Lack of

I love lack of communication.

Or whatever.

And lack of planning. That’s awesome.

Lack of planning that leads to way too much communication that is actually too late.

Ah, i thought things were better so far.

Whatever. Just the latest frustrations.

Work Email

I really shouldn’t read work email on the weekends.

So we have this consultant we’ve been working with for several years now. I’m sick of him. I’m over it. I’m over him. I don’t have any more buy-in. I don’t feel I’m learning anything more from him.

We still “have” him one more year. To save time, energy, whatever, he’s going to meet with small groups of people and then those people will “train” the other people on this subject. Really? Really? Like we haven’t done enough with this guy?  Is the fact that we have a TPO really making the students better test-takers? (Cuz that’s all that really matters thanks to our legislature.)

Last time he was here, the last half of his presentation was basically a sales pitch. So guess who gets to sit through his spiel again? And then “train” the team. Yay. And he’s got wierd freaking eyebrows. I don’t like playing the stupid games. I don’t like “testing” out of activities. Yes, all good things to use with the children. Fine. Whatever. I’m over it.  Please don’t make me play the stupid games when we’re in a small group with you.

I’m telling you now, I’m not the best to do this. Why? Because I don’t have personal buy-in. But I’ll do it. I know I’m easy to replace in the classroom.  I can be a team player. I’ll take one for the team. I’ll feign my smile.

Also? A required book club? Really? I love being in book clubs. I enjoy reading something, discussing it, having fun with it. I’ve been in a few book clubs where I didn’t necessarily want to finish the book. Some I didn’t finish. But now? Now a required one? Yes, easy reading. But getting an email about how many pages to have read in a certain time period and questions to discuss. Really? Puke. It’s like the walls are closing in on me.

I almost want not to finish, just so I can say, this is ridiculous. Doesn’t he know I’ve got 3 books I’m currently reading right now? One of which is for a for true life book club?! (Middlesex), even though I cannot get into it?!  I’m sure this book will be fine.  Looks easy enough.  But, still. Whatever.

I think I’m more annoyed with the whole consultant thing.

Sometimes i count my chickens before they hatch (so maybe it won’t be so bad). …. But I really hate that the walls are already coming in on me, this early in the year.

No alcohol until all medications are complete

I think this is the only reason I want a glass of wine so badly.

“Not while I’ve been here.”

Remember how when I had to initial all those things saying I understood the possible bad outcomes? And I asked the nurse (type person) if she had ever seen any of those things. She said, “not while I’ve been here” And I thought to myself, yeah, hard to see stuff when you’ve been here only 3 weeks.

Yesterday when I got to the place, the head nurse person told me that some of the people were going through a training and some would be in the room with me. (I said I didn’t care because I’d be asleep). Well, turns out that the one that I talked to WAS in fact one of the new people! AND, AND she wrote the wrong number down!  So the main nurse, who I really liked, called the first one in to fix it (I’m gonna make her fix it). She changed it, iniitaled it, and I had initial it as well.

Didn’t think that could be one of the problems. Course it turned out fine and there was someone watching her.  I wasn’t too worried since the problem was fixed.

But I just knew she hadn’t been there that long!

Little Shop of Horrors

I’ve never had much fear, per se, of dentists. Yes, there was a long span where I didn’t go to one, period, but I’m over that and go regularly to see my guy. (He’s also my dad and step-mom’s guy. The family name is popular around there).  I’m usually not fearful of my appointments. Not of him. I guess I’m fearful of what he’ll say.

Last summer, I had a root canal. My dentist has already been good about telling me the possible outcomes, and the potential of bad outcomes.

Well, sometimes, he told me, root canals don’t take.  That’s what happened not too long ago.

Let me back up.

This past summer, I thought my tooth was going to explode. I was travelling abroad and although I did not like the idea of trying to find a Japanese dentist, I started looking. After awhile, my tooth stopped hurting, and I felt better. I was able to ignore it until I got home.

Just so happened that two weeks after my return I had my 6 month check up and cleaning (although it takes forever and can be a bit painful sometimes, I love having my teeth cleaned. I love how they feel so good for a few days afterwards). They asked if I was in any pain. I said that I wasn’t then, but that I was a few weeks ago. And I told my story.

Dentist told me to get new X-rays (in the office). He looked and said that there was in fact an infection there. (Still? Again?). He put me on antibiotics (you know how sometimes women get yeast infections when on antibiotics? Um, yeah. ) and told me to come back in a few weeks. I did. Little to no change.

So he sent me to an endontist. One that I guess he’s worked with a lot in the past. At this office, they took an X-ray of my whole head. He didn’t look at it long before he said that he thought I needed an apicoectomy.  He explained what it was and even gave me a copy of my head, on a flat sheet of paper. Kinda funny looking. He even showed me the nerve that could numb my entire face.

I’ve been taking antibiotics (and acidophilus this time) for a few weeks now.

I go in for my surgery tomorrow. I’m nervous. Sorta.  I’m not nervous about the surgery part. Although I will say that I’ve had a couple thoughts of, “Oh, shit, what if I wake up? And they can’t hear me because I can’t move?” I don’t know why. Actually, I think I’m having that because I feel like I’ll just be in a dentist chair in an office off a side road of a major highway. The other surgeries I’ve been through have always been in a hospital. In a hospital where I stay over night.

I also had to sign papers that said I wouldn’t freak out (read: sue) if half my face went numb or if this or that or whatever. I know they have to have patients sign that stuff, but it’s still weird. I asked the nurse if she had ever seen any of that stuff happen. She said not while she had been there. I swear she must have been 20. Probably been working there 2 weeks.  So, yeah, I could be that anomoly. That does make me nervous, but not so much so that I’m fearful.

I am nervous about the afterwards. Of the eating or not eating. Or maybe I’m not. I’m nervous about the pain. I’m hoping for some good drugs. And maybe a refill, too.

I know it’ll be good in the long run. I think the tooth’s been in a bad place for awhile now. I’ve felt that bump on the gum before. And now as I write, it hurts. Is that psychosomatic, or is it real?

Oh, another fear. If this doesn’t work, the next step is a fake tooth!  They want to do all they can to save the tooth. And that I believe. Otherwise I wouldn’t be going through all this.

So, send your positive vibes my way (I can’t talk about the actual procedure too much because it kinda freaks me out). That I can eat (lots of milkshakes, maybe?), or talk, or even able to go to school Monday. I’m nervous about how I’ll feel afterwards. It’s one of those things that I’m sure it’ll be better in the long run, because, really I think it’s been bothering me more than I’ve admitted to myself.

I’ll keep ya posted.

PS There’s videos and pictures on the interweb when you google search it. I haven’t looked at any of those. Probably won’t ever. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. Hopefully vicodin will be bliss, too.

The Omnivore’s Hundered

Found this in some playing arond the intrawebs. The hyperlinks aren’t mine and I haven’t checked them out, so hopefully they’re all good.

The Omnivore’s Hundred

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea (actually I’m not sure…I’ve had lots of weird teas)
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding (I think this is like morcilla. And yes, I have choked that down).
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar (I’ve tried both, but not at the same time)
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel (like one bite in sushi)
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear (like nopalitos?)
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini (again, just not at same time)
73. Louche absinthe (I think I did get a small sip one time)
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano (have had both, but not together)
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor (never had it, but sounds delicious!)
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

I’m pretty proud of that. I didn’t go back and count, but it’s pretty good. I used to be a very picky eater. Now I will try (almost) anything, just so i can say at least tried it!  I didn’t cross out anything, since I’d be willing to try them, but some I wouldn’t try if I were doing WW. Like the Big Mac meal. Sounds awesome, but if I were gonna go on a calorie splurge, it wouldn’t be on that!