Aimless Driving

I inherited my love of the open road from my father.

After his last divorce, he got rid of the employment agencies he owned, moved to Florida and bought his own Kenworth Semi-truck. He leased to North American trucking and put thousands upon thousands of miles on his rig, driving back and forth across the country. When he quit doing that, he got a VW camper bus and drove back and forth. Dad loved to drive.

And so do I. But, with these ungodly gas prices, I haven't been able to take as many road trips as I'd like.

Today, though, I desperately needed the sound of the tires on pavement and the feeling of movement. It calms me down. Eases my anxiety and cures my restlessness.

I thought I was just going to pop into the neighborhood Starbucks drive-in for an iced Americano. But then, I just kept on driving. Got onto the freeway and headed south. Drove past downtown, past the airport and past the county line. Made it 62 miles before I turned the car around and headed home, with a much lighter dispositon and gas tank. I didn't mind the stop-and-go gridlock as I drove back North. I gazed at the passing scenery and waved at the black dogs in the backs of pick-up trucks. Read and re-read the bumper stickers (Real men love Jesus) and the back of the Allied Van Lines truck.

This is such a weird phase in my life. Making just enough money to get by, as long as I can put my college loans on hold. Stressing out about my part time job and whether I am living up to expectations. Liking working at home and hating it as well. Almost past child-bearing age. Pretty sure I'll never get married. Not sure I'll ever be able to make enough money to afford a better apartment - one with its own kitchen where I can have another kitty!

Drive drive drive drive.

Having a Bad Day

I got my hair cut for free today. I got it colored it for free last Thursday. Both procedures were done at a swanky downtown salon in their advanced training class. The services are free because you take what they give you and you can't have your hair done the way you want it.

My hair is now chocolate brown and has been cut in a short "bob" style. Even after I asked the student stylist not to cut it in a "bob", she still cut it that way. I feel really, really ugly. Walking around Downtown in second-hand clothes with a crappy haircut didn't do much for my ego.

After a stinky bus ride to my sister's, even sweet Dudley couldn't perk me up. He tried but looked mostly concerned at my droopy face.

Then, I got a nasty email from the prima donna talk show host for whom I'm trying to produce a show. I think I'm all wrong for this job. I don't have a thick skin and am not a pushy person. This isn't very helpful for this position.

Feeling like crawling under the covers for the rest of the day.

Update:

Maybe I should have. After I wrote that, I locked myself out of my apartment and my sister had to come over with the keys.

Goodbye Naproxin!

Today is the second day in a row I have not taken an Allieve pain pill. I have been on them since April. They were the third line of pain defense for me. First was Oxycodin, second came Vicadin and finally, Naproxin or Allieve, as the brand name is called.

When your chest is cranked open, it takes a long time for it to heal. It is now mid-July and while I still feel a little muscle soreness, it is mostly tolerable. Hooray!

I am hoping I'll have a bit more energy now that I'm off the drug. And, maybe a bit more ambition. Sometimes I feel like the laziest person alive.

Working at Home

There are plusses and minuses to telecommuting.

Plusses include working on my own schedule, working in my sloppiest t-shirt and shorts, and not having to waste gas commuting. And a big plus: no office politics.

Minuses include loneliness, lack of inspiration and sometimes overworking.

I'm not sure I like it all the time.

But, when I think of my last two office jobs - working for the crazy Nikki at the UW and working in the registrar's office at UNCG, telecommuting is a big step up.

2 Miles a Day!!

I am walking a lot these days. Just a few months after my open heart surgery, I am up to 2 miles a day when I go out walking! I'm graduating from cardiac rehab class on Wednesday. It has been a great thing. Built my confidence in exercise.

Today I walked all the way through the big dog park at Magnuson Park as well as all along the path to the boat launch and beyond. And back. I barely feel the stress anymore in my body. My legs and arms are much stronger. For a while they were sore after I completed my trek. Today I walked for almost a solid hour! In cardiac rehab class, they don't stress the distance of your walk. They stress the amount of time you spend exercising. I've been doing very well. This is the main goal I wanted to achieve in the class. I wanted to get back to my habit of walking 3 miles up to 5 days a week.

Looks like I'm almost there!!!