Let me tell you about them:
1. I'm in Women's Glee (no, not the show GLEE, but one of the vocal ensembles offered on campus. Part of my Music minor and all). We're singing in devotional this week, and our concert is this Wednesday. Looks like I need to get a move-on memorizing the German song we're singing.
2. Yesterday was Brother's birthday. I love him dearly -- he's one of my favorite people in the world, and I can honestly say that I'm related to one of my best friends (because he's pretty much the top of that list, right beside Stark). I'm a very lucky chica.
3. In three days, I find out if I made it into the NULC (National Undergraduate Literature Conference). I submitted three works this year, a fiction piece and two essays, as opposed to my usual single fiction submission. Hopefully at least one of them will get me in.
4. I bought a new sketchbook! It means I have less money for food, but art really is that important -- I really do believe that. I would gladly sacrifice my food for art, because while food may enable me to survive, art enables me to live.
5. THEATRE IS EVIL by Amanda Palmer and The Grand Theft Orchestra. Go download it off her site. Buy it off there. It has the new THE BED SONG recording. Go. Now. Fall in love with it. Listen to good art.
6. I think I'm going to go see THE TEMPEST, put on by my school. I've heard it's really good, and I just want to go see a play. Once you start going. you can't go back -- you get hooked.
Wow, that's a lot more than I had planned out. Guess there really are a lot of things going on in my life right now, even if they're small(ish).
Monday, February 25, 2013
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
We Have A Plan!
[Cue reminiscing of AN AMERICAN TAIL with that one lady-mouse who's always goin' "Wet's have a wawwy!"]
[Really, it's because at one point she says "We have a pwan!"]
[Which is the title of this post]
[Obviously]
[Cue actual post]
So you know of my woes of ever-painful knees (no, really, yesterday I had to miss a class because I just hurt too much. This is legit). Well, my wonderful mother is on the hunt for a doc to help me out. She asked the orthopedic surgeon who attends our church congregation and he also said that i definitely should not be feeling pain at this point. I'm going to need an MRI, for starters, and then we're just going to go from there.
Fun fact: the doctor that my mother is thinking about taking me to is the same doctor who worked on my elbow when I broke it in Kindergarten.
Two months to go, and then I'll (hopefully) be fixed, for real this time!
[Really, it's because at one point she says "We have a pwan!"]
[Which is the title of this post]
[Obviously]
[Cue actual post]
So you know of my woes of ever-painful knees (no, really, yesterday I had to miss a class because I just hurt too much. This is legit). Well, my wonderful mother is on the hunt for a doc to help me out. She asked the orthopedic surgeon who attends our church congregation and he also said that i definitely should not be feeling pain at this point. I'm going to need an MRI, for starters, and then we're just going to go from there.
Fun fact: the doctor that my mother is thinking about taking me to is the same doctor who worked on my elbow when I broke it in Kindergarten.
Two months to go, and then I'll (hopefully) be fixed, for real this time!
Friday, February 15, 2013
They Called Back
The orthopedic surgeon's office called back. Apparently if I'm still feeling pain, they need to see me. Guess something didn't turn out so well. I'm waiting for two more months until I get home to go see a doctor for my knee. My poor mother is on the verge of tears. She didn't know I was hurting so bad, and, in her own words, "I hate to make you suffer for two more months." I don't mind it, I've done it for years, but it's really nice to know that she worries about me, and not just if I have enough food. She worries about me being in pain, or not being happy. I know that she does, and I hate to worry her, but it's nice sometimes to know someone worries about you like that.
I really, really love my mother.
I really, really love my mother.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
You'd Think I'd Given You Some Recomendations By Now
No, really.
I've been reading so many books, and I haven't given you any recommendations! What kind of friend am I? A terrible one, apparently, if we're basing friendship on the amount of recommendations I give you regularly on my blog. I'm very glad that our friendship is not based on that.
Here are my Top Ten books (in no particular order. Meaning #1 is not my most favorite book. It's just the first one that popped into my head):
1. DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE -- Laini Taylor
I started listening to this one on audiobook (which I am just about to finish, and I would recommend it to everyone). It's a new idea, an interesting concept, and it's so beautifully written! The book is amazing, the audiobook is fantastic. It definitely helps with the pronunciation of the spattering of Czech/Chimera/Seraphim names and words included in the story.
2. THE BOOK THIEF -- Markus Zusack
Seriously, if you haven't read this book yet, then you haven't lived yet. Beautifully tragic in a very Amanda Palmer's THE BED SONG way, it's a vast roller coaster of emotions. Very real, very personal, and very entertaining. Especially since it's told through the perspective of Death, who is very deep and very wise in the ways of mortal beings. Primarily, us.
3. THE GIVER QUARTET -- Lois Lowry
Most people have heard of THE GIVER, but most of them don't know that it's actually the first book in a quartet, and that the last book of the quartet just came out. They go as follows: THE GIVER, GATHERING BLUE, MESSENGER, and SON. That's the order. My favorite is probably GATHERING BLUE. The beautiful thing about this quartet is that you don't see why they're lumped together until the very end. It's a very beautiful end.
4. DIVERGENT -- Veronica Roth
I don't know what it is about me and books about people in different groups (part of the appeal of Harry Potter), but this one filled that need in my literary heart. It's about a girl named Tris who is special, and she meets this boy named Four and it's a realistic relationship for once, and there isn't a love triangle, and it's a book that makes me feel dangerously brave. I love it. There are flaws in the characters, there is tragedy, there is strength and secrets and war. It will suck you in and keep you there.
5. THE FAULT IN OUR STARS -- John Green
You may have been noticing that many of the books I've selected for this list include a hint of tragedy. This book surpasses that hint (much like THE BOOK THIEF), but don't you let that drive you away, reader! Take it, love it, just take precautions and bring a couple six-pack boxes of Kleenex with you. Or you could just say that you dropped it in the bathtub and that's how it got crinkly-stiff formerly-drenched pages.
6. GOOD OMENS: THE NICE AND ACCURATE PROPHECIES OF AGNES NUTTER, WITCH -- Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
Sometimes I put books on this list that I would recommend that I haven't actually finished, mostly because of me being too busy to read it when I got it from the library and I can't get my grubby little hands on it again because it's so dang popular. This is one of those books. Full of snarky, dry British humor and clever premises and execution, this is easily one of the most interesting books I've read, and easily one of the most intellectual.
7. WINTERGIRLS -- Laurie Halse Anderson
Written by the author of SPEAK, another one of my absolute favorite books, WINTERGIRLS is intensely dark. It's about a girl who suffers from anorexia, written in a poetic and haunting way that, to quote one of the reviews "is hard to read, but even harder to put down." That sums up this book perfectly. You get disturbingly close in her head, but it is worth every moment, and the ending makes it okay. You get done, you breath a sigh of relief, and you realize that you're going to be okay.
8. A TALE OF TWO CASTLES -- Gail Carson Levine
This is one of those younger books that I read because I absolutely love anything by Gail Carson Levine -- and she does not disappoint in this book. A mystery of fantastical proportions (get it, because it's a fantasy book?), it's full of twists and turns and ends nothing like how you thought it would. A breath of fresh air, to be honest. Very fresh air.
9. BEAUTIFUL CREATURES -- Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
This is another one of those I-haven't-finished-reading-it-but-I-like-what-I've-read books. Sure, it's probably the most cliched out of all of the books on my list, but it's set in the South, and it's written well enough for me to enjoy it. I'm a sucker for stories set in the South. And I can't read a book, no matter how interesting its premise is, unless it is written well. The fact that I like this book despite its cliches is a compliment to the authors, indeed.
10. THE NIGHT CIRCUS -- Erin Morgenstern
I actually did finish this one, before you ask. And I loved it. I didn't really care for the two main characters -- to be honest, they were the most boring characters of the book, and that's saying something, because they were really cool. But they weren't meant to be the most interesting characters in the book. The circus was, and it is. And the clockmaker. I have a very special love for the clockmaker and the contortionist.
I've been reading so many books, and I haven't given you any recommendations! What kind of friend am I? A terrible one, apparently, if we're basing friendship on the amount of recommendations I give you regularly on my blog. I'm very glad that our friendship is not based on that.
Here are my Top Ten books (in no particular order. Meaning #1 is not my most favorite book. It's just the first one that popped into my head):
1. DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE -- Laini Taylor
I started listening to this one on audiobook (which I am just about to finish, and I would recommend it to everyone). It's a new idea, an interesting concept, and it's so beautifully written! The book is amazing, the audiobook is fantastic. It definitely helps with the pronunciation of the spattering of Czech/Chimera/Seraphim names and words included in the story.
2. THE BOOK THIEF -- Markus Zusack
Seriously, if you haven't read this book yet, then you haven't lived yet. Beautifully tragic in a very Amanda Palmer's THE BED SONG way, it's a vast roller coaster of emotions. Very real, very personal, and very entertaining. Especially since it's told through the perspective of Death, who is very deep and very wise in the ways of mortal beings. Primarily, us.
3. THE GIVER QUARTET -- Lois Lowry
Most people have heard of THE GIVER, but most of them don't know that it's actually the first book in a quartet, and that the last book of the quartet just came out. They go as follows: THE GIVER, GATHERING BLUE, MESSENGER, and SON. That's the order. My favorite is probably GATHERING BLUE. The beautiful thing about this quartet is that you don't see why they're lumped together until the very end. It's a very beautiful end.
4. DIVERGENT -- Veronica Roth
I don't know what it is about me and books about people in different groups (part of the appeal of Harry Potter), but this one filled that need in my literary heart. It's about a girl named Tris who is special, and she meets this boy named Four and it's a realistic relationship for once, and there isn't a love triangle, and it's a book that makes me feel dangerously brave. I love it. There are flaws in the characters, there is tragedy, there is strength and secrets and war. It will suck you in and keep you there.
5. THE FAULT IN OUR STARS -- John Green
You may have been noticing that many of the books I've selected for this list include a hint of tragedy. This book surpasses that hint (much like THE BOOK THIEF), but don't you let that drive you away, reader! Take it, love it, just take precautions and bring a couple six-pack boxes of Kleenex with you. Or you could just say that you dropped it in the bathtub and that's how it got crinkly-stiff formerly-drenched pages.
6. GOOD OMENS: THE NICE AND ACCURATE PROPHECIES OF AGNES NUTTER, WITCH -- Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
Sometimes I put books on this list that I would recommend that I haven't actually finished, mostly because of me being too busy to read it when I got it from the library and I can't get my grubby little hands on it again because it's so dang popular. This is one of those books. Full of snarky, dry British humor and clever premises and execution, this is easily one of the most interesting books I've read, and easily one of the most intellectual.
7. WINTERGIRLS -- Laurie Halse Anderson
Written by the author of SPEAK, another one of my absolute favorite books, WINTERGIRLS is intensely dark. It's about a girl who suffers from anorexia, written in a poetic and haunting way that, to quote one of the reviews "is hard to read, but even harder to put down." That sums up this book perfectly. You get disturbingly close in her head, but it is worth every moment, and the ending makes it okay. You get done, you breath a sigh of relief, and you realize that you're going to be okay.
8. A TALE OF TWO CASTLES -- Gail Carson Levine
This is one of those younger books that I read because I absolutely love anything by Gail Carson Levine -- and she does not disappoint in this book. A mystery of fantastical proportions (get it, because it's a fantasy book?), it's full of twists and turns and ends nothing like how you thought it would. A breath of fresh air, to be honest. Very fresh air.
9. BEAUTIFUL CREATURES -- Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
This is another one of those I-haven't-finished-reading-it-but-I-like-what-I've-read books. Sure, it's probably the most cliched out of all of the books on my list, but it's set in the South, and it's written well enough for me to enjoy it. I'm a sucker for stories set in the South. And I can't read a book, no matter how interesting its premise is, unless it is written well. The fact that I like this book despite its cliches is a compliment to the authors, indeed.
10. THE NIGHT CIRCUS -- Erin Morgenstern
I actually did finish this one, before you ask. And I loved it. I didn't really care for the two main characters -- to be honest, they were the most boring characters of the book, and that's saying something, because they were really cool. But they weren't meant to be the most interesting characters in the book. The circus was, and it is. And the clockmaker. I have a very special love for the clockmaker and the contortionist.
We Interrupt This Program For A Very Important Message
1. It's Valentine's Day. Despite my consistent single-ness on this day, I've always loved it. I think it's because of the fun boxes of valentines we gave each other in elementary school. Can we make this a thing in college? Please?
2. A boy I've never seen before (very good-looking, I might add) just came up to me and handed me a valentine with his name and number on it. He honestly just made my day. And I think I'm going to give him a text tonight. He put his number on it for a reason, right? Right. Pardon me while I smile excessively at a very good day.
2. A boy I've never seen before (very good-looking, I might add) just came up to me and handed me a valentine with his name and number on it. He honestly just made my day. And I think I'm going to give him a text tonight. He put his number on it for a reason, right? Right. Pardon me while I smile excessively at a very good day.
An Update On Calling
I called my mother yesterday before I called the office of the orthopedic surgeon. My mother always gives me courage to call people, and she also helps me develop a script, although I don't know if she realizes that she's doing it.
I was telling my mother that I wasn't excited about calling the office, and she said that I should just wait until I got back home for the summer and then go to a orthopedist there. Then she made the mistake of asking how much my knee hurt.
(Answer: Every day, pretty much all day, usually staying around a 2-5 on the 1-10 pain scale, but able to get to 7-8 and give out on me. I can tell the weather with the pain in my knee. I'm not kidding. And I'm usually right.)
To which she said: Call them. Call them now.
And so I did. I talked to a receptionist, who said that there probably wasn't a lot that they could do without doing a bunch of different tests and x-rays and all that jazz, but she said that she would pass the message on and that they would call me with an answer to see if we could try to figure this out.
I'm still waiting for a call. I'm going to start going to a morning water aerobics class to see if that will help in the meantime.
I was telling my mother that I wasn't excited about calling the office, and she said that I should just wait until I got back home for the summer and then go to a orthopedist there. Then she made the mistake of asking how much my knee hurt.
(Answer: Every day, pretty much all day, usually staying around a 2-5 on the 1-10 pain scale, but able to get to 7-8 and give out on me. I can tell the weather with the pain in my knee. I'm not kidding. And I'm usually right.)
To which she said: Call them. Call them now.
And so I did. I talked to a receptionist, who said that there probably wasn't a lot that they could do without doing a bunch of different tests and x-rays and all that jazz, but she said that she would pass the message on and that they would call me with an answer to see if we could try to figure this out.
I'm still waiting for a call. I'm going to start going to a morning water aerobics class to see if that will help in the meantime.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Yes, Yes, Yes!
Look at me! Look at me! I'm blogging again, I'm being productive again! It's amazing what rearranging your room can do. And actually taking your medicine. Yeah, that could help. Maybe my productivity will even go so far as to give me motivation to do my laundry.
In other news, I'm going to be calling my orthopedic surgeon today because (nearly) three years after my surgery to fix me, I'm still feeling pain nearly every day, especially in winter. I'm really hoping that he'll be able to help me. The other option in my head is for him to go "Oops, sorry, you're screwed for life. Good luck!"
The scariest thing about this isn't him telling me that I'm screwed, actually. The scariest thing is calling -- that's right, I'm terrified of using the phone. I even have issues calling my mother or my friends sometimes. I'd much rather text or Skype. Mostly text. See, in text I can be witty and clever because I have time to think about it (I'm not a very quick thinker). When I call someone, if I don't have a script, then I freak out and my brain goes blank. So me calling the orthopedic surgeon goes a little like this in my head:
SECRETARY: Hello?
ME: Hi, Dr. [Insert Name Here] performed a surgery on me [Insert Date Here], and I'm having some trouble. I have some questions, and was wondering if Dr. [Insert Name Here] would be available for me to ask him those questions.
SECRETARY: Well, I'm sorry, but you're going to have to make an appointment.
ME: Ah, yes, you see, I'm in Idaho right now, and so coming down for an appointment isn't convenient. That's why I was wondering if I could ask him on the phone.
SECRETARY: I'm sorry, but you really have to have an appointment.
ME: [Sigh] Okay, fine. Do you have an appointment for this Monday, or are you closed?
SECRETARY: We don't have an opening until next Wednesday.
ME: No, no, no, I can't do that. I have school up here, I can't just drop everything and come down. Are you sure that there isn't anyone I can talk to?
SECRETARY: [Irritated] I told you, you have to have an appointment.
ME: Oh, okay, I'll just go, then. Have a nice day. [Hang up]
So that's how I feel it's going to go. Or I'll be talking to the doctor and he'll be asking me questions and either I don't know the answer or I won't know how to explain it to him. I guess that it's just what I'm going to have to get over, because I'm not really looking forward to the prospect of perpetual pain if I can help it.
Wish me luck!
In other news, I'm going to be calling my orthopedic surgeon today because (nearly) three years after my surgery to fix me, I'm still feeling pain nearly every day, especially in winter. I'm really hoping that he'll be able to help me. The other option in my head is for him to go "Oops, sorry, you're screwed for life. Good luck!"
The scariest thing about this isn't him telling me that I'm screwed, actually. The scariest thing is calling -- that's right, I'm terrified of using the phone. I even have issues calling my mother or my friends sometimes. I'd much rather text or Skype. Mostly text. See, in text I can be witty and clever because I have time to think about it (I'm not a very quick thinker). When I call someone, if I don't have a script, then I freak out and my brain goes blank. So me calling the orthopedic surgeon goes a little like this in my head:
SECRETARY: Hello?
ME: Hi, Dr. [Insert Name Here] performed a surgery on me [Insert Date Here], and I'm having some trouble. I have some questions, and was wondering if Dr. [Insert Name Here] would be available for me to ask him those questions.
SECRETARY: Well, I'm sorry, but you're going to have to make an appointment.
ME: Ah, yes, you see, I'm in Idaho right now, and so coming down for an appointment isn't convenient. That's why I was wondering if I could ask him on the phone.
SECRETARY: I'm sorry, but you really have to have an appointment.
ME: [Sigh] Okay, fine. Do you have an appointment for this Monday, or are you closed?
SECRETARY: We don't have an opening until next Wednesday.
ME: No, no, no, I can't do that. I have school up here, I can't just drop everything and come down. Are you sure that there isn't anyone I can talk to?
SECRETARY: [Irritated] I told you, you have to have an appointment.
ME: Oh, okay, I'll just go, then. Have a nice day. [Hang up]
So that's how I feel it's going to go. Or I'll be talking to the doctor and he'll be asking me questions and either I don't know the answer or I won't know how to explain it to him. I guess that it's just what I'm going to have to get over, because I'm not really looking forward to the prospect of perpetual pain if I can help it.
Wish me luck!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)