I blame it on the black hole...

You know, the one that sucks you into Oklahoma and then never lets you escape? Yeah, that one. Anyway, I found myself watching the bedlam game last night, between OSU and OU. I then found myself cheering on one of the teams... That's right, me. Cheering on an OK team. Yeah, I know... like I said, I blame it on the black hole... it apparently has addled my brain a bit more than I thought.

I cheered for OSU. I'm going back to school next summer and I'm abour 90% sure thats where I'll be going. OSU has a campus here in OKC, a good RN program (Nursing was my first major, before I had my most monumental brain fart and changed it to MFHD... a totally useless degree in the real world, sad but true. By that I mean it's useless when trying to get a good job, not that the knowledge behind it is useless) and odds are I'll be able to complete it all with night classes in a relatively short span of time. I like my job and all, but it's not a career, and it's not where I want to stay forever. Now that we've had to put our dreams of parenthood on long-term hold (due to health reasons, not to mention IVF and/or adoption aren't cheap!) I think it's about time I focus on doing something worthwhile, such as finishing my edumacation and doing some good in the world.

Anyway, OSU lost, but they fought the good fight and had OU sweating the big bullet there for a while. It was fun to watch. It will be exciting to feel more involved next year when I am actually a student of this school. I never thought I'd ever be counted amongst OK school fans, but OSU is cool, I guess. At least it's not a school that takes pride in and names itself after a bunch of sneaks and thieves. Why anyone would be proud of that is beyond me... perhaps the black hole addled their brains too... only to the point of insanity?

Teehee... Can you tell I hate OU? ;)

New Moon is next!!!

Summit Entertainment has confirmed that they will be making New Moon! Read about it here!!! (click on News)

MTV reports:

The news comes on the heels of the vampire flick selling out theaters nationwide, despite its mixed reviews. The madness began with some impressive advance ticket sales, then the film added to its $7 million midnight-screening take with a staggering $35.7 million on Friday, taking in money at a rate reported to be more than three times that of last week's box-office winner, "Quantum of Solace." To put it in perspective, "Twilight" is now second only to "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" in terms of biggest opening-day gross for a non-summer release.
"Twilight" is currently on track to become the highest-grossing film ever made by a female director, the highest-grossing vampire film of all time, and is also threatening several other records heading into Saturday. The film is currently projected to make more than $60 million this weekend, which would put it on track for the $150 million box-office haul that director Catherine Hardwicke has said would automatically green-light sequels.

Who cares if all critics weren't blown away? We still get New Moon!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO!

Twilight Review

So I am totally bummed that I didn't get to go to the midnight showing (getting up at 5am to go teach Seminary and then having to work afterwards just don't mesh well with staying up until 3am) but Ben and I went today after work! Here is my spoiler-free review. Comments are fair game though... if you don't want the details, don't click on the comments! You've been warned...

IT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!! I loved loved loved loooooooooooooooooooooooved it!!!! I was terrified they were going to butcher it, and after Eragon, the possibility became more real to me. I am a big stickler for staying true to the book, and while I recognize that movies are "adaptations" I have a hard time letting go of my preconceived notions of how the movie "should be." Prisoner of Azkaban is my favorite HP book, but my least favorite movie for that very reason.

That being said... I think they did a fantastic job of not screwing it up!!! 90% of the dialogue was straight out of the book, word for word... I loved that! Did they deviate a bit due to time constraint? Yes. Did little scenarios get added in that weren't in the book? Yes. However, they were done very tastefully and in a way that remained very true to the characters, and things they could have done/said.

My only regrets are that some of the Cullens didn't get as much screentime as I would have wished, but some of that is true to the book anyway because they don't all play a huge role until later books. Some more character development would have been nice too, but again... time constraints, I get it. All in all, there wasn't a single thing I hated or had a big promblem with. The thing that bugged me the most was that I wasn't a big fan of "Bella's Lullaby" but thats my own fault... I found a song that somehow got linked with Bella's Lullaby (It's actually called "River Flows In You" by Yiruma) and just kinda became "it" in my mind. I love it... its beautiful. It did not end up being the actual lullaby in the movie... BOO. But seriously, thats my biggest complaint... pretty trivial. (It's on my playlist as "Bella's Lullaby" by Edward Cullen if anyone is curious)

I don't think those that have not read the books will like Twilight very much. In my opinion, it was totally made for the fans. If you don't have a working knowledge of the story I don't think it will make much sense. Bella ends up looking very stupid and Edward like a creepy stalker. It's hard to develop the characters well enough in such a small amount of time and the nuances of their love is lost. I got it, but then again I've read the series like what... 6+ times? *sigh* I'm sad for those that have not and end up disliking the movie because of it.

My final grade? Twilight gets an "A" all the way!!!

Now... if I could only think of some excuse to go back and see it again... and again... and again... ;)

To puke or not to puke... that is the question.

NO, I'm not pregnant... just adjusting to some new medication and dealing with some Endo-related nasties.

Does anyone know how to make never-ending nausea go away? I'm taking Phenegran, but seeing as that puts me to sleep I can only take it at night. For the past week I've been puking/on the verge of puking (depends on the day) all day, every day. Its not fun. Saltines have become my new best friend and my trashcan at work now plays a whole new role... I've given up on food, especially milk...

I hear Vitamin B-6 is supposed to be good, and my dad mentioned something he read about sucking on lemons? Now that sounds like a sure fire way to make yourself puke, but he swears that's what he read. I haven't tried it... I don't know that I will. Anyway, if anyone out there has any suggestions, please... enlighten me.

Thanks in advance from my oh-so-unhappy tummy.

PS> On the upside, I've been so preoccupied with retaining the contents of my stomach that I barely think about my foot these days! Ah, there's the silver lining I was looking for! :)

Cortisone Shot- Part Deux

*Sigh* Yes, I got another cortisone shot yesterday... two actually! Where did my "no more shots over my dead body!" resolve go? Well, when she told me it was either that or PT in order to avoid surgery! Normally I'd sign up for PT in a heartbeat, but seeing as its very costly, Ben just had surgery plus an almost week long stay in the hospital (whose bills are just barely starting to come in), and I used up the remainder of my vacation time until May(which means I can't take time off to go do PT 3x's /week for 6 weeks)... yeah, the shot was the best way to go, unfortunately.

This time she gave me a shot in the same place as before, as well as right below my ankle, on the inside of my foot. She did my ankle first and boy was that not pleasant! I have to say, it was so unpleasant that it made my 2nd shot (the one that had previously made me see stars, 2 weeks ago) seem not so bad this time. I was told to go home, put my foot up and take 800mg Ibuprofen 3 times/day for the next 3 days to help with the pain. Surpringly enough, I woke up pretty sore & bruised today but not as bad as last time! Phew... let's hope it continues this well.

We're putting off the orthotics until January, once out FSA kicks back in. Until then, we're just going to hope and pray these shots do the trick for now. Ben was instructed to continue popping my bone back in place regularly to take pressure off the pinched nerve... oh, the joy...

Food so good, it'll make your dog sing!

One of the reasons it is sometimes a challenge to have 3 pups is that finding a kind of dogfood that they ALL like(and can keep down) is nearly impossible! Sirius is our "picky eater" (odd, you might think, seeing as how he's the fat one!) and Mini is our "sensitive tummy." I think we've tried almost every brand/type of food out there and we have FINALLY found one that all 3 enjoy and can keep in their tummies! Ironically, it happens to be PetSmart's off-brand DIET food! Sirius actually likes it, its amazing!

Now, about the singing... Mini has started doing this really funny thing every time we feed them this new food. She gets all excited and then when she approaches the bowl, she quiets down and starts "singing" to herself! It's hard to describe, but its like a "hmmmmmmmmm hmmm hmmmm hmmmmmmmmmmmm hmmm hmmm hmmmmmmmmmmmm..." So I guess "humming" is the better word, but you get the idea. It's HILLARIOUS! She does this every time, without fail! It's really quiet, but sometimes you can even catch it between bites.

Ahh, good times, good times! ;)

NOT cool...

So this cortisone shot was supposed to give me pain relief for a few weeks, right? Guess whose foot hurts again? Good thing I go back to the Pod this Friday.(NOT for another crappy super-painful and oh-so-ineffective cortisone shot!!!HMPH!)

Who are the haters NOW?

First off, HOORAY for Prop 8 passing!

Now, for the past however long this whole issue has been going on, WE have been accused of hatred and bigotry for wanting to keep a traditional definition of marriage between a man and a woman as the law. Those opposing Prop 8 came up with a catch phrase, "8 = hate" which has been reported to have been graffitied on church buildings, keyed on peoples' cars, etc etc. (Yes, all very mature and "un-hateful") Now, these very same groups that rallied and cried for tolerance from us, are rallying for violence and hate crimes! Hypocritical much? I think so... Read more about it here.

Now let me state clearly, I am not against tolerance. We are all different, and deserve (whatever our beliefs) respect and courtesy. What I AM against, is when this so called "tolerance" is only supposed to work one way, and in this case it would have been tolerance for same sex couples only and intolerance for our religious freedoms. In Massachusetts, where this same proposition failed to pass, people who do not agree with homosexual lifestyles have lost THEIR rights to be notified of what their children are being taught and pull them out of class if they don't agree. (ie.events such as "Gay Pride week" that are now being shoved down kindergardeners' throats, even!) Adoption agencies have been closed down because they are now mandated to work with and place children with same-sex couples. Churches could be told they need to perform same-sex marriages. What about all these peoples' rights? Where is the tolerance there? Since when are the views of the few being imposed upon the many considered tolerance?

I do not agree with how the Presidential election turned out(Although yes, I am happy to see that our country has come so far that a person of any race and/or gender can hold the office of President! That is a victory worth rejoicing over!). However, I am not about to go out there and physically threaten Obama supporters. The majority has spoken, and that should be respected! The people of California (AZ and FL as well) have spoken too, and now they have to fear for their lives and property? Again...is this the tolerance the Vote No on Prop 8 groups were clamoring for? Hmm... maybe we have different dictionaries or something, because that hardly sounds like tolerance at all.

GO VOTE! (Look, someone played my game!)

Did YOU? Hurry, go! There is still plenty of time!

We are experiencing technical difficulties...

... please stay tuned for your regularly scheduled bloggeriness. Thank you for your patience!

Functional Hallux Limitus

I went to the Podiatrist again for a follow-up on my poor toe/foot yesterday. I told her about my recent re-injury while going up the stairs and she was like, "Great, so now we're worse off than when we started, huh?" YES... very much so. The increased level of pain was being caused by the fact that my dislocated 1st metatarsal was now jammed into my big toe bone (hallux) causing a lock up of the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint. In English this means bone-to-bone grinding which leads to little to no range of motion and can cause those 2 bones to fuse together, in which case I'd have progressed to Hallux Rigidus, something that can only be corrected with surgery... NOT cool. (Hmm... run on sentence? I think so!)

So... what now? Well, for starters, she had to give me a cortisone shot in the nerve that runs between the bones. Let me repeat that: the NERVE that runs BETWEEN the bones. That didn't sound pleasant. Then a nurse comes in with a huge needle and looks at me all sad-like and proceeds to grasp my leg and hold it down, like I was about to kick her or something. The doctor tells me we better lay me down for this and at this point I'm kinda freaking out. She sprays me with the magic cold spray (I love that stuff!)and I didn't even feel the stick of the ginormous needle...then the pain began. I tensed up I guess, because the nurse started patting my arm and reminded me to breathe because I was turning red and they didn't want me passing out. The doctor asked me if I felt the burn/pain shooting down my big toe ("Um, kinda down all my toes, none in particular") and apparently she readjusted the needle (I felt that this time-no magic cold spray-BOO) and then BANG! Hands down probably the worst pain my poor toe has been subjected to, as a hot white poker-like feeling shot down into my toe every few seconds. Success... (Ha!) The doctor seemed to be pleased and asked me to hang on just a little bit longer, it was almost over. (HURRY UP!!!) The nurse kept reminding me to breathe and then it was done. Phew!

She left me laying down for a few minutes while the pain subsided and then told me to hold on to the arm rests...(What?!?!)Suddenly- YANK YANK YANK!(Popped the bones back into alignment) AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! (Insert Alex trying VERY hard not to think very bad words here... this toe thing has really challenged my No Cussing lifestyle!) The doctor appologized over and over as she did this, and the nurse just kinda had this pity look I wanted to reach up and wipe off her face with a good swift smack! (Yeah, it's brought out the rage in me too...) Finally she was done and they let me lay there again for another 5 minutes while "the color returned to my face" as per the doc.

She then taped my foot up nice and snug again and we talked about my options. Basically there are 2: cast me for special orthotics that I will have to wear in my shoes to help keep my MTP joint from locking up and help with the pain... OR stick me in an air cast for a while. The orthotics are the best long-term treatment obviously, but there is a hang-up. Only ONE lab in the entire nation makes the kinda I need for Hallux Limitus, and apparently they are (of course) "extremely expensive." Wait, it gets better... Apparently most insurance companies won't cover them, surprise suprise! SO... I have to do some reaserach and as she put it, "fight tooth and nail to get them to approve it or at least send it through the special appeals process." GREAT. In the meanwhile, we'll probably have to do the aircast thing until either A) we get this approved and covered or B)January comes along and we can use our FSA when it re-sets for the year. Either way, it doesn't seem like any of this will get done soon so yeah... I'm not a happy camper. I have another appointment in a few weeks to get the ball rolling one way or another and probably to get tortured some more.

*Sigh* :(