice quiet dinner. Now sit down in your chair and be quiet." Seriously and the little girl did exactly that. It was great. I enjoy parents who understand that other people can't tune out the cries of their children like they can. I'm attaching a few photos of the weekend. And in case I haven't mentioned it, I wanna go back.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Driving through California
So Sam and I drove up to Mammoth for the holiday weekend. But rather than talking about Mammoth or the trip, I think I'll talk about the city of Mojave. If you don't know where that is, don't feel bad, neither did I. It's about halfway between Los Angeles and Mammoth Lakes. And boy is it a gem. On our way through on Friday I saw several things of note. Two interesting billboards. The first read, "Really good jerkey. 90 miles ahead in Olancha." It must be really good. I've never seen a sign advirtising jerkey 90 miles away...actually I don't think I've ever seen a sign advirtising jerkey. The second sign read: "Guns4Us." Kinda like Toys R Us for grownups who like the NRA, I guess. And then on our way home, the highway was backed up heading into the town. We sat at almost a dead standstill for about an hour only to find out it was due to the fact that the two traffic lights in town were both out thus causing the backup. I'm not sure if I feel sadder for me because I had to sit in traffic, or for the people who live there...because they live there.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Our apartment
Since most of my family has not seen our apartment, I'm posting pictures. The furniture collection is a bit eclectic, but that's what you get when you're not planning on staying that long in a place and money is in short supply. Nonetheless, I think it's pretty sweet. Plus I have a really great roommate.
The kitchen. Not nearly enough cabinets.
The living room/dining room
Teeny tiny bathroom
Bedroom (yes, that is my wedding dress. I have since taken it to be cleaned and preserved)
Come on people, it's just a cat!
So, on Saturday Sam and I got a kitten. We have been planning to get one since before we got married, but we were going to wait at least a few more weeks (largely because we are going out of town in two weeks for a couple of days and don't want to leave a new kitten alone). But you know how it goes with kittens; they just call out to you and you can't leave without them.
We went to Newport to the rescue organization that camps out in front of the pet store every Saturday to "just look." We finally decided to get Dexter (his name was Baxter, but we changed it), but that wasn't the end...it was just the beginning. The people at this organization are dear people, but a little crazy when it comes to their cats.
Sam and I were required to sit through an hour-long pet parenting class - their name, not mine - where we learned that cats can die from almost anything, like seafood ("NO tuna!!"), cat food with grains, clay litter, and getting too many vaccines. You sit there long enough and you start to buy into everything. Now I realize each of these claims is founded. But lets get a little perspective here: many a cat has lived with clay litter, iams cat food (oceanfish flavor), and vaccines. Also, we apparently need to train the cat. You do this by giving it a reward of wet cat food when your cat does something you want it to do. Great. Dexter doesn't like wet cat food. Also, he had been home for all of three hours and we were already on the third type of cat litter. They all scare him (like he literally won't step in them) except the clay litter (which apparently is going to kill him). I don't think he cares. And neither do I because my carpet isn't a good litter either.
Also, you can't take just one. It will kill their little spirit if you take only one and they don't have another kitten to play with. I don't think Dexter got the memo that he's supposed to be sad and lonely without a feline playmate because he seems just fine to me.
The day was made a little longer because poor Dexter had an ear infection and was taken to the vet while we were learning how to parent him so we had to go pick him up there. Whew.
Long story short: I think people make their cat's neurotic. I love my cat, but lets just remember...he's just a cat. To quote the movie "Raining Cats and Dogs": "People, you can love your pets; just don't LOVE your pets."
We went to Newport to the rescue organization that camps out in front of the pet store every Saturday to "just look." We finally decided to get Dexter (his name was Baxter, but we changed it), but that wasn't the end...it was just the beginning. The people at this organization are dear people, but a little crazy when it comes to their cats.
Sam and I were required to sit through an hour-long pet parenting class - their name, not mine - where we learned that cats can die from almost anything, like seafood ("NO tuna!!"), cat food with grains, clay litter, and getting too many vaccines. You sit there long enough and you start to buy into everything. Now I realize each of these claims is founded. But lets get a little perspective here: many a cat has lived with clay litter, iams cat food (oceanfish flavor), and vaccines. Also, we apparently need to train the cat. You do this by giving it a reward of wet cat food when your cat does something you want it to do. Great. Dexter doesn't like wet cat food. Also, he had been home for all of three hours and we were already on the third type of cat litter. They all scare him (like he literally won't step in them) except the clay litter (which apparently is going to kill him). I don't think he cares. And neither do I because my carpet isn't a good litter either.
Also, you can't take just one. It will kill their little spirit if you take only one and they don't have another kitten to play with. I don't think Dexter got the memo that he's supposed to be sad and lonely without a feline playmate because he seems just fine to me.
The day was made a little longer because poor Dexter had an ear infection and was taken to the vet while we were learning how to parent him so we had to go pick him up there. Whew.
Long story short: I think people make their cat's neurotic. I love my cat, but lets just remember...he's just a cat. To quote the movie "Raining Cats and Dogs": "People, you can love your pets; just don't LOVE your pets."
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