Niceness

So after all of the hellish medical issues I have been having lately it would seem that things have finally began to calm themselves down a little bit. I feel bad because I have skipped the last few practices which is not something I ever do, but my body and my school work load are demanding it as this point and I have been trying to do 90min steady states when I can, but there just doesn't seem to be enough time in the day. Eh, well, life goes on.

Speaking of medical issues, I think things have been cleared up. I am on medication for the next ten days, which I am never a fan of, but I will suck it up and deal so that I can spend as little time with the nice people in white coats as possible. I have noticed that when I am stressed out over these things singing is always a nice was to release. I have been singing A LOT in the shower lately. On a side note (and because this blog is titled for musical things) I am going to be singing for a group at the senior center and a special group in hospice care next month. I am looking forward to this because I love old people, and because I love singing and preforming. Part of the e-mail I was sent was also looking for people to impersonate Billie Holiday for a special performance for a woman that has Alzheimers and if a huge fan. Because of her condition she refuses to believe that Holiday is no longer with us, and her care taker wants her to be able to see a performance "live" before she goes. I found both immense happiness and sadness in this story. I don't know what you think.

Went out to dinner with David yesterday night, I really had a wonderful time and it was good catching up with someone I am fond of and haven't spoken to in a while. I find David interesting (and if he is reading this I hope he doesn't mind I am talking about him) because, though we tend to come to some similar conclusions about certain aspects of life, we get there VERY differently. This is in no way a bad or a good thing, it is just interesting to talk to someone who has a different base of beliefs that would lead him to similar conclusions. David, as well as a couple of other guys that I know, seem to have a different emotional and logical reaction to scenarios than I do. Being happy by making yourself feel so, viewing death (even in premature situations) as a natural part of everything, and taking the approach that if it is done when its done than one should live their lives the same way one would live if there is an afterlife or a heaven. I guess I tend to lend myself deeper into my emotions than that (not saying anyone who holds these beliefs to be unemotional) but then again, there are some aspects of my life were I do do that...so maybe I am not all that different.

Went to visit Co-Ops yesterday with Ski. It was a lot of fun and I am becoming excited about living in one next year assuming I get all my ducks in a row. For those of you that are not familiar with Co-Ops (short for housing cooperatives) they are student run houses that can have any number of people from 5 to 50, depending on the house size, that are self sufficient and governed. I would move into a room and then have a certain amount of chores that I have to do in order to contribute to the house. I would sleep, live and eat with people in my house and would be part of the larger cooperative community. I know this set up is wonderfully hippyish, but I am thinking that it is going to work out well for me. I like having a family, I like being around people and functioning within a caring group and I think this is what it is going to be like in a Co-Op. I think Ski and I are going to move into the same house which will also be nice because I will have a friend around in the case that I don't get along with people (which isn't going to happen because I pretty much get along with anyone.)

After seeing two of the houses yesterday, Avalon house and David Bowie house, I am leaning a lot more toward Bowie. I liked the set up and though they are not partiers at all, I don't think i will have any problem finding those when I want them. They also have a big kitchen and I could sign up to cook for people a couple of nights a week and get my house work requirement done. Avalon was cool but they throw 300+ person parties on the regular and they had a bake room dedicated to getting high on opium and pot and painting on the walls. I am a hippie to be sure, but not that much of one. I am hoping I get to know some of the people in that house though, because they seemed really chill and eclectic bunch and the girl that gave us the tour had on face paint and a circus outfit and was teaching people how to fire twirl.

Well that is pretty much it, getting stuff done and keeping my head above water. Tattoo in December, wisdom teeth out in a week, Disney World for Christmas.

Love you all, and hope everything is coming up roses. Peace

~The Singing Ginger

Adventures in the ER

So all was going well yesterday, I was at work and doing what i do best...stocking. When suddenly a very embarrassing medical problem came up, for now we will refer to it as "massive flesh wound," it wasn't but that sounds cooler. Being the committed employee that I am I remained at work for another hour and a half after my "massive flesh wound" and didn't think a whole lot of it but thought it might be a good idea to call my Aunt Martha (who is a nurse) and make sure that I shouldn't be taking anything. Of course, to my total and utter dismay, my Aunt tells me I need to go to the ER immediately for my "massive flesh wound" and that I should not go to my spanish class.

For those of you that might be reading this that don't know much about me: I hate hospitals, other than births, there is nothing happy that happens in hospitals that doesn't come from something bad. I don't like feeling like I am taking up the time of doctors and nurses that could be better used for other people that might actually have massive flesh wounds, and I don't like the freaking gowns that they put you in. So of course I get through triage and then they take me into a room, put me in a gown and ask me a million questions about what the hell is going on with me. They then hook me up to an saline drip IV, a heart monitor, and a little plastic finger thingy. Then the nice doctor lady informs we that I am going to need to get a CT scan of my abdomen to make sure I don't have anything more serious than a "massive flesh wound."

For those of you that haven't had a CT (because up until last night I had never had one) the first step is that they give you this gross liquid stuff they hide in apple juice that lights up your organs or some sillyness like that, then about 30mins later they give you another one. An hour after the first drink they take you into the CT room and lay you down in the giant doughnut. The doughnut tells you to breathe in, hold it, and then breathe out. Then the tech lady comes in and injects you with iodine which had all sorts of weird effects. The doughnut talks to you again and then they put you back on the rolly bed, like an invalid, and take you back to your room.

That was pretty much the most exciting part of my night. Other than playing with my heart rate on the monitor by relaxing my breathing and muscles and then hyperventilating and tensing. Just in case any of you wanted to know I can get my body to flex between 101 and 96 on the heart rate monitor.

All in all it wasn't a horrible experience, other than the very fact of having to be there. The people were really great and the doctor's did their jobs. Still hate hospitals though. Hope this finds you better than I was last night.

~The Singing Ginger