it already been a week? sorry 'bout that.
well, other than cramming some new songs on the iPod, the week wasn't anything special. we watched Lois' eye swell up from a stye and eventually subside to a small pimple on the eyelid. we almost had it out with an idiot company that 'books' hotels in Mexico...only to find out they don't have instant confirmation and give you the run around. i'll keep you posted on that. there had better NOT be any charges on my credit card...grrr.
so i just got a hotel booked for Mexico City. usually, i wouldn't worry about it because there's a surplus of rooms...even in a town of 8 million people (20 million in the metropolitan area). however, seeing as this is the week of mexican independence, many places will be sold out on the night of the 15th. better safe than sorry, right? and trust me, we have had our share of being sorry when it comes to a hotel room...
weather is supposed to be in the 70's all week with a 30-60% of rain - kinda typical of mexico city from june to september. villahermosa and cancun will be in the mid-90's and high humidity. lois was mentioning how it's a bit of a hassle to pack for two climates.
gotta jump in the shower and be at the airport in an hour. hope you all have a great week!
Monday, September 12, 2005
Sunday, September 04, 2005
finally...
finished watching 'How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying'. we had been trying to watch it over the past three days, only to fall asleep after 20 minutes or so. it's not that it was boring - not at all - we just started watching too late every time.
ever see it? kind of a classic...considering there were few movie musicals in the late 60's. i can only think of 'Thoroughly Modern Millie'...'Oliver'...'Sweet Charity'...'Hello, Dolly!'...'Camelot'...and 'Paint Your Wagon'.
i was totally surprised by the awesome voices of the cast. i had no idea that Michele Lee, who is known for her dramatic work in 'Knots Landing', had such a sweet voice...kinda like Barbra Streisand w/ Lena Horne phrasing. wow!
basically, the movie is about a window washer named Pierpot Finch, who buys a book called 'How To...(same as movie)' and moves up the corporate ladder. within a couple weeks, he has back stabbed, manipulated, and ass kissed his way up to Chairman of the Board. it really is a hilarious ride. what's even funnier is that, even though the movie was made nearly 40 years ago, much of the corporate crap portrayed in the movie is evident today.
the strongest points of the movie are definitely the choreography and music. the legendary Bob Fosse choreographed the slick dance scenes and Nelson Riddle (who was famous for his work with Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole), with his sweeping strings and soaring horns, directed the music.
i think i must spend another three days watching it again ;)
ever see it? kind of a classic...considering there were few movie musicals in the late 60's. i can only think of 'Thoroughly Modern Millie'...'Oliver'...'Sweet Charity'...'Hello, Dolly!'...'Camelot'...and 'Paint Your Wagon'.
i was totally surprised by the awesome voices of the cast. i had no idea that Michele Lee, who is known for her dramatic work in 'Knots Landing', had such a sweet voice...kinda like Barbra Streisand w/ Lena Horne phrasing. wow!
basically, the movie is about a window washer named Pierpot Finch, who buys a book called 'How To...(same as movie)' and moves up the corporate ladder. within a couple weeks, he has back stabbed, manipulated, and ass kissed his way up to Chairman of the Board. it really is a hilarious ride. what's even funnier is that, even though the movie was made nearly 40 years ago, much of the corporate crap portrayed in the movie is evident today.
the strongest points of the movie are definitely the choreography and music. the legendary Bob Fosse choreographed the slick dance scenes and Nelson Riddle (who was famous for his work with Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole), with his sweeping strings and soaring horns, directed the music.
i think i must spend another three days watching it again ;)
one last update...
on the eye. i did see the retinal specialist on monday and he says that everything is looking extremely good. although i still have a major floater which has detached from a nerve ending, that and the cloudiness will dissipate over the upcoming months.
YAY!!!
i've been off all ophthalmic drops for a week now. the dilation is starting to finally break up; the pupil is ACTUALLY shrinking!
i have one more visit with the corneal specialist the week following my trip to Mexico. still a little anxious...but this time it's for all the right reasons. remember my anxiety in my June 7th posting? THAT was due to the uncertainty of the diagnosis. well, no more. all things bright and beautiful...
i truly think reading blogs is good therapy for eye afflictions. provided you have one eye to read 'em with :)
YAY!!!
i've been off all ophthalmic drops for a week now. the dilation is starting to finally break up; the pupil is ACTUALLY shrinking!
i have one more visit with the corneal specialist the week following my trip to Mexico. still a little anxious...but this time it's for all the right reasons. remember my anxiety in my June 7th posting? THAT was due to the uncertainty of the diagnosis. well, no more. all things bright and beautiful...
i truly think reading blogs is good therapy for eye afflictions. provided you have one eye to read 'em with :)
did you know...
that taking a vitamin B complex from Target
...makes your pee an intense neon yellow?
weird.
...makes your pee an intense neon yellow?
weird.
Friday, September 02, 2005
whatchudoin...
this weekend? i know some people (like 500,000) are going to the TasteofColorado at the Civic Center Plaza. it's a time honored Labor Day weekend tradition. more than 50 food booths, numerous crafts, kiddie rides, music stages, and never ending throngs of people.
i used to like going...but i'm getting more and more intolerant of crowds as i get older. of course, this coming from a person who loves to go to huge metropolitan areas like Mexico City, Lima, Madrid, Chicago, NYC...and one of these days: Sao Paulo, Mumbai, Shanghai, and Tokyo/Yokohama.
instead, we may go to Lakeside Amusement Park for a train ride and some barf-o-rama rides. well, for lois ;) after i had labyrinthitis in 1996, i can't do the roller coasters, tilt-a-whirls, etc. boo. we could always go to Six Flags and drop some serious money, but we're savin' pennies for our trip. besides, they don't have a train ride or 10 cent tix. it's all about nostalgia, ain't it?
i used to like going...but i'm getting more and more intolerant of crowds as i get older. of course, this coming from a person who loves to go to huge metropolitan areas like Mexico City, Lima, Madrid, Chicago, NYC...and one of these days: Sao Paulo, Mumbai, Shanghai, and Tokyo/Yokohama.
instead, we may go to Lakeside Amusement Park for a train ride and some barf-o-rama rides. well, for lois ;) after i had labyrinthitis in 1996, i can't do the roller coasters, tilt-a-whirls, etc. boo. we could always go to Six Flags and drop some serious money, but we're savin' pennies for our trip. besides, they don't have a train ride or 10 cent tix. it's all about nostalgia, ain't it?
i love eBay...
i've used eBay for the better part of five years now and have loaded up the house with numerous things. it's the must spend attitude, especially when there's a deal to be had, right?
well, today i got some earbud headphones that i won last week. they're Sennheiser MX400s that retail for $14.99. i didn't quite get 'em for a steal, but with shipping, they cost me less than $7.
there's something about the sound of Sennheisers. they create a rich and bassy sound that is usually devoid in Sonys, et al. sure, i have an old, trusty pair of fontopias (Sony earbuds) that have lasted me for probably ten years, but they are a bit tinny. even though i've bought Sennheiser products for twenty years now, it's always nice to get more ;)
never heard of 'em? well, it's a german company that has been making headphones for at least 70 years. they're known for the classic and funky looking HD414's that they started making in the early 30's. and now, their line consists of affordable portable headphones ranging in the $10-$20 range to electrostatic headphones going for $15,000. yeah, you read that right...fifteen grand. would you like this car or a pair of headphones?
of course, those electrostatic headphones are custom made for the audiophile maniac with way too much money. there are some HD650's though, that can be had for a mere $500. here's a pic:
gotta look for some better prices you know where...
well, today i got some earbud headphones that i won last week. they're Sennheiser MX400s that retail for $14.99. i didn't quite get 'em for a steal, but with shipping, they cost me less than $7.
there's something about the sound of Sennheisers. they create a rich and bassy sound that is usually devoid in Sonys, et al. sure, i have an old, trusty pair of fontopias (Sony earbuds) that have lasted me for probably ten years, but they are a bit tinny. even though i've bought Sennheiser products for twenty years now, it's always nice to get more ;)
never heard of 'em? well, it's a german company that has been making headphones for at least 70 years. they're known for the classic and funky looking HD414's that they started making in the early 30's. and now, their line consists of affordable portable headphones ranging in the $10-$20 range to electrostatic headphones going for $15,000. yeah, you read that right...fifteen grand. would you like this car or a pair of headphones?
of course, those electrostatic headphones are custom made for the audiophile maniac with way too much money. there are some HD650's though, that can be had for a mere $500. here's a pic:
i don't think so. however, i wouldn't mind the HD580's, they only cost $200...
or some HD265's for a measly $160...
gotta look for some better prices you know where...
mouse is dying...
so i'll spend some time typin' while it's recharging. even 15 minutes of charging is good...
speaking of dying mice, we have those too. due to lois' kindheartedness, feeding the birds/squirrels has brought in a bevy of mice into the house. they had already been hanging out in the tall decorative grasses in the back when they decided to move in. after all, if there's good food outside, there may be better INside. and we rodentia hear that the little red bungalow has hot water heat (in the radiators) and a cozy fireplace. yeah, we don't even require deposits...even if they leave a coprolitic one.
so...we've been busy buying glue traps and poisoned bait. a traditional snap trap baited with pnut butter is still a good option. however, these little buggers are pretty good at stealing the treat without setting off the trap. glue? while it's not the most humane option - they end up starving to death - it's more foolproof.
in the past week or so, eight mice have met their fate near the dishwasher, where they hole up underneath. there are two entrances/exits which we put the traps near. of course, it'd be much easier to bung up the holes. unfortunately, that means finding the outside holes from which they enter (as well). i think we're gonna do the traps there for a couple weeks before tackling that. i always have visions of proliferating mice underneath the floorboards...unable to reach them.
speaking of dying mice, we have those too. due to lois' kindheartedness, feeding the birds/squirrels has brought in a bevy of mice into the house. they had already been hanging out in the tall decorative grasses in the back when they decided to move in. after all, if there's good food outside, there may be better INside. and we rodentia hear that the little red bungalow has hot water heat (in the radiators) and a cozy fireplace. yeah, we don't even require deposits...even if they leave a coprolitic one.
so...we've been busy buying glue traps and poisoned bait. a traditional snap trap baited with pnut butter is still a good option. however, these little buggers are pretty good at stealing the treat without setting off the trap. glue? while it's not the most humane option - they end up starving to death - it's more foolproof.
in the past week or so, eight mice have met their fate near the dishwasher, where they hole up underneath. there are two entrances/exits which we put the traps near. of course, it'd be much easier to bung up the holes. unfortunately, that means finding the outside holes from which they enter (as well). i think we're gonna do the traps there for a couple weeks before tackling that. i always have visions of proliferating mice underneath the floorboards...unable to reach them.
Friday, August 26, 2005
shoppin' fools...
went to payless recently to find some nu shooz. i still had about $25 left on a gift card that i received at xmas...and it was burning a hole in my wallet. lucky us, the present promotion is buy one get one half off. i ended up finding a pair of similarly priced running shoes...
...and casual low cut boots (mine are blue and black though)
surprisingly, for the Spalding brand, the shoes were quite comfortable. it had been probably 10 years since i bought some Spalding shoes from Payless - the quality has come a long way. so...with the sale and the gift card, i ended up paying less than $15 for the two pairs. yay! i may take a pair with me to Mexico...
btw, we also got two pairs of sandals. lois was looking for a pair of comfy soccer slides to wear in Cancún and my current pair (even though i probably have three other pairs ;) is on its last mile. it must've been spalding night because we found some ultra comfy and light pairs for $12.99...that rang up $3.00 and $1.50 (sale) when we got to the front. BONUS! we are set!!!
...and casual low cut boots (mine are blue and black though)
surprisingly, for the Spalding brand, the shoes were quite comfortable. it had been probably 10 years since i bought some Spalding shoes from Payless - the quality has come a long way. so...with the sale and the gift card, i ended up paying less than $15 for the two pairs. yay! i may take a pair with me to Mexico...
btw, we also got two pairs of sandals. lois was looking for a pair of comfy soccer slides to wear in Cancún and my current pair (even though i probably have three other pairs ;) is on its last mile. it must've been spalding night because we found some ultra comfy and light pairs for $12.99...that rang up $3.00 and $1.50 (sale) when we got to the front. BONUS! we are set!!!
so...
freakin' sore. not having played v-ball in ten months has reared its ugly head and is kicking my ass (and the rest of my body) right now. joint pain everywhere. my legs hurt so bad that simply getting out of a chair is a chore. going up and down stairs is sheer adventure. and driving? imagine me having to lift my leg w/ my hand to get switch from accelerator to brakes. oh yeah, i'm just an accident waiting to happen.
so in my self-inflicted misery, i've missed out on a sneak peek of the soon-to-be open Newton Auditorium. the company for which Lois and Susie work, PCL Construction, has been renovating the old Auditorium Arena for the past two years. i heard the job cost around $90 million...wonder how much PCL gets.
anyway, the sneak peek tonight is a concert to test the acoustics; the venue is going to be a world class level opera house. lois told me that it was a sold out soiree - 2200 people in attendance. i'm just gonna hafta hear all the details seconhand...sigh. still, it's better than going and being a party pooper...'course, the alcohol would probably help heh.
so in my self-inflicted misery, i've missed out on a sneak peek of the soon-to-be open Newton Auditorium. the company for which Lois and Susie work, PCL Construction, has been renovating the old Auditorium Arena for the past two years. i heard the job cost around $90 million...wonder how much PCL gets.
anyway, the sneak peek tonight is a concert to test the acoustics; the venue is going to be a world class level opera house. lois told me that it was a sold out soiree - 2200 people in attendance. i'm just gonna hafta hear all the details seconhand...sigh. still, it's better than going and being a party pooper...'course, the alcohol would probably help heh.
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
off to the park...
i'm actually going to the park to play some v-ball. i can't believe that i've missed almost an entire summer due to my freakin' eye...which is maybe 85%. unfortunately, i think i've plateaued in my vision progress...which may mean one last steroid injection in the eyelid. i don't care what it takes, i just want to be 100% in the left eye.
my eye really has come a long way though. at the end of may, i couldn't even see a hand in front of my face...i was dispensing steroid eye drops at the rate of 16x a day for a week...dilating 3x a day...and on a strong regimen of 80mg. of prednisone (which made me crazy and gave me acne). now, my vision is 20/30 and i'm down to one steroid drop a day and one dilation. i've been off all pills and will stop the drops beginning sunday. i've got one more appointment with the retinal specialist on monday (who's probably gonna give me the shot) and another with the corneal guy at the end of september.
whew!
i'm hoping that ten days in mexico will be the turning point for the eye. mebbe beer, tacos, high altitude, and pollution make the magic elixir for uveitis ;)
my eye really has come a long way though. at the end of may, i couldn't even see a hand in front of my face...i was dispensing steroid eye drops at the rate of 16x a day for a week...dilating 3x a day...and on a strong regimen of 80mg. of prednisone (which made me crazy and gave me acne). now, my vision is 20/30 and i'm down to one steroid drop a day and one dilation. i've been off all pills and will stop the drops beginning sunday. i've got one more appointment with the retinal specialist on monday (who's probably gonna give me the shot) and another with the corneal guy at the end of september.
whew!
i'm hoping that ten days in mexico will be the turning point for the eye. mebbe beer, tacos, high altitude, and pollution make the magic elixir for uveitis ;)
busy...
not me. lois.
on sunday, she went down to Pueblo to visit her sis and bro-in-law. you remember, they were here visiting for a few days on their way back to Alaska. well, they made it as far as Walsenburg when Ken started to feel poorly and had a tough time breathing.
a 911 call gets an ambulance, with which he ends up in Pueblo ICU. were going to perform an angioplasty on monday, but found out that he needs a bypass instead. so, two of Pauline's sons are coming up from Texas to drive the mobile home back. Ken's gonna hafta wait a couple more days to get his bypass procedure. luckily, he can go back home and have it done there. i think it'd be strange to have it done in different environs, unless it were totally pertinent and a matter of life and death.
lois did make it back in one piece, considering the rain was just pouring south of castle rock (on her way back). she made it back in time to go to a baptism party for our friend's baby son, who just turned three months about three weeks ago. it was in the back of an african grocery store in Aurora. and of the couple dozen or so people there, we (along w/ a Latino guy) were the only non-Ethiopians in the room.
the guests didn't seem to fazed by our presence. we just got our food (which was delish) and sat down. what i found most interesting was the custom of shaking someone's arm when introduced mid-meal. i know that many cultures adhere to the eating with only one hand custom (including Ethiopian). what i didn't know was that if someone is eating and is introduced to another, you shake his/her arm...not hand.
it's always fascinating to watch Ethiopian people eat. if you're familiar with their food, you know that 'injera', a sourdough bread made from teff wheat, is their main eating utensil. it's kinda spongy and rolled up like a tortilla. you basically tear off a piece and scoop up your food. the coolest thing is to observe them...scooping and tearing all in one swoop...with that right hand. it takes a special dexterity to hold with the first three fingers and tearing with the ring and pinky. what's even more remarkable is that their fingers stay totally clean AND they finish their meal in half the time it takes us to use both hands and napkins (sometimes multiple). i mentioned this to lois and she laughed because she remarked that the shoe'd be on the other foot if they had chopsticks and were eating with me :)
she's so wise...
on sunday, she went down to Pueblo to visit her sis and bro-in-law. you remember, they were here visiting for a few days on their way back to Alaska. well, they made it as far as Walsenburg when Ken started to feel poorly and had a tough time breathing.
a 911 call gets an ambulance, with which he ends up in Pueblo ICU. were going to perform an angioplasty on monday, but found out that he needs a bypass instead. so, two of Pauline's sons are coming up from Texas to drive the mobile home back. Ken's gonna hafta wait a couple more days to get his bypass procedure. luckily, he can go back home and have it done there. i think it'd be strange to have it done in different environs, unless it were totally pertinent and a matter of life and death.
lois did make it back in one piece, considering the rain was just pouring south of castle rock (on her way back). she made it back in time to go to a baptism party for our friend's baby son, who just turned three months about three weeks ago. it was in the back of an african grocery store in Aurora. and of the couple dozen or so people there, we (along w/ a Latino guy) were the only non-Ethiopians in the room.
the guests didn't seem to fazed by our presence. we just got our food (which was delish) and sat down. what i found most interesting was the custom of shaking someone's arm when introduced mid-meal. i know that many cultures adhere to the eating with only one hand custom (including Ethiopian). what i didn't know was that if someone is eating and is introduced to another, you shake his/her arm...not hand.
it's always fascinating to watch Ethiopian people eat. if you're familiar with their food, you know that 'injera', a sourdough bread made from teff wheat, is their main eating utensil. it's kinda spongy and rolled up like a tortilla. you basically tear off a piece and scoop up your food. the coolest thing is to observe them...scooping and tearing all in one swoop...with that right hand. it takes a special dexterity to hold with the first three fingers and tearing with the ring and pinky. what's even more remarkable is that their fingers stay totally clean AND they finish their meal in half the time it takes us to use both hands and napkins (sometimes multiple). i mentioned this to lois and she laughed because she remarked that the shoe'd be on the other foot if they had chopsticks and were eating with me :)
she's so wise...
nothing like anonymity...
just started checking this blog out...
http://postsecret.blogspot.com/
i think some of the postcards are hilarious/very creative/creepy. i may send him a postcard or two. god knows i have some deep, dark secrets heh
http://postsecret.blogspot.com/
i think some of the postcards are hilarious/very creative/creepy. i may send him a postcard or two. god knows i have some deep, dark secrets heh
always fun...
but how accurate?
A Quick and Dirty IQ Test
| Your IQ Is 130 |
 Your Logical Intelligence is Exceptional Your Verbal Intelligence is Genius Your Mathematical Intelligence is Genius Your General Knowledge is Exceptional |
A Quick and Dirty IQ Test
Sunday, August 21, 2005
changes...
have been made in my blog links and weather pixie. nothing streamlined though - same ol' clunky blog.
finally got the tix to mexico after much contemplation. we did purchase the $341 open jaw fare, leaving denver on 9/12 for mexico city and coming back from cancún on 9/22. we hesitated at first because we would have preferred to be there from 9/15 to 9/25, maximizing a full weekend with our friend, Yani, in cancún. unfortunately, it didn't work out that way.
regardless of the dates of our itinerary, i just look at it as getting away. period. so...
now all we have to do is find a place to stay in mexico city. after all, it's only a city that's 500 sq. miles w/ 25 million people (in the metro area). no prob, right :)
will keep you posted.
finally got the tix to mexico after much contemplation. we did purchase the $341 open jaw fare, leaving denver on 9/12 for mexico city and coming back from cancún on 9/22. we hesitated at first because we would have preferred to be there from 9/15 to 9/25, maximizing a full weekend with our friend, Yani, in cancún. unfortunately, it didn't work out that way.
regardless of the dates of our itinerary, i just look at it as getting away. period. so...
now all we have to do is find a place to stay in mexico city. after all, it's only a city that's 500 sq. miles w/ 25 million people (in the metro area). no prob, right :)
will keep you posted.
Thursday, August 18, 2005
holy shit...
he's bloggin'!
sorry for the delay in posting. i know you all are used to an occasional three week hiatus, so the apology and rusty comments are nothing new.
well, pauline and ken (lois' sis and bro-in-law) left yesterday. in the week that they were here, we did little but eat, sit on the porch, eat, and play dominoes. they pretty much filled us in on all the details of their adventures in alaska...fishing, viewing Denali, the midnight sun, vast open space. they even brought some of the halibut and salmon that they had caught. we had the salmon a few nights ago...delish. it had a more subtle flavor than what we get at the store yet much richer. i'll have to figure out what to do with the halibut this weekend.
we did manage to go out a couple times. in the four months that they've been gone, good mexican food has been hard to come by in alaska, canada, and montana. ya think? first thing we did when they got here was whisk them off to La Cocina de Marcos - still our fave mexican.
speaking of mexican, our trip to mexico city and cancún (and maybe villahermosa) is still on. unfortunately, purchasing the tix were put on the backburner while they were here. of course, the fantastically priced $385 fare (den-mex...mex-cun...cun-den) ended last friday. so...our seats are now just a good deal at $483.
with the $98 increase, we're looking at getting an open jaw fare instead and bussing it from mexico city to villahermosa for a couple days before heading to cancún. luckily, there's still a $341 open jaw ticket on American. i know i've mentioned the term open jaw when it comes to air travel, but in case you've forgotten or are not familiar, an open jaw route is when you depart for one place but return from another. this is an excellent idea if you want to take a long trip in a country, but don't want to double back to your landing point. often the price will be about the same as a R/T, or even cheaper. of course, in many cases, the price is a bit more expensive (depending on the market). for example, even though there are some $350 fares to cancún right now, an open jaw from denver (but leaving from mexico city) is in the $600 range. however, the cheapest fare to mexico city right now is in the $400-500 range. and yet, we'll be able to get an open jaw that goes to mexico city and leaves from cancún for $341.
yeah, it's freakin' strange. when we first started doing open jaw trips, i thought i had the formula...fly into cheaper market + depart from more expensive market = either equivalent price of cheaper market or divide difference between two markets and tack it on. and now, with this upcoming trip, that formula falls apart. gosh, i wish my teacher in travel school would have divulged the 'secret' open jaw formula...
anyway, looks like we'll be departing between 9/12-14 and coming back on the 22nd. as long as we spend 3-4 nights in mexico city, 1-2 in the villahermosa area, and the rest in cancún, we'll be happy. lois will get to go the san juan market in mexico city for gems/jewelry and get to see our friend, Ileana (aka, Yani), in cancún. and i'll get to eat my tacos in villahermosa (at Rincon Brujo), see the Trotsky museum, drink coffee at Café El Reloj, and get my bottle of Xtabentun.
be back soon...gotta start dinner...it's shish kabob time (w/ grilled veggies and corn)
come on over and join us!
sorry for the delay in posting. i know you all are used to an occasional three week hiatus, so the apology and rusty comments are nothing new.
well, pauline and ken (lois' sis and bro-in-law) left yesterday. in the week that they were here, we did little but eat, sit on the porch, eat, and play dominoes. they pretty much filled us in on all the details of their adventures in alaska...fishing, viewing Denali, the midnight sun, vast open space. they even brought some of the halibut and salmon that they had caught. we had the salmon a few nights ago...delish. it had a more subtle flavor than what we get at the store yet much richer. i'll have to figure out what to do with the halibut this weekend.
we did manage to go out a couple times. in the four months that they've been gone, good mexican food has been hard to come by in alaska, canada, and montana. ya think? first thing we did when they got here was whisk them off to La Cocina de Marcos - still our fave mexican.
speaking of mexican, our trip to mexico city and cancún (and maybe villahermosa) is still on. unfortunately, purchasing the tix were put on the backburner while they were here. of course, the fantastically priced $385 fare (den-mex...mex-cun...cun-den) ended last friday. so...our seats are now just a good deal at $483.
with the $98 increase, we're looking at getting an open jaw fare instead and bussing it from mexico city to villahermosa for a couple days before heading to cancún. luckily, there's still a $341 open jaw ticket on American. i know i've mentioned the term open jaw when it comes to air travel, but in case you've forgotten or are not familiar, an open jaw route is when you depart for one place but return from another. this is an excellent idea if you want to take a long trip in a country, but don't want to double back to your landing point. often the price will be about the same as a R/T, or even cheaper. of course, in many cases, the price is a bit more expensive (depending on the market). for example, even though there are some $350 fares to cancún right now, an open jaw from denver (but leaving from mexico city) is in the $600 range. however, the cheapest fare to mexico city right now is in the $400-500 range. and yet, we'll be able to get an open jaw that goes to mexico city and leaves from cancún for $341.
yeah, it's freakin' strange. when we first started doing open jaw trips, i thought i had the formula...fly into cheaper market + depart from more expensive market = either equivalent price of cheaper market or divide difference between two markets and tack it on. and now, with this upcoming trip, that formula falls apart. gosh, i wish my teacher in travel school would have divulged the 'secret' open jaw formula...
anyway, looks like we'll be departing between 9/12-14 and coming back on the 22nd. as long as we spend 3-4 nights in mexico city, 1-2 in the villahermosa area, and the rest in cancún, we'll be happy. lois will get to go the san juan market in mexico city for gems/jewelry and get to see our friend, Ileana (aka, Yani), in cancún. and i'll get to eat my tacos in villahermosa (at Rincon Brujo), see the Trotsky museum, drink coffee at Café El Reloj, and get my bottle of Xtabentun.
be back soon...gotta start dinner...it's shish kabob time (w/ grilled veggies and corn)
come on over and join us!
Friday, August 12, 2005
a day early...
lois' sister and bro-in-law were SUPPOSED to get in today, but they kinda surprised us by getting in yesterday afternoon. thank god i got a little inspired and cleaned up some. inside it wasn't too bad...it was the outside that was in dire need of miraculous intervention. luckily, my friend, Baudelio, came over with eight year-old son in tow. they helped me pull weeds, remove a young elm stump, annihilate a vine that had taken over the front gate, clean two gutters that were totally jam packed with organic sludge and fine shingle gravel, and put down new sand on the ancient pavers in the back.
you wouldn't think an eight year-old would have enough resolve to help out...but this is Baude's son. i swear, this guy from Zacatecas (Mexico) is about 5'6", 210 lbs, has arms the size of bazookas, and is a freakin' machine. i have never seen anyone pull weeds so fast in my life. he had told me that he'd like nothing more than to go back home and have a farm. so that's where you learned to pull so fast...
anyway, the outside has undergone a major transformation. not only are the noxious weeds gone, but there's new cement as well. yesterday, while we were pulling, Adams Asphalt had three guys jackhammerin' out six concrete slabs in front of the house. and today, they poured it.
the sidewalk has been in sad shape for the past few years, worsening with every season. we had been dreading the cost of replacing about 216 sq. feet of concrete. however, we were sure it'd be cheaper than a lawsuit if someone had tripped on the sidewalk in front and lost teeth/brain cells/maxillary bones. surprisingly, they did it for under $2000. and you know what? it looks DAMN nice.
so they got here...armfulls of stuff. although they've been on the road for more than four months, they still seemed pretty fresh and upbeat...for driving from texas to fairbanks and down through here. as the crow flies, that's at least 5500 miles...so you know it's more than that by car. ugh, how the hell can anyone afford driving a 37' motor home...which averages 6 mpg...for 6-8000 miles? that's AT LEAST $2500 in gas...and that's a low estimate. they're thinking more in the neighborhood of $4000 because of the additional cost of gas in Canada (i.e., $4 a gallon). i think they budgeted $12,000 for the five months.
man, we could see most of Central America for that over five months...and leave ALL the driving to someone else. heh
but that's why they're the RVers and we're the weirdos who go to third world countries...
you wouldn't think an eight year-old would have enough resolve to help out...but this is Baude's son. i swear, this guy from Zacatecas (Mexico) is about 5'6", 210 lbs, has arms the size of bazookas, and is a freakin' machine. i have never seen anyone pull weeds so fast in my life. he had told me that he'd like nothing more than to go back home and have a farm. so that's where you learned to pull so fast...
anyway, the outside has undergone a major transformation. not only are the noxious weeds gone, but there's new cement as well. yesterday, while we were pulling, Adams Asphalt had three guys jackhammerin' out six concrete slabs in front of the house. and today, they poured it.
the sidewalk has been in sad shape for the past few years, worsening with every season. we had been dreading the cost of replacing about 216 sq. feet of concrete. however, we were sure it'd be cheaper than a lawsuit if someone had tripped on the sidewalk in front and lost teeth/brain cells/maxillary bones. surprisingly, they did it for under $2000. and you know what? it looks DAMN nice.
so they got here...armfulls of stuff. although they've been on the road for more than four months, they still seemed pretty fresh and upbeat...for driving from texas to fairbanks and down through here. as the crow flies, that's at least 5500 miles...so you know it's more than that by car. ugh, how the hell can anyone afford driving a 37' motor home...which averages 6 mpg...for 6-8000 miles? that's AT LEAST $2500 in gas...and that's a low estimate. they're thinking more in the neighborhood of $4000 because of the additional cost of gas in Canada (i.e., $4 a gallon). i think they budgeted $12,000 for the five months.
man, we could see most of Central America for that over five months...and leave ALL the driving to someone else. heh
but that's why they're the RVers and we're the weirdos who go to third world countries...
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
i don't...
have the urge to clean.
lois' sister and bro-in-law are going to be arriving probably friday night for about 5-6 days while en route to Texas, back from Alaska. they've been on the road with their 37' motor home since April. too much driving and too much gas for my taste...how do they do it?
looks like we're gonna go on a trip to mexico in september. i think we'll need to buy the tix this week for a trip from Denver to Mexico City on the 12th...to Cancun on the 17th...and back to Denver on the 22nd. that should be a nice getaway. oddly enough, this triangle trip is actually gonna be cheaper (on Mexicana non-stop) than just a R/T from Denver to Mexico City on those dates. really, our tix for that itinerary will be $385...and R/T DEN-MEX is $444. don't know why but not gonna ask either.
one thing i do know is that Mexico City WILL be crazy on the the night of the 15th, the day before Mexican Independence Day. Imagine a swell of 500,000 people in the main square...
but must clean...now
lois' sister and bro-in-law are going to be arriving probably friday night for about 5-6 days while en route to Texas, back from Alaska. they've been on the road with their 37' motor home since April. too much driving and too much gas for my taste...how do they do it?
looks like we're gonna go on a trip to mexico in september. i think we'll need to buy the tix this week for a trip from Denver to Mexico City on the 12th...to Cancun on the 17th...and back to Denver on the 22nd. that should be a nice getaway. oddly enough, this triangle trip is actually gonna be cheaper (on Mexicana non-stop) than just a R/T from Denver to Mexico City on those dates. really, our tix for that itinerary will be $385...and R/T DEN-MEX is $444. don't know why but not gonna ask either.
one thing i do know is that Mexico City WILL be crazy on the the night of the 15th, the day before Mexican Independence Day. Imagine a swell of 500,000 people in the main square...
but must clean...now
Monday, August 08, 2005
week o' eatin'
that's what it has been...
monday it was an outing with James and Jeff for phô and vietnamese coffee. later, we grabbed some grub at Del Taco, which was kinda gross. it made Taco Hell (Smell) seem like gourmet.
tuesday night, lois and i headed for La Cocina de Marcos - our favorite. Cindi, we must go there soon! I know that Pat's is on the same block, but you must resist the temptation and meet us for Mexican sometime.
wednesday was actually spent indoors and out of the cold rain. we just grazed since there was little in the refrigerator and even less inspiration to go shopping.
thursday morning was breakfast with Cindi at the Delectable Egg in Lowry. real nice place and even better company. we tore through our yummy food (she had a skillet made with Denver omelet-style ingredients and i had a rooster, which is a chicken breast, two slices of french toast, and two egg whites with your choice of veggies) and headed for the Peaberry a couple doors down. she had a frozen joe, which tastes kinda like a Heath bar coffee slurpee. and i opted for a mocha.
such a good time.
thursday night was spent with our friends, Yulita and her boyfriend, Tracy. Yulita is a really cute Indonesian gal who was once Lois' star Spanish student at Metro...about ten years ago. We basically kept in touch with her because she worked at the Kokoro which we occasionally visit. when our schedules permit (or when the stars collide) we try to have dinner with them. the last time (April 2004) we went to Taste of Thailand. this time, we headed to 44th and Lowell, where Cafe Brazil has relocated. if you like caribbean style (i.e., black beans, plantains, spicy) and seafood, this is the place to go. now, you don't have to eat seafood there, but that's why i go ;) one of my favorite dishes is La Caleña (shrimp and sea scallops in a slightly sweet and spicy sauce over a bed of rice and garnished with pepper, onions, carrots, and zucchini). YUM
friday was once last jaunt with James before he headed back to Memphis the following day. it was nearly a day of liquid dieting...which can be translated to: a shitload of beer. first up, Breckenridge Brewery. a couple pints and a phenomenal reuben sandwich (fries weren't very good though). next, Falling Rock Tap House. that's where Jeff works. the place has 74 beers on tap and probably that many bottled too. james was in heaven. he was getting to drink dopplebocks and eisbocks, which are a rarity in most parts. i guess you can take a man out of Germany but you have a harder time taking out the German beer in him... as for pub grub, we just shared a basket of their 420 wings, which were like spicy teriyaki. we were there long enough to eat, drink, listen to a band (West of Chicago - bluesy), shoot a few games of pool, and evade a parking ticket. ya see, most meters downtown now have to be fed until 10 PM. and considering we only paid for a couple hours (5PM to 7PM), we were damn lucky we didn't get a few paper violations - we left at midnight.
of course, everything comes with a price. although we missed out on a parking ticket, i paid for our night o' drinking with a big ol' bruised knee.
no, we weren't drunk...just careless. as we were crossing the street, i banged my knee into the trailer ball of a truck. yowtch. got a little cut, some swelling, and a really cool green and blue bruise about the size of an old silver dollar. ah well.
we weren't done eating though. on the way home, we stopped by the Viva Burrito Co. by my house. the place is an old Jack In The Box that serves breakfast burritos, tortas, fried tacos, regular burritos, quesadillas, etc. and they do it 24-7...the dining room does close at 1AM though.
saturday night. went to Black Eyed Pea. big disappointment. used to go there more often, but it seems that the food quality is worsening. it might be a while before we go back.
afterwards, we sped on over to the cheapies to see 'Cinderella Man.' was very good. ooh, the boxing scenes were a bit brutal, especially the last one between James Braddock and Max Baer. excellent though. it's a shame that they decided to release it around the time of the last Star Wars installment; i doubt many people saw it...if the box office receipts are an indication. the movie cost $88 million to make and has only made $60 million as of last week. i wonder if it'll garner any Oscar nominations or if it'll be forgotten since they won't be announced until February.
last night we went to Bennigan's and shared an appetizer of southwest egg rolls and ultimate nachos before our burger and salad came out. ha! sounds like they were in the closet...
we had an earlier dinner than usual. so when we finished, we went shoppin'! off to Big Lots! for cleaning stuff and assorted things we don't need...and to Sunflower Market for this week's produce...and to Mervyn's for some towels and a sheet set (items for our ethiopian friends who just bought their first house).
and now you have the sordid details of our gastronomic ventures of the past week.
i'm hungry...
monday it was an outing with James and Jeff for phô and vietnamese coffee. later, we grabbed some grub at Del Taco, which was kinda gross. it made Taco Hell (Smell) seem like gourmet.
tuesday night, lois and i headed for La Cocina de Marcos - our favorite. Cindi, we must go there soon! I know that Pat's is on the same block, but you must resist the temptation and meet us for Mexican sometime.
wednesday was actually spent indoors and out of the cold rain. we just grazed since there was little in the refrigerator and even less inspiration to go shopping.
thursday morning was breakfast with Cindi at the Delectable Egg in Lowry. real nice place and even better company. we tore through our yummy food (she had a skillet made with Denver omelet-style ingredients and i had a rooster, which is a chicken breast, two slices of french toast, and two egg whites with your choice of veggies) and headed for the Peaberry a couple doors down. she had a frozen joe, which tastes kinda like a Heath bar coffee slurpee. and i opted for a mocha.
such a good time.
thursday night was spent with our friends, Yulita and her boyfriend, Tracy. Yulita is a really cute Indonesian gal who was once Lois' star Spanish student at Metro...about ten years ago. We basically kept in touch with her because she worked at the Kokoro which we occasionally visit. when our schedules permit (or when the stars collide) we try to have dinner with them. the last time (April 2004) we went to Taste of Thailand. this time, we headed to 44th and Lowell, where Cafe Brazil has relocated. if you like caribbean style (i.e., black beans, plantains, spicy) and seafood, this is the place to go. now, you don't have to eat seafood there, but that's why i go ;) one of my favorite dishes is La Caleña (shrimp and sea scallops in a slightly sweet and spicy sauce over a bed of rice and garnished with pepper, onions, carrots, and zucchini). YUM
friday was once last jaunt with James before he headed back to Memphis the following day. it was nearly a day of liquid dieting...which can be translated to: a shitload of beer. first up, Breckenridge Brewery. a couple pints and a phenomenal reuben sandwich (fries weren't very good though). next, Falling Rock Tap House. that's where Jeff works. the place has 74 beers on tap and probably that many bottled too. james was in heaven. he was getting to drink dopplebocks and eisbocks, which are a rarity in most parts. i guess you can take a man out of Germany but you have a harder time taking out the German beer in him... as for pub grub, we just shared a basket of their 420 wings, which were like spicy teriyaki. we were there long enough to eat, drink, listen to a band (West of Chicago - bluesy), shoot a few games of pool, and evade a parking ticket. ya see, most meters downtown now have to be fed until 10 PM. and considering we only paid for a couple hours (5PM to 7PM), we were damn lucky we didn't get a few paper violations - we left at midnight.
of course, everything comes with a price. although we missed out on a parking ticket, i paid for our night o' drinking with a big ol' bruised knee.
no, we weren't drunk...just careless. as we were crossing the street, i banged my knee into the trailer ball of a truck. yowtch. got a little cut, some swelling, and a really cool green and blue bruise about the size of an old silver dollar. ah well.
we weren't done eating though. on the way home, we stopped by the Viva Burrito Co. by my house. the place is an old Jack In The Box that serves breakfast burritos, tortas, fried tacos, regular burritos, quesadillas, etc. and they do it 24-7...the dining room does close at 1AM though.
saturday night. went to Black Eyed Pea. big disappointment. used to go there more often, but it seems that the food quality is worsening. it might be a while before we go back.
afterwards, we sped on over to the cheapies to see 'Cinderella Man.' was very good. ooh, the boxing scenes were a bit brutal, especially the last one between James Braddock and Max Baer. excellent though. it's a shame that they decided to release it around the time of the last Star Wars installment; i doubt many people saw it...if the box office receipts are an indication. the movie cost $88 million to make and has only made $60 million as of last week. i wonder if it'll garner any Oscar nominations or if it'll be forgotten since they won't be announced until February.
last night we went to Bennigan's and shared an appetizer of southwest egg rolls and ultimate nachos before our burger and salad came out. ha! sounds like they were in the closet...
we had an earlier dinner than usual. so when we finished, we went shoppin'! off to Big Lots! for cleaning stuff and assorted things we don't need...and to Sunflower Market for this week's produce...and to Mervyn's for some towels and a sheet set (items for our ethiopian friends who just bought their first house).
and now you have the sordid details of our gastronomic ventures of the past week.
i'm hungry...
Monday, August 01, 2005
a magic number?
i just looked at my stats for this blogpage. after 25 months of blogging, i finally posted my 365th message. now, if i just didn't go three weeks at a time without blogging...
Saturday, July 30, 2005
lame-o picnic...
just got back from PCL's company picnic. talk about a yawner. it seems that you gotta get drunk at every one of their functions to even have a good time anymore. the fun level is so underwhelming...
as usual, it was at Heritage Square, which is becoming more and more of a ghost town. more than half of the places are shuttered and the ones that are open are really sad shops that don't offer anything unique; you may as well head over to the card shop at the mall or one of the many Korean-owned souvenir shops downtown.
as we were leaving, we both came to the conclusion that they need to put the picnic in a different location - it is getting so long in the tooth. granted, it's very nice that they pay for activity wristbands that include the go karts, paddleboats, and even unlimited miniature golf, but that's the thing, once everyone gorges on the spread, they're gone. the limbo contest, tacky hawaiian shirt, and hula hoop contest just don't excite anyone. either they need to change locations and/or have better activities. the free beer and steaks just don't cut it for us anymore ;)
as usual, it was at Heritage Square, which is becoming more and more of a ghost town. more than half of the places are shuttered and the ones that are open are really sad shops that don't offer anything unique; you may as well head over to the card shop at the mall or one of the many Korean-owned souvenir shops downtown.
as we were leaving, we both came to the conclusion that they need to put the picnic in a different location - it is getting so long in the tooth. granted, it's very nice that they pay for activity wristbands that include the go karts, paddleboats, and even unlimited miniature golf, but that's the thing, once everyone gorges on the spread, they're gone. the limbo contest, tacky hawaiian shirt, and hula hoop contest just don't excite anyone. either they need to change locations and/or have better activities. the free beer and steaks just don't cut it for us anymore ;)
Friday, July 29, 2005
buzzzzzz...
that's what. i got a real pleasant buzz going on in my brain. James and I ended going to the Bull & Bush. It's an English style pub that is known for its great ribs and excellent beer brewed in house. Although it has been around for about 35 years now, I've only been goin' there for about 10 ;)
Anyway, we got there right before happy hour ended...meaning we were still able to get house pints for $2.50 and half-price apps...yay! so we got a couple IPAs (India Pale Ales), nachos, and wings.
about 20 minutes later, our server came by to clear plates and check on us. turns out that between 6 and 7 PM on fridays, the beer is free...no way! WAY! so he tried their hefeweizen and i got an ESB (Extra Special Bitter). James is partial to german style beers - army guy who served a two year stint there. whenever we're in a place that offers one, he's gotta try it out. as for me, i like the floral headiness of IPAs and the slightly bitter finish of ESBs...not to mention the higher alcoholic content of both - usually in the 6-8% range. don't get me wrong, i'm no beer snob like the wine guys in 'Sideways.' i'll drink most beer if it's free and will partake in Budweiser pitchers with the guys when we go out for wings...BUT if there's better beer to be had, then i'm gonna order it. Man can only drink so much cheap beer that's just gonna make you take repeated trips to the urinal ;)
while we were on our second round, we caught the U.S. Pro Eating Championships on one of their many TVs. what a spectacle! i'm sure many of you may have witnessed the highlights of the annual hot dog eating contests during the July 4th holiday. ever since the little Japanese guy (Takeru Kobayashi) started dominating this competition a few years ago, there's always a highlight reel of his winning performance...we're talking about eating up to 54 hot dogs and bun in 12 minutes!
well, i had read about a local guy who was eliminated in the first round of the championships. apparently, eating fried mozzarella cheese sticks is not his forté. what we watched tonight was a spaghetti eating round. people, we are talking about how many pounds of spaghetti and sauce you can force down in a period of fourteen minutes. we witnessed the world champ hot wings eater (a teeny 105 lb. lady) wolf down ten pounds in the allotted time. we were in awe until we saw Mr. Kobayashi stroll in (like a champion prizefighter). not surprisingly, he was the number one seed. and he freakin' demolished his competition (who watched in total awe). the guy ate 13.8 lbs. of spaghetti in 14 minutes!!! OMG! i'm positive i could do maybe five pounds...but 13.8 pounds is sure death and/or glycemic seizure. and i outweigh the guy by 50 lbs.!!!
seeing that free beer hour was coming to an end, our third round was a couple house ambers. i cannot believe that we were able to hang out for a couple hours, get free beer, eat cheap apps, and watch some kee-razy gluttony for $13 (plus a $9 tip).
friday gatherings at the B&B has some serious potential...
Anyway, we got there right before happy hour ended...meaning we were still able to get house pints for $2.50 and half-price apps...yay! so we got a couple IPAs (India Pale Ales), nachos, and wings.
about 20 minutes later, our server came by to clear plates and check on us. turns out that between 6 and 7 PM on fridays, the beer is free...no way! WAY! so he tried their hefeweizen and i got an ESB (Extra Special Bitter). James is partial to german style beers - army guy who served a two year stint there. whenever we're in a place that offers one, he's gotta try it out. as for me, i like the floral headiness of IPAs and the slightly bitter finish of ESBs...not to mention the higher alcoholic content of both - usually in the 6-8% range. don't get me wrong, i'm no beer snob like the wine guys in 'Sideways.' i'll drink most beer if it's free and will partake in Budweiser pitchers with the guys when we go out for wings...BUT if there's better beer to be had, then i'm gonna order it. Man can only drink so much cheap beer that's just gonna make you take repeated trips to the urinal ;)
while we were on our second round, we caught the U.S. Pro Eating Championships on one of their many TVs. what a spectacle! i'm sure many of you may have witnessed the highlights of the annual hot dog eating contests during the July 4th holiday. ever since the little Japanese guy (Takeru Kobayashi) started dominating this competition a few years ago, there's always a highlight reel of his winning performance...we're talking about eating up to 54 hot dogs and bun in 12 minutes!
well, i had read about a local guy who was eliminated in the first round of the championships. apparently, eating fried mozzarella cheese sticks is not his forté. what we watched tonight was a spaghetti eating round. people, we are talking about how many pounds of spaghetti and sauce you can force down in a period of fourteen minutes. we witnessed the world champ hot wings eater (a teeny 105 lb. lady) wolf down ten pounds in the allotted time. we were in awe until we saw Mr. Kobayashi stroll in (like a champion prizefighter). not surprisingly, he was the number one seed. and he freakin' demolished his competition (who watched in total awe). the guy ate 13.8 lbs. of spaghetti in 14 minutes!!! OMG! i'm positive i could do maybe five pounds...but 13.8 pounds is sure death and/or glycemic seizure. and i outweigh the guy by 50 lbs.!!!
seeing that free beer hour was coming to an end, our third round was a couple house ambers. i cannot believe that we were able to hang out for a couple hours, get free beer, eat cheap apps, and watch some kee-razy gluttony for $13 (plus a $9 tip).
friday gatherings at the B&B has some serious potential...
argh...
what is up with the tag board? is it just mine...or has it totally gone kaput in the last couple weeks. ah well.
just got a message from Cindi, wanting to get together next week before her summer of freedom comes to another shoddy end. well, i know that my summer is only highlighted by the things i do with that lady ;)
got a few more minutes before my friend, James, drops by. we're gonna grab a bite to eat and a couple brews. whenever he's in town (usually on business), we try to hang out a couple times.
just got a message from Cindi, wanting to get together next week before her summer of freedom comes to another shoddy end. well, i know that my summer is only highlighted by the things i do with that lady ;)
got a few more minutes before my friend, James, drops by. we're gonna grab a bite to eat and a couple brews. whenever he's in town (usually on business), we try to hang out a couple times.
Thursday, July 21, 2005
hot as hellllll...
but we're gonna be in a cool cinema to see this movie that Cindi so graciously offered a sneak preview pass (for). we've promised to meet her at 7:00 at Chez Artiste (crappy seats but good popcorn and better parking than the other two Landmark Theaters).
meanwhile, i have an appointment with the kinesiologist in less than an hour. i'm not sure if he can help my eye, but i'm sure my lower back (and mebbe my swollen right big toe) will be feeling better for the movie.
ugh...who ordered this record heat anyway? 'course, i'll be crying about the first snow come September ;)
meanwhile, i have an appointment with the kinesiologist in less than an hour. i'm not sure if he can help my eye, but i'm sure my lower back (and mebbe my swollen right big toe) will be feeling better for the movie.
ugh...who ordered this record heat anyway? 'course, i'll be crying about the first snow come September ;)
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
freakin' hot...
out there. staying put in the basement is a good alternative to absolutely frying outside. i know Water World will be jam packed today. no thanks. unless necessary, i don't go outside when it's above 95 degrees - digging in eastern Nevada with 115 degree temps cured me of that.
speaking of weather, we've been trying to get updates from our friend in Cancun. seems Hurricane Emily wreaked more havoc south of there, in places like PDC, Tulum, and Cozumel. that's good because we still want to visit her in September, if not sooner. Worryfreevacations.com is offering a $192 fare to Cancun provided you leave 8/10 and come back on the 20th. a fare like that is really something to consider because usual fares to Cancun are in the $425-$600 range.
we so want to go to Mexico right now. i've been thinking of my favorite taco place in Villahermosa...sigh. i could easily go for a dozen tacos al pastor and a bowl of goat soup. chase that down with a couple horchatas and i'm blissful. seriously, it's enough to make you forget about the 90+ degrees/percent humidity.
unfortunately, going to Villahermosa involves an 8-10 hour (sometimes 12) bus ride from either Mexico City or Cancun - kinda equidistant from both. a couple weeks ago, we went to dinner with our friend, Regina, who is pondering a trip with us. that would be cool. if we could just buy an open jaw ticket (i.e., Denver to Mexico City and returning from Cancun) for eight days, that might be enough. we'd probably zip her around the main sights (Metropolitan Cathedral, Bellas Artes (kinda like the Mexico City Center for Performing Arts), and maybe the Nat'l Institute of Anthropology and History. we'd eat at our favorite place, Cafe El Reloj, and do some shopping at the San Juan Market for some jewelry or at Ciudadela for everything else.
and that's just the first day ;)
the second day would probably be spent up at Teotihuacan, about an hour north of the city. it was once a huge city that had 200 thousand people about 1800 years ago. the world's third largest pyramid, The Temple of the Sun, lies smack dab in the ruins. it's about 200' high and 750' along the sides...imagine a pyramid that covers roughly the area of fifteen football fields.
maybe a half day up there and the other half in the southern part of Mexico City, namely the Coyoacan and San Angel neighborhoods. these are more affluent environs where it's quieter and really laid back. we could go to the Frida Kahlo Museum and maybe the Trotsky Museum, where you can see the room in which he was murdered with an icepick to the neck.
ooo...gruesome. of course, still not as scary as Frida Kahlo's trolley/bus accident that she was in when she was 18...and she lived. we're talking about a post that slammed into her, leaving her with a broken spine, a broken collarbone, broken ribs, a broken pelvis, and 11 fractures in her right leg. In addition, her right foot was dislocated and crushed. and the post? it entered through her side and came out of her vagi..
yeah. tell me that don't hurt. wouldn't you wish for death?
luckily, accident aside, we'd check out the beautiful house that she shared with her ever cheating husband, Diego Rivera. it's definitely a great place to escape the noise and pollution of downtown Mexico City.
the third day? hmmm. good question. i'll get back to you.
soon. i promise.
speaking of weather, we've been trying to get updates from our friend in Cancun. seems Hurricane Emily wreaked more havoc south of there, in places like PDC, Tulum, and Cozumel. that's good because we still want to visit her in September, if not sooner. Worryfreevacations.com is offering a $192 fare to Cancun provided you leave 8/10 and come back on the 20th. a fare like that is really something to consider because usual fares to Cancun are in the $425-$600 range.
we so want to go to Mexico right now. i've been thinking of my favorite taco place in Villahermosa...sigh. i could easily go for a dozen tacos al pastor and a bowl of goat soup. chase that down with a couple horchatas and i'm blissful. seriously, it's enough to make you forget about the 90+ degrees/percent humidity.
unfortunately, going to Villahermosa involves an 8-10 hour (sometimes 12) bus ride from either Mexico City or Cancun - kinda equidistant from both. a couple weeks ago, we went to dinner with our friend, Regina, who is pondering a trip with us. that would be cool. if we could just buy an open jaw ticket (i.e., Denver to Mexico City and returning from Cancun) for eight days, that might be enough. we'd probably zip her around the main sights (Metropolitan Cathedral, Bellas Artes (kinda like the Mexico City Center for Performing Arts), and maybe the Nat'l Institute of Anthropology and History. we'd eat at our favorite place, Cafe El Reloj, and do some shopping at the San Juan Market for some jewelry or at Ciudadela for everything else.
and that's just the first day ;)
the second day would probably be spent up at Teotihuacan, about an hour north of the city. it was once a huge city that had 200 thousand people about 1800 years ago. the world's third largest pyramid, The Temple of the Sun, lies smack dab in the ruins. it's about 200' high and 750' along the sides...imagine a pyramid that covers roughly the area of fifteen football fields.
maybe a half day up there and the other half in the southern part of Mexico City, namely the Coyoacan and San Angel neighborhoods. these are more affluent environs where it's quieter and really laid back. we could go to the Frida Kahlo Museum and maybe the Trotsky Museum, where you can see the room in which he was murdered with an icepick to the neck.
ooo...gruesome. of course, still not as scary as Frida Kahlo's trolley/bus accident that she was in when she was 18...and she lived. we're talking about a post that slammed into her, leaving her with a broken spine, a broken collarbone, broken ribs, a broken pelvis, and 11 fractures in her right leg. In addition, her right foot was dislocated and crushed. and the post? it entered through her side and came out of her vagi..
yeah. tell me that don't hurt. wouldn't you wish for death?
luckily, accident aside, we'd check out the beautiful house that she shared with her ever cheating husband, Diego Rivera. it's definitely a great place to escape the noise and pollution of downtown Mexico City.
the third day? hmmm. good question. i'll get back to you.
soon. i promise.
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
recent news...
went to the retinal specialist yesterday and he was quite happy with the progress of the eye. when i first went to see him at the end of May, i couldn't even see two fingers in front of my face, let alone the big 'E' on the wall. and with my eye test yesterday, i could even make out the letters on the 20/40 line...even though it's harder to see in lower light conditions.
so...it is getting better...just not as fast as i want it to happen ;)
this coming monday (25th), i have one last visit with the corneal specialist before he leaves his practice; i don't know if he's moving or retiring. anyway, he's been really cool because he knows i'm uninsured and has been billing me the medicaid rate, which is about 40% less. if i continue to go to his office (w/ the replacement ophthamologist) i hope the rate won't change. if that doesn't happen, i guess i'll make the retinal specialist my ophthamologist. i like his upbeat attitude and enthusiasm. i was glad when he offered to take me on as a regular patient yesterday; it kinda took a load off my shoulders.
and since we're on the subject of yesterday, i'll let you in on our new grill caper. ya see we went to Home Depot on saturday to check out their grills. prior to the eye problems, we had considered a couple grills at Target. there were a couple really nice Brinkmann and Thermos (which is what we have) that were sturdy and affordable - $179 - $259. unfortunately, if you didn't get them by the end of june, you were out of luck. seems that they only have them in stock till the 3rd of July...yet keep them out on display even through the end of the month. makes a ton o' sense, eh?
so we found a Char Broil grill at the Depot for $199...w/ free assembly! nothing like putting something together yerself and totally screwing it up. all we had to do was go last night and pick the thing up.
i know the moon isn't quite full, but we sure had full moon happenings. it all started with trying to claim it. we saw it in front of the service desk, with someone else's name on it...and ours on a cheaper model. no problem. the guy just tore off both labels and we were on our merry way.
not so.
we recruited my brother-in-law to help us with it. he has a truck and is stronger than me. that's where we went wrong...asking him. he had brought along his best friend because we were all gonna go to Rack 'Em and shoot a little pool/snooker. his friend had cracked the right side of the plastic counter part as he lifted it into the bed of the truck. and instead of apologizing, he agonized and strode off a couple yards and lit up a cig. hello?!? ya just fucked up our grill. you could at least apologize...nut!
no problem. lois and in-law take it back in and actually get them to build us another. in-law comes back out and says that he'll help us get in a couple days, when it's finished...and leaves with friend...who doesn't even feel sheepish. we're supposed to meet at the pool hall when i drop off lois.
well, i'm waiting out there on the bench when lois comes out and asks if they've gone. yeah. turns out that they weren't going to build another. rather, they were willing to give us a display model, which was even better...if we had the truck. okay...right before we were gonna claim it, i noticed that the ignition switch was missing from the model. no go. so we just asked the guy if we could take the good counter piece off the display and replace the cracked one on our model. done.
i thought about making the guys come back and help us with it, but we were pretty much at the 'fuck it all' point and just rented one of Home Depot's big trucks instead for $20. at first, the guy who was renting it to us was a bit leery because of the time constraint - they were closing in an hour - and wondering if little 'ol lois could drive the thing. we neglected to tell him that both of us weren't quite 100% with our vision...heh. he smiled when lois told him that she had worked for a major construction company for many years and can drive a flatbed ;)
it took us about 30 minutes total to load it, take it and take out some good brush in the alley (since we drive tiny hondas) before rolling it into the backyard, and return the truck. by the time we got home, it was 10:00 and i was still seething a bit at the guys. i always have given my bro-in-law the benefit of the doubt when it comes to his strange ADD/ADHD ways. i know that he's a really good guy...but he self-medicates...and doesn't always follow through (which is Lois' worst pet peeve). but he messed up yesterday! the plan was to pick me up at 6:15 so we could get it...NOT call me numerous times to say you're running late and to eventually just ask me to meet you at Home Depot at 8:00, with goony friend in tow. had we known that, why would we go to the trouble of asking you to help us? we coulda had the damn grill in the house long before 7:00...sheeyit.
so, i was itching to go to the pool hall and stomp their asses in straight, 8-ball, 9-ball, cutthroat, snooker - you name it. i was a bit steamed to say the least. wouldn't ya know it...they weren't there when i showed...no messages on my phone either.
i hope he shows up today to pick it up...what dumbshits.
oh yeah, i wonder if there are no coincidences because as we were leaving (after dropping off the rental), we were approached by a lady who needed something. usually, that's a sign of a panhandler who is stranded in our case (i swear, you wouldn't believe how many times that has happened to us in parking lots at gas stations, major department stores, malls...it's like we have some huge neon 'sucker' sign on our foreheads). for once, that wasn't the case. this lady needed a jump and had cables - we were happy to oblige. for all we know, had not all that grill fiasco come together, that lady might still be at Home Depot on Colorado Blvd. ;)
ya think?
so...it is getting better...just not as fast as i want it to happen ;)
this coming monday (25th), i have one last visit with the corneal specialist before he leaves his practice; i don't know if he's moving or retiring. anyway, he's been really cool because he knows i'm uninsured and has been billing me the medicaid rate, which is about 40% less. if i continue to go to his office (w/ the replacement ophthamologist) i hope the rate won't change. if that doesn't happen, i guess i'll make the retinal specialist my ophthamologist. i like his upbeat attitude and enthusiasm. i was glad when he offered to take me on as a regular patient yesterday; it kinda took a load off my shoulders.
and since we're on the subject of yesterday, i'll let you in on our new grill caper. ya see we went to Home Depot on saturday to check out their grills. prior to the eye problems, we had considered a couple grills at Target. there were a couple really nice Brinkmann and Thermos (which is what we have) that were sturdy and affordable - $179 - $259. unfortunately, if you didn't get them by the end of june, you were out of luck. seems that they only have them in stock till the 3rd of July...yet keep them out on display even through the end of the month. makes a ton o' sense, eh?
so we found a Char Broil grill at the Depot for $199...w/ free assembly! nothing like putting something together yerself and totally screwing it up. all we had to do was go last night and pick the thing up.
i know the moon isn't quite full, but we sure had full moon happenings. it all started with trying to claim it. we saw it in front of the service desk, with someone else's name on it...and ours on a cheaper model. no problem. the guy just tore off both labels and we were on our merry way.
not so.
we recruited my brother-in-law to help us with it. he has a truck and is stronger than me. that's where we went wrong...asking him. he had brought along his best friend because we were all gonna go to Rack 'Em and shoot a little pool/snooker. his friend had cracked the right side of the plastic counter part as he lifted it into the bed of the truck. and instead of apologizing, he agonized and strode off a couple yards and lit up a cig. hello?!? ya just fucked up our grill. you could at least apologize...nut!
no problem. lois and in-law take it back in and actually get them to build us another. in-law comes back out and says that he'll help us get in a couple days, when it's finished...and leaves with friend...who doesn't even feel sheepish. we're supposed to meet at the pool hall when i drop off lois.
well, i'm waiting out there on the bench when lois comes out and asks if they've gone. yeah. turns out that they weren't going to build another. rather, they were willing to give us a display model, which was even better...if we had the truck. okay...right before we were gonna claim it, i noticed that the ignition switch was missing from the model. no go. so we just asked the guy if we could take the good counter piece off the display and replace the cracked one on our model. done.
i thought about making the guys come back and help us with it, but we were pretty much at the 'fuck it all' point and just rented one of Home Depot's big trucks instead for $20. at first, the guy who was renting it to us was a bit leery because of the time constraint - they were closing in an hour - and wondering if little 'ol lois could drive the thing. we neglected to tell him that both of us weren't quite 100% with our vision...heh. he smiled when lois told him that she had worked for a major construction company for many years and can drive a flatbed ;)
it took us about 30 minutes total to load it, take it and take out some good brush in the alley (since we drive tiny hondas) before rolling it into the backyard, and return the truck. by the time we got home, it was 10:00 and i was still seething a bit at the guys. i always have given my bro-in-law the benefit of the doubt when it comes to his strange ADD/ADHD ways. i know that he's a really good guy...but he self-medicates...and doesn't always follow through (which is Lois' worst pet peeve). but he messed up yesterday! the plan was to pick me up at 6:15 so we could get it...NOT call me numerous times to say you're running late and to eventually just ask me to meet you at Home Depot at 8:00, with goony friend in tow. had we known that, why would we go to the trouble of asking you to help us? we coulda had the damn grill in the house long before 7:00...sheeyit.
so, i was itching to go to the pool hall and stomp their asses in straight, 8-ball, 9-ball, cutthroat, snooker - you name it. i was a bit steamed to say the least. wouldn't ya know it...they weren't there when i showed...no messages on my phone either.
i hope he shows up today to pick it up...what dumbshits.
oh yeah, i wonder if there are no coincidences because as we were leaving (after dropping off the rental), we were approached by a lady who needed something. usually, that's a sign of a panhandler who is stranded in our case (i swear, you wouldn't believe how many times that has happened to us in parking lots at gas stations, major department stores, malls...it's like we have some huge neon 'sucker' sign on our foreheads). for once, that wasn't the case. this lady needed a jump and had cables - we were happy to oblige. for all we know, had not all that grill fiasco come together, that lady might still be at Home Depot on Colorado Blvd. ;)
ya think?
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
bits and pieces...
okay you guys, i decided to do a more complete update on the past month. however, i've gone back to certain dates and put up a post. so the majority of the posts will be right after June 12th.
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
finally...
a pic of my nephew, Christian, born on 5/19. isn't he the cutest? all he does is eat, sleep, poop, and cry - good for him! more to come...
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
it's...
a BBQ joint!?!
the Birchmere (where Swing Out Sister is playing) is a freakin' BBQ joint! they're all strict when you walk in...check yer bags...confiscate your bottle of water...no standing or dancing...and the place turns out to be all row tables with red and white checkered tablecloths - weird. they may as well have played at Trail Dust Steakhouse.
the concert, strange settings and all, was quite good. the band was comprised of six people: Corrine (lead singer), Dee and Sylvia (background singers), Tim (guitarist), Juneroy (bassist), and Myke (drummer). they came out and performed sixteen songs over a span of 95 minutes. their concert ended at approximately 10:05 and we waited a good 30 minutes for our taxi, which wasn't even ours. it really was for these two guys on the bench, just outside the doors. lucky for us, they agreed to share their taxi since we were both headed for the Pentagon City metro stop. thank you guys from Atlanta...
now, while Swing Out Sister was great (as usual). the opening act was not. her name was KinneyStarr, a canadian performer who would have seemed more at home in a cafe that was sponsoring a poetry slam night. her act...songwriting...guitar playing...needs some polish. but hey, i'm sure that SOS likes to support the up-and-coming (if that's what you wanna call her) artists. and that's a good thing. after all, it's not easy getting up there to perform yer stuff in front of 500 people. just think how the Jimi Hendrix Experience was soundly booed when they opened for the Monkees on their first tour. and what about Prince opening for the RollingStones in the early 80's? you gotta start somewhere...
the Birchmere (where Swing Out Sister is playing) is a freakin' BBQ joint! they're all strict when you walk in...check yer bags...confiscate your bottle of water...no standing or dancing...and the place turns out to be all row tables with red and white checkered tablecloths - weird. they may as well have played at Trail Dust Steakhouse.
the concert, strange settings and all, was quite good. the band was comprised of six people: Corrine (lead singer), Dee and Sylvia (background singers), Tim (guitarist), Juneroy (bassist), and Myke (drummer). they came out and performed sixteen songs over a span of 95 minutes. their concert ended at approximately 10:05 and we waited a good 30 minutes for our taxi, which wasn't even ours. it really was for these two guys on the bench, just outside the doors. lucky for us, they agreed to share their taxi since we were both headed for the Pentagon City metro stop. thank you guys from Atlanta...
now, while Swing Out Sister was great (as usual). the opening act was not. her name was KinneyStarr, a canadian performer who would have seemed more at home in a cafe that was sponsoring a poetry slam night. her act...songwriting...guitar playing...needs some polish. but hey, i'm sure that SOS likes to support the up-and-coming (if that's what you wanna call her) artists. and that's a good thing. after all, it's not easy getting up there to perform yer stuff in front of 500 people. just think how the Jimi Hendrix Experience was soundly booed when they opened for the Monkees on their first tour. and what about Prince opening for the RollingStones in the early 80's? you gotta start somewhere...
out and about...
today, we spent walking along the National Mall, a two mile stretch that starts with the Lincoln Monument on the west end and ends at the Capitol Building at the east.
although we didn't quite have enough time to see everything, we were still able to catch the WWII Monument and the Washington Monument (even though we didn't go up; tix usually are gone by mid-morning). oddly, we didn't go into any of the Smithsonian buildings or Nat'l Air/Space Museum - both are so impressive.
The WWII Monument was a new one for me. unfortunately, we weren't able to really enjoy the structure and its architectural nuances because my eye was killing me. initially, i thought i'd be okay with the 'vision impaired' sun shades that i had brought. ha! you have to remember that my left pupil has been constantly dilated since the end of May. so...to avoid brain-splitting headaches from the sunlight, i had to have a visor, clip-on shades, AND the sun shades just so i could enjoy the sights with few complications.
anyway, the monument is quite impressive. unlike the Vietnam War Memorial, which is emotionally striking but a long wall with the names of the 58000+ casualties, the WWII is a beautiful central fountain surrounded by fifty six granite pillars that (along with the fountain's reflection) are almost blinding in the afternoon sun. i think seeing this monument affected me more than seeing the Vietnam Memorial in 1987 because my father fought in Europe in 1944-45.
we didn't see the Korean War Memorial, which was a bit further down. i wish we would have gone though; i wonder what Lois' reaction would have been. when i first saw it in '97, it spooked me. just looking at the bronze soldiers, so life-like, returning from what looks like reconaissance, almost puts you there without the sound of war - too surreal.
after suffering through the all too bright sunlight and reflection from the fountain, we headed towards the White House...which is too blocked off for a good view. feh.
we ended up in a *$$ just NE of it and got some major brain freeze from that yummy frappucino we shared. after hiding out for an hour, we decided to feed our tummies and took the metro to a Thai restaurant not far from the Capitol building.
mmm...Thai food. whenever we travel in the U.S., we always try to seek out a Thai restaurant in each metropolitan city. this place was a teeny narrow place with fewer than 15 tables. it was so great to get out of the prohibitive heat and humidity, into a cool refuge with spicy food. the a/c stops yer sweat, but the food starts it up again...cooling you off starting off with yer forehead, now dripping with beads of sweat. ain't life grand?
although we didn't quite have enough time to see everything, we were still able to catch the WWII Monument and the Washington Monument (even though we didn't go up; tix usually are gone by mid-morning). oddly, we didn't go into any of the Smithsonian buildings or Nat'l Air/Space Museum - both are so impressive.
The WWII Monument was a new one for me. unfortunately, we weren't able to really enjoy the structure and its architectural nuances because my eye was killing me. initially, i thought i'd be okay with the 'vision impaired' sun shades that i had brought. ha! you have to remember that my left pupil has been constantly dilated since the end of May. so...to avoid brain-splitting headaches from the sunlight, i had to have a visor, clip-on shades, AND the sun shades just so i could enjoy the sights with few complications.
anyway, the monument is quite impressive. unlike the Vietnam War Memorial, which is emotionally striking but a long wall with the names of the 58000+ casualties, the WWII is a beautiful central fountain surrounded by fifty six granite pillars that (along with the fountain's reflection) are almost blinding in the afternoon sun. i think seeing this monument affected me more than seeing the Vietnam Memorial in 1987 because my father fought in Europe in 1944-45.
we didn't see the Korean War Memorial, which was a bit further down. i wish we would have gone though; i wonder what Lois' reaction would have been. when i first saw it in '97, it spooked me. just looking at the bronze soldiers, so life-like, returning from what looks like reconaissance, almost puts you there without the sound of war - too surreal.
after suffering through the all too bright sunlight and reflection from the fountain, we headed towards the White House...which is too blocked off for a good view. feh.
we ended up in a *$$ just NE of it and got some major brain freeze from that yummy frappucino we shared. after hiding out for an hour, we decided to feed our tummies and took the metro to a Thai restaurant not far from the Capitol building.
mmm...Thai food. whenever we travel in the U.S., we always try to seek out a Thai restaurant in each metropolitan city. this place was a teeny narrow place with fewer than 15 tables. it was so great to get out of the prohibitive heat and humidity, into a cool refuge with spicy food. the a/c stops yer sweat, but the food starts it up again...cooling you off starting off with yer forehead, now dripping with beads of sweat. ain't life grand?
Monday, June 13, 2005
hot...hot
D.C. is a great place to visit...so many places to visit...countless ethnic cuisines...provided you can withstand the heat.
i think the next time i come, it'll be in april or october.
it is just so hot outside. we got off the plane around 6:00 and are sweating it out in our pants. i know we probably should've worn shorts but we did get on the plane early this morning and sometimes those planes can be downright cold.
we had a couple hours for our layover in Milwaukee. had some pizza and breadsticks at the Pizza Hut on the concourse and waited it out in the adjoining bar, armed with this month's Discovery magazine...which was really cool. there was an article about one of the nation's foremost mycologists. it basically outlined his mere existence as the 'top mushroom' guy. you'd think that his life was just teeny slivers of mushrooms on a slide, under a microscope. really though, it isn't. he gets many calls a year from hospitals, asking for advice on patients who have come in, sick from a mushroom he/she probably shouldn't have toyed with in the first place.
i love mushrooms. i once bought a book on 'em during a survey in the mountains. we were coming across so many specimens in open fields, under foliage, in fallen tree trunks. i wanted to know what they were and if they were edible. unfortunately, this book was perhaps too vast in its mycological analysis; i should've looked for a Colorado mushroom book ;) it was too daunting to collect some, look through the book, and find out that the mushroom was either very tasty with a bit of oil and garlic or it was deadly poisonous. there are many lookalike mushrooms that can only be singled out with a spore print of the gills. and sometimes the difference between palatable and sick to yer stomach is a dark residue or white residue. and who has time to deal with that?
so...i stick to store bought mushrooms. one of these days though...
anyway, it's hot here in the nation's capital.
as i mentioned, we're staying at the Channel Inn, which is right off the Washington Channel, not far from the Potomac River. the room is pretty average...nothing that you couldn't get at a Super 8 or Motel 6. the only plus is that we get a balcony and a view of the boats on the pier, as the super sweaty walkers/joggers pass by on the parallel sidewalk.
one thing that this hotel may lack though, is a proximity to places to eat. the hotel restaurant, Pier 7 specializes in seafood, but other than that and a seafood buffet up the street, there ain't much. we did make our way to a 'Margaritaville-type' place on the water and had mediocre food, but a great view of the channel and the spectacular views of the lightning across the water, towards the landing planes at Reagan National.
tomorrow, we head to the National Mall for some sightseeing and maybe lunch at a Thai restaurant before the concert. tonight, though, we're gonna hang out in the room, watch some telly, and crank up the A/C.
i think the next time i come, it'll be in april or october.
it is just so hot outside. we got off the plane around 6:00 and are sweating it out in our pants. i know we probably should've worn shorts but we did get on the plane early this morning and sometimes those planes can be downright cold.
we had a couple hours for our layover in Milwaukee. had some pizza and breadsticks at the Pizza Hut on the concourse and waited it out in the adjoining bar, armed with this month's Discovery magazine...which was really cool. there was an article about one of the nation's foremost mycologists. it basically outlined his mere existence as the 'top mushroom' guy. you'd think that his life was just teeny slivers of mushrooms on a slide, under a microscope. really though, it isn't. he gets many calls a year from hospitals, asking for advice on patients who have come in, sick from a mushroom he/she probably shouldn't have toyed with in the first place.
i love mushrooms. i once bought a book on 'em during a survey in the mountains. we were coming across so many specimens in open fields, under foliage, in fallen tree trunks. i wanted to know what they were and if they were edible. unfortunately, this book was perhaps too vast in its mycological analysis; i should've looked for a Colorado mushroom book ;) it was too daunting to collect some, look through the book, and find out that the mushroom was either very tasty with a bit of oil and garlic or it was deadly poisonous. there are many lookalike mushrooms that can only be singled out with a spore print of the gills. and sometimes the difference between palatable and sick to yer stomach is a dark residue or white residue. and who has time to deal with that?
so...i stick to store bought mushrooms. one of these days though...
anyway, it's hot here in the nation's capital.
as i mentioned, we're staying at the Channel Inn, which is right off the Washington Channel, not far from the Potomac River. the room is pretty average...nothing that you couldn't get at a Super 8 or Motel 6. the only plus is that we get a balcony and a view of the boats on the pier, as the super sweaty walkers/joggers pass by on the parallel sidewalk.
one thing that this hotel may lack though, is a proximity to places to eat. the hotel restaurant, Pier 7 specializes in seafood, but other than that and a seafood buffet up the street, there ain't much. we did make our way to a 'Margaritaville-type' place on the water and had mediocre food, but a great view of the channel and the spectacular views of the lightning across the water, towards the landing planes at Reagan National.
tomorrow, we head to the National Mall for some sightseeing and maybe lunch at a Thai restaurant before the concert. tonight, though, we're gonna hang out in the room, watch some telly, and crank up the A/C.
Sunday, June 12, 2005
a good time...
was had today - twice.
met cindi for some *$$ before she headed for the last show at Shwayder. although the visit was only a scant half hour, we crammed in some good conversation and laughs. i sure like that lady...she is SUCH a keeper.
a few hours later, our friends, bob and wanda, came to the house to take us up to arn & helena's gathering in Longmont. we weren't sure about the weather, but we brought camp chairs anyway. good thing because after a quick shower before we left, there was nary a hint of rain afterwards. what luck! the chairs came in good use even if we ended up eating our dinner on the steps of their hot tub ;) i think of the 40-50 people there, only about 20 brought chairs...so they were strapped in getting enough people sat in their backyard...which is SO beautiful. i think they have a 1/4 acre...filled with trees, flowers, shrubs, two grassy knolls, and that 9 person hot tub. i guess they're leaving this little eden for an argentine one.
it's going to be a bit sad without arn & helena. we met them through a network group for anthropologists about ten years ago. and of the original 35 members, i think our core group of four couples have stayed tight knit (mainly because three of the women went to grad school together) and have gatherings at least twice a year. it's just not gonna be the same without those two...on the upside though, it's a great excuse to go to Argentina!!!
should be going to bed soon. our flight leaves at 9:25...and we need to be there probably by 8:30 at the latest. luckily, i've already checked in online and we may just have carry on luggage. so really, we just have to go through the line and pray for no delays. one piece of news that i found a wee bit discouraging though was that our flight (#2905) was cancelled this morning due to maintenance. i'm sure we'll have a different plane but...
i just wanna get there - no hassles. yeah.
now, if i could just figure out what clothes i wanna take...it's supposed to be in the low 90's for the first three days and about 80 degrees the day we leave. i hope i can find some really lightweight pants that still fit my porky ass ;)
see ya!
met cindi for some *$$ before she headed for the last show at Shwayder. although the visit was only a scant half hour, we crammed in some good conversation and laughs. i sure like that lady...she is SUCH a keeper.
a few hours later, our friends, bob and wanda, came to the house to take us up to arn & helena's gathering in Longmont. we weren't sure about the weather, but we brought camp chairs anyway. good thing because after a quick shower before we left, there was nary a hint of rain afterwards. what luck! the chairs came in good use even if we ended up eating our dinner on the steps of their hot tub ;) i think of the 40-50 people there, only about 20 brought chairs...so they were strapped in getting enough people sat in their backyard...which is SO beautiful. i think they have a 1/4 acre...filled with trees, flowers, shrubs, two grassy knolls, and that 9 person hot tub. i guess they're leaving this little eden for an argentine one.
it's going to be a bit sad without arn & helena. we met them through a network group for anthropologists about ten years ago. and of the original 35 members, i think our core group of four couples have stayed tight knit (mainly because three of the women went to grad school together) and have gatherings at least twice a year. it's just not gonna be the same without those two...on the upside though, it's a great excuse to go to Argentina!!!
should be going to bed soon. our flight leaves at 9:25...and we need to be there probably by 8:30 at the latest. luckily, i've already checked in online and we may just have carry on luggage. so really, we just have to go through the line and pray for no delays. one piece of news that i found a wee bit discouraging though was that our flight (#2905) was cancelled this morning due to maintenance. i'm sure we'll have a different plane but...
i just wanna get there - no hassles. yeah.
now, if i could just figure out what clothes i wanna take...it's supposed to be in the low 90's for the first three days and about 80 degrees the day we leave. i hope i can find some really lightweight pants that still fit my porky ass ;)
see ya!
wired...
i swear, prednisone makes you downright irritable. for me, it's like being on meth...geez. i'm wanting to go and talk 1000 mph.
today was pretty busy. got the haircut that i sorely needed. although it's a bit short, at least it'll grow back. it's funny, the last two times my stylist has cut my hair, she parted it down the middle. ummm. you've been cutting my hair for about three years and you know i part it on the side, right?
we talk and laugh and she then wants to spike my hair, saying that it's all the rage w/ asians. sorry, not me. twenty years ago i used to do that because...it was all the rage. i'm not mr. retro and i don't want to be spencer the rock star. ugh.
ah well.
anyway...
it was go to the store day too. susie is gonna come over and watch the ol' fat dog for the three days we'll be gone. it should be a nice respite for her and the baby. their place is so crammed with baby shower stuff that you almost can't breathe ;) you say that you only have 500 diapers left?
so...we got groceries for them (Andy too). isn't it hilarious how you need a few things and end up getting a week's worth of food instead? $94?!? but we just came in for some coffee...
the second stop was the Entenmann's outlet (well, now Bimbo's) for bird bread. talk about going on a binge. seventy-five cent loaves of rye...half price boxes of donuts...free items. i think we got 15 items for $12, about a quarter of the price than the supermarket. why spend $2.49 or $3.29 for Oroweat breads when you can get 'em for $1.49 at the outlet?
our final stop was the liquor store. we wanted to find a special bottle of wine (or two) for a going away party tomorrow. our friends, Arn and Helena, have sold their Longmont house and are going to travel the U.S. and Holland (Helena's homeland) from July to October, before moving into their new plantation/orchard/winery in Argentina.
i...so...hate...them ;)
well, just a bit of jealousy. for the past few years, they'd been thinking of leaving it all behind. they just figured that all their hard earned money over the years may stretch further in another country. initially, they were considering New Zealand or Panamá, but they settled on a beautiful bodega in the Mendoza wine growing region of NW Argentina.
sure, the place is gonna need some TLC, but they're just the right people to do this. you should see the garden/landscaping/construction job that they did at their old house in a few short years. we're hoping to visit them late next year and check in on their progress.
back to the liquor though. we settled on five bottles (ha!)...we'll be taking an Albariño. it's a white wine from Spain that i'd just found about last month. it's the primary grape used to make dry white wine in Galacia (NW region of Spain). supposedly, it's the premier Spanish white wine. lois'll like it because it has many Riesling qualities (i.e., fruity, sometimes with a hint of floral).
hopefully, it was a good choice. after all, it cost $13!!! not much when it comes to wine, but we rarely drop more than $11-$12 on a bottle because there are so many great ones for $6-$9. and really, i'm no oenophile. i know what i like and frankly, a $50+ bottle of wine would just be wasted on me. unless, that is, you're buying...then, and only then, could i fully appreciate it in a "Sideways" manner ;) but without all the melodrama and condescension.
suffice to say, all that shoppin' pooped us out. so what the hell am i doing up at 2:19AM? flying on prednisone and coffee. i'm wondering if i should take my chinese herbs too that my acupuncturist concocted for me yesterday. although i don't speak mandarin, i heard her mention 'ma huang' when she was instructing her husband on someone's herbal mix. if that was mine, then taking the herbs will turn on the jitters because 'ma huang' is essentially ephedra...whoo hoo!
so nighty night just might not happen...drool
today was pretty busy. got the haircut that i sorely needed. although it's a bit short, at least it'll grow back. it's funny, the last two times my stylist has cut my hair, she parted it down the middle. ummm. you've been cutting my hair for about three years and you know i part it on the side, right?
we talk and laugh and she then wants to spike my hair, saying that it's all the rage w/ asians. sorry, not me. twenty years ago i used to do that because...it was all the rage. i'm not mr. retro and i don't want to be spencer the rock star. ugh.
ah well.
anyway...
it was go to the store day too. susie is gonna come over and watch the ol' fat dog for the three days we'll be gone. it should be a nice respite for her and the baby. their place is so crammed with baby shower stuff that you almost can't breathe ;) you say that you only have 500 diapers left?
so...we got groceries for them (Andy too). isn't it hilarious how you need a few things and end up getting a week's worth of food instead? $94?!? but we just came in for some coffee...
the second stop was the Entenmann's outlet (well, now Bimbo's) for bird bread. talk about going on a binge. seventy-five cent loaves of rye...half price boxes of donuts...free items. i think we got 15 items for $12, about a quarter of the price than the supermarket. why spend $2.49 or $3.29 for Oroweat breads when you can get 'em for $1.49 at the outlet?
our final stop was the liquor store. we wanted to find a special bottle of wine (or two) for a going away party tomorrow. our friends, Arn and Helena, have sold their Longmont house and are going to travel the U.S. and Holland (Helena's homeland) from July to October, before moving into their new plantation/orchard/winery in Argentina.
i...so...hate...them ;)
well, just a bit of jealousy. for the past few years, they'd been thinking of leaving it all behind. they just figured that all their hard earned money over the years may stretch further in another country. initially, they were considering New Zealand or Panamá, but they settled on a beautiful bodega in the Mendoza wine growing region of NW Argentina.
sure, the place is gonna need some TLC, but they're just the right people to do this. you should see the garden/landscaping/construction job that they did at their old house in a few short years. we're hoping to visit them late next year and check in on their progress.
back to the liquor though. we settled on five bottles (ha!)...we'll be taking an Albariño. it's a white wine from Spain that i'd just found about last month. it's the primary grape used to make dry white wine in Galacia (NW region of Spain). supposedly, it's the premier Spanish white wine. lois'll like it because it has many Riesling qualities (i.e., fruity, sometimes with a hint of floral).
hopefully, it was a good choice. after all, it cost $13!!! not much when it comes to wine, but we rarely drop more than $11-$12 on a bottle because there are so many great ones for $6-$9. and really, i'm no oenophile. i know what i like and frankly, a $50+ bottle of wine would just be wasted on me. unless, that is, you're buying...then, and only then, could i fully appreciate it in a "Sideways" manner ;) but without all the melodrama and condescension.
suffice to say, all that shoppin' pooped us out. so what the hell am i doing up at 2:19AM? flying on prednisone and coffee. i'm wondering if i should take my chinese herbs too that my acupuncturist concocted for me yesterday. although i don't speak mandarin, i heard her mention 'ma huang' when she was instructing her husband on someone's herbal mix. if that was mine, then taking the herbs will turn on the jitters because 'ma huang' is essentially ephedra...whoo hoo!
so nighty night just might not happen...drool
Thursday, June 09, 2005
getting closer...
to our trip.
as i may have mentioned in a couple posts, lois and i are going to the nation's capital for three nights on the 13th. she's never been there and it has been about eight years since i was there last.
it's funny that the main reason for the trip is not for the monuments/museums/national zoo.
no.
we're actually going because my favorite group, Swing Out Sister, is playing at a club in nearby Alexandria, VA. i've been such a fiend for their music since the first time i saw one of their videos (Waiting Game) on VH1...in 1989. unfortunately, in the past 20 years, SOS (as they're affectionately abbreviated) has toured the states twice (in '94 and '97) AND only in a handful of cities.
lois and i did catch their last american tour about eight years ago in San Fran, when they were supporting their release of Shapes and Patterns. that show was magical. it was just after my 27th b-day, at a place called Bimbo's 365. the place was jam packed. we grabbed a teeny table in the back and ended up leaving it for the dance floor. while we were in town, we got to eat some of our favorite cuisines, Burmese and Afghani. ever had either? Burmese food is kinda like Thai with chinese and indian influences. unfortunately, there are no Burmese restaurants in Colorado. as for Afghani food, it's middle eastern with some Persian (iran) and indian thrown in. think slightly sweet (persian) with stewy (indian). there is one Afghani restaurant in the metro area, Kabob House (in Aurora). it's not as good as Helmand in SF, but it's 1300 miles closer ;)
now, on this trip, we're gonna see SOS for my 35th b-day and eat ethnic. Along with NYC, Chicago, and San Fran, DC is one of the best cities to cure almost any ethnic food craving. just hanging out in the Adams Morgan district will do the trick. who needs to go to Georgetown/Foggy Bottom? there's good cheap ethnic in that area BUT the majority of the embassy houses lie in Adams Morgan. where else can you walk a block and see thai, ethiopian, lebanese, (el) salvadoran, spanish, italian, argentine, cuban...u name it. supposedly, there are cambodian and azerbaijani places too; something i'll have to investigate.
we even changed our accomodations on a whim. originally, we had reservations at the stinky ol' Econolodge in Arlington (near the Pentagon). good because of its proximity to the Birchmere (where SOS is playing)...and the free airport shuttle...and the continental bkfst. (read: sugar donuts and shitty machine dispensed 'juice')...and the shuttle to the Pentagon Metro station. $95/night. sometimes ya gotta pay for convenience...
nah.
we changed our minds and ended up reserving a room at the Channel Inn instead. closer to the main attractions, view of the Potomac instead of the highway, and we won't have to worry about scheduling our shuttle to get to a metro stop since there's a stop a few blocks away. okay...no airport shuttle...no stale donut or carcinogenic juice...and $139/night. sometimes ya gotta pay for comfort ;)
and dammit, it's gonna be my birfday. with all the crap going on with the uveitis, i deserve some stress free sumpin'!
ahhh, it's nice to finally pointlessly rant again. it has been so long since my blog had ANY content...
as i may have mentioned in a couple posts, lois and i are going to the nation's capital for three nights on the 13th. she's never been there and it has been about eight years since i was there last.
it's funny that the main reason for the trip is not for the monuments/museums/national zoo.
no.
we're actually going because my favorite group, Swing Out Sister, is playing at a club in nearby Alexandria, VA. i've been such a fiend for their music since the first time i saw one of their videos (Waiting Game) on VH1...in 1989. unfortunately, in the past 20 years, SOS (as they're affectionately abbreviated) has toured the states twice (in '94 and '97) AND only in a handful of cities.
lois and i did catch their last american tour about eight years ago in San Fran, when they were supporting their release of Shapes and Patterns. that show was magical. it was just after my 27th b-day, at a place called Bimbo's 365. the place was jam packed. we grabbed a teeny table in the back and ended up leaving it for the dance floor. while we were in town, we got to eat some of our favorite cuisines, Burmese and Afghani. ever had either? Burmese food is kinda like Thai with chinese and indian influences. unfortunately, there are no Burmese restaurants in Colorado. as for Afghani food, it's middle eastern with some Persian (iran) and indian thrown in. think slightly sweet (persian) with stewy (indian). there is one Afghani restaurant in the metro area, Kabob House (in Aurora). it's not as good as Helmand in SF, but it's 1300 miles closer ;)
now, on this trip, we're gonna see SOS for my 35th b-day and eat ethnic. Along with NYC, Chicago, and San Fran, DC is one of the best cities to cure almost any ethnic food craving. just hanging out in the Adams Morgan district will do the trick. who needs to go to Georgetown/Foggy Bottom? there's good cheap ethnic in that area BUT the majority of the embassy houses lie in Adams Morgan. where else can you walk a block and see thai, ethiopian, lebanese, (el) salvadoran, spanish, italian, argentine, cuban...u name it. supposedly, there are cambodian and azerbaijani places too; something i'll have to investigate.
we even changed our accomodations on a whim. originally, we had reservations at the stinky ol' Econolodge in Arlington (near the Pentagon). good because of its proximity to the Birchmere (where SOS is playing)...and the free airport shuttle...and the continental bkfst. (read: sugar donuts and shitty machine dispensed 'juice')...and the shuttle to the Pentagon Metro station. $95/night. sometimes ya gotta pay for convenience...
nah.
we changed our minds and ended up reserving a room at the Channel Inn instead. closer to the main attractions, view of the Potomac instead of the highway, and we won't have to worry about scheduling our shuttle to get to a metro stop since there's a stop a few blocks away. okay...no airport shuttle...no stale donut or carcinogenic juice...and $139/night. sometimes ya gotta pay for comfort ;)
and dammit, it's gonna be my birfday. with all the crap going on with the uveitis, i deserve some stress free sumpin'!
ahhh, it's nice to finally pointlessly rant again. it has been so long since my blog had ANY content...
not all...
is bad though.
tuesday night was a lot of fun. our good friend, Cindy, and Susie came by. of course, susie was armed with her adorable son, Christian. lois and cindy just oohed and aahed all night.
we just hung out...had a couple drinks...ordered chinese take out.
good little babies seem to make everything all better sometimes.
stay tuned for pics...
tuesday night was a lot of fun. our good friend, Cindy, and Susie came by. of course, susie was armed with her adorable son, Christian. lois and cindy just oohed and aahed all night.
we just hung out...had a couple drinks...ordered chinese take out.
good little babies seem to make everything all better sometimes.
stay tuned for pics...
she gonna be mad...
tonight, we were supposed to catch Iolanthe at the Shwayder. you remember...Cindi and her bfg's show. in fact, lois' friend, Carol (who is also in the show), had set aside two tix for us.
well...
we didn't make it. i hate to say it, but we only have two good eyes between us. my left one is jacked and lois' right one still has oil from the retinal reattachment AND a slipped lens (which will be fixed when the oil comes out in ONE more operation - making it four). i think if we were to drive back after the show, we'd have one ourselves. the spectacle of us driving/navigating at night would be like a cross-eyed 90 year-old who needs to get to the nearest bathroom. fu-un.
so...sorry we weren't able to make the show Cindi. i hope we can do something soon.
well...
we didn't make it. i hate to say it, but we only have two good eyes between us. my left one is jacked and lois' right one still has oil from the retinal reattachment AND a slipped lens (which will be fixed when the oil comes out in ONE more operation - making it four). i think if we were to drive back after the show, we'd have one ourselves. the spectacle of us driving/navigating at night would be like a cross-eyed 90 year-old who needs to get to the nearest bathroom. fu-un.
so...sorry we weren't able to make the show Cindi. i hope we can do something soon.
did i mention...
that this freaking ailment is getting expensive?!? granted, i won't have to contend with an operation that would run in the thousands, but still... it adds up.
lessee here...
visit to optometrist $149
two visits to corneal specialist $173
two upcoming visits $126
generic pred forte eye drops $44 (15 ml.)
atropine to dilate pupils $14 (5 ml.)
medro steroid pack $17 (21 pills)
prednisone prescrip. $16 (at least there's 100 tabs)
and the kicker...
blood drawn for 7 separate diagnostic tests $442...gee, i didn't know that two ounces of my blood were worth so much.
i swear, if i see one of those 'priceless' mastercard commercials, it'll cost even more because the TV will have my foot through it.
fuck...it...all
okay, i feel better now.
btw, i've blown $981 so far. it'd be more if the generous eye tech at the office didn't slip me 'real' pred forte sample bottles, which saves me $77 a pop!!!
god, i gotta get a job with benefits. i'm getting too old to pay this kinda shit.
but hey, it IS my eye; i think my vision is worth way more than my $221/oz. blood.
oh yeah, after getting stuck twice on my right arm (thankfully no bruising), i have come to find out that my best blood drawing vein is, in fact, my left hand - IT CRANKS IT OUT.
"Houston, we have a gusher."
lessee here...
visit to optometrist $149
two visits to corneal specialist $173
two upcoming visits $126
generic pred forte eye drops $44 (15 ml.)
atropine to dilate pupils $14 (5 ml.)
medro steroid pack $17 (21 pills)
prednisone prescrip. $16 (at least there's 100 tabs)
and the kicker...
blood drawn for 7 separate diagnostic tests $442...gee, i didn't know that two ounces of my blood were worth so much.
i swear, if i see one of those 'priceless' mastercard commercials, it'll cost even more because the TV will have my foot through it.
fuck...it...all
okay, i feel better now.
btw, i've blown $981 so far. it'd be more if the generous eye tech at the office didn't slip me 'real' pred forte sample bottles, which saves me $77 a pop!!!
god, i gotta get a job with benefits. i'm getting too old to pay this kinda shit.
but hey, it IS my eye; i think my vision is worth way more than my $221/oz. blood.
oh yeah, after getting stuck twice on my right arm (thankfully no bruising), i have come to find out that my best blood drawing vein is, in fact, my left hand - IT CRANKS IT OUT.
"Houston, we have a gusher."
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
he's on the juice...
yep. BALCO may just come after me with this confession. i have willingly used steroids the past week...and may remain on them for a few more.
about two and a half weeks ago, i experienced some fuzziness in my vision - like looking through a piece of artist's tracing paper. it was weird. other than shitty vision in the first place, i'd never had this weird sensation; it scared me.
at first, i attributed my sudden deterioration in vision to abuse of my soft contact lenses. after 18 years of wearing them, i was bound to fuck up and neglect 'em. yeah, real bright, eh? so i vainly tried to baby my eyes, making sure they were well irrigated and free from any foreign objects/deposits/etc.
and after a week, my vision was improving and clearing up.
that is, until the saturday before memorial day. something happened that night to cause the fogginess to pretty much triple. instead of looking through tracing paper, it was like looking through wax paper - yikes.
of course, i finally wised up and saw my optometrist this past tuesday. i didn't 'see the light' though, because i probably should have gone and seen him RIGHT when it happened.
the initial diagnosis? a massive detached retina. yeah...i was totally scared shitless because lois is still recovering from her three retinal surgeries that she endured in february. in fact, she won't know if she's in the clear until late June. i was so stunned that i didn't break down until we got in the car to see a retinal specialist. i wondered why he kept asking me about a head injury in the past two weeks.
when we arrived at the retinal specialist, his assistant was getting me a slot for surgery the next day. that five minutes seemed like an eternity, we just sat there in a stupor. got the paperwork done...the examination...and the next day's plan. even though i was terrified, having taken lois to her three surgeries prepared me for what was looming. my main problem was how i was going to cope if i had a non-repairable ruptured retina.
during the evaluation with the doctor, i was tense but trying to stay positive without cracking. i guess it's like shitting yer pants and trying not to notice the smell...
anyway, his diagnosis was much more comforting. with the ultrasound, he showed me that my retina was completely fine. however, he called my condition a 'rip roaring' inflammation. in fact, i have 'uveitis.' basically, my entire eye is swollen. luckily, the mis-diagnosis of the detached retina gave way to canceling the eye surgery...whew. still, uveitis is not something to be taken lightly; supposedly it's the third leading cause of blindness - great.
anyway, the retinal specialist prescribed some drops and referred me to a corneal specialist, who sees more cases like mine. i've already seen him (only in my right eye - ha!) twice and have at least two more visits.
so...my days have been filled with Pred Forte, which are an ophthamic steroid drops, applied every hour i'm awake during the day...Atropine, a pupil dilator...and now Prednisone, an oral steroid which is supposed to relieve the interior eye cloudiness. sigh.
it really sucks to be completely dilated in the left eye for the entire day...every day. my brain still wants the eye to focus and the pupil to contract when it encounters bright light; driving is such an adventure.
later this week, i'm supposed to get some tests that the doc recommended. they include: chest x-rays (for possible TB), a sacroiliac x-ray (for ankylosing spondylitis), six blood tests, and a skin test. it's hard not to be discouraged...and i haven't even gotten the damn tests yet!
ah well. perhaps it was time for something 'exciting' to happen in my life. i guess almost getting abducted in Mexico...or a spider bite that affected me for 10+ years...or the hundreds of mosquito and sand flea bites...or the mummy dust that will just make you barf...or the labyrinthitis that put me down for almost three months, were mere spit in the ocean compared to this eye affliction.
it's funny because all those tests will probably come up negative. what really sticks in my mind though is the reappearing of the phrase "autoimmune disease." sure, i don't have AIDS, but i never thought of those damn bites when i got 'em. i'm just wondering if my body chemistry got all whacked out between 1991 and 2001, when i was out of the country a total of 18 times...
god, i'm truly scared about the outcome. vision is probably the most important sense to have. you never appreciate what you have until it's gone...sigh. i want to be so positive but the uncertainty of permanent vision loss lurks in the shadows, like some pernicious joke.
no self-pity here...i'm just anxious and scared...and i guess i just need to get this off my chest. let's hope this little posting is that cathartic purge that will get that crap outta my left eye...
isn't it crazy though? all i wanted to hear the optometrist say was, "Don't wear your contacts for a month and take better care of them." HA-FUCKIN'-HA!
don't worry though, there'll be more promising news in my next post :) even if i hafta lie...
about two and a half weeks ago, i experienced some fuzziness in my vision - like looking through a piece of artist's tracing paper. it was weird. other than shitty vision in the first place, i'd never had this weird sensation; it scared me.
at first, i attributed my sudden deterioration in vision to abuse of my soft contact lenses. after 18 years of wearing them, i was bound to fuck up and neglect 'em. yeah, real bright, eh? so i vainly tried to baby my eyes, making sure they were well irrigated and free from any foreign objects/deposits/etc.
and after a week, my vision was improving and clearing up.
that is, until the saturday before memorial day. something happened that night to cause the fogginess to pretty much triple. instead of looking through tracing paper, it was like looking through wax paper - yikes.
of course, i finally wised up and saw my optometrist this past tuesday. i didn't 'see the light' though, because i probably should have gone and seen him RIGHT when it happened.
the initial diagnosis? a massive detached retina. yeah...i was totally scared shitless because lois is still recovering from her three retinal surgeries that she endured in february. in fact, she won't know if she's in the clear until late June. i was so stunned that i didn't break down until we got in the car to see a retinal specialist. i wondered why he kept asking me about a head injury in the past two weeks.
when we arrived at the retinal specialist, his assistant was getting me a slot for surgery the next day. that five minutes seemed like an eternity, we just sat there in a stupor. got the paperwork done...the examination...and the next day's plan. even though i was terrified, having taken lois to her three surgeries prepared me for what was looming. my main problem was how i was going to cope if i had a non-repairable ruptured retina.
during the evaluation with the doctor, i was tense but trying to stay positive without cracking. i guess it's like shitting yer pants and trying not to notice the smell...
anyway, his diagnosis was much more comforting. with the ultrasound, he showed me that my retina was completely fine. however, he called my condition a 'rip roaring' inflammation. in fact, i have 'uveitis.' basically, my entire eye is swollen. luckily, the mis-diagnosis of the detached retina gave way to canceling the eye surgery...whew. still, uveitis is not something to be taken lightly; supposedly it's the third leading cause of blindness - great.
anyway, the retinal specialist prescribed some drops and referred me to a corneal specialist, who sees more cases like mine. i've already seen him (only in my right eye - ha!) twice and have at least two more visits.
so...my days have been filled with Pred Forte, which are an ophthamic steroid drops, applied every hour i'm awake during the day...Atropine, a pupil dilator...and now Prednisone, an oral steroid which is supposed to relieve the interior eye cloudiness. sigh.
it really sucks to be completely dilated in the left eye for the entire day...every day. my brain still wants the eye to focus and the pupil to contract when it encounters bright light; driving is such an adventure.
later this week, i'm supposed to get some tests that the doc recommended. they include: chest x-rays (for possible TB), a sacroiliac x-ray (for ankylosing spondylitis), six blood tests, and a skin test. it's hard not to be discouraged...and i haven't even gotten the damn tests yet!
ah well. perhaps it was time for something 'exciting' to happen in my life. i guess almost getting abducted in Mexico...or a spider bite that affected me for 10+ years...or the hundreds of mosquito and sand flea bites...or the mummy dust that will just make you barf...or the labyrinthitis that put me down for almost three months, were mere spit in the ocean compared to this eye affliction.
it's funny because all those tests will probably come up negative. what really sticks in my mind though is the reappearing of the phrase "autoimmune disease." sure, i don't have AIDS, but i never thought of those damn bites when i got 'em. i'm just wondering if my body chemistry got all whacked out between 1991 and 2001, when i was out of the country a total of 18 times...
god, i'm truly scared about the outcome. vision is probably the most important sense to have. you never appreciate what you have until it's gone...sigh. i want to be so positive but the uncertainty of permanent vision loss lurks in the shadows, like some pernicious joke.
no self-pity here...i'm just anxious and scared...and i guess i just need to get this off my chest. let's hope this little posting is that cathartic purge that will get that crap outta my left eye...
isn't it crazy though? all i wanted to hear the optometrist say was, "Don't wear your contacts for a month and take better care of them." HA-FUCKIN'-HA!
don't worry though, there'll be more promising news in my next post :) even if i hafta lie...
Monday, May 23, 2005
sounds like rain...
and my car windows are WIDE open! wish i could do something about the hole in my head...
it's like driving down Havana...
yesterday, we were heading north on Havana, just past Buckingham Square, when i had a flashback (sorry, not drug related). it was about dusk...we passed the massive flag in front of the car dealership near Exposition.
Thawin Kittikunsereekam
huh?
when i was in middle school, Vinh Nguyen was the king of the table tennis courts. this little vietnamese kid just smoked his opponents with his swift reactions and deft flicks of the wrist.
until one day...
a new kid with an unpronounceable name ravaged poor Vinh in his once unpenetratable territory. all we knew was that he stomped the sheeyit outta him...beating him by at least ten points in every set.
who was this new guy?
a week later, while in science class, someone came to the room, looking for a cantonese speaker. well, who do ya think they picked? yep.
apparently, they needed someone to translate in the office for a new kid and his classes/abilities. now, my cantonese is not the best, but it was either me or Lisa, who was mixed and even less fluent.
we walk into Mr. Dreith's office and lo and behold, it's the vinh-dicator. he was about my height and with scrawniness to match. who was this david? did he have a sling with that ping pong paddle?
to be honest with ya, vinh was a head shorter than both of us. i just prefer the sarcastic metaphor ;)
well, i found out that the kid with the unpronounceable name was actually Chinese, but raised in thailand. his name was Thawin (tah-win) and he had a freaky sixteen letter last name - Kittikunsereekam. he was here to attend 8th grade and was living with his uncle...on Galena...just northwest of Buckingham Mall.
fast forward to 1987. Thawin and I were just finishing off our junior year in high school. And before every Calculus study session, we'd head to my house and held the ping pong challenge.
unfortunately, i was a mere mortal to this table tennis juggernaut. even with a ten point advantage, i beat him once out of the dozens of times we played. good thing i still could stomp him in chess...or English (hey, no fair...so what if i was born here).
for some odd reason, i have an image burnt in my mind of walking down Havana at sunset, towards the King Soopers. it was one of the few times i ever studied at his house...but it remains vivid, even after 18 years.
so anytime i pass the huge flag in front of the car dealership near the intersection of Havana and Exposition, i think of Thawin. and if i ever pass it at dusk, the exact 1987 image pops into my head.
funny how the mind works whenever you don't need it (to)...
anyway, after high school, we kept in touch. i went to archaeology and he went to mechanical engineering. in 1994, Thawin returned to his little corner in Hat Yai, Thailand...and i haven't seen him since. other than some emails and a couple xmas cards and photos, i only know that he's married and has a kid and another on the way.
just last week, i reestablished contact with him (after a few years of non-contact). and guess what popped into my head the moment i opened his email? uh-huh...huge flag, Havana traffic, and the oncoming May dusk.
now, if i could figure out some sort of Pavlovian process to make me blog...i could probably market it. as long as it doesn't taste like chinese herbal medicine ;)
Thawin Kittikunsereekam
huh?
when i was in middle school, Vinh Nguyen was the king of the table tennis courts. this little vietnamese kid just smoked his opponents with his swift reactions and deft flicks of the wrist.
until one day...
a new kid with an unpronounceable name ravaged poor Vinh in his once unpenetratable territory. all we knew was that he stomped the sheeyit outta him...beating him by at least ten points in every set.
who was this new guy?
a week later, while in science class, someone came to the room, looking for a cantonese speaker. well, who do ya think they picked? yep.
apparently, they needed someone to translate in the office for a new kid and his classes/abilities. now, my cantonese is not the best, but it was either me or Lisa, who was mixed and even less fluent.
we walk into Mr. Dreith's office and lo and behold, it's the vinh-dicator. he was about my height and with scrawniness to match. who was this david? did he have a sling with that ping pong paddle?
to be honest with ya, vinh was a head shorter than both of us. i just prefer the sarcastic metaphor ;)
well, i found out that the kid with the unpronounceable name was actually Chinese, but raised in thailand. his name was Thawin (tah-win) and he had a freaky sixteen letter last name - Kittikunsereekam. he was here to attend 8th grade and was living with his uncle...on Galena...just northwest of Buckingham Mall.
fast forward to 1987. Thawin and I were just finishing off our junior year in high school. And before every Calculus study session, we'd head to my house and held the ping pong challenge.
unfortunately, i was a mere mortal to this table tennis juggernaut. even with a ten point advantage, i beat him once out of the dozens of times we played. good thing i still could stomp him in chess...or English (hey, no fair...so what if i was born here).
for some odd reason, i have an image burnt in my mind of walking down Havana at sunset, towards the King Soopers. it was one of the few times i ever studied at his house...but it remains vivid, even after 18 years.
so anytime i pass the huge flag in front of the car dealership near the intersection of Havana and Exposition, i think of Thawin. and if i ever pass it at dusk, the exact 1987 image pops into my head.
funny how the mind works whenever you don't need it (to)...
anyway, after high school, we kept in touch. i went to archaeology and he went to mechanical engineering. in 1994, Thawin returned to his little corner in Hat Yai, Thailand...and i haven't seen him since. other than some emails and a couple xmas cards and photos, i only know that he's married and has a kid and another on the way.
just last week, i reestablished contact with him (after a few years of non-contact). and guess what popped into my head the moment i opened his email? uh-huh...huge flag, Havana traffic, and the oncoming May dusk.
now, if i could figure out some sort of Pavlovian process to make me blog...i could probably market it. as long as it doesn't taste like chinese herbal medicine ;)
yucky...
as of late, i've been abusing my contact lens use. yep. nothing like poor upkeep to tempt bacteria and other goodies into my eyes.
last tuesday, i noticed a bit of redness in my left eye and took it as a sign to take out my contacts...and leave 'em out for a bit. well, over the course of three or four days, my eye reddened and subsided...and my vision worsened to the point of a weird blindness - liken it to looking through a piece of wax paper. NOT GOOD.
after getting a hold of some antibiotic eye drops i obtained from the opthamologist, i made an appointment with my acupuncturist. after suffering through a bout of labyrinthitis in 1996, i've always made a point to consult my acupuncturist when western medicine didn't help. and the pills they gave me only worked for two days...
so...i was a human pin cushion on my left side this afternoon. a couple needles in my foot...a few in my arm...three in my neck...and two in my eyebrow. that's not the yucky part though.
nope.
the yucky part is the powdered herbs that i'm supposed to dissolve in two oz. of water, twice a day. ewww. never pleasant tasting, but always effective.
ya see, puttin' needles in ya and drinking foul tasting herbs usually go hand in hand when it comes to chinese medicine. the needles start the healing process and the herbs accelerates it. now, both aren't always necessary, but this time it was.
so i get another dose tonight and maybe eight more after that. oh joy.
happy drinkin'
...GAG!
last tuesday, i noticed a bit of redness in my left eye and took it as a sign to take out my contacts...and leave 'em out for a bit. well, over the course of three or four days, my eye reddened and subsided...and my vision worsened to the point of a weird blindness - liken it to looking through a piece of wax paper. NOT GOOD.
after getting a hold of some antibiotic eye drops i obtained from the opthamologist, i made an appointment with my acupuncturist. after suffering through a bout of labyrinthitis in 1996, i've always made a point to consult my acupuncturist when western medicine didn't help. and the pills they gave me only worked for two days...
so...i was a human pin cushion on my left side this afternoon. a couple needles in my foot...a few in my arm...three in my neck...and two in my eyebrow. that's not the yucky part though.
nope.
the yucky part is the powdered herbs that i'm supposed to dissolve in two oz. of water, twice a day. ewww. never pleasant tasting, but always effective.
ya see, puttin' needles in ya and drinking foul tasting herbs usually go hand in hand when it comes to chinese medicine. the needles start the healing process and the herbs accelerates it. now, both aren't always necessary, but this time it was.
so i get another dose tonight and maybe eight more after that. oh joy.
happy drinkin'
...GAG!
time...
just gets away from ya when you don't feel like blogging. alas, the blogging police (aka, CB) is out in force. but hey, we can't all be going to her place; i'll try to do my part...really!
and to what was the above alluding? not a damn thing, just a ramble.
big news! my sister, Susie, gave birth to her first child last thursday. Christian Albert Richard Downs came into the world on 5/19/05 at 5:19(!) PM via c-section. poor thing. his head got stuck in her pelvic bone, so that was the only option.
7 lbs. 4.8 oz.
20"
cute as a button. just downright adorable. haven't loaded any pics yet...but will do so soon.
anyway, sis is getting out of the hospital today. it was supposed to be yesterday but Christian had a bit o' jaundice and dehydration, so the homecoming will be around 6:00.
and to what was the above alluding? not a damn thing, just a ramble.
big news! my sister, Susie, gave birth to her first child last thursday. Christian Albert Richard Downs came into the world on 5/19/05 at 5:19(!) PM via c-section. poor thing. his head got stuck in her pelvic bone, so that was the only option.
7 lbs. 4.8 oz.
20"
cute as a button. just downright adorable. haven't loaded any pics yet...but will do so soon.
anyway, sis is getting out of the hospital today. it was supposed to be yesterday but Christian had a bit o' jaundice and dehydration, so the homecoming will be around 6:00.
Thursday, May 12, 2005
eight days already?
time to get off my lazy blogging ass and catch up some, eh?
well, the baby shower that susie's co-workers held was a small affair - 15 people. still, she freakin' cleaned up. all kinds of clothes, especially socks. that boy must've gotten three or four dozen pairs... the family/friends shower is saturday. we'll see what kind of goods she'll hoard then ;)
been going out again. i'm really in a funk about cooking dinner. i've got great ideas and am usually an excellent improviser, but it's just the action of cooking; neither of us has felt like it.
last thursday, we drove on over to our fave Mexican restaurant, which has relocated to the same area as Pat's (Cindi's favorite philly steak joint), only to find that the renovations still hadn't been completed. sigh. to go two months without the #9 combination at La Cocina de Marcos is unjust.
tired of all the places around there, i decided that we were gonna try a new place that had recently been reviewed in the Denver Post. it's a teeny little place that sits a half block from my ol' high school, in a really short strip mall just off of Leetsdale and Monaco.
Italian.
it's called Nonna's Bistro...and it's a keeper. lois had penne with spicy sausage and i had the asparagus ravioli...mmm-good. one of the best touches was serving a freshly baked mini loaf of bread, steaming hot with a side of marinara for dipping. good coffee too. we'll hafta go back soon to sample the rest of the menu.
really though, it wasn't the food that was most memorable. nope. it was something that happened towards the end of our meal.
a couple walked in and was given the choice of a corner booth in the back or the first booth near the window. they chose the latter, probably to catch the beginning of the sunset.
about fifteen minutes later, while we were finishing our dessert and coffee, there was a thunderous crash in the back...like someone had dropped a massive tub of dishes. turns out that a TV positioned in the corner, too heavy and not stabilized enough for the surrounding drywall, tore out of the wall and onto the table and booth below - where those two people luckily didn't sit.
yep. that 13" TV could have easily bludgeoned someone or at least caused permanent spinal damage. geez. either those people needed to buy a lotto ticket for their fortunate choice, or the owner because an incident like that would surely have put them out of business and into the throes of bankruptcy.
i may think twice before sitting under a TV in a restaurant again. whew.
and more going out...
went to a new buffet near Cinderella City for Mother's Day. this place, Int'l Buffet, was advertising half off for mothers in parties of four or more - we just had to go. two mothers (my mom and eldest sister) and an expectant one made for some discountin' heh. unfortunately, they still charged susie full price, even though she's as big as a house. i guess she should consider herself lucky that they didn't charge for two people, eh?
as chinese buffets go, the food was generally good. there's a new wave of restauranteurs who are starting chinese buffets with offerings of crab legs, sushi, and even mongolian bbq or dim sum in addition to the usual offerings of sesame chicken, lo mein, broccoli beef, crab cheese wontons, and hot and sour soup.
still though...what was international about it? other than the clientele... the buffet was asian, not international. but hey, whaddaya want for $8.99?!?
tuesday was Chipotle. we stopped into the Tiffany Plaza one before catching 'The Aviator' at the cheapies. remind me to never get chips and guac (at Chipotle) again. they lime and salt them...which would be okay if they didn't use huge almost rock-like salt. i could've thawed the snow off of a driveway with a basket of their chips. weird.
of course, this is coming from a person who opted for a $1 hot dog at the cheapies. how scary is that? it's really sad how much i have a penchant for an occasional hot dog. i'll even make sure i have one on every trip to mexico from a sidewalk vendor. for about twenty cents, at least you know you're gonna get a hot dog with bacon, mayo, and chile. at the cheapies, you get a hot bun with a steaming WTF?!? when you bite into it. the flavor is so...alien.
god, i shoulda forked over the extra $1.50 for the raisinets...
The Aviator was quite good. after having seen three of the best actor nominees - we have yet to see million $ baby and hotel rwanda - i feel that jamie foxx wasn't as good as Leonardo di Caprio or even Johnny Depp (in Finding Neverland). DiCaprio was over the top as Howard Hughes. and Cate Blanchett? she totally nailed Kathryn Hepburn's accent! wow.
perhaps we can catch Million $ Baby this weekend... and hotel rwanda? just rented it from McD's.
speaking of McD movie rentals, we did get a few during their free rental code promo. we got to see 'Sideways' 'Lemony Snicket' 'Closer' 'House of Flying Daggers' and 'Ocean's 12'. i wonder what's coming out next...
what about you guys? and Cindi, what movies did you pull out of the box that i lent ya? are you hating them all yet?
well, the baby shower that susie's co-workers held was a small affair - 15 people. still, she freakin' cleaned up. all kinds of clothes, especially socks. that boy must've gotten three or four dozen pairs... the family/friends shower is saturday. we'll see what kind of goods she'll hoard then ;)
been going out again. i'm really in a funk about cooking dinner. i've got great ideas and am usually an excellent improviser, but it's just the action of cooking; neither of us has felt like it.
last thursday, we drove on over to our fave Mexican restaurant, which has relocated to the same area as Pat's (Cindi's favorite philly steak joint), only to find that the renovations still hadn't been completed. sigh. to go two months without the #9 combination at La Cocina de Marcos is unjust.
tired of all the places around there, i decided that we were gonna try a new place that had recently been reviewed in the Denver Post. it's a teeny little place that sits a half block from my ol' high school, in a really short strip mall just off of Leetsdale and Monaco.
Italian.
it's called Nonna's Bistro...and it's a keeper. lois had penne with spicy sausage and i had the asparagus ravioli...mmm-good. one of the best touches was serving a freshly baked mini loaf of bread, steaming hot with a side of marinara for dipping. good coffee too. we'll hafta go back soon to sample the rest of the menu.
really though, it wasn't the food that was most memorable. nope. it was something that happened towards the end of our meal.
a couple walked in and was given the choice of a corner booth in the back or the first booth near the window. they chose the latter, probably to catch the beginning of the sunset.
about fifteen minutes later, while we were finishing our dessert and coffee, there was a thunderous crash in the back...like someone had dropped a massive tub of dishes. turns out that a TV positioned in the corner, too heavy and not stabilized enough for the surrounding drywall, tore out of the wall and onto the table and booth below - where those two people luckily didn't sit.
yep. that 13" TV could have easily bludgeoned someone or at least caused permanent spinal damage. geez. either those people needed to buy a lotto ticket for their fortunate choice, or the owner because an incident like that would surely have put them out of business and into the throes of bankruptcy.
i may think twice before sitting under a TV in a restaurant again. whew.
and more going out...
went to a new buffet near Cinderella City for Mother's Day. this place, Int'l Buffet, was advertising half off for mothers in parties of four or more - we just had to go. two mothers (my mom and eldest sister) and an expectant one made for some discountin' heh. unfortunately, they still charged susie full price, even though she's as big as a house. i guess she should consider herself lucky that they didn't charge for two people, eh?
as chinese buffets go, the food was generally good. there's a new wave of restauranteurs who are starting chinese buffets with offerings of crab legs, sushi, and even mongolian bbq or dim sum in addition to the usual offerings of sesame chicken, lo mein, broccoli beef, crab cheese wontons, and hot and sour soup.
still though...what was international about it? other than the clientele... the buffet was asian, not international. but hey, whaddaya want for $8.99?!?
tuesday was Chipotle. we stopped into the Tiffany Plaza one before catching 'The Aviator' at the cheapies. remind me to never get chips and guac (at Chipotle) again. they lime and salt them...which would be okay if they didn't use huge almost rock-like salt. i could've thawed the snow off of a driveway with a basket of their chips. weird.
of course, this is coming from a person who opted for a $1 hot dog at the cheapies. how scary is that? it's really sad how much i have a penchant for an occasional hot dog. i'll even make sure i have one on every trip to mexico from a sidewalk vendor. for about twenty cents, at least you know you're gonna get a hot dog with bacon, mayo, and chile. at the cheapies, you get a hot bun with a steaming WTF?!? when you bite into it. the flavor is so...alien.
god, i shoulda forked over the extra $1.50 for the raisinets...
The Aviator was quite good. after having seen three of the best actor nominees - we have yet to see million $ baby and hotel rwanda - i feel that jamie foxx wasn't as good as Leonardo di Caprio or even Johnny Depp (in Finding Neverland). DiCaprio was over the top as Howard Hughes. and Cate Blanchett? she totally nailed Kathryn Hepburn's accent! wow.
perhaps we can catch Million $ Baby this weekend... and hotel rwanda? just rented it from McD's.
speaking of McD movie rentals, we did get a few during their free rental code promo. we got to see 'Sideways' 'Lemony Snicket' 'Closer' 'House of Flying Daggers' and 'Ocean's 12'. i wonder what's coming out next...
what about you guys? and Cindi, what movies did you pull out of the box that i lent ya? are you hating them all yet?
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
at 4:30...
i'll be taking my mom to susie's workplace for her baby shower. just three more weeks (until the due date). who knows when baby Christian will run out of air and want out.
last night, lois and i spent an aggravating 45 minutes at Target, looking for baby registry items that were simply not in stock. i think the first eight or nine items that we were considering buying...were purely imaginary. and was there anyone there to help us?!? HAH!
ah well. we did manage to find six items that filled two bags nicely though. i'm thinking that we should just get some of the original items online for the friends/family baby shower in a couple weeks.
last night, lois and i spent an aggravating 45 minutes at Target, looking for baby registry items that were simply not in stock. i think the first eight or nine items that we were considering buying...were purely imaginary. and was there anyone there to help us?!? HAH!
ah well. we did manage to find six items that filled two bags nicely though. i'm thinking that we should just get some of the original items online for the friends/family baby shower in a couple weeks.
bidding...
been looking for cheapo ink cartridges for my printer on eBay. i figure i should be able to find some for around $7 (incl. shipping). i just refuse to purchase them for $25-$30 each anymore. i know i could also go to the hassle of using refill kits, which i used to do for my old printer. you know what though? they ain't that convenient and there are other problems like leaks and smudges...no thanks!
mebbe it's time to get a lower end laser printer; i just don't print that much with color. we'll see...
mebbe it's time to get a lower end laser printer; i just don't print that much with color. we'll see...
Saturday, April 23, 2005
ugh...
my back has been killing me. although the pain hasn't been debilitating enough to keep me from sleeping, it sure sucks to try to get out of bed every morning. guess it's high time to see the chiropractor for an adjustment...
aside from the spinal aggravation, it has been a good week. lois' b-day was on monday and she totally cleaned up ;) we had dinner at the new asian latin fusion restaurant, Zengo, which is located in the riverfront area of downtown. man, that area is really coming along. what was once just railroad tracks, is becoming the new star in downtown development. maybe we'll start hanging out there some this summer; a walk at sundown would be stunning, i think.
aside from the spinal aggravation, it has been a good week. lois' b-day was on monday and she totally cleaned up ;) we had dinner at the new asian latin fusion restaurant, Zengo, which is located in the riverfront area of downtown. man, that area is really coming along. what was once just railroad tracks, is becoming the new star in downtown development. maybe we'll start hanging out there some this summer; a walk at sundown would be stunning, i think.
Friday, April 15, 2005
double yay!
finally did my taxes... it looks like my refund will be about enough for a trip to see our friend, Yani, in Cancún for a week in August. aside from the heat and humidity, it'll be a good time. it has been much too long since we've been back to Mexico (Spring 2003). lois and i were longing for our favorite cafes in Mexico City (El Reloj and El Popular), the best tacos in the country (Rincón Brujo in Villahermosa), and our dessert/coffee hangout in Mérida (Cafetería Impala). we must get away...pure and simple! it's just too bad that Cancún is so far away from the first two cities - 24 hours and 12 hours by bus, respectively. ah well, mebbe we'll be able to sneak in a flan napolitano and a couple coffees in Mérida...only about 4-5 hours west of Cancún. and yeah, it's totally worth it.
Thursday, April 14, 2005
yay!
just got three months worth of Men's Journal in the mail recently. a couple years ago, i let the subscription lapse, when i should have continued it and quit Volleyball Magazine instead. besides, it's cheaper anyway ;)
over the past couple of years, i've reached a point in my life where some simplification has become more desirable. and magazine subscriptions were just starting to take up more and more space. really, goodwill et al. could (and has) benefitted from donations of:
Volleyball Mag (15 years worth)
Consumer Reports (10 years)
Popular Photography (6)
Archaeology (5)
National Geo. (8)
Entertainment Weekly (6)
Reader's Digest (ugh...two years of the worst drivel)
Budget Travel (8)
Men's Journal (4)
so i guess i've decided to stick to the last two magazines for now...
over the past couple of years, i've reached a point in my life where some simplification has become more desirable. and magazine subscriptions were just starting to take up more and more space. really, goodwill et al. could (and has) benefitted from donations of:
Volleyball Mag (15 years worth)
Consumer Reports (10 years)
Popular Photography (6)
Archaeology (5)
National Geo. (8)
Entertainment Weekly (6)
Reader's Digest (ugh...two years of the worst drivel)
Budget Travel (8)
Men's Journal (4)
so i guess i've decided to stick to the last two magazines for now...
Friday, April 08, 2005
more movies...
just looked at the cheapies and there's nothing that we wanna see. so, maybe we'll make a night of it and catch a first run instead. mebbe 'The Upside of Anger' or 'Millions'. i dunno. it'll just be good if we catch the movie tonight or tomorrow. if that winter storm does come in, i know we won't want to go out at all...
cindi invited me last minute yesterday to a sneak of the new DrewBarrymore and Jimmy Fallon movie, 'Fever Pitch.' although i had to turn it down, we'll keep it in mind. we've always liked miss barrymore; she was so good in 'Ever After.'
well, i guess i'd better get dinner started. we went to Sunflower Market and loaded up on the veggies on wednesday night, after a week of going out. sometimes ya gotta be good and cook for once, eh? besides, how many times have we all let great veggies DIE in our fridges?
so what's on the menu? some beef ribs...cauliflower...orange bell peppers...guatemalan canteloupe (hey, it was 25 cents! not extremely sweet, but really orange ;)...some leftover brown rice...and some organic strawberries. what else? we'll see...
cindi invited me last minute yesterday to a sneak of the new DrewBarrymore and Jimmy Fallon movie, 'Fever Pitch.' although i had to turn it down, we'll keep it in mind. we've always liked miss barrymore; she was so good in 'Ever After.'
well, i guess i'd better get dinner started. we went to Sunflower Market and loaded up on the veggies on wednesday night, after a week of going out. sometimes ya gotta be good and cook for once, eh? besides, how many times have we all let great veggies DIE in our fridges?
so what's on the menu? some beef ribs...cauliflower...orange bell peppers...guatemalan canteloupe (hey, it was 25 cents! not extremely sweet, but really orange ;)...some leftover brown rice...and some organic strawberries. what else? we'll see...
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
movies?
just got Hit The Deck, an old 50's musical in the mail. won it on eeBay. unfortunately, it's a VHS copy, since it probably will never be released on DVD. ah well.
lately, we've been renting DVDs from mcdonald's of all places. it's not a bad deal for $1 a night. however, they get you on when you return it. once you rent it, you're given until 10PM the next day to return the rental. it actually states by 10PM (or when store closes)... well, the mickey d's by me closes at 11:00. if you return it after 10PM, but before they close, you'll get popped for another $1...cheeky monkeys.
anyway, last week, we got the Jude Law's LAME remake of (Michael Caine's classic) 'Alfie' and 'Napolean Dynamite', which was hilarious. i may just have to get a copy...
speaking of movies, Cindi...just wondering if you've had time to watch one of the vids i lent ya. i don't need 'em back (even this year)...i was just curious and wanting to know if you liked the selections :)
lately, we've been renting DVDs from mcdonald's of all places. it's not a bad deal for $1 a night. however, they get you on when you return it. once you rent it, you're given until 10PM the next day to return the rental. it actually states by 10PM (or when store closes)... well, the mickey d's by me closes at 11:00. if you return it after 10PM, but before they close, you'll get popped for another $1...cheeky monkeys.
anyway, last week, we got the Jude Law's LAME remake of (Michael Caine's classic) 'Alfie' and 'Napolean Dynamite', which was hilarious. i may just have to get a copy...
speaking of movies, Cindi...just wondering if you've had time to watch one of the vids i lent ya. i don't need 'em back (even this year)...i was just curious and wanting to know if you liked the selections :)
LPs...
are sometimes the way to go for that pure listening experience.
yep. i've spent the last three hours or so listening to some old albums, waxing (no pun intended) nostalgia.
so far, i've put on Earth Wind & Fire's 'I Am'...Carole King's Greatest Hits...Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass' Whipped Cream and Other Delights...Joe Walsh's "You Can't Argue With A Sick Mind"...and right now, a Jimi Hendrix compilation called "Kiss the Sky" is on the turntable.
sure, some of the albums had some clicks and pops, but digital sound is too clean and can't capture the warmth of vinyl.
'nuff said.
yep. i've spent the last three hours or so listening to some old albums, waxing (no pun intended) nostalgia.
so far, i've put on Earth Wind & Fire's 'I Am'...Carole King's Greatest Hits...Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass' Whipped Cream and Other Delights...Joe Walsh's "You Can't Argue With A Sick Mind"...and right now, a Jimi Hendrix compilation called "Kiss the Sky" is on the turntable.
sure, some of the albums had some clicks and pops, but digital sound is too clean and can't capture the warmth of vinyl.
'nuff said.
oh joy...
about a week and a half ago, lois and i both got sore throats the morning after we went out to eat. yeah, the server or one of the cooks must've been sick...great. well, i toiled with a bit of coughing and a snotty nose. and lois? ummm...
she got worse.
in fact, her hacking was so bad that i convinced her to let me take her to the hospital. the last time i sounded that bad was when i had a bout with bronchitis in 1988; the only time i had it. and lois' cough and labored breathing was even worse than mine ever was.
and guess what...it's pneumonia. luckily, the antibiotic that they have her on, attaches itself to the white blood cells and goes straight to the spot of the pulmonary clog. most patients notice a marked difference after a day or two of its use. and, of course, you shouldn't leave the pharmacy without a prescription expectorant like guaifenesin with codeine...oooh.
so...she's back at work today and probably threatening to cough up a loogie on anyone who fucks with her...she's so cute.
she got worse.
in fact, her hacking was so bad that i convinced her to let me take her to the hospital. the last time i sounded that bad was when i had a bout with bronchitis in 1988; the only time i had it. and lois' cough and labored breathing was even worse than mine ever was.
and guess what...it's pneumonia. luckily, the antibiotic that they have her on, attaches itself to the white blood cells and goes straight to the spot of the pulmonary clog. most patients notice a marked difference after a day or two of its use. and, of course, you shouldn't leave the pharmacy without a prescription expectorant like guaifenesin with codeine...oooh.
so...she's back at work today and probably threatening to cough up a loogie on anyone who fucks with her...she's so cute.
chicago...
philly...or baltimore.
my favorite group, SwingOutSister, is doing a short U.S. tour in support of their new cd, Where Our Love Grows, which was actually released last spring in Japan and in October for the USA. the tour is scheduled to pass through eight cities in June. of course, Denver, isn't on the list.
sigh.
so lois and i are once again going on the road to see them. back in 1997, we took a trip to San Francisco just to catch them at a club called...get this...Bimbo's 365. that tour had even a shorter list of cities - San Fran, Los Angeles, and NYC. still, it was well worth the plane fare and the hotel stay. there's something about their music that makes you want to play it over and over. my sisters, lois, and i all agree that a swingoutsister cd is perfect driving music...even through rush hour traffic ;)
as for the above three cities, we're just looking for cheap fares (i.e., something under $200) and i've been to all of 'em for between $140-$180. we just need more confirmed dates.
that's all i want for my birthday (june 15th), a trip to see swingoutsister again...
my favorite group, SwingOutSister, is doing a short U.S. tour in support of their new cd, Where Our Love Grows, which was actually released last spring in Japan and in October for the USA. the tour is scheduled to pass through eight cities in June. of course, Denver, isn't on the list.
sigh.
so lois and i are once again going on the road to see them. back in 1997, we took a trip to San Francisco just to catch them at a club called...get this...Bimbo's 365. that tour had even a shorter list of cities - San Fran, Los Angeles, and NYC. still, it was well worth the plane fare and the hotel stay. there's something about their music that makes you want to play it over and over. my sisters, lois, and i all agree that a swingoutsister cd is perfect driving music...even through rush hour traffic ;)
as for the above three cities, we're just looking for cheap fares (i.e., something under $200) and i've been to all of 'em for between $140-$180. we just need more confirmed dates.
that's all i want for my birthday (june 15th), a trip to see swingoutsister again...
btw...
MargaretCho's show at the Buell last thursday was great. it had been nearly five years (and three tours) since Lois and I had last seen her, so it was good to let out some laughs. the best thing about Margaret's stand up act is that she keeps up with the times and presents her material in a fresh, but still thought provoking, manner.
maybe that's too much to ask of all comedians. too cerebral may be a bad thing. goofy is good too.
eh, whatever.
maybe that's too much to ask of all comedians. too cerebral may be a bad thing. goofy is good too.
eh, whatever.
need...new...
sandals.
just split the top of my front left nail on my big toe. frigginfrazzleugh. the cheapo sandals that i wear in the house are a little loose due to the low quality material; slightly split and stretched along the top...about par for wallymart soccer slide type sandals that go for $2.87.
ah well.
anyway, i skip stairs usually whenever i ascend - a bit dangerous and not advised when descending - a staircase. so, naturally, i was climbing the stairs and had just neared the top when i caught my left foot against the edge of a stair...and continued to fling the basement door open and fall on the landing...a thing of beauty...almost as amusing as the expletives that were filling the air.
humph.
just split the top of my front left nail on my big toe. frigginfrazzleugh. the cheapo sandals that i wear in the house are a little loose due to the low quality material; slightly split and stretched along the top...about par for wallymart soccer slide type sandals that go for $2.87.
ah well.
anyway, i skip stairs usually whenever i ascend - a bit dangerous and not advised when descending - a staircase. so, naturally, i was climbing the stairs and had just neared the top when i caught my left foot against the edge of a stair...and continued to fling the basement door open and fall on the landing...a thing of beauty...almost as amusing as the expletives that were filling the air.
humph.
Thursday, March 31, 2005
huh?
i know my past couple postings have been nothing short of confusing...sorry.
still no news on the lady that i rear ended last week. luckily, she consented to me paying out of pocket if it ran less than $400. she said that she'd try to get estimates from three places and we'd go from there; i haven't heard from her since. i'm guessing that i call her on sunday or monday if i don't hear from her tomorrow.
mole hole?
over the past two weeks, i haunted the mole hole in cherry creek during its relocation sale. the first time i went (with lois), the prices were 50% off and we bought a few small things. i closely paid attention to what lois liked but declined buying; the best thing to do when shopping for future gifts. so, the second time i went was immediately after my breakfast w/ Cindi (who was so nice to buy...thanks...the company was awesome!). that was when i purchased the nicer looking clock and some cute things for my oh-so-pregnant sister - a baby blue clock that has the words 'eat, sleep, poop, cry' in place of the hour markings and a stuffed crane with a cap that says 'special delivery' and a baby bear(!) in the blanket.
this last time i went - yesterday morning - i took advantage of the 75% off and grabbed a couple clocks worth $90 retail and paid a paltry $22.50...whee. of course, the prize buy was a tiffany style lamp that was going for $245 - yikes! initially, when lois and i were there, i was praying that one of the four lamps i was eyeing, would still be there at the end...and whaddaya know! one survived the sale carnage and was waiting for me; saving another $61 was just icing on the cake.
this lamp is similar to the ones that you can find at LampsPlus for the equivalent, but the shade is glass! not the cheapo resin that adorns some of them... i am truly happy with this purchase and i'm pretty sure that lois will be delighted. i only say 'pretty sure' because i was wrong this past xmas with an item that i ultimately had to return. still a good batting average after eleven years...
whoops. gotta go. although we're not going to the Indigo Girls concert like Cindi, we've got tix to MargaretCho at the Buell Theatre. curtain is at 8:00...so i'll be back...eventually.
still no news on the lady that i rear ended last week. luckily, she consented to me paying out of pocket if it ran less than $400. she said that she'd try to get estimates from three places and we'd go from there; i haven't heard from her since. i'm guessing that i call her on sunday or monday if i don't hear from her tomorrow.
mole hole?
over the past two weeks, i haunted the mole hole in cherry creek during its relocation sale. the first time i went (with lois), the prices were 50% off and we bought a few small things. i closely paid attention to what lois liked but declined buying; the best thing to do when shopping for future gifts. so, the second time i went was immediately after my breakfast w/ Cindi (who was so nice to buy...thanks...the company was awesome!). that was when i purchased the nicer looking clock and some cute things for my oh-so-pregnant sister - a baby blue clock that has the words 'eat, sleep, poop, cry' in place of the hour markings and a stuffed crane with a cap that says 'special delivery' and a baby bear(!) in the blanket.
this last time i went - yesterday morning - i took advantage of the 75% off and grabbed a couple clocks worth $90 retail and paid a paltry $22.50...whee. of course, the prize buy was a tiffany style lamp that was going for $245 - yikes! initially, when lois and i were there, i was praying that one of the four lamps i was eyeing, would still be there at the end...and whaddaya know! one survived the sale carnage and was waiting for me; saving another $61 was just icing on the cake.
this lamp is similar to the ones that you can find at LampsPlus for the equivalent, but the shade is glass! not the cheapo resin that adorns some of them... i am truly happy with this purchase and i'm pretty sure that lois will be delighted. i only say 'pretty sure' because i was wrong this past xmas with an item that i ultimately had to return. still a good batting average after eleven years...
whoops. gotta go. although we're not going to the Indigo Girls concert like Cindi, we've got tix to MargaretCho at the Buell Theatre. curtain is at 8:00...so i'll be back...eventually.
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
maybe...
i've been too lucky lately. that's the reason for the wee fender scraper. ah well. gotta have little doldrums to keep things in perspective. no one was hurt and she was cool about it (although not at the beginning, maybe it's a defensive mechanism).
after i take all of the insurance crap, guess i'll do some laundry and make an appointment for a car alignment (that was already necessary). gee...can ya stand the excitement?
of course, tonight is another matter altogether. we're going to meet Cindi downtown for a movie. so things are really looking up.
i also have about eleven movies that i'm gonna lend cindi. i'm pretty sure she hasn't seen about ten of them. i'll get a confirmation today...hope she enjoys them.
what's new in everyone else's world. better watch out, there are crazed jelly doughnut fiends rear ending people in droves...
after i take all of the insurance crap, guess i'll do some laundry and make an appointment for a car alignment (that was already necessary). gee...can ya stand the excitement?
of course, tonight is another matter altogether. we're going to meet Cindi downtown for a movie. so things are really looking up.
i also have about eleven movies that i'm gonna lend cindi. i'm pretty sure she hasn't seen about ten of them. i'll get a confirmation today...hope she enjoys them.
what's new in everyone else's world. better watch out, there are crazed jelly doughnut fiends rear ending people in droves...
kee-rap
i tell ya...it was the jelly doughnut calling me...really!
dumbshit has a day off and was heading to Donut Cafe for a dozen.
dumbshit rear ends someone at a stop sign.
no damage to dumbshit's car...nary a scratch...what luck.
the rear ended, however, has a cool imprint of dumbshit's license plate holder and top two screws scratched into back bumper.
no police called...just exchange of info.
hello, my name is dumbshit and i blog here on occasion.
btw, dumbshit didn't get the dozen after all...sigh.
but hey, at least i won't have to pay for two damaged cars. thank god for that.
dumbshit has a day off and was heading to Donut Cafe for a dozen.
dumbshit rear ends someone at a stop sign.
no damage to dumbshit's car...nary a scratch...what luck.
the rear ended, however, has a cool imprint of dumbshit's license plate holder and top two screws scratched into back bumper.
no police called...just exchange of info.
hello, my name is dumbshit and i blog here on occasion.
btw, dumbshit didn't get the dozen after all...sigh.
but hey, at least i won't have to pay for two damaged cars. thank god for that.
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
a testin' we will go...
time for the emissions test. here's a handy link to Air Care Colorado and its stats/pointers. we're gonna take their advice and see if the Lipan location has few customers. luckily, it's about equidistant from the house as the Warren location, which is one of the busier ones (and our regular center).
but first, we're off to the bank and a cuppa joe at the nearbyPeaberry. and then...and only then...will we think about keeping that air clean ;)
but first, we're off to the bank and a cuppa joe at the nearbyPeaberry. and then...and only then...will we think about keeping that air clean ;)
Thursday, March 03, 2005
a quick note...
going to Beaver Creek today for a concert. just made the reservations for the hotel...even though it'll be for one night. i just don't wanna drive back late tonight; sometimes it's nice to spend a night and take a leisurely drive the next day.
glad that the weather is supposed to be nice, although cold (forecast high today for Avon is 36 degrees). the last thing i wanted to do is fight snow on Vail Pass...not a pretty sight when a blizzard kicks in.
probably will be leaving at noon, which leaves me enough time to finish some laundry and blog a wee bit. we are so needing this overnighter. since lois' eye surgeries, she has had nothing but cabin fever.
so...for the past five weeks or so, we've been watching movies at home. i just returned four vids to the dvd rental kiosk at McD's. have you used it yet? the movies are a buck a night and the selection ain't bad. over the past few days, we watched Ray...The Village...I, Robot...and Friday Night Lights. this may turn into a habit at this rate ;)
of course, we've been hearing good things about Netflix too. so we may consider that if she's off work another three weeks or so.
been buying movies off of eBay too. cheapo VHS though. some of the movies aren't on DVD yet. recently was high bidder for a couple of Coen Brothers movies (Barton Fink and Miller's Crossing) and Fred Astaire movies (Barkleys of Broadway and Broadway Melody of 1940).
other than that, we've been home hermits.
talk to ya soon.
glad that the weather is supposed to be nice, although cold (forecast high today for Avon is 36 degrees). the last thing i wanted to do is fight snow on Vail Pass...not a pretty sight when a blizzard kicks in.
probably will be leaving at noon, which leaves me enough time to finish some laundry and blog a wee bit. we are so needing this overnighter. since lois' eye surgeries, she has had nothing but cabin fever.
so...for the past five weeks or so, we've been watching movies at home. i just returned four vids to the dvd rental kiosk at McD's. have you used it yet? the movies are a buck a night and the selection ain't bad. over the past few days, we watched Ray...The Village...I, Robot...and Friday Night Lights. this may turn into a habit at this rate ;)
of course, we've been hearing good things about Netflix too. so we may consider that if she's off work another three weeks or so.
been buying movies off of eBay too. cheapo VHS though. some of the movies aren't on DVD yet. recently was high bidder for a couple of Coen Brothers movies (Barton Fink and Miller's Crossing) and Fred Astaire movies (Barkleys of Broadway and Broadway Melody of 1940).
other than that, we've been home hermits.
talk to ya soon.
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