I'm so glad the weekend's finally here! What an insane week!
Aaaand it's almost the end of April.
And - as if you didn't have any more incentive to enjoy this weekend - Sunday is International Dance Day.
Again, I'm not lyin'. Go to Wikipedia, and if that doesn't convince you, then Google it.
Seriously, if there isn't a strong case to create a National Piggyback Day, then I don't KNOW what it'll take.
Have an awesome weekend!
The other day, my mom was talking to my brother, who was at work.
He mentioned how his co-worker - who I'll call "M" - had this habit of responding to a lot of what my brother would say to her with, "Your mama."
If you're under the age of 40, you automatically get the reference - and whatever jokes come along with it.
But my mom didn't really get it, and was intrigued.
She said, "I don't understand. What do you mean, 'your mama'?"
From the way my brother explained it, it didn't matter what he said, or didn't say. He could be rounding a corner, and run into his co-worker, and the first thing she would say is, "Your mama!" No provocation. No nuttin'.
My mom said something to the effect of, 'Oh, really? Tell her thanks for thinking of me!"
My brother said, "I'm not telling her that!" And apparently she was sitting nearby.
The story could end there. But not just yet.
Next week my mom is going to send "M" a card.
You think I'm kidding? I'm dead serious. It's got a picture of a robin red-breast perched on a branch, watching over a nest of sky blue eggs. I guess that's supposed to symbolize a mother fiercely watching over her brood.
And, as the official proofreader, I got an advance copy of what "M" will be reading when she opens said card:
Dear M,
Greetings!
I bet you are surprised hearing from me. I heard you speak of me often. So I just want to thank you for keeping me on the forefront, so _________ doesn't get a chance of forgetting about me.
Thanks a lot. Now I feel like I know you. I like a good joke and this is purely in jest - so have a great day.
Love,
----- 's "Mama"
You think I'm kidding?
Find the proof here. I'm saying "belated" since, as I'm writing this, it's pretty much over ...
MAN! No wonder I thought today was such a good day. It wasn't just the weather, or that things went right at work for a change.
It was 'cause it was the most awesomest days EVER!
EVERY day should be National High Five Day.
So if I run into you, don't be surprised if I try to give you a high five. It's the gift that keeps on giving!
Now, if they only had a National Piggyback Day ... hmmm ...
It has finally happened.
Sanjaya was kicked off American Idol last night.
Hallelujah! It's about time.
He'll probably still be hurting ears after the show ends and the newest batch of wannabes goes on tour. But at least now my ears can stop the bleeding and start scabbing over.
I also decided to check on Hunger Strike Girl. Seems - at her doctor's insistence - she had to stop her protest 18 days ago. But I'm sure she's relieved. And she had a buddy who picked up the baton in her absence. I'm pretty sure he's done now, but if I can find a link to this guy, I'll let you know.
And with this, I end yet another post of meaningless fluff. Now onward to things of more substance!
Settle.
The word has so many meanings. It's a noun. It's a verb.
But it seems lately, it's one of its many meanings that makes me unhappy. Unsettled.
Perhaps I'm only perceiving this as such, but it seems as though a couple people - one of whom is family to me - seem to be settling. Not settling down. But just making do. And it's making me upset.
It also makes me ask the question: why do people settle? Why do they stop reaching for number one and just make do with whatever (or whomever) is placed before them?
I have a family member, whom I recently found is engaged. Great, except when I hear her future beloved described to me, it makes me scratch my head. Apparently this guy was a former drug addict, has a litany of health problems, has NO job and no sort of financial support coming in, and doesn't seem to be doing anything to help himself. And she is taking care of him while barely keeping herself above water. They weren't together when all of this happened, which would be understandable. He was in this state when they got together.
My aunt (my cousin's mother) hates him, and of course, instead of finding a tactful way of broaching the subject, seemed to verbally attack it head on, driving a wedge between her and my cousin in the process.
From what other little bit I've heard, it doesn't sound to me as if she's head-over-heels. It almost seems as if, at times, she's maybe talking herself into it. I don't know. I brought it up with a friend recently, asking, "WHY is she settling?" (Although my friend astutely suggested that maybe the question is, "Why is she taking this on?")
Another friend had been in a relationship where it seems to me that the guy never really treated her the way she should be treated. It took her a couple tries, but they're not longer together. She still has the odd pangs, but I think she's doing better. ("Think" is the operative word.)
I remember reading a discussion about the subject of settling online and putting my two cents in. Someone says that some people settle because of low self-esteem. I think another suggested that people like what's comfortable.
Perhaps I'm still extremely naive and haven't yet been beaten down by the world to understand where people like my cousin are coming from. Perhaps she is suffering the long-term effect of low self-esteem resulting from family who have told her, for whatever reason, that she couldn't do things, or wouldn't be good enough. Or maybe I've just been lucky to be in a relatively positive environment.
I just think it's unbelieveably sad at how much easier it is to tell someone, "You're not good enough" repeatedly enough to make them believe it, than it is to say, "You're good enough" and "You can do it" enough to elicit just as much influence.
And I wonder if there can be any way to change or reverse this. It's a momunental, likely impossible thought to answer.
But - and I don't know where exactly this comes from ... perhaps my upbringing ... but you shouldn't just put up with something just because it's there. Maybe it would be okay for a little while, but after that, I would think that the heart would yearn for something more, something better. Perhaps I am settling in my daily life right now, and either don't know it or won't acknowledge it.
But also know that, deep inside, there's still a voice ... sometimes strong, sometimes faint ... that tells me every so often, "Never settle." Whether it's in work, or wanting to find a place to live, love, whatever. I hear it. And when I hear updates about my cousin, that voice grows stronger, and more persistent.
And it's what is driving me to not end up settling for less.
Maybe I spoke too hastily and Friday the 13th is, in fact, telling me to suck it.
So it seems the hospital wasn't dragging its heels in diagnosing my MRI results.
As it turns out, they did send out the results by auto fax.
TWO AND A HALF WEEKS AGO.
I found out this interesting tidbit after calling the nurse at my doctor's office on Wednesday to see if she made any headway.
She called back Thursday. When I returned her call, she said she had problems navigating the phone system, and then when she got a human being, they told her the results weren't ready.
Since I'm already in the process of harrassing people by phone, I offered to add to the deluge of calls to see if I could make some progress.
So I called first thing this morning. I think I pressed three touchtone buttons on the automated phone system and got to a human voice within a minute of calling.
And that's when I found out.
The lady on the other line was quite nice and offered to fax another copy to make sure they got it.
So I immediately called the doctor's office to tell them of the impending fax. I think they dug up one of the previous copies faxed to their office, because the receptionist on the other end (not the usual one I deal with) said, "Oh, here it is!"
I told her to make sure the nurse gets it, and hopefully the doctor will see it sometime next week (when she feels like it, is what I'm guessing).
Even after all this, I still don't know what the results are yet.
It's great to know that incompetents are contributing to the decline of my health, instead of helping me seek treatment, like MOST OTHER DOCTORS do for their patients.
And my problem isn't even that bad.
Yet.
UPDATE: So, the Coles Notes version of my results ... According to what the nurse told me (not the same one as before), I've basically got a pinched nerve, plus something called "degenerative bone disease", which people apparently get as they age (but I'm willing to bet someone's going to tell me I've just got it earlier than most people). I really don't think that's the whole story. But whether I get it is another tale entirely.
I do believe that today is the first Friday the 13th of the year! Yay!
I dunno. I don't believe bad - or even freaky - things happen on days like this.
Rather, I'd like to think that the complete opposite happens. Then usually, either good things DO happen ... OR the defiantly good vibes I try to send out cancel out whatever perceived bad luck might happen. Which might just amount to a mediocre day.
But whatever. It's Friday the 13th! If a black cat crosses your path, go ahead - look it dead in the eye.
Spill some salt? Don't toss it over your shoulder! Clean it up like an adult!
See a ladder? Saunter under it ... well, only if no one's on it. That's got danger potential all over it.
Okay I'd better stop now - it's late, and I'm running on peanut-M&M-auto-pilot.
Have a good day. And just tell the bad luck to suck it.
So, I'm approaching week 4 and - zip.
Zero. Zilch. Nada. And all I got was a phone call to prove what I've been finding out: medical institutions are sloooow.
Today, my mom got a call from the nurse at the doctor's office, asking me to phone her.
I didn't phone back right away. Considering how long they've been letting me wait and wait for results that shouldn't have taken that long AT ALL, I figured, I can wait a few more minutes.
Well, it seems like that was in vain. When I called her back, she said, "I was just calling because I didn't understand your message ... what was it you need again?"
So I explained to her - while mentally counting to 10 - that I was looking for my results. She said she'd look into it.
I don't understand what's taking the hospital so long to release the results. You'd think, being a 24-hour facility, they'd spit those things out pronto. This is totally unacceptable.
And so it continues...
So March is over ... what a month, y'all.
And April is finally here.
This is the time of year where I start feeling alive and in Technicolor again, because I know the good weather is just around the corner.
Today's also April Fool's Day. I'm not one for playing pranks - I've never taken the time to come up with creative ways of messing with people.
But if you've ever played one, I wouldn't mind hearing about the best one you've played.
I'm not looking to copycat your ideas. I just love a good story.
