Five on Friday #4: Chicken Soup

1. How often do you get sick with a cold? The flu? Something else?
   I usually get colds 3 - 4 times a year, but I think I've had that more than that in the past six months, probably because I've been around germy children. I don't know that I've ever actually had influenza (most people who say they have "the flu" don't), and I don't often get sick with other things.

2. Are you the sort of person who goes to work or school no matter how sick you are or are you willing to stay at home when it gets bad?
   I would much prefer to take a day off, but I usually can't.

   
   

3. How do you like to treat a cold? What remedies do you like and why?
   As I've mentioned before, I'm allergic to antihistamines, decongestants and cough suppresants, so pretty much all I can do is take Tylenol for fever and aches, take hot showers to steam my head and chest open (now with Shower Soothers!) and whine a whole lot.

   
   

4. What do you do to keep from getting sick in the winter?
   Nothing, really, except that I generally try to get a flu shot. Anonydaddy is a doctor, so I was back home, it was flu shots all around at Thanksgiving dinner, but since I've moved to BlueState, it's a bit more of a challenge, now that I have to actually go looking for it - especially in years when there's been a shortage.
   

   
   

5. What is your favorite thing to do when you stay home from work or school?
   Pretty much the same as always, messing around on the computer or watching tv - plus lots of whining and complaining.

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Thursday Thirteen #49

As I mentioned yesterday, tonight our local Democratic Party held one of it's three annual fundraising dinners. That got me thinking . . . .

Thirteen Political or Charity Fundraising Projects That I've Been Involved In Over the Past Few Years

1. Local Democratic Party - Headquarters Fund
2. Local Democratic Party - Raffle Ticket Sales
3. Local Democratic Party - Annual Dinners & Picnic
4. Local Democratic Party - A variety of special projects
5. Hurricane relief for the Public School Foundation in my hometown
6. Flood relief (Red Cross) for our local area
7. March of Dimes in memory of a friend's infant daughter
8. Campaign fundraising - Congressional candidate (hosted barbeque)
9. Campaign fundraising - Senatorial candidate (cohosted/planned house party & rally)
10. Campaign fundraising - Governor (in conjunction with a campaign visit)
11. Campaign fundraising - State house candidate
12. State Democratic Party LGBT Caucus
13. Collecting clothes, furniture, etc for local family who had a house fire

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Wordless Wednesday #46: A Tisket, A Tasket

I'm donating this basket to be raffled at a Democratic Party fundraiser tomorrow evening. Don't tell anybody that it's almost completely regifted.
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Out of the Mouths of Babes

At work this evening, one of our younger students was doing a math lesson on calendars.

A couple of weeks ago, unrelated to the calendar skills, I had told him when my birthday is, and how old I am.

(It involved another kid's MLK Day homework, and the fact that I was born about a month after MLK was assassinated.)

So, tonight, after I'd asked him "What's the most important day in May?" (my birthday, of course!) we had the following exchange, at full volume, for the entire center to hear:

Mr. Teacher: What day is your birthday, Ms. Whozat?

Ms. Whozat: The 11th.

Mr. Teacher: Ok, Kid, let's see what day of the week Ms. Whozat's birthday is.

Kid: Saturday! (It wasn't a current calendar that he was looking at.)

Ms. Whozat: Right, but this year, it's actually on a Sunday. It's on Mother's Day.

Kid: You're not a mother.

Ms. Whozat: Well, no, I'm not.

Mr. Teacher: Not yet. (He is privy to our plans. Probably more than he'd like to be.)

Ms. Whozat: Yeah, not yet.

Kid: You can't be a mother.

Ms. Whozat: Why?

Kid: You can't be pregnant.

Ms. Whozat: Why?

(I'm really starting to wonder, at this point, what assumptions he's made about me!)

Kid: It's tooooo laaaaate noooow! You're thirty-nine!

Great, so now eight year olds are dissing my fertility!

Ten on Tuesday #21

Ten Things I Can Do Instead of Watching TV
You would think this would be fairly easy for me, because I really don't watch a lot of TV these days. I do, however, spend a ton of time in front of the computer, some of it contructive, some not so much. So how about five things that I actually do, and then five things I should do:

1. Blog


2. Read blogs


3. Read / send emails


4. Work on my latest political project


5. Fuck around with the checkbook / Quicken / online banking


6. Spend time with Shrike (when she's home)


7. Clean the litter box


8. Wash dishes


9. Cook for a damn change


10. Burn a calorie or two

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Manic Monday #22

1. Is there anything too serious to joke about? If so, what falls into that category for you?
   Yes. Bad things happening to children.


2. Would you rather be a tortured genius or a happy simple-minded person? Why?
   I think I'll stick with tortured genius, thanks.


3. A dear friend or family member has a terminal illness and is in agony. He/she wants you to help him/her die. What would you do?
   Oh wow. That is a hard one. I would certainly respect their wishes about withholding treatment or "heroic measures" (and have my own wishes about such things) but I just don't know if I could actively do something to bring about the end.

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Back in the Saddle

I took my first Lupron injection this morning, which I suppose officially begins the actual IVF process.

The weeks since our last IUI have been kind of a wierd, limbo-esque sort of time for me.

On the one hand, we are still "trying to get pregnant," but on the other hand, we've not actually been trying trying.

It's been almost two months now since our last negtive beta, and it's been odd to go that long with no two-week-waits, no being-a-delicate-flower, no stick-peeing, and no possibility of being pregnant.

Of course, it's not like we've been doing nothing. We've had tons of paperwork to deal with, and legal issues, and financial arrangements and getting ourselves all synced up and, of course, the ever-so-aptly-named mock cycle.

"Ha, ha, ha," said my ass, "I'm bruised and lumpy for no apparent reason!"

But we weren't doing anything that was going to actually, you know, get us pregnant.

Now, though, the clock has started on the countdown to IVF!

I started my Lupron this morning, I've just got a couple more days of birth control pills (more mocking, there!), then I'll bleed - hopefully (again) the last time for a good while - and then we'll start back up with the ass shots, to work on building a nice, squishy, inviting uterine lining.

Meanwhile, by then it will be about time for Shrike to start her meds, and get those eggies ready to come to Mama.

If all goes according to schedule, four weeks from now, there will be a reproductive rave going on at Petri's Party Palace, and another week from that, a couple of those little suckers will be safe inside me, and at least one of them will be settling in to stay for, oh, forty weeks or so.

I expect the next few weeks to be a blur of calendars and needles and doctors appointments, but it sure is good to be off the sidelines and back in the game.

A Favor, Please?

I don't know if they'd want me to go into the details, but we've got some friends who could use your good thoughts, positive energy, prayers and/or healthy-baby mojo, whatever you've got to offer.

Thanks!

Photo Hunter #45: Narrow

Ann Coulter: Narrow body, narrow mind.

Disclaimer #1: Image stolen from PastDeadline.com.

Disclaimer #2: I have to give credit to Shrike for thinking of using Coulter to illustrate the "narrow" theme. Thanks, honey!

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Five on Friday #3: Sweet Stuff

1. Cake or Pie?
   A small slice of each, please.

   
   

2. What is your favorite kind of candy?
   Chocolate, just about any kind. I am particularly fond of Hershey's Kisses.

   
   

3. Do you actually like conversation hearts?
   You know, we were actually just talking about this at work yesterday. The concensus (and I agree) was that they are fun, but don't taste very good at all.
   
   Here's a funny story about them, though:

   When Shrike and I were "dating" (talking online, before we met in real life), I sent her a "care package" just before Valentine's Day.
   
   I bought a big bag of conversation hearts, but I went through it and only picked out the best ones to send to her, keeping all the ones that didn't convey the right message - like "Maybe Later" or "No Way" - or "My Guy."
   
   Shortly after that, LadyKay's Kiddo#2, who was 10 at the time, spent the night with me, and found the bag of leftover hearts in the fridge. We were eating them, and of course, she was reading them all.
   
   I kept worrying that at some point she was going to notice that they almost all said really negative things!

4. Would you prefer chocolates or flowers from a loved one?
   Definitely chocolate, unless I'm trying to behave, diet-wise. In which case, I'll take cash.

   
   

5. What is the sweetest thing someone has ever done for you?
   I don't know that this is the sweetest thing ever, but it's awful sweet and it's the first thing that comes to mind:

   I am very involved in my local Democratic Party and other political stuff,
   and sometimes Shrike gets a bit annoyed by it all.
   
   (Especially when I want to "invite a bunch of strangers to our house," which I do from time to time. )
   
   A couple of years ago, I participated in a statewide fellowship that was a long-term training program for progressive political leaders, and those who'd like to be.
   
   It involved monthly trips to big citys three and four hours away, either for all day on a Saturday, or sometimes over night. It also cost a good bit of money.
   
   Needless to say, I love it, but it was a bit of a sacrifice on her part for me to participate.
   
   As I was preparing for the first weekend, I realized that I didn't have a decent briefcase or anything similar to carry my stuff in. I'd been carrying my lunch and other things to work in an old tote bag from a school where I used to teach (complete with mascot logo) but that just didn't seem to project the image that I was looking for.
   
   She loaned me an old leather satchel / briefcase of hers for the weekend, but it had seen better days. I appreciated it though, and it was much better than anything I had available. But that's not the sweet part yet.
   
   When I got back home on Sunday, she was at work, but sitting on my chair was a brand new black nylon bag, with room for all my papers (and, later, thanks to Anonydaddy, a laptop) and just about anything else I could possibly carry in it.
   
   It was exactly what I needed - functional enough to be useful and professional enough to make the kind of impression I was going for.
   
   Most importantly, though, she'd gone out of her way to find it and pick it out and get it for me, and to me it's not just a bag, but a symbol of her support of me and of my goals and interests - even if they are not things that she would choose herself.
   
   And that's pretty damned sweet.

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