End of the weekend.

Accomplished pretty much nothing at all today. Between having a headache all day and my back preventing me from doing the most basic of tasks, if such tasks require bending over even a little bit, today was just a wash out.

Which, frankly, was not what I needed.

Essie didn’t eat much of anything today. I debated taking her out of quarantine, as she still doesn’t seem sick and I’m thinking her problem is likely stress/loneliness/boredom/depression? But, as her blood work results are supposed to be in tomorrow, I figured I would hold off until I know for sure she’s not sick.

If her blood work comes back good, I’ll take her out of quarantine tomorrow. Poor baby. I did get her to eat a little bit of boiled chicken tonight, but she didn’t even touch the prescription a/d cat food the vet sent home nor did she taste the chicken baby food last night.

She also hasn’t touched the dry food AT ALL nor has she pooped even once since I’ve had her home. But her belly isn’t distended and the vet didn’t think she had an intestinal blockage. When she tried to get a fecal sample, there was nothing to sample.

I may have to get her some subcutaneous fluids tomorrow if she still doesn’t eat. I’ll give her some more boiled chicken in the morning, if she’ll take it, and try her on some more a/d cat food, which she liked at first. Sigh.

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Anyway, tomorrow is day two of Research Fair for our grad students. We have a fair-sized class this year, and they seem like a good bunch for the most part. I need to get up early tomorrow and get to work, um, on time? so I’m heading to bed soon. Hopefully, despite my headache, I’ll be able to sleep.

Hopefully I won’t have to deal with the asshole neighbors again tonight. Things are, for now, fairly quiet.

Classes begin Tuesday morning and my CHEM 101 prof is, let’s just say, enthusiastic. Very enthusiastic. The class is going to be a lot of work, and sometime between now and Tuesday morning at 8 a.m. (ha!) I’ve got to find time to read Chapter 1 in my text and review the stuff he’s putting online tomorrow morning.

Of course, I’ll probably be working late tomorrow because of Research Fair. And I have to attempt to get adequate sleep so that I can focus in class Tuesday morning.

What the hell am I thinking doing this? Trying to remind myself of what my therapist said – it would be harder to not try. Harder to give up than to give it my all.

I surely hope she’s right, and that it will all be worth it in the end. Guess I’ll know sooner rather than later.

Whine.

Feel free to skip this whiny post.

Throat still hurts. Doctor appointment this afternoon at 3. I like my doc – I hate her office. You have to jump through too many hoops to get an appointment. You have to call and leave a message for the nurse, wait for the nurse to call, explain your problem to the nurse, wait for the nurse to talk to the doc and call you back. And then (so far) the appointments are in the afternoon. So, if you’re sick, like I am, you still have to wait all day to go to the doctor.

Anyway, my right ear is aching too. I hope I don’t have strep, or maybe I hope that I do, because at least then there’s something she can do.

Started coughing last night. Can breathe fine, unlike last time I was sick, but my trachea hurts. The cough is not very “productive” and very hacking/barking. Not the worst I’ve ever had, but with my throat already being sore, it seems worse.

Worked all day yesterday for commencement. Tried to stay out of everyone’s faces! Had to be there to take pictures – I’m afraid they didn’t come out as good as I wished. Haven’t looked at them up close yet, though. I think the lens that I was using is messed up – I don’t think the autofocus is working very well. Hopefully, they’ll be okay as long as they’re not blown up. The flash gave a glare, so I was using a high ISO setting, which makes the pics grainy too, but at least the color was better. It’s a trade-off, really. My favorite (work) lens doesn’t zoom – it’s a 50mm – but it has a really fast shutter speed, so works well in low light. I needed a wider angle lens for the commencement pictures, though, but switched to the 50mm for the reception. Commencement was short this year, and not too many grads. Hopefully that will change in the future.

Still don’t know where I’m going to live come June. Have an appointment on Thursday to see an apartment in Chapel Hill. Sounds like a good deal, and the landlord sounds pretty thorough. Was upfront about the three pets (so many places are maximum of two pets…), and apparently he doesn’t have an issue with it. Of course, I’ll have to pay pet fees, again. Wonder how long it’ll take me to get my deposit back for where I’m living now. It shouldn’t be a problem, but, well, we’ll see.

Penny had her teeth cleaned on Friday. The vet said she had no evidence of periodontal disease, despite her age, amount of tartar, and being a small dog (small dogs are more prone to teeth problems). The vet that did her cleaning was not my normal vet, but I do love them. They are very thorough – x-rays, before and after pictures, lots of monitoring, etc. The vet techs are all certified (which is not required of vet techs), and they are soooo nice. When I went to pick Penny up, she was behind the front desk with the receptionist, just hanging out. They even trimmed her nails for me, and didn’t charge me for it. I just wish they weren’t all the way in Durham.

Once I file my taxes (hopefully soon!!!!!), I’ll schedule Pud for her cleaning. I chose Penny first because (a) she’s older and I was worried about the anesthesia, and (b) I thought perhaps Pud’s would be more expensive and I wasn’t sure I could afford it right now. I need to go ahead and file my taxes.

Out of it

Sick. Again. Sore throat. Slight fever. Bit congested. Mild Cough. Mainly, sore throat.

Commencement is tomorrow. It is now 6:14 p.m. on the day before Commencement, and I have so much to do. Was going to do much today, but slept all day. Why? Oh yeah, because I’m sick.

Was a bit of a wreck on the phone with my grandmother last night. Ended up taking something to help me sleep, which is usually a mistake. It was. Then we had a nice thunderstorm around midnight with some good-sized hail. I haven’t seen hail in years and years. It was wild. Went to bed. Got up this morning at 7 a.m. Took the dogs out. Went back to bed. Got up, ate breakfast, took ibuprofen, went back to bed. Didn’t wake up until nearly 6 p.m.

Still feel drugged. Amazed that my fingers are working to type, frankly, because I can barely walk in a straight line right now without feeling like I’m going to fall over. Took dogs out again. Have to go take a shower, get something to eat. Wake up. Need to be able to get some work done. No fever right now, I don’t think. Throat still hurts. Day three of that…

Shaking. Hands shake if I don’t keep them resting on the keyboard.

Got to make it to the office for a bit today if at all possible. Feeling very unappreciated at work right now. Very little motivation. Was going to take Monday off, but can’t because things need to get done. Frustrated. No energy.

Feeling weak. Tired and drained and just weak. Need to call Dr. L again because the meds aren’t working. Not feeling very together right now. Don’t know where I’m going to live at the end of the month, and it makes me want to cry.

Hoping I can stand up long enough to take a shower. Maybe I should eat something first…

Well, damn.

The Heels are heading home early from San Antonio. Ah well, we can’t win ‘em all, I suppose (though I don’t know why as hell not!). I’m crossing my fingers that Hansbrough will decide to come back for his senior year, just to go for the National Championship, but I’m not holding my breath.

The only thing now is, I don’t know who I want to lose more – Memphis or Kansas. If Kansas beats Memphis, then at least we were beat by the eventual National Champions, instead of the team that lost the final game, so it looks a little better for us (in my head at least). But, after tonight, a big part of me hopes Memphis wallops the Jayhawks. Damn Jayhawks.

Well, maybe at least the assholes in Kansas who are still whining about Roy leaving will shut up. Surely doesn’t look like KU is suffering, does it? Give Bill Self some respect – be happy y’all have a good coach and get over losing Roy. (I know all KU fans aren’t still whining, but apparently some are. For crying in a damn bucket.)

Now that I’ve gotten my feelings off my chest, using lots of Eastern NC colloquialisms along the way, I’m going to bed.

Go Tar Heels. I love Roy’s boys anyway.

Another brilliant study

Brought to you by our good friends at the UNC School of Public Health. Bless ‘em.

Obesity may keep some women from getting screened for breast, cervical cancer

Seriously, do these folks ever talk to fat people? Or do they just study us??? ARGH.

Loss.

I suppose violence shouldn’t surprise me anymore. And Lord knows I’m aware “it” can happen to anyone.

But sometimes I’m reminded of just how fragile our time on this earth can be. It hits me the most when it hits close to home, like this week, with the death of the UNC Student Body President.

Not that it would have been any less tragic if it had been someone I’d never heard of, but I suppose I would have felt more removed, sort of like when you hear on the news about someone dying in a car crash, which happens all the time, but on the occasion that you know the person, it suddenly becomes much more, well, real. Tangible, in a way.

I didn’t know Eve. To my knowledge, I’d never seen her in person. I knew her name, knew something about her reputation on campus. She was, from what I’ve read, a fantastic person, full of potential. I’ve known others like that, whose lives ended all too soon, though usually less violently.

How often do I ignore the tragedy of other lives lost in violent crimes? How often do we all turn the other way, because the victim is someone who wasn’t necessarily a super-achiever? Because she wasn’t an all-American girl, the face of Carolina? Why does it have to involve such a well-known figure for folks to stand up and take notice when something bad happens?

It’s tragic. Absolutely tragic for the potential that was Eve, for her family and friends and the student body at Carolina.

It’s tragic as well when it’s the girl no one knows. This kind of tragedy doesn’t always play favorites.

Seriously, I may never sleep again.

I had my first lab on Tuesday night. It was good, and somewhat amusing, as the TA had introduced himself as Mr. G* and asked that we, the students, not call him by his first name, likely because he’s only about 23 years old and needs to differentiate himself from the undergrads he’s teaching. Anyway, at one point I had asked him a question and we chatted a bit and I told him what I’m doing and where I work, etc. etc., and later he comes back to me and says, “By the way – you can call me Chris. You don’t have to call me Mr. G*. Please, call me Chris.”

It was quite cute. It was nice that he recognized that it would feel awkward for me to call him Mr. G*, but in a way, it makes me feel a bit old. :-0

Anyway, lab is Tuesday evenings from 6-10 p.m., through early November.  I will have to leave work early to run home, take the dogs out, get my car, go back to campus, park, and walk to class…

…

Chorus begins again this Monday evening and lasts until 9:30 p.m. I’m looking forward to a new semester with a new director, but, at the same time, the thought of two nights in a row of not being home and then not getting to bed until after 10 p.m. makes me tired. Very very tired.

…

I’m probably going to be taking a photography class for work beginning next week, on Thursday nights from 6-8. Fortunately, it only lasts for 6 weeks, and it counts as work time since it is a job-related course. Oh, and it’s local (in Carrboro).

…

We had our first Chemistry quiz in class yesterday (Wednesday), and I wasn’t as prepared as I should have been. I had a feeling she was going to give us a quiz, and fortunately the material wasn’t all that difficult, but I blanked on one question, remembering how to do it after I had already turned in my paper. So, sometime in between my classes and chorus, I have to remember that I HAVE TO STUDY. Frequently. Regularly. Often.

…

Of course, I also need to fit in spending time with friends, visiting family once in a while, doing work-related stuff that sometimes involves my staying after hours, and, last but certainly not least, loving on and playing with my fur babies.

So sleep? Eh. It’s overrated anyway.

Well, that didn’t take long

Today was the second day of Chem 101. I really think the class is going to be a good one – this prof knows her stuff and knows how to explain it in an easy-to-understand way. She’s enthusiastic and, truth be told, funny and entertaining. Not that it’s the prof’s job to be funny and entertaining, but it never hurts, especially when you’re teaching a course that many students are taking as a prerequisite requirement for something else – a means to an end, if you will – and thus aren’t that thrilled to be in the class in the first place. It also helps when that class happens to be held at 8 a.m.

As for the frosh … well, let’s just say I underestimated my little friends. I thought they’d try to continue the “perfect student” facade for at least another week before it all fell apart, but I was quite wrong. Miss matchy-matchy bookbag and pencil case was in shorts and a tee-shirt today, without all the jewelry she wore on Wednesday. There were still a large number of eager beavers who were already in the classroom (sitting in the dark) when I arrived at 15 ’til 8, but there were also a larger number of seats empty already, which the prof pointed out once class started.

There was also one cell phone interruption in class today, which irritates the ever-loving hell out of me. I wasn’t able to give the phone owner the glare of hatred and death, however, as the phone didn’t ring long enough for me to pinpoint who owned it…ah well.

So, it didn’t take us long to settle right in to the normal semester routine. These freshmen learn quickly, I suppose.

Let’s play…

Spot The Freshmen! The Hottest and Hippest New Game Around Campus!

Apart from the “deer caught in the headlights” look that most new frosh on campus have these first few days, what are some other ways it’s easy to tell who’s a frosh and who’s not?

A freshman:

• Brings the 15lb. Chemistry textbook (or, better yet, the entire text pack, including solutions manual) to class on the first day.
• Asks if we will need to bring books to class.
• Has nicely coiffed hair and perfectly manicured nails, despite having Chem 101 at 8 a.m.
• Is so happy to no longer have a high school dress code, wears short shorts and skimpy tops.
• Attempts to write down every word the prof says, despite the prof having put her lecture slides online well in advance of the first class.
• Tries really really hard to look cool while managing to merely look scared shitless.
• Actually arrives in class prior to 8 a.m.
• Actually waits until class is over to leave class.
• Actually turns off cell phone when prompted to do so.
• Actually tries to look as though she is paying attention to the prof.
• Looks surprised when the prof uses the word “pissed” during the lecture.
• Has a new bookbag with embroidered name and matching pencil case.

Hee hee. I just love new students.

…

My first chem 101 class was good. Prof seems nice – enthusiastic and animated at 8 a.m. Impressive.

The University of Never-ending Construction

Students come back this weekend at UNC, otherwise known as the University of Never-ending Construction. I had to take some pics of the addition to my department’s building today for the grad student orientation we’re doing this Friday and Monday. The new building is going to be named for the founder of the department I work for, thanks to an anonymous donation from an alum. Here are some ultra-exciting construction photos.

I also managed to snap a shot of one of the new Chapel Hill Transit buses, which, I have to say, are a grand improvement over the old buses! Not only are they more attractive (which I think they are, at least), but they are more rider-friendly, especially for people who have trouble walking and people in wheelchairs. They don’t have steps up when you first get on the bus, and they have a fold out ramp for wheelchairs that makes it so much faster and easier for those in wheelchairs to board and exit the bus, and to have a safe bus ride. Toward the back of the bus, there are steps with seats that sit higher, I guess to make room for the engine? And there are signal pulls rather than push-tapes that are accessible from any seat/standing position in the bus. Anyway, I think these are tax dollars well spent, considering how many folks in Chapel Hill/Carrboro, like myself, rely on the bus system almost daily.

Honk.