Back to Basics

Back in over-cast Ithaca after a smooth trip from Cleveland yesterday. Bizarro dragged our collective butts out of bed yesterday at 5:30 in the a.m. to hit the road by 6:30. I napped yesterday afternoon and got out some Christmas decorations. Slept late this morning and am feeling pretty groggy. I should go for a walk.

On tap for today: 1. Grade my students' work 2. keep revising my screenplay 3. exercise of some sort

I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow and I'm going to see a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) doctor later this week to see about my allergies and fatigue.

Bizarro made a suggestion about moving his side of the office out into the living room, sort of bisecting the space we have the futon in right now. I'm all for it because I can move my desk to a better location in the office and we can set up a reading corner with bookshelves and a lamp. I'm all about the Feng Shui, baby.

Kay, back to work with me.

Sunlight All Around Me!

Bizarro and I are sitting in the Arabica coffee house down by University Circle. Tis a gorgeous, sunny day and I am very content sitting in the sunroom at the back. Wish we had a place like this in Ithaca! Their coffee is only marginal, but the space is lovely with bright windows, dark wood trim and wooden floors. The building itself has the whole tutor-thing going on outside, and I'd guess this was built sometime in the 20s. *sigh* I could stay here all day.

The trip has been pretty delightful, so far. More relaxing than any other stay we've had here before. I helped cook a lot of Thanksgiving dinner and I know that meant a lot to my mother-in-law.

Yesterday we went bonkers with Black Friday shopping. First time I've ever done that, BTW. We first went to Kohl's, and had to wait in line almost an hour. Somehow it didn't bother me - the sales we were getting, the cool gimmicky stuff in the kiosks that kept us entertained, and the general upbeat attitude of those around us kept me feeling alright. We also went to Microcenter and I got a couple nifty things for my workstation at home, and of course we hit the Half Price Books (LOVE the bargain shelves). We also met my friend Pat at the Chipotle that's in Legacy Village (of the Damned). Legacy Village is a smaller version of Easton. I have plenty to comment on there but I dont' feel like getting socio-political right now. Anyway, Bizarro bought some new shooz there, to complete our rise to the next tax bracket status. To keep it real, today I want to go to Marshall's to find a black courderouy jacket. These are all stores we don't have in NY, so it's a real treat to go shopping.

Now we have to tighten our belts, though. I have all the Xmas presents bought except for one more thing for Bizarro, and the holiday cards to send out.

Best of all, I've even managed to do some revising on my screenplay while I've been here. More of that to come today as I sit here bathed in warm sunlight on this delightful day.

B - thanks for your call! I'll call when we're back in NY and I've caught my breath.

Gobble Gobble!

Day before T'giving! We're gonna be hittin' the road to Cleveland later today. Bizarro has to work until 5:30, then I'm picking him up and we're on our way.

I'm starting my day very atypically - watching the Today show. It's good to see some happy people for a change (as opposed to listening to NPR).

Yesterday I spent most of the day with Mom in Elmira. Bought her a cashmere winter coat and helped put up some Christmas decorations, and we had an early T'giving meal together. What a lovely day! I also took her to the doctor's, where she got a mostly-clean bill of health (for her). Her blood pressure was normal, thankfully. She's going to be with her brother and sister-in-law for T'giving tomorrow.

I'll try to post on Friday - I'm sure Bizarro will be chomping at the bit to get out of the house. I get to watch Battlestar Galactica on SciFi instead of downloading on iTunes this week! Woo hoo! Hopefullly I can also catch Most Haunted ("Worst Haunted").

Happy Thanksgiving!

My own, personal Jesus....Toast

Not a good day. Not a bad day. Not a good day.

Just... a day.

Here's how to make your own miracle in the comfort of your kitchen.

Winds of Change

Went out and bought a proper desk chair for my home office, finally. I'd been using a waiting room chair for months and was always having back aches sitting for more than a few minutes here.

Also agreed to pay $75 for an external drive so I can edit video. My Korean documentarian friend is selling his older drives as he's replaced them with a new system.

Everything is going according to plan.

As I said yesterday, I've come into a new burst of clarity and focus. So far this is Day 3 of accomplishing what I feel is necessary per diem, and Day 3 of vegetarian life. I even went to the workout room last night and did 30 minutes of cardio.

Right now I need to get back to revising my script. Here's to the winds of change!

A New Wind

There's something different blowin' through my life right now. A bit more focus and clarity, enabling me to be more proactive in doing things I've known that I ought to be doing but wasn't doing. (Now there is some wacked-out tense & aspect that I can't possibly name.) A lot of this change is health-related.

As of yesterday, I've gone back to being vegetarian. I was feeling run-down, tired and sleepy and altogether too listless to get anything done. When I went vegetarian the first time, almost ten years ago, I experienced a sharp rise in my energy and less napping. At the least, it's a cleansing. Of course, I'll have to eat turkey on T'giving because we'll be at the Bizarros in Cleveland, and you can't not eat meat at a Filipino T'giving dinner. ;) I am going to be making my cranberry and sweet potato casserole, as a side-dish.

I've also decided to consult a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner, in addition to my primary care doc, later this month. I am taking my own advice in that, too, which is a story for another time. Meantime, Bizarro and I will be investing in an air purifier, which should help us with our allergy symptoms. I certainly hope so.

Right now I have to get to a Global Nomad meeting. More later.

New Hotness (again)

Yes, friends, I'm typing this post on my new MacBook Pro which looks and feels like the G4 Powerbook I used at the Big Red Barn on the Hill last year. But it's badder, faster, meaner and much cooler. And needless to say, it kicks the sh&t out of the MacBook which will be on its way back to Crapple tomorrow.

I had a glorious weekend in NYC two weeks ago, visiting Scotto and his wife. The intervening time has been spent trying not to get sick again, and grading scripts (gotta hand them back tomorrow).

One distressing note: I had to write an "intervention letter" to a friend of mine who is all wrapped up in selling very over-priced "goji" (actually in Chinese, gou qi) juice with a multi-level marketing company. I've been feeling more like a marketing target than a friend lately, and then when I finally found out how much the juice really is (an unbelievable $35-$40 a bottle) I had to say something to her. Not only is the friendship strained, but I'm concerned for her involvement in this company. So anyway I emailed the letter as an attachment yesterday and am still waiting for a response.

So much drama! I have to check the chicken in the oven. Smells deeeee-licious!