Radio Silence

I keep putting off posting a new blog. Not that there's nothing to talk about, just that I can't seem to find anything around which I would like to build a blog. (I really like the phrase "build a blog" btw. I keep saying it over and over.)

Anyhow, in light of this reluctance to blog, I have decided that I will post random snippets to help out any blog readers I have left (hello? are you out there?) who happen to be bored and searching for entertainment. (oh, and also? My most vocal blog prodder just had twins - one of which is named Emily, ahem - so that's why she hasn't been prodding me much lately.)

* Fall has cometh and with it I have a healthy dog again. Woot! Her coat is beautiful, her eyes are no longer red rimmed, AND she's losing weight. What. A. Relief. I know this happens every year, so it's no surprise, but it is always a relief. The summer months must be terrible for her, and, like any good mother, I hate to see that. Luckily, we seem to have stumbled upon a drug regimen that might help stave off her symptoms next year even while keeping her in a zombie-like state. Still, zombie dog > monster dog. Keep your fingers crossed.

* With the onset of cold weather, Casey has started this new behavior that is disturbing only because it shows how smart she is. I like to keep my house cold at night and Casey sleeps in the bed with me. During the night we move apart because we both need our own space, but as soon as she hears my alarm go off in the morning, she get up, stretches, then cuddles up right next to my stomach. It's like the worst snooze button in the world. Seriously. I haven't been on time once since the cold set in.

* I know that news about vet school admission won't come until December, but I can't help but tense up each time I check the mail these days. Just reject me and get it over with already! I'm resigned to the fact that I'll have to try again. I promise. It's the waiting that I can not bear.

* Remember when I got my ears pierced? Yeah. It turns out that it takes less time to heal from a tattoo than it does for me to heal from these stinking piercings. There is one in particular that seems to be testing me in a battle of wills, and it's not the "weird" one. I got my tragus pierced, as well as three more lobe piercings. So in total, I have three piercings in each ear - two in my left lobe + the tragus, and three in my right ear. The third one in my right ear just does NOT want to heal. It's like my ear is saying, "Look, bitch - we lived just fine with one piercing in this ear for thirty-two years, and now you want three? We'll just see about that." ARGH. I think I knew I would have trouble with this coming into it given that my ears seem sensitive to anything other than 24-carat gold. But five months later?! Argh, I tell you. Argh.

* This semester of school is my first one without organic chemistry since this time last year. This is both a blessing and a curse. Blessing because I can actually succeed in these classes. Curse because I find myself thinking, "Study? I don't need to study. I am too smart for these classes." Yeah. After my first round of tests I went through the whole "Thank you, Lord, for teaching me humility" ritual.

* Do you know what you should never do? Look up your boyfriend's ex-girlfriend on Facebook. It doesn't matter how secure you feel about your life and relationship - nothing good can come of this.

* I did not do anything for Halloween this year save ogle my friend's children in their adorable costumes. It was a pretty relaxing holiday. I fear this is the onset of old age.

* I completed my last bike ride of the season on October 30th. The wind was just as terrible as another ride I did. Still, I got a free beer at the end of the ride to celebrate, so that took some of the sting off. And that ride brought my mileage total for the summer to 1353 - way beyond the goal I set. That was a nice achievement. Now to move on to the next one.

* Right. We had our second annual reunion for those who studied abroad in Costa Rica this past month. It was fantastic and I could blog about it forever. Seriously. These people astound me, and the fact that they are my friends is continually amazing. And so it was the perfect storm when we stumbled upon this relay race, and they all immediately wanted to put a team together. Nevermind that I dislike running. Nevermind that I haven't run a mile in over three years. I respect these folks and they threw down a challenge. "Challenge Extended" to quote Barney Stinson. I have no choice but to accept. So if you weren't ready for this blog to become a bunch of complaining about the horrors of running, prepare yourself now.

* I've never mentioned this before, but the one thing that I will always have from the boy (should this relationship end) is an outstanding collection of outerwear. Seriously. For the last few Christmases and Birthdays (beginning with the trek to Peru, come to think of it) the boy has gifted me with more coats and jackets than I thought were available for purchase. This one for cold weather above 40 degrees Fahrenheit. This one for cold weather below 40 degrees. This one for cold weather with precipitation. This one for warmer weather with precipitation. This one for riding my bike in the rain. It's ridiculous. I had to put a stop to it after the last one because, really, do I seem like a girl who would ride her bike in the rain? Still, I guess I am completely covered for any sort of weather patterns I should ever face. Ever.

* Next semester I will only have one final class to complete, and it's only two credit hours. That's the fewest credit hours I've taken since I started this endeavor in fall of 2007. Holy Cow. That's both terrifying and exciting. Exciting because, woo hoo I'm almost done! Terrifying because I've reached the end of things that I can control in my quest to be a vet. Now we just cross our fingers and wait, yes? Please think good thoughts...

Stupid is as Stupid does...

I have to go to the doctor.

There. I've said it. (or at least written it)

I have to go to the doctor.

I did it again.

See, I have this problem with doctors. I'm not scared of them, it's just that they want to prescribe medicine, and I'm just not a medicine taker. Oh, I'm not entirely crazy.....I've been known to partake in a little NyQuil from time to time (aka the miracle drug) but that's only when the sickness is so bad that I only have a choice between NyQuil and suffocating myself with a pillow.

The fact that society as a whole is overmedicated is a factor in my reluctance to visit said doctors, but I also have this whole belief of a mind, body, spirit balance (which is an entirely different blog) which makes me think that the body can take care of itself. You just have to listen to what it says.

But I digress. In this situation, I have to go to the doctor to have them look at my knee. Which sucks.

See, I was in a car accident in August of 2004. By Car Accident, I mean there was a car, and there was Emily on rollerblades. The car won. My left knee lost. I have since learned that you should *not* rollerblade at 5:00am - even through Fishers, which is a fairly safe, well to do community. Apparently there are some well to do men who just have to make their tee times, and don't have time to look for pedestrians on their way to the very exclusive golf course. I did go to a doctor then, but this was only two days later when I couldn't bend my knee or walk. The doctor (very young and cute by the way) x-rayed my knee, said he didn't see any tears or fractures, and determined that I should just let it heal on its own. No joke. He then charged me about $150.00. Fabulous.

My problem now, in March of 2006, is that I am training to run in the Indianapolis Mini-Marathon. I'm doing pretty well, actually, but the further I run, the more I feel something is not completely okay with my knee. It's not that it hurts, exactly, just that the joint feels....loose....in a sinister sort of way. I've been wearing various knee braces depending on my activity for the evening (one for running, another for Pilates, another for volleyball, etc.) But it's gotten to the point where the knee aches for days now.

So if I was not stubborn, and I was following my own advice, I would say that my knee is telling me that it can't handle the amount of running that I'm making it do, and I need to slow down a bit. Maybe entirely. It might be telling me that the elliptical machine is my new best friend.

And I know this. And I know I'm ignoring my body's advice, and I'm relying on knee braces to help me through this. I can ignore unspoken advice. But I really really really don't want the doctor to tell me I can't run the mini. Seriously. This is the 8th week of training. I'm up to running 8 miles. That's HUGE. When I started, I could only run 3 miles - on a good day - with an oxygen tank.

So I'm bummed. And postponing the inevitable.

But I have to go to the doctor. :-(