It's Tuesday and my boss is stuck in Hawaii

Yes, my boss is stuck in Hawaii (poor him). He's been lounging about on the island for the last three weeks, but was supposed to return yesterday. However, he apparently had some flight issues (missed, delayed, cancelled) and won't return until tomorrow. This is perfectly fine with me, but I want to get stuck in Hawaii. Oh well.

By the way, the quote for the day on my calendar (Wild Words from Wild Women) is:

"I get to work on time every day, 8:45am. Because the UPS man comes at nine, and he's fine as hell."

It's quite apt, I think. Not that our UPS man is all that fine, or that I ever see the UPS man for that matter, but still....I like the thought.

Moving on in my ADD ramblings for the day, it's Lent and I've given up caffeinated beverages for Lent (but not all caffeine--do you have any idea how much stuff caffeine is in? It's crazy) which means I'm about half way asleep and have a hell of a headache. I had to go out last night and buy some grape juice because I was getting mighty tired of drinking just water (since Coke and Tea are out). Sunday night I ended up drinking beer with dinner just to have something different. Somehow I don't think that's what I was going for when I decided to give up caffeine.

Last night I also watched a new TV show The Black Donnellys. It wasn't bad. I'll probably watch it, at least for awhile, since I don't currently watch anything on Monday nights at all. It was also kind of interesting since one of the main characters (Tommy) bears an uncanny resemblance to my friend Nick (well, I guess in reality, it's the actor that looks like Nick, but still....). Judge for yourself.....

Tommy Donnelly (aka some actor dude)

My friend Nick (sorry Nick, I swiped the pic from your Myspace)

I don't know, maybe it's just me, but they do look alike (except for the hair). Oh well.

In knitting news, I'm getting close to being finished with the Harry Potter look alike scarf. I've only got two more repeats to do and then fringe. Still can't take any pictures. One of these days I will have a digital camera, but not any time soon (the $220 MP3 Player took care of that).

In Which I Slept with an Oven Bag Full of Rice Pressed to my Head...

You know, you don't really appreciate how nice it is to not have a headache until you've spent an entire evening in the dark trying to get rid of one. The world looks so much nicer this morning than it did last night.

The funny thing is that is wasn't even a migraine. When my head first started to hurt, I just assumed it was a migraine (I'm so used to getting them now that I just assume every headache is a precursor) but it wasn't. I spent 2 hours mashing a bag of ice to my forehead and wondering why in the world my head still hurt before I figured out that maybe this wasn't a migraine but a sinus headache brought on by my cold (which still isn't really gone). Once genius me figured that part out, things got better. Ice may work wonders for a migraine, but it doesn't do jack for a sinus headache. Heat, however, works wonders (especially moist heat).

The problem then became how to keep heat on my head without having to stand over the bathroom sink with a washrag. This is when my genius really kicked in. I remembered reading somewhere that you can use rice to make a heat pack. You just have to heat the rice up in the microwave and it will stay warm for awhile. Now, even in my headache muddled state, I figured that it wouldn't be a good idea to put a Ziploc baggie in the microwave because it would melt, so I decided to dump the rice into a glass bowl, heat it up, and then put it in a baggie and wrap it in a warm washrag. Tah Dah!! You have a moist heat pack! The only problem with this plan is that apparently rice (when heated for 30sec in the microwave) gets hot enough to melt plastic. I ended up with rice all over the kitchen. This did not deter me, however. While I was digging through my cabinets for some other method of containing this hot rice, I found some oven bags--you know, the kind you use to cook a turkey without basting. I figured that if this bag could handle the oven, it ought to be able to handle the microwave. By golly, it did!!! I could get that rice super hot and the bag never even thought about melting. So I ended up last night laying in bed listening to Medium on TV with an oven bag full of hot rice wrapped in a wet washrag pressed to my forehead. The sad part about all this is that I still figured out what was going to happen on the show long before the characters on the show did and I couldn't see anything.

So, just in case you ever need to make an emergency heat pack here is how I did it:

1. Put some rice (Minute Rice works fine) in an Oven Bag (Not a Regular Plastic Bag--they melt).
2. Leaving the Bag open at the top, heat in the Microwave for about 30 seconds (you might want to check it in 10 sec intervals to make sure you don't get it too hot).
3. Tie the top of the Oven bag in a knot to keep the rice in. (make sure to untie it if you re-heat the bag)
4. Wet a washrag down with water as hot as you can get it from the tap.
5. Wrap the Rice bag in the washrag and press to the affected area.

There you go, a wonderful emergency heat pack that will stay warm for awhile. Mine lasted about 30min without having to re-heat it.

Cold, Cold, go Away....

So it has finally warmed up here.....today the high is supposed to be around 50. 50!!! Can you believe it. last night's low was about 10 degrees warmer than the highs from last week and 50 feels like T-shirt weather. Maybe mother nature has finally decided to give us a break.

That's not the only kind of cold that was hanging around, though. I've managed to find some kind of super mega killer cold virus that won't let me go. It's got my head all stuffed up and no matter how much medicine I take, I just won't quit. I do feel somewhat better today, so I guess that's something. Still, it's putting a crimp in my plans to start exercising to get into shape for the 3K I want to run on St. Patrick's day (it's really hard to run when you can't breathe). Oh well....I'll survive.

The up-side of being sick is that I've gotten a lot of knitting done. (There's not a lot else to do when you are just laying on the couch.) The Harry Potter look alike (but not) scarf is almost done. After a slight mishap (in which I ran out of yarn and had to go buy more--of a different dye lot gasp!) I'm in the home stretch. The Magic Scarf is still languishing in the bottom of my knitting bag (although the matching hat now lives with my sister) and I have the yarn to start a couple more projects but I refuse to start anything new until I get at least on of my WIPS finished. Soon, hopefully soon.

Nine Degrees

9, that's what my computer is telling me that the current temperature is outside. This is Kentucky people!!! We don't do 9 degrees at 10:30 in the morning!! All this cold weather and snow really just needs to die. I'm ready for summer. But, alas, it seems that we are supposed to get even more snow this weekend. This is the payback for those 70 degree days in January.

It is Friday, however, so that is something. This week has been long, cold, and snowy. Just the way I like to end up my worst week of the year!! But it's over now, so all's good. I may have to rethink the whole denial strategy for next year, though, since apparently it didn't work as well as I thought it did. Jackie, our cleaning lady here at work (and incidentally the nicest person on the face of the planet) noticed that something was off. Funny how that works. The people I spend the most time with didn't notice a thing but the cleaning lady who I see maybe once or twice a day picked up on stuff. Oh well.

Normally, on Fridays I have a lot to say about my Thursday night marathon TV session. I did get to see Ugly Betty this week (which I missed last week) and Nashville Star, but once again WKYT decided that I didn't need to see Supernatural until 1:30am because of a High School Basketball game. It is one the DVR, though, so I will get to see it as soon as I get home tonight. Instead, I got to watch Grey's Anatomy for the first time in awhile. I had been recording it and a few Saturdays ago I caught up on all the back episodes (although I still haven't seen last week's episode) so I wasn't totally lost. The episode was okay. Not the greatest, and certainly not the worst. They keep trying to make me think that Meridith is going to die (which might actually get me interested in this show again), but that would be too good to be true. I do have to say that my favorite part of the episode was the end where Meridith "wakes up" to find the Bomb squad guy (Kyle Chandler) and Denny (Jeffrey Dean Morgan aka Papa Winchester) there with her. That was a nice and unexpected surprise. Gotta love me some Denny!!!

Ugly Betty was okay, but they just need to hurry up and get Betty and Henry together already. They are just too cute together, and I'm tired of Betty always getting shafted. Also, the Alex/Alexis story line is getting old, fast. I feel bad for the girl/guy but did you really think that the world would be okay with you dying and coming back as a girl? Come on. But Justin singing Hair Spray on the subway? Classic. That kid deserves an Emmy. Who doesn't love some Broadway show tunes on the subway?

Now, once I've had my weekly dose of Supernatural, my week will be complete.

Oh, and I've decide to run in a 3K they are having here in Lexington on St. Pat's day. I figure a 3K is a good warm up for my 5K that I'm going to do at some point. I looked on the race schedule, and it looks like they are going to have a 5K at the state park at home in May, so that might be a good choice. We'll have to see how it goes. I did go to the gym on Wednesday, and I'm sore as hell today, but I'm going to try and run some more today anyway. I'd forgotten how much better I feel after I run (during the running, not so much--I really just want to die--but after the running, I have this great sense of accomplishment.).

I'm Alive....I Swear!!

I realize it's been awhile since I've done this. But in all fairness, it's been awhile since I've done anything (except attend committee meetings). I've managed to (almost) survive the worst week of my year (February 7-14th) by becoming a semi-recluse and not leaving my apartment very much. It may not be the best way to cope, but hey, it works for me. If I can just make it through tomorrow, everything will be peachy. (And hey, it's a balmy 37 degrees here, so that has to count for something, right?)

In other news, I signed up for the gym yesterday so that I can begin working on that pesky New Year's goal to "run a 5K). Since Mother Nature has made it apparent that it's never going to be warm enough to run outside ever again, I decided that I may just have to suck it up and run on a treadmill for awhile. At least it is only $20 a semester. You've gotta love UK's Health and Wellness Program. I'm not all that anxious to start exercising again, but I am anxious to see how my new MP3 player works while I'm running. I even bought an arm band to use with it (since they actually make that kind of stuff for this player of mine). I still miss my old player, but I do have to admit that this one is pretty cool (I ended up with the Creative Zen Vision:M) and that going for 30G instead of 4G was the right choice. Isn't he pretty? I think I shall name him Steve.

A Healthy Dose of Chlorine Anyone?

So I had to forgo some of my usual Thursday night TV viewing because I had other obligations. What could possibly be more important than my Thursday TV? I had to time at the SEC Swimming Championships.

Just in case you didn't know, I was a swimmer (was being the key word there). I loved it, but I didn't love it enough to continue it into college so my career was over at 17. Tonight was the first time I questioned that decision. I realized tonight that I really miss it. I miss the camaraderie. I miss the adrenaline rush. I miss the good feeling that comes from a good swim. I miss the smell of chlorine. (Yes, I really do miss that smell. Something about it just calms me down and makes my happy.) I also miss the half naked, very buff guys walking around on the pool deck, but that's another story.

In the middle of all my nostalgia, I got another surprise. I ran into not one, but TWO girls that I used to swim against (back in the day). One was swimming for Auburn and the other was timing (like me). I didn't speak to either of them (although the swimmer was in my lane), since neither of them were on my list of favorite people when we competed, but it was just an odd coincidence to run into them both on the same day. I just wonder what some of the other people I swam with (the ones that I liked) are up to? Rebecca Shults, are you out there? Or Deanne Thomas? Who knew that one day the people that were so important to me when I was 17 would be just a memory? Isn't life funny that way?

Supernatural Saturday

So I finally got to watch this week's Supernatural and it was....good. I know that doesn't sound all the positive, but really, it is. I enjoyed the episode. I found it interesting. I had to watch it again. But it wasn't "WOW". I guess maybe I expected too much from this one. I saw the previews last week and immediately I expected greatness. The promos made me think of Faith from last season and that is one of my all time favorite episodes of Supernatural (if not my all time favorite...although I love Shadow too). This one was a good episode, but it wasn't up to "Faith" level. It did raise some interesting questions, however.....

If an angel appeared to you and asked you to kill someone for God, would you do it? Even if it meant you would spend the rest of your life locked up? Would God ask you to do something like that? Even if the person you were supposed to kill was evil?

Or, a more basic question, Are there such things as angels? (or unicorns?) I think there are. I guess it's my Catholic background, but I've always loved the idea of a "guardian angel" that looks out for me and keeps me safe. I like the feeling that I'm not alone in this world, even when I feel all alone in this world. I do have to admit, though, that in Kimmy land angels are nice beings. They love me and protect me and encourage me. I never really got that whole "an angel appeared and they were scared shit less" thing that happens so often in the Bible. In my world, and angel wouldn't be scary, it would be the most wonderful thing to ever happen to me...although I kind of hope that I never see one since every time they come and talk to someone, it usually involves doing something that's not so much fun for God. I wouldn't turn him down, but I don't really want to be picked for that team.

The other question that I had after the episode was Would God actually kill someone himself if he thought they needed to die? And if he would, then why not kill people like Hitler who did awful things? Is it okay for God to kill someone? Even if it's not okay for us to kill them?

Interesting questions and ones that I will have to mull over for awhile. I love that a TV show can raise these kinds of questions and I love that it did it without preaching at me. It just did it's thing and took me along for the ride.

And now....pictures!!!

The hooker from God...

And her scary Angel

And the Austin Powers Angel

Sammy says "Huh, I never noticed the Austin Powers thing. What was I thinking?"

But look, I can do magic...

...Maybe?

I really think this girl is supposed to be scared, but she looks like she's laughing. Of course, I'd probably look like that too if Jensen was grabbing me like that.

And this guy...I swear he was on Dawson's Creek (another guilty pleasure show of mine). If I remember correctly, he was Jack's first boyfriend (Toby maybe?). I could be wrong, though. I haven't done the IMDB search to make sure.

I guess I'm done now.

Hello February

So, it's February. Somehow this month just snuck up on me; I didn't have much of a chance to prepare. Prepare for what, you ask. Prepare for the worst month of the year.

Those of you who know me, know I hate February (or at least the first two weeks). Almost every horrible thing that has happened during my life has happened during February. My mom and my Granddad both died during February, one year apart (mom 2/9/03, Granddad 2/7/04). That's enough, but then we have to also go and add in Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day is the single most over-hyped holiday we have. It's sole purpose is to make money for the card/chocolate/floral industry and to remind those of us who are perpetually single on February 14th just how single we are. It ranks as one of my least favorite days of the year.

This year, however, karma has decided that just having February isn't enough, we have to add in more fun. First, we finally got that snow they've been talking about for weeks. It showed up this morning, surprising me (and the road crews, I think) with slick, snowy roads. I would have been a wonderful day to just stay home, watch TV, and knit but that was not to be. I had to come to work (which I could have skipped, since my boss is gone) and I had to go to the dentist.

Now, I'm not one to be scared of the dentist. Going to the dentist isn't one of my favorite activities, but I don't mind it all that much. However, I must have done something horrible to a dentist in another life because in the Dental Hygienist Lottery, I LOST! My dentist is great. I love her. She might possibly be the nicest person on the face of the planet. My Hygienist, however, is evil. She is, first and foremost, the slowest person on the face of the planet. Really. My turtle Dean moves faster than her. Then, she is the only hygienist I've ever visited that leaves me in pain after every visit. My gums will be swollen by lunch from all the poking and prodding and stabbing. I don't expect the visit to the dentist to be pleasant, but I don't expect it to be painful either. Oh well. I'm all done for the next six months. We should be thankful for small things I suppose.

Oh, and just in case you are wondering, I didn't get to see Supernatural last night. According to my DVR, it was supposed to air at midnight, so I had made plans to stay up and watch it late. However, when I checked the schedule on the CWKYT website, they informed me that they weren't going to air Supernatural until 1:30am. At that point, I gave up, set the VCR and DVR and went to bed. It appears that I managed to record Supernatural (I did a quick check this morning) so I guess I can slip slide my way home and watch it this afternoon.

I did get to see Ugly Betty, though, and it was good. The Alex/Alexa story line should be interesting, and I don't know what they are going to do with Bradford being in jail, but I was pleased with the episode. And, can I just say, I want Henry and Betty to get together. They are just too cute, and Henry is so much better than Walter. (I'm sure those of you who don't watch this show are very confused right now, but hey....this is my blog, and if you want to know what the hell I'm talking about, watch the show!! It's worth it, I promise.)

I also watched Grey's Anatomy, since my 9 o'clock hour was free. It was okay. I still can't really get into it this season, but I'll keep trying for my sister's sake. Nashville Star was good too. All my favorites are still there, so I'm happy......

I really want to just go home and sit on the couch and watch TV and knit. My plan was to leave at lunch, but it looks like that won't happen now. Still, hopefully I can leave around 1 before the snow causes the world to explode. It's been snowing all morning, so I know this means that by rush hour this afternoon everything will be just crazy. Gotta Love Kentucky.