Rec contr' Amor non es guirens lai on sos poclers, s'autra.

Don Cherry was right - Ducks vs. the Sens.

Also, I might have high blood pressure. The nurse yesterday was baffled - I eat well, exercise regularly, don't smoke, and don't drink a lot. I don't have a very stressful job, I'm concerned about anything (well, little concerns, but nothing that's abnormal) right now, I'm sleeping fine, my caffeine intake isn't all that much (2 cups a day, in the morning, of coffee). I'm to keep an eye on it - go into the drugstore and test myself randomly.

For years, my blood pressure was 120/80 or 120/70. Back when I drank like a fish, ate horrible food, was stressed about school, smoked, and never did any form of exercie. Now that I'm "healthy" my blood pressure is 136/94.

Bah!

A.

Who sleeps for 11 hours?? 11 hours!?!

God, this virus is going to be the death of.....well, ok not me. I'm not nearly that dramatic, but it sure is putting up one hell of a fight.

A.

I have no idea what moved into my throat, but it is nasty. I had next to no voice this morning, and whispered and croaked my way through the first half of class (this sucks as I do have a student who is partially deaf) and then my voice came back, but I started hacking up anything liquid in my body.

On a total plus side, one of my student bought me tea. Also, I'm done work at 1:30, so I can go home and continue sleeping. (Which I've been doing for nearly two days straight - with the exception of going to work for 4 hours yesterday, and the 5 hours at work Wed. Oh, and the hour at the Oak Wed. night.)

A.

About a month or so ago, my mom bought a winter jacket at Sports Experts. Or whatever that store is at Bayshore. Anyway, they gave her a $50 gift certificate, which she promptly passed on to me.

I'd been thinking about taking up running, but couldn't really bear the thought of paying $100+ on ugly shoes. I have a hard enough time shelling out $40 for pretty shoes, and I put off buying sensible shoes until I have worn out my old pairs. Actually, even then I continue to put off buying a new pair. I am just not a very good shoe shopper, ok?

So today, I sucked it all up. I bought a pair of 'sensible' sneakers - very retro Champion sneakers that were on sale at Payless. Then I headed up stairs to Sports Experts (or whatever that store is at Bayshore) and bought a pair of runners - ok, cross-trainers actually. Originally $139, on sale for $85, and I got $50 off with the gift certificate. Basically, these runners only cost me $46, which I can handle. Are they the best shoes out there? No, of course not, you get what you pay for. But I don't know if I'm going to like running, I don't know how often I'll be using these shoes, and I figure a trainer set of shoes is probably a better investment that shelling out the big bucks for the frickin' awesome shoes.

Now, I'm going to try and get a hold of my friend who took up running last year, and borrow her book on "how to run" - or rather, how to start slowly and build yourself up to running.

A.

So my two back-to-back 15.5 hour work days are both done. Yay! Although, yesterday ended up being only 14.5 hours 'cause I got to leave Coles an hour early. Why? Because of this cold. I don't want to get any sicker (can't afford to, with two jobs), and sleep/rest is kind of paramount in that department. Thankfully, we get scheduled til an hour past close, so I was there for the important help customers part of the evening. I stayed long enough to sweep (again. I swept last night for gods sakes!) and tidy the shelves, then I got to leave.

So how do I feel today? I have a sneaking suspesion that I'm going to have a sore throat soon. Also, my nose is still running. But, I feel good - I have energy, and waking up wasn't that hard today, so I guess I'm not too bad. I have a short day at work, I'm off at 2, then I'm coming home and sleeping. Or at the very least, I'm going to sit and rest and drink tea and just relax.

A.

My gods! How much snot can one head hold??

And it's not stuffy snot, it's dripping and running snot. I am constantly blowing my nose. I may as well attached a bucket to my head.

I don't know which I prefer - having a clob, or having a leaky faucet.

Gah!

A.

The prime reason I don't own a scale is because of one simple reason, and that reason waved it's arm hello the other day when I weighed myself, using a friend's scale.

Now, Saturday I was shopping with my mom, and we were in the "bed and bath" section of the store, and I saw a pile of scales. So I used one, which said I had gained weight. So I tried another one, with the same results. This surprised me, because;

My clothins says I've lost weight. T-shirts are a little looser, pants/skirts (freshly laundered and dryer dried, so they weren't baggy due to stretch) are looser, I've actually gone down a bra size.....all these things would indicate that I am, in fact, loosing weight.

But the scales? Those treacherous things say I've gained 5 lbs.

So I used my friends scale to see if the scales in the store were just on crack. And they're not. That's three scales that say I've gained weight.

So who do I believe? Do I listen to my clothing, that fits better? (This is true, actually. I had gained weight, and some clothes were not fitting the way they used to) Or do I instead listen to the scale, which would indicate that I, perhaps, should start watching exactly what I'm eating, and to cut back on sugar-y, procsessed foods?

Yeah, you could say "but muscles weigh more than fat does!!!" and you'd be right, only I haven't been doing anything remotely muscle-building. I've been walking, and that's pretty much it. In fact, I'd go with muscle-loss 'cause I haven't been using my hand weights like I used to.

A.

everytime I get up from my couch, or go to sit on my couch, I hit either the corner of the couch's arm rest, or the corner of the coffee table. Both are at the same hight, so I have matching bruises on my thighs.

On the up side, this guy I know (vaguely. very vaguely) is a free-lance writer, and wants me to edit his articles. This job will actually pay a little more than my teaching job, but I probably won't be doing it as much.

A.

Live! From Whiney Land:

I so rarely go into whiney territory, that I don't feel bad for doing so now.

I felt nausous all day yesterday. Then, around 4, something moved into my throat and took up shop. I've had a sore throat for about a week now, but this was that made it hurt to swallow, and felt like a small boulder got lodged in there. I woke up without it, but it seems to be back now.

For various reasons (work, laundry, previous engagment, bad date) I've been out every night since Monday. And my gods, how one person can stand so many crappy nights in one go is beyond me!

Last night, around 6, I had to literally drag myself to get ready for the concert. But I figured, I can't let bambiblue down. Little did I know. I arrived at the venue, shuffled inside with the rest of the concert-goers, and we all waited. And waited. And waited. And then the first opening band went on. And they played slow, jazzy funeral music. And my back started to hurt -- right where I have the pinched nerve. Which usually means that I'm going to lose the ability to stand, very very quickly. (I didn't, but anyway)

After a half hour of play, and a half hour of empty stage, the second band went on. I've never heard anyone try so hard to sound like Kim Mitchell.

Feist went on at 11. By 11:10, I was out the door. She opened with a slow, langorous song, which was nice, but I've been standing, bored, for 2 hours. Open with something that will get me excited -- Mushaboom, say.

Anyway, I've now got a raging headache, my eyes are dry, and my back still hurts, and the evening was a bust.

A.

I've got a cold.

I'm not sneezing, my nose isn't running, but I'm coughing a lot, and it sounds like my left lung is trying to strangle my esophagus and escape. I spent all of last night coughing. I tried propping my upper body up on the huge mound of pillows that have migrated onto my bed. I tried water, I tried honey, I even tried to ignore it.

All to no avail.

I've got a cold.

So much for walking downtown today. I was going to go and deposit my roommate's rent money (yes, he gives me money, and not a cheque) and then go to MAC -- I have six empty containers! Yay -- free lipstick! Doesn't look like any of that will be happening any time soon.

I did manage to walk down to Carleton and print off an application form for the Canada Council for the Arts, though. And do some mailing, and pick up some envelopes. I also returned my video, and stopped by work to pick up a few things on the same trip. So it hasn't been an unproductive day, I was just hoping to get more done.

I'm feeling much better today after my Saturday from hell. My body was under the belief that it would feel better if my lungs were on the outside, rather than the inside. Thankfully, I only had to work for three hours. I did, however, get up early to sell some of the stuff that had accumulated in my apartemnt. I made $130 at the garage sale -- and the most expensive thing I was selling was a DVD for $3. I figured, how much could I really get for "Attack of the Clones?"

Oh, and yesterday? Dyed my hair again. After years of being good and not touching it, and finding out what my natural colour is, I've started to dye it again. That can't be a good sign. I think it's like the time that I took a pair of scissors to it, and hacked it all off. Gave myself a cute little elf-like haircut, actually. I quite liked it. Hmmmm.......

A.

Shannen Doherty, Wil Wheaton and Joey Lawrence were all in the Secret of NIMH.

I'm home sick. My brother brought me soup and crackers. I asked him for the soup, he thought of the crackers. Maybe he's growing up after all.

A.

3 days.

If I had known it was going to be this easy, I would have done it a lot sooner.

Well, probably not, but meh.

And, I finally donated blood today, for the first time.

Plus, I look fantastic in a tiara, even if I'm just doing some grocery shopping.

A.

I have a car for the next three days.

That's not the point, I just wanted to brag.

The point of this, is just so that I could have the chance to say:

*ahem*

( this )

that's all.

My wrist broke out in a rash today, then swelled up to twice it's size. The swellings gone down, the rash....well, it's spread a little, but doesn't itch as much as before.

Very random, freak thing. I don't know what caused it....currently, I have nothing on that arm. I took off my watch and bracelet, and I'm hoping that it all clears up soon, so I can try them one at a time to see which one caused it. If it wasn't one of those, I have no clue. No idea what would have caused this, this, allergic (?) reaction. I'm assuming it's allergies. I'm hoping it's allergies. Maybe I'll finally have some really cool, really random, really non-life altering allergy.

Last night, the manager at work decided to have her husband come in, and rip up the carpet in the office, which is in the basement. She'd been feeling sick while in the office, and (surprise, surprise) the carpet was disintegrating, and mouldy. So he (the husband) tore up the carpet, and we lit a "lampe berger" in the office. (A "lampe berger" is kind of like an oil lamp, but not. It was developed in Paris in (I think) the 19th century, and used in hospitals to disinfect and clear the air -- and it does. There's a catalytic burner that you light for about 2 minutes, then you blow out the flame, and it burns off scented alcohol that's in the lamp part. Within minutes, the air no longer retains the smells -- ie fish, cigarette smoke, BO, farts.....whatever.)

Today, she and her husband come in at noon (we're open 9 to 6) and go downstairs, to the office. She vacuums and sweeps up the dust/dirt/floor. It's crumbling, you see, and every time you step on it, more cracks off. Then he goes into the office, and paints the floor.

Yeah, that's right. Paints. In a basement. On a rainy, cold, day. In a poorly ventilated building. That I have to be in for another 6 hours. Needless to say, I'm a little nausous right now. Have been for oh.....four hours. We lit the lampe berger, but honestly, I think the paint fumes were just tooo strong. Will have to remember to let customers know that it's not good for paint fumes.

My co-worker and I tried propping open the door. But still, any customer that did brave the cold and wet, turned around and left almost as soon as they stepped in. I left to get some fresh air, and upon entering the store -- phew. Strong. No wonder everyone kept leaving.

On another note, I ordered Feist's album "Let it Die" today, at Compact Music. I usually get a discount there, as I work next door. Oddly, no one else that I work with, including the manager, does. They're currently all sold out, and aren't expecting a shipment of any cd's before May 6. The guy (one of the owners actually) suggested I could find it quicker somewhere else, but it's just easier getting it there. I don't have to walk/bus my ass downtown, and I'm supporting a small business. So, he ordered it in for me, and is just going to call my work when it comes in. I tried hinting that I was looking for a new job -- hey, who knows?? Maybe if they're looking for someone, he'll think of me and hire me! The pay might not be good, but I'd love to work in a music store. Can't be as bad as working at Carleton, right?

How am I supposed to dress appropriately for work when it is -2C now, but going up to 14C this afternoon?  I'll either breeze walking to work, or roast on the way home.

Also, I think I'm going to slowly wean myself off of somen caffine.  Perhaps four cups a day is not good for one, yes?  no?  I'll slowly work myself down to two coffees, and herbal tea.  Maybe that will make me a little less jumpy.

So here she is, folks, out of her box and up and running.

Not that you can tell, but hey. I know I'm typing on my new laptop.

Also -- my nose was all stuffed up last night -- I was a mouth breather! Anyway, my friend suggest sleeping under a cover, 'cause it keeps it humid, so your throat won't dry out. It worked! No sore throat this morning, and no coughing during the night. I'm even a little elss stuffy today. :) Woohoo!

A.

I've been hovering around my bathroom most of the morning. The lower half of my digestive system is having a few issues with my upper half -- so every time I blow my nose......and hopefully you can figure out the rest. I called into work -- I don't think I'll be able to do 5 hours of work. I know 5 hours isn't a lot, but looking at my morning -- I just don't think it's a good idea. Plus, I'm nauseous, which started when I had toast, and seems to be exacerbated by water. Of course, because water is bad for you. As for work -- I'm going in at 2:30, leaving (hopefully) at 6. I think I can do that. I can probably hoop myself up on meds to last that long. Much as I hate taking meds, someone else at work is sick, so I can't just not go in.

Oh god, I have to blow my nose again. *weep* My nose is sore and chapped and red.

The good thing that is coming out of this -- my laptop is being delivered today, so most likely I will be home to recieve it. I am, however, too sick to do anything with it -- right now I have no patience, and I'm easily frustrated.

A.

So I'm feeling fine. As in "I feel fine, but my nose is still runny, and it hurts from the constant blowing of." But otherwise -- fine. No cotton head. No scratchy throat. No headache from stuffed sinuses. What do I have?? I think I'm reeling more because this is the first cold/virus that I've caught since......umm, since......well, it's been a while. At least a year. Does Buckley's help with sinuses?

EDIT: Um.....I should have knocked on wood there. My "feeling fine" was true, until I had toast. Now I've got sweats, chills, shakes, and nausea.

On an unrelated matter -- last night my laptop was in Concord, ON. That's near North York. So I figure my laptop should be getting here tomorrow. Figuring that it will travel to Ottawa today, than languish around somewhere for a few hours. I'l hoping it's delivered prior to 10 am, as I'm working 11:30 to 5:30. *sigh* Maybe I can *cough*cough* call in sick tomorrow? Doubtful.

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