Rules: YOU! Yes, you, reading this. You're tagged. Now that you know more about me than you ever wanted to know, play the game, it's fun! Let others know a little more about yourself, repost this as your name followedy by "ology."
FOODOLOGY:
What is your salad dressing of choice? Sun-dried tomato and oregano
What is your favorite sit-down restuarant? Olympia Greek Taverna (in my home town)
What is your favorite fast food restaurant? Wrap Zone
What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of? Beef Dip Sandwiches
What are your pizza toppings of choice? chicken and feta cheese
How many televisions are in your house? two (which is one too many)
What color cell phone do you have? red
BIOLOGY:
Are you right-handed or left-handed? Right.
Have you ever had anything removed from your body? Some moles (blech!)
What is the last heavy item you lifted? the components of a calendar rack at work
Have you ever been knocked unconscious? Never.
Have you ever fainted? Yes
BULLCRAPOLOGY:
If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? No way.
If you could change your name, what would you change it to? I actually did... or rather I changed the spelling of my name... to a more feminine version.
How many pairs of flip flops do you own? Two
Last person you talked to? My Beloved
FAVORITOLOGY:
Season? Autumn
Holiday? Christmas.
Day of the week? Whatever day my second day off in a week is (the first day is always a recovery day, second day I get stuff done)
Month? October
Color? Red
Drink? Green tea lemonade
Alcoholic? Siegerebe (the best white wine I have ever tasted! Only one winery in BC makes it, and when I go home in May I'm stocking up!!!)
CURRENTOLOGY:
Missing someone? No.
What are you listening to? The TV ... CSI New York
What are you watching? TV and my computer screen.
Worrying about? taxes
What's the last movie you saw? Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief
Do you smile often? I try to.
If you could change your eye color what would it be? Green
What's on your wish list for your birthday? A new watch
Can you do a chin-up? What?!?! Are you on crack?! Hell no!
Does the future make you more nervous or excited? Both.
Have you been in a car wreck? Yes.
Have you caused a car wreck? Yes, I ran into a mountain.
Do you have an accent? No, but I can fake a few really well.
Last time you cried? Last night
Plans tonight? Vegging out!
Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom? Yes.
Name three things you bought yesterday? A sub, an iced decaf raspberry mocha, and... and... I think that's it.
Have you met someone who changed your life? Yes, my Beloved.
For the better or worse? Beyond better.
How did you bring in the New Year? Quietly, just us, at home.
Would you go back in time if you were given the chance? I would, if only to figure out a way to meet my Beloved sooner.
What songs do you sing in the shower? Broadway showtunes
Have you held hands with someone today? Absosmurfly!
Who was the last person you took a picture of? Person... I don't know... I took a lot of pictures of Sunny-boy though (the dog)
Are most of the friends in your life new or old? Both.
Do you like pulpy orange juice? Yup! But it has to be really cold.
Last time you ate peanut butter and jelly? Together? eons ago. I don't like jelly. Prefer jam
What were you doing at 12 a.m. last night? Reading
What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? Damn this ovwatch... (was digging into my arm)
This lovely little meme brought to you via Rain & lowfatlady!
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
Riding The Bench (Blame It On the Olympics)
Good Morning Humble Readers...
As the ol' witch (that would be AF) is packing her bags, and I'm still buzzing from the Canadian women's hockey team's gold medal win last night, I can say that the dark cloud that decended almost two weeks ago is starting to break up and the sun in shining through again.
Literally, and figuratively.
And it's so much easier to be a happy hobbit when the sun is shining.
So, this morning when I read Minta's post about feeling guilty about celebrating her pregnancy (and about bemoaning the physically difficult and painful aspects of it), I couldn't help but have a bit of a grin on my face.
Before I continue, I should reiterate that this hobbit hasn't ever really been one for team sports, and I certainly could live the rest of my life and never watch another NHL, CFL, or NBA game on tv ever again. I love the olympics, but once every four years is plenty for me.
All that said, I couldn't help it when a very bad sports metaphor came to mind as I read Minta's post.
We're a team. All of us IFers, and our irl support networks. We work together, sharing information and support, caring for each other when we fall, and striving towards our shared prize, building our families.
We all want that chance to play in the big game, to have our time on the field/ice, to have a chance to score that big goal... of bringing a baby into our lives.
But we all don't get to play at the same time.
Some of us are stuck riding the bench for longer than others. Yes, we can get frustrated when we feel we've been waiting for our turn for a long time, BUT that doesn't change the fact that we are still cheering on those who are getting to play.
The only thing that makes riding this bench bearable is seeing fellow IFers playing their hearts out and succeeding... getting that prize. The prize that I know they long for just as much as me.
So, to my teammates, my fellow journey-ers on this ever lengthening road, please, when you get the chance to play... PLAY! Enjoy yourselves! And if you twist an ankle or get checked into the boards (lame metaphors, sorry), it's okay to moan, it's okay to take some time to nurse your wounds. I'll even offer you a virtual ice pack, and help you back to your feet.
And listen for the sounds of us, still on the bench, cheering you on! When you score that goal, we'll all come running, clearing the bench to hoist you on our shoulders, celebrating your victory.
(told you it was a terrible metaphor)
As the ol' witch (that would be AF) is packing her bags, and I'm still buzzing from the Canadian women's hockey team's gold medal win last night, I can say that the dark cloud that decended almost two weeks ago is starting to break up and the sun in shining through again.
Literally, and figuratively.
And it's so much easier to be a happy hobbit when the sun is shining.
So, this morning when I read Minta's post about feeling guilty about celebrating her pregnancy (and about bemoaning the physically difficult and painful aspects of it), I couldn't help but have a bit of a grin on my face.
Before I continue, I should reiterate that this hobbit hasn't ever really been one for team sports, and I certainly could live the rest of my life and never watch another NHL, CFL, or NBA game on tv ever again. I love the olympics, but once every four years is plenty for me.
All that said, I couldn't help it when a very bad sports metaphor came to mind as I read Minta's post.
We're a team. All of us IFers, and our irl support networks. We work together, sharing information and support, caring for each other when we fall, and striving towards our shared prize, building our families.
We all want that chance to play in the big game, to have our time on the field/ice, to have a chance to score that big goal... of bringing a baby into our lives.
But we all don't get to play at the same time.
Some of us are stuck riding the bench for longer than others. Yes, we can get frustrated when we feel we've been waiting for our turn for a long time, BUT that doesn't change the fact that we are still cheering on those who are getting to play.
The only thing that makes riding this bench bearable is seeing fellow IFers playing their hearts out and succeeding... getting that prize. The prize that I know they long for just as much as me.
So, to my teammates, my fellow journey-ers on this ever lengthening road, please, when you get the chance to play... PLAY! Enjoy yourselves! And if you twist an ankle or get checked into the boards (lame metaphors, sorry), it's okay to moan, it's okay to take some time to nurse your wounds. I'll even offer you a virtual ice pack, and help you back to your feet.
And listen for the sounds of us, still on the bench, cheering you on! When you score that goal, we'll all come running, clearing the bench to hoist you on our shoulders, celebrating your victory.
(told you it was a terrible metaphor)
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Show & Tell: Two Weeks Late
Good Evening Humble Readers!
First off, thank you so much for all your support. I'm feeling a bit more normal today. Your kind words mean so much!
Now, it's time for Show & Tell. I had originally planned to share these pictures just after Valentine's day, but life kind of happened, and well, here we are.
For those who don't know, Show & Tell is wasted on elementary schoolers! We all have so many things we can and should share! If you want to join the others standing at the front of the class, stop by Mel's and find out how you can participate. ALL ARE WELCOME!
So, Valentine's day... an important day for us because it is the anniversary of when we were matched on eH.armony. My Beloved was in my first set of matches, but due to a comedy of errors, we weren't actually able to communicate with each other for almost two weeks. He had actually closed our match (and did so again a couple of weeks later) but he realized the error of his ways... and here we are four years later!
He brought me some beautiful red tulips (my absolute favourite... what I carried at our wedding) to work the night before V-Day. He also got me a chick flick on dvd (Jane Austen Book Club).
My gift to him was an official Canadian hockey team jersey and I cooked a fancy dinner (which we ate on tv trays while we watched the Olympics)
Our dinner was this recipe (I so wish I could claim it as my own!) from one of my favourite recipe websites. When I first read the recipe, I thought it was way to involved for me. But I did some thinking and some planning and it turned out beautifully.
I altered it a little bit, using strip steaks instead of filet mignon and omitted the bacon. Here are the steaks, already stuffed full of crab, breadcrumbs, shallots, celery, etc.
I found a bag of small tri-coloured baby potatoes (gold, red, and purple) and I roasted those in the oven with a little bit of olive oil and some salt and pepper.
That's right... whiskey! I honestly had never bought whiskey before and felt like I was 17 again sneaking into the liquor store. It probably wasn't the best whiskey, but I was so flustered, I just grabbed one I recognized. (I now have a half the bottle left... it was a little tiny bottle... and I don't know what to do with it) I also bought some wine... a nice inexpensive merlot.
And this is the finished product.
My Beloved was actually a tad on the stunned side when he took his first bite. I will accept that I'm a pretty good cook, but this made me feel spectacular!
Now, don't forget to swing by Mel's place and check out what everyoe else is showing this week!
****
BTW... I'm totally digging the updates Blo.gger has made. I don't know when it happened, but I can now do strikethrough text and upload more than five pictures. Very nice!
First off, thank you so much for all your support. I'm feeling a bit more normal today. Your kind words mean so much!
Now, it's time for Show & Tell. I had originally planned to share these pictures just after Valentine's day, but life kind of happened, and well, here we are.
For those who don't know, Show & Tell is wasted on elementary schoolers! We all have so many things we can and should share! If you want to join the others standing at the front of the class, stop by Mel's and find out how you can participate. ALL ARE WELCOME!
So, Valentine's day... an important day for us because it is the anniversary of when we were matched on eH.armony. My Beloved was in my first set of matches, but due to a comedy of errors, we weren't actually able to communicate with each other for almost two weeks. He had actually closed our match (and did so again a couple of weeks later) but he realized the error of his ways... and here we are four years later!
Our dinner was this recipe (I so wish I could claim it as my own!) from one of my favourite recipe websites. When I first read the recipe, I thought it was way to involved for me. But I did some thinking and some planning and it turned out beautifully.
I altered it a little bit, using strip steaks instead of filet mignon and omitted the bacon. Here are the steaks, already stuffed full of crab, breadcrumbs, shallots, celery, etc.
I also served some steamed asparagus.
The sauce is totally what made this meal spectacular, and I'm not kidding it is soooooo worth it! It took about a half hour to make, but I would do it again in a heartbeat. And here's the secret ingredient....
Now, don't forget to swing by Mel's place and check out what everyoe else is showing this week!
****
BTW... I'm totally digging the updates Blo.gger has made. I don't know when it happened, but I can now do strikethrough text and upload more than five pictures. Very nice!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
The Episode In Which the Hobbit Has A Meltdown
Oh Humble Readers... what an agonizing couple of days it has been.
In order to tell the story properly, I have to back up to the end of my last cycle. I made the decision that I was going to take a break from my b vitamins. I had what I thought were good reasons for doing this. I had been doing some reading that indicated that there can be too much of a good thing with b vitamins and that headaches and even potential nerve damage are possible side effects. I thought I would try a cycle without my neon-pee-inducing B100s and see what happens.
Well, humble readers, all hell broke loose.
It started with just feeling sluggish. Ok, I have been downright exhausted. I tried to write it off as late winter blahs.
Then I started getting cranky.
Really cranky.
Head spinning, eyes going red, psycho-bitch from hell cranky.
It felt like my worst ever PMS (and it used to get REALLY bad), but it couldn't be PMS. I was only 4 dpo. In the past few years, my PMS symptoms have lessened and lessened to usually only the last day or so before AF shows up. This cycle my long suffering Beloved has had to put up with the demon-hobbit for almost a full week.
Then yesterday I completely lost it. It started with a seriously sinking temp that told me I wasn't pregnant yet again. And then... well, the reason why doesn't matter, but I was a screaming, crying, swearing wraith-like harpy. I was a complete mess. And I had to go to work afterward.
Yes, I had just worked a 7 day stretch (which is incredibly challenging for someone who gets her batteries recharged by being alone or with one or two loved ones), but that's no excuse.
Today I had planned to do battle with the bad guys in Mario and Luigi's world, some blog surfing, and reading. Some alone time.
But I ended up with a visitor. A very unwelcome vistor. AF. And I'm only 11dpo. So that means that my luteal phase went back to 10-10.5 days (rather than my now normal 12.5-13 days). PROBLEM!
I'm cramping worse than I have in years, and I feel awful.
I'm feeling like a baby is never going to be a part of our lives. More than two years, two lost babies, and no real reason why. I'm feeling like the last two years have been wasted.
The rational side of me is saying, chill out... you have things you can do (start taking the b vitamins again, start using the ov watch, call Dr. U and see if he is willing to do some testing). But the rational side isn't winning just now.
I'm keeping my head above water today, but just barely. Damn hormones.
In order to tell the story properly, I have to back up to the end of my last cycle. I made the decision that I was going to take a break from my b vitamins. I had what I thought were good reasons for doing this. I had been doing some reading that indicated that there can be too much of a good thing with b vitamins and that headaches and even potential nerve damage are possible side effects. I thought I would try a cycle without my neon-pee-inducing B100s and see what happens.
Well, humble readers, all hell broke loose.
It started with just feeling sluggish. Ok, I have been downright exhausted. I tried to write it off as late winter blahs.
Then I started getting cranky.
Really cranky.
Head spinning, eyes going red, psycho-bitch from hell cranky.
It felt like my worst ever PMS (and it used to get REALLY bad), but it couldn't be PMS. I was only 4 dpo. In the past few years, my PMS symptoms have lessened and lessened to usually only the last day or so before AF shows up. This cycle my long suffering Beloved has had to put up with the demon-hobbit for almost a full week.
Then yesterday I completely lost it. It started with a seriously sinking temp that told me I wasn't pregnant yet again. And then... well, the reason why doesn't matter, but I was a screaming, crying, swearing wraith-like harpy. I was a complete mess. And I had to go to work afterward.
Yes, I had just worked a 7 day stretch (which is incredibly challenging for someone who gets her batteries recharged by being alone or with one or two loved ones), but that's no excuse.
Today I had planned to do battle with the bad guys in Mario and Luigi's world, some blog surfing, and reading. Some alone time.
But I ended up with a visitor. A very unwelcome vistor. AF. And I'm only 11dpo. So that means that my luteal phase went back to 10-10.5 days (rather than my now normal 12.5-13 days). PROBLEM!
I'm cramping worse than I have in years, and I feel awful.
I'm feeling like a baby is never going to be a part of our lives. More than two years, two lost babies, and no real reason why. I'm feeling like the last two years have been wasted.
The rational side of me is saying, chill out... you have things you can do (start taking the b vitamins again, start using the ov watch, call Dr. U and see if he is willing to do some testing). But the rational side isn't winning just now.
I'm keeping my head above water today, but just barely. Damn hormones.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
ICLW February - The ABCs of Me (again...)
Good Morning Humble Readers...
I hope you are all well. I have been a bad blogger of late, which I will blame on dog-sitting, the olympics, and attempting to avoid thinking about the tww I'm coming onto the tail end of. I will get back into things here soon, I promise.
For those of you stopping by from ICLW, WELCOME to my cyber-hobbit hole. Pull up a comfy chair, help yourself to anything in the fridge, and peruse the bookshelves.
A while ago, I did the abc's of me... but it's been six months or so I think, so I thought it would be good to do again, and let you in on some of the more random aspects of who I am.
A - Alberta... my current home. I can't say that I'm a fan of the winters here (they go on forever!) but it's home.
B - Books... A life long obsession. I learned to read when I was 4 and I haven't stopped. I have books in every room of the hobbit-hole. Living room, kitchen, spare room, bedroom, and yes, even the bathroom. Too many to number.
C - Cooking... another obsession. I love trying new foods and new recipes. I'm currently trying to master the art of fabulous fried chicken.
D - My Beloved... my wonderful, loving, patient, funny, smart, wonderful (did I mention that?) partner on this crazy road.
E - Emily Hope... our first angel baby. Her EDD was April 1st, 2009. We lost her at 11 weeks, blighted ovum.
F - Farenheit... what I track my bbt temps in (rather than celcius).
G - Games... the olympic variety. My current obsession and major distraction. Canada isn't doing as well as hoped, but it's not for lack of trying.
H - Homebody... that's what I am. I love being at home, with my Beloved, curled up on the couch.
I - Infertility... it sucks. 'Nuff said.
J - Jesus... my saviour.
K - Klutz... that's me. This time of year is the worst for me. If I am going to injure myself, it's going to be now, when it's icy, but it's melting too.
L - Lima beans... can't stand them! Urgh!
M - Moved... what I have done a lot in my life. 59 times to be precise. 3 countries, 3 provinces, 3 states.
N - Net... the internet. Where I met my Beloved, and many many wonderful friends.
O - Olivia Noelle... Our second angel baby. Her EDD was August 18th, 2009. We lost her at 8 weeks, blighted ovum.
P - Pugs... I love them!! I hope to soon have one as a part of our family. We were looking after a precocious little guy for the last couple of weeks and it has rekindled my need for a snuffling, snorting, fur baby. The breeder we have been in contact with currently has a few pups available, so in the coming weeks we may be expanding our family.
Q - Quest... I'm in search of a lot of things. The perfect recipe for fried chicken, the roots of my family, a baby of our own.
R - Retail... my work, my frustration, my joy. I love being a bookseller, and for the most part I totally love my customers. There are those days tho...
S - School supplies... I am addicted to school supplies. Pens, pencils, notebooks... they all
T - TWW... two week wait for the uninitiated. The time between ovulation and when AF shows up. The insane time when I analyze every twinge, every possible symptom of pregnancy in hopes that this might just be the month. (yeah, right)
U - Unusual... that would describe my family make up. At one point in my life I had 6 parents.
V - Vegetarian... something I could NEVER be. I am an omnivore, and proud of it.
W - Wii... I am a fan of those crazy guys, Mario and Luigi, and am completely stoked that I finally got my hands on Super Ma.rio Broth.ers for the Wii.
X - X-cited... (a bad one, I realize) What I'm feeling about the new Alice in Wonderland movie.
Y - Youth and Family Ministry... that's what my degree is in. And yet I sell books for living. Go figure.
Z - Zealand, New... (I know it's weak) I really want to go there some day.
Well... that's me. Thanks for stopping by!
I hope you are all well. I have been a bad blogger of late, which I will blame on dog-sitting, the olympics, and attempting to avoid thinking about the tww I'm coming onto the tail end of. I will get back into things here soon, I promise.
For those of you stopping by from ICLW, WELCOME to my cyber-hobbit hole. Pull up a comfy chair, help yourself to anything in the fridge, and peruse the bookshelves.
A while ago, I did the abc's of me... but it's been six months or so I think, so I thought it would be good to do again, and let you in on some of the more random aspects of who I am.
A - Alberta... my current home. I can't say that I'm a fan of the winters here (they go on forever!) but it's home.
B - Books... A life long obsession. I learned to read when I was 4 and I haven't stopped. I have books in every room of the hobbit-hole. Living room, kitchen, spare room, bedroom, and yes, even the bathroom. Too many to number.
C - Cooking... another obsession. I love trying new foods and new recipes. I'm currently trying to master the art of fabulous fried chicken.
D - My Beloved... my wonderful, loving, patient, funny, smart, wonderful (did I mention that?) partner on this crazy road.
E - Emily Hope... our first angel baby. Her EDD was April 1st, 2009. We lost her at 11 weeks, blighted ovum.
F - Farenheit... what I track my bbt temps in (rather than celcius).
G - Games... the olympic variety. My current obsession and major distraction. Canada isn't doing as well as hoped, but it's not for lack of trying.
H - Homebody... that's what I am. I love being at home, with my Beloved, curled up on the couch.
I - Infertility... it sucks. 'Nuff said.
J - Jesus... my saviour.
K - Klutz... that's me. This time of year is the worst for me. If I am going to injure myself, it's going to be now, when it's icy, but it's melting too.
L - Lima beans... can't stand them! Urgh!
M - Moved... what I have done a lot in my life. 59 times to be precise. 3 countries, 3 provinces, 3 states.
N - Net... the internet. Where I met my Beloved, and many many wonderful friends.
O - Olivia Noelle... Our second angel baby. Her EDD was August 18th, 2009. We lost her at 8 weeks, blighted ovum.
P - Pugs... I love them!! I hope to soon have one as a part of our family. We were looking after a precocious little guy for the last couple of weeks and it has rekindled my need for a snuffling, snorting, fur baby. The breeder we have been in contact with currently has a few pups available, so in the coming weeks we may be expanding our family.
Q - Quest... I'm in search of a lot of things. The perfect recipe for fried chicken, the roots of my family, a baby of our own.
R - Retail... my work, my frustration, my joy. I love being a bookseller, and for the most part I totally love my customers. There are those days tho...
S - School supplies... I am addicted to school supplies. Pens, pencils, notebooks... they all
T - TWW... two week wait for the uninitiated. The time between ovulation and when AF shows up. The insane time when I analyze every twinge, every possible symptom of pregnancy in hopes that this might just be the month. (yeah, right)
U - Unusual... that would describe my family make up. At one point in my life I had 6 parents.
V - Vegetarian... something I could NEVER be. I am an omnivore, and proud of it.
W - Wii... I am a fan of those crazy guys, Mario and Luigi, and am completely stoked that I finally got my hands on Super Ma.rio Broth.ers for the Wii.
X - X-cited... (a bad one, I realize) What I'm feeling about the new Alice in Wonderland movie.
Y - Youth and Family Ministry... that's what my degree is in. And yet I sell books for living. Go figure.
Z - Zealand, New... (I know it's weak) I really want to go there some day.
Well... that's me. Thanks for stopping by!
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