Tumultuous Tuesday

Ohhh, my goodness. I know I've been away and haven't updated in awhile. It's been a crazy ride the last few days.

Most of it was my own fault, really. I put off my paper for Computer Literacy until the last minute and was buried under paperwork and research. Now I'm transitioning straight on through into Cultural Anthropology, which seems really intense and fast-paced for a five-week course. I've got my fingers crossed.

Then MarvMan was swapped over to night shift and, ugh, that's thrown everyone off. I don't know why, but somehow that simple switch, even though it means he's home more during the day, has thrown the whole schedule off.

So much so that I missed my first balance therapy appointment this morning. Disappointing, but I was a little nervous about it anyway, so...

But I'm trying to look on the bright side of life. What side of life is that? Threadcakes is finally open for submissions and I was able to officially submit my entry!



It's only the first of (hopefully) three more cakes - one more in the 2D category for sure. The entry time has been extended to August, so I've got plenty of time to fuss and plan and plot. I've got my fingers crossed that I get some good feedback at least. And trust me, I'll be keeping everyone posted as to weekly favorites voting and if there's anything anyone can do to help me out in the winning section, hehe.

Threadcakes Thursday

Funkalicious piping photo.

Hoooo boy, y'all. I'm getting nervous. Finished my first cake for the Threadcakes competition. My friends on Facebook have gotten a sneak peek at the photos, which I'll gladly share here once I've gotten the chance to submit them to the site as my first entry.

But I have to be honest. I'm getting jittery. I've been following the updates on Twitter, and professionals are allowed to enter. Now, I'm not faulting anyone whatsoever. I'm still (mostly) all about the competition and am dying to get my hands on the prizes. (Hopefully.) It's just... c'mon, they're professionals. What do they need with baking pans and flour and chocolate? They've already got that stuff!

Me? I had to borrow cake pans from my neighbor (who is an amazing woman) so I could make this first cake because my others had busted awhile back and I forgot. My piping tips are at least two years old and some have been mangled by the garbage disposal. I've had to make this cake (and my future entries) in my home kitchen, where I'm battling a 4 year old who wants to get her hands in everything and an almost-2 year old who likes to scale my counters and stick her fingers in everything. Did I mention the Rottweiler who can easily raise up onto the counter and will eat anything? These people have kitchens they are able to cook in that don't have intruders. They probably have sous chefs. And the biggest thing they've got that I don't?

Training.
I'm self-taught. From a gingerbread decorating book.

But you know what? The more I think about it, the more I'm realizing I've got something they don't, too. I've got a damn amazing support group of friends who are behind me 200% and truly believe I've got a shot at this. And hell, even if I lose, they still love me, and I (and some of them) still get cake. What? They're scattered about the country, and already assembled cake doesn't ship well. If you don't believe me, you've hardly ever watched the Food Network.

I've got my fingers crossed. My nerves are high, but I've put the effort in already, so there's really no turning back. But it's all good. I got skillz.

And fantastic delusions of grandeur.

Wordless Wednesday

Hard work...

Oh, Tuesday

I had all sorts of ideas rolling around in my head for what I was planning on doing for the blog today. I was going to do one thing or another, it was going to be amazing and poetic, perhaps even a little philosophical. And then I got distracted. Why? Because of a number of things.

1- The plans for the LFO concert in July are finite! Everything is in place, everything is rolling along smoothly, all I need is for it to be July already!! (For those interested, LFO is now on Facebook as well! Go become a friend, be a fan - they're wonderful to their fans and I love them all dearly.)

2- I found out that my physical therapy for my dizzy spells / nerve damage in the ear / balance therapy / brain reprogramming will be starting next week and I'm super excited and hopeful and grateful things are rolling smoothly for that. Link to the post that explains the diagnosis and what's wrong with me. (Well, okay, one of many issues. ;) )

3- I'm super busy trying to overcome a bunch of setbacks for the Threadcakes cake competition I'm entering in. I could really use and would love the prizes, and cake decorating is a hobby of mine, sooooo... That's where we are with that.

So far, I've had to bake three different cakes. The first one fell apart coming out of the pan. I should probably note I'm a total amateur and have no formal training whatsoever. I also have barely any "professional" baking supplies except things I've picked up at Wal-Mart as needed. So springform pans? Out of the question. Don't have 'em, no time to pick 'em up. The second one sort of came out - a piece broke off the bottom and I was simply going to fix it with frosting. Then BreMonster got a hold of it.

The initial plan was to fill with frosting and go from there, but I tried one more time to bake a backup cake. You know, just in case. It came out a million times better.

I'm so charming, aren't I?

More pics to come tomorrow. I've got fondant to play with.

Military Monday

This weekend was so awesome, I really didn't want it to end. Down here at NAS Fallon, there are Carrier Air Groups and whatnot that come through for training. Well, my old squadron is down here for some training exercises. People cycle through commands every couple of years, and a few old friends of mine transferred out, but have since transferred back in to my old squadron and are down here in Nevada for the training cycle. I can't tell you how thrilled I was to see my old friends.

We had a barbecue on Saturday and it was so nice to be able to sit around, swap stories, and these people knew. There was no explaining acronyms, no trying to remember who was who or what was where. We'd worked in the same spaces, we'd worked on the same birds for goodness sake. It was fabulous.

It made me miss being active duty. I have my times when I miss being in the Navy. I really do. The camaraderie, the feeling of doing something worthwhile. Of doing something you can be incredibly proud of.

Nothing will ever replace the adrenaline rush of being on the flight line and doing the final checks on an EA-6B Prowler. You're standing there, even the slight gust of the exhaust is enough to push you just a little. Head on a swivel, constantly looking around, constantly observing, making sure everything's starting up fine. The hand signals flow, and you're thankful for them because you're lucky if you can hear the engine over the thundering of your heart. And before you know it, it's time to get under the bird.

Yeah, that's right. This mammoth beast has both engines turning and you've got to get up close and personal. I think that was my favorite part, being so close to the bird that the noise reverberated through my whole body. Checking one last time that everything was good to go and that the pilot can take her up for a flight. A flight during which someone will ultimately do something stupid break your baby, and she'll be right back in the hangar, waiting for you to come out and patch her up.

Even the hangar birds were fun. They were puzzles to be figured out. Routine maintenance that you volunteered for just to do something to make the day go faster. They were life savers when you needed to rob a part for a jet on the line that needed to fly. They were engines to change out and you could sit around and bullshit with people from other shops. Take a break and go to the smoke pit, light up and vent about your supervisor or your chief, joke about the weekend and who got drunk or did whatever.

But it also made me remember that I don't miss still having to deal with sexism. It still thrives in a multitude of forms in the military. Don't bother getting riled up about it. There's nothing you can do about it except suck it up, flip the bird to the men, and work hard. Prove them wrong and you'll be accepted as a hard working female who's worth the time to train. But getting them to give you the chance to prove them wrong is a battle in and of itself.

Why is that? Because for as many hard working women as the military has, there are always those who will pull the "female card" whenever it's convenient for them. There are those of us who work hard to break the stereotypes and to gain equal acceptance. But there are just as many who go off and make the rest of us look bad. It's a thin, tense, tightrope to walk when you're in, but there was so much good to make up for it.

I tried. I know I tried. God knows I tried. But there was so much to fight against. No one in my shop actually wanted to take the time to train me. I didn't know much, but I was so eager to learn. And if that's the only thing I could pass on to a man in the military, something I've told MarvMan time and again, I would be happy. If you have a worker who's new but wants to learn, dont' squash that. Keep that fire alive and harness that. It may take them longer to catch on, or maybe they'll pick up quick, but nurture that passion and encourage it. Otherwise, you'll wind up with an untrained, disgruntled worker. Everyone was surprised that when I was transferred to the tool room while I was pregnant with Anaya, I excelled and did better than I ever had in my original shop. A hint, guys? They took the time to train me down there, and didn't hold me back.

For as much as I miss it, and for as much as I don't miss it, I don't regret getting out. I may get back in when both girls are school age. Maybe I'll go officer since I'll have my degree. Maybe I'll be a civilian contractor. I'll never be able to get away from the military, though; I'm married to it. But getting out?

Best. Decision. Ever.

Rare morning off

Sometimes, MarvMan is quite possibly the most amazing man on the face of the planet. Take yesterday, for example. Yesterday was one of those days where the command was taking a day off, but they couldn't just "take the day off." Days like these become mandatory fun days or some sort of community service days.

In MarvMan's case, it was a little of both. They had decided to do a car wash and then go bowling. The Warrant Officer even bought them pizza while they were up at the bowling alley.

MarvMan happens to also be a proud papa. Very proud. So I was overjoyed when he informed me that he would be taking both A-Girl and BreMonster with him when he went in to "work" with him. The morning came, I dressed the girls, sent them off with MarvMan and went back in the house, excited for a day to do whatever I pleased.

I couldn't think of a damn thing to do.

I've had my moments before where the girls have driven me up a wall. Where all I wanted was a vacation, or at least to live closer to my family so when I'm stressed I can take the girls over, drop them off, and leave for awhile. I've had entire weeks where I wanted nothing more than to go back to work, if only to get a guaranteed eight hour break.

But yesterday reminded me that I'm in the right place. The silence was overwhelming and without two small pairs of feet following me around, I suddenly felt lost. Even for just that brief period of time, the house was a strange place without my babies and I missed them.

Doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the time, though. I just wish I'd remembered my non-domestic hobbies a bit sooner. Because instead of soaking in the bathtub, painting my toenails or giving myself a manicure, what'd I do?

I cleaned.

And was so grateful for the normal day to resume when MarvMan had to bring them home early because they were tired and fussy. Just don't tell MarvMan. Maybe a couple more of these mornings off and I'll get the hang of selfishly enjoying them.

More motivation!

I posted yesterday about joining along with weight loss over at Mommatudes, and today I've found even more inspiration and motivation to get fit.


No, that's not me, but I wish it was! And it will be, soon! That gorgeous woman in the photo is Leah, creator of BookieBoo, a fitness hangout for moms! She's lost 100 pounds, and she's done it for her family.

I don’t do the exercise for me, I do it for my family. I’m a better mom and person when I’ve worked out. I’m more patient, loving, and of course have more energy. The days I haven’t exercised are like mornings without coffee…I’m an absolute shrew. I do it for them, and that is my motivation.

People say you should exercise for yourself and put yourself first, but I don’t believe that. I think some things are greater than you are…like your family. And they deserve it.
(original posting here)

I can totally identify. On workout days, I'm in such a better mood. It's only Day 3 of my own personal journey (you know, this time with feeling and commitment) and I can tell the difference, MarvMan and the girls can tell the difference. I'm getting myself in shape and my family is benefiting the most.

But creating Bookieboo isn't all Leah's done. Now she's launching MomActive radio, hosted by Leah herself and Fiona Bryant of The Bantering Blonde.

Tonight is a special night for MomActive, because there's going to be a Twitter launch party from 5-8 pm PST! Just go on over to TweetGrid and use the hashtag #bookieb and you'll be joining in the party! Tons of prizes and lots of great moms!

I'll be there - will you?

The road back to me

Physically speaking, of course.

There was a time in my life when I was fairly skinny. Some may even have said that I was of an athletic build. I was heavily involved in soccer, and was a pretty physically active kid all around, really.

Then puberty hit. And it was not kind.

At first I was excited for the curves to appear - my body was morphing in front of my eyes! (For a kid who read The Animorphs books, this truly was an exciting thing to see.) I was still fairly active, but then my social aptitude took a dive and I became more of a hermit. The curves I once thought were cute, became the bane of my existence.

Then I got that job at McDonald's.

Joining the Navy helped immensely. I went from 175 pounds* down to around 155. Twenty pounds in eight weeks. And when I first got out of boot camp, continued PT during A-School (technical training for my civilian friends) really helped to keep the weight off. That and whatever they put in the food at the galley. And no, I still don't want to know what it is.
*For my height of 5'8", at 175 I was out of weight range, but my recruiter and the people at boot camp flubbed for me, since I was going to lose it and be within regs anyway.

After A-School, I got a little lazy - I despise running, anyway - and became a member of the "3 Mile Club." Every PFA (physical fitness assessment) includes a 1.5 mile run. Our PFAs are held twice a year. I think you get the idea of how much I actually ran.

Then came kids. During my pregnancy with A-Girl, I had hyperemesis, couldn't keep anything down whatsoever for the first trimester and lost 30 pounds. So after I had her, I was right back to 150. Thank you, young body. My body was not so kind to me after BreMonster, though. I'm still dealing with things jiggling that really shouldn't be jiggling and soft areas that shouldn't be quite so soft. I have to be careful with wearing a belt with my jeans so I don't create a muffin top effect while still holding the jeans up around my waist. (Stupid me getting the stupid low rise jeans...)

I've tried and I've failed at different diets and exercise routines. But something clicked these past few months. I grabbed this workout system at Scheel's about a month ago called Barry's Boot Camp. It may seem cheesy because it's one of those As Seen On TV setups and makes the usual claims all those workout things will promise to get you to fork out dough. But it was on sale.

I can't resist a sale.

After conferring with MarvMan, he told me that all these workouts can actually work. It just requires that you actually commit to it, change your eating habits, and keep going even after the initial program is done with. (As in, if I wanna look like I want to look, I need to keep going even after I look that way.) Makes enough sense. So I'm the owner of the Barry's Boot Camp workout system. Thingy. Setup. Whatchamacallit.

I've been trying off and on to get started. The program they recommend is a one month program and you slowly build up to the highest intensity. It also included a "Code Red" workout guaranteeing rapid fire weight loss and toning in 6 days. Naturally, I shied away from it. The regular workouts were fine, and many of the exercises reminded me of what we'd done in boot camp.

And then I was inspired by a wonderful woman who writes a blog called Mommatudes. She's going for it. And I thought, "Hey. I can do this, too." So I signed up and I'm getting fit with her!

So I'm committed now. And started with the "Code Red" workouts to jump start everything. I thought I was going to die on Day 1. I'm on Day 2 now, and things are looking up. Hope I can get some results before I'm headed out to PA in July! I want to look good for that LFO concert!!

xoxo

Weekend Wrap & ENT Update

Phew! What a weekend! It's been insanely productive and retroactive all at once. Those following my Twitter feed know that last night, while working on a project for my Computer Literacy class, my hatred for Microsoft Office and all other things related to Microsoft was solidified. Seriously, I don't even know why they put me in there except to torture me.

I also started going through photographs from back in the day. So be on the lookout - photos from my teen years and specifically my Navy career will be popping up here and there. Ahh, the memories are so bittersweet. I miss it and yet I don't. But that's a whole other post.

In other news for the weekend, I purchased my plane tickets to Pennsylvania! I'm so thrilled - July isn't coming fast enough! Also purchased the tickets to the LFO show at the Crocodile Rock Cafe, which is also extremely excitement inducing! 37 days and I'll be in Pennsylvania and seeing LFO with my girl, Stacey!

The garden is... stagnant at the moment. Hoping to plant this afternoon. There's so much on the to do list, it's insane. Especially since I lost half the day to running to Reno for my follow up with the ENT to go over the results of the ENG. (Enough acronyms for you?)

So what's going on with that, anyway? Well, it's been diagnosed that I've got some damage going on with the nerve(s) in my left ear. It accounts for a lot of things - the dizzy spells, rushing sounds, spatial difficulties. (See? There's a medical reason behind me being a klutz. Don't you feel foolish.) There's nothing that can be done to reverse the damage, unfortunately. There is, however, therapy.

I'll be going in again soon to have a balance test done to accurately measure the difficulties that I do have and to see what exactly we're working with. Then, it's off to physical balance therapy in order to retrain my brain and body to cope with the lack of output from my left ear. Strengthening the other parts of my body that play into helping me spatially and with balance in order to make up for weaknesses elsewhere.

Should physical therapy not work or my condition worsens, there will be talks of MRIs and surgery, but I don't see see that happening. More like it's not going to - no one's cutting on my head, thank you very much.

I was initially discouraged at the doctor's diagnosis, specifically the part that there was no hope of reversing the damage. But I'm very grateful that there are options for treatment and that we are moving forward in the right direction. There is, indeed, light at the end of the tunnel.

My SAHM Morning

For those that don't know, SAHM means stay at home mom. I do work from the home as well, which makes me a WAHM, but there was no "work" involved in this morning's story, per se. Not the kind that would normally qualify as work, anyhow. What was involved, however, was a lot of frustration. Anyone who thinks a SAHM doesn't do anything? Pay attention. Because this was just my morning.

It's been one of "those" days so far.

Was in the middle of making bread when Anaya got up. Lucy (dog we're dog sitting) and Washburn had been let out of the bedroom and were wrestling in the hallway. Anaya was just trying to get out of the hallway, so I went to open the door. Beaned her head with the doorknob. Apologized and proceeded to let the dogs out.

Put Lucy's canned food (this is important later) in her bowl inside, took a bowl of food outside to Wash. Let Lucy in to eat. By this point Breanne was up but I needed to get the bread dough done so she stayed in her room.

Proceeded to go about finishing the bread dough while arguing with Anaya about whether or not she was going to have a PB sandwich or oatmeal for breakfast. She wanted a PB sandwich, the reason I'm making bread is because I have none. She didn't want oatmeal. So I told her if she didn't want oatmeal I guess she wasn't eating.

After finally getting the bread dough kneaded I realize I completely spaced on the oil that goes into the recipe. Said screw it and called it good, oiled it and set it aside to rise. At that point Breanne could no longer be ignored, so I went to get her and changed a diaper that could, in fact, legally be considered biological hazmat.

I went to the garbage can to throw something away shortly after dealing with the hazmat and promptly sliced open not just one but two fingers on the lid of the aforementioned can of dog food. And while I'm bleeding and cussing up a storm, Breanne found her way to the baby gate and has started yelling at me because she's hungry.

Shut your gob! I'm bleeding!

I made that girl the world's biggest bowl of oatmeal and set her up to eat in her high chair and then made Anaya a bowl of oatmeal. Which she promptly took two bites out of and decided she didn't want it so she got up from the table. Note to self: Next time if she's that insistent on having something with peanut butter in it, shove a glob of peanut butter in the oatmeal. That'll teach her.

And then Marv, my wonderful, loving, amazing husband who is currently on night shift, got up. Why? Because he was called in to work. At 11 am. So now he's going to be gone and will only be back briefly around two. And then off to work again until 10 pm.

Who's gonna come kiss my boo boo and make it better?

Where's that serenity prayer when I need it?


This post was initially published November 12, 2008

Thursday Thoughts

Originally, this was going to be a well thought out, terribly philosophic, post of a poetic nature the likes of which would even make Shakespeare cry. (Mostly in pain. But, oh, he would shed a tear.)

However, it's not turning out like that. I'm full of entirely too much joy at the moment and fangirl squeals that would most likely have my mini-Schnauzer (I just had to retype that fifteen times to spell it right) in a tizzy. (Eat it, spell check, tizzy is too a word.) But anyhow, on to the news.

Awhile back, I made a post about some old mix CDs I'd found, listed the tracks and ran through the artists I used to listen to, reminiscing. (That was two or three blog name changes ago, don't worry if you haven't kept up.) For those who are too interested in this post - trust me, it's in your best interest to stay right here - the most prominent group on those mix CDs was a group called LFO. Oldschool, for me, anyway.

I love these guys. Love, love, love, love. Did I mention I love them? Honestly, while I was into the whole boyband thing back in the day, LFO always stood out, far and above the rest. Even *whispers* the Backstreet Boys. I don't know - it was something about the lyrics, the way they sang... But I'm getting off topic.

They're going out on tour again! It's the age of the reunions and this is, by far, the most exciting for me. Now, they've got a lot of East Coast dates. You all know (or now you know) that I'm originally from PA. East Coast girl. But you also know (or now you know) that I'm stuck out here in Nevada. There's a show in Allentown, PA. Not too far from my home town. So I decided to get my gorgeous best friend, Stacey, some tickets to the show. I told her my plans and she's stoked, but she wants me to go with. I tell her I need to talk to MarvMan. Who I didn't think would be on board with this idea.

So I waited until he got home. And presented the idea to him...

I'M GOING HOME!

For a week! And without the kids! Just me! Flying solo! I will be flying from all the way out here in Reno, NV to PA for a week in July, hanging with Stacey and going to see Rookie of the Year, Go Crash Audio, Kiernan McMullan, AND LFO!!!

If you haven't picked up on it yet - I'm insanely excited!! So there's your Thursday Thoughts from me.

Wednesday Writing

I was so caught up in my plans to go for crab legs with my ever amazing mamas, Donna and Jeri, that I almost forgot to write a post. Never mind that yesterday was absolutely moot, as there was nothing of interest to write about. Well, there was, but I wasn't feeling up to writing about it.

So for today, I'm going to write about my passion: writing. Specifically things dealing with writer's block. I'm still forming good writing habits and all that, and sure, I've never been formally published, but as a struggling writer, I feel I'm able enough to commiserate with other writers. The whole struggling thing makes us comrades, see, and since we're in the trenches together we might as well swap stories.

As stated previously, I'm not a fan of books on how to write. They're not my thing and they seem to narrow the process of writing down into a process that you merely need to learn the steps of, and then you're done. I do, however, like tips and tricks that I can try out on my own and discard or keep as necessary, without feeling like I've failed at the whole process.

One of these has been journaling. You remember that - when you'd get those diaries when you were little and write all your secrets in them? Then you'd hide it in what you thought was the best hiding spot ever but really it's not because anybody not looking for it would actually find it? Yep. Except now, of course, it's a composition notebook covered in duct tape and hidden in my closet. Why is it hidden in my closet? Because little hands lurk about in my house, y'all.

Cute little hands.


But don't let the cuteness fool you.

Now that the gratuitously cute photo has been shared, back on topic. I write in my journal for however long I feel and as much as I want. I do, however, have a minimum time limit. Thirty minutes. And one hour maximum. I feel it's best to set some requirements and expectations, though I want the process to be as relaxed as possible.

The journaling has been therapeutic in so many ways. I can clear out that junk in my head that's blocking me from writing in my fictional pursuits. I can even simply sit and write about the fact that I'm having a difficult time continuing a scene. It's also an option to sit there and brain map. If I feel brain dead, I can simply doodle.

Or, I can come here and blog.

Weekend Wind-Down

For those keeping up around here, arguments were resolved yesterday. MarvMan and A-Girl had a fantastic time at the Special Olympics in Reno, even if they were mostly cold and wet. It rained all day Saturday, the poor things. I wish I'd sent MarvMan with the camera so he could take pictures. Alas, lesson learned.

The weekend, though, was very productive for me.



Firstly, we got rid of our behemoth entertainment center...
It was a huge, unnecessary piece that we didn't need and was simply taking up space and making the living room look more cramped than it was.

Plus - look at all that surface area. We live in the desert - sand = dust and I hate dusting to begin with! (That would be BreMonster popping out from behind it, if you were wondering.)










This new setup that we've got, however, is so much better! More streamlined, I can actually use the light coming in through that big window of ours. And the TV isn't overwhelmed by unnecessary shelving! Oh, it makes me so happy to have such a better organized solution in our living room! Did I mention I'm thrilled with having less to clean?

Even better? The new setup? FREE! One of my neighbors had gone to a storage unit auction and found that little gem, so when she brought it back and mentioned possibly selling it at her garage sale if nobody wanted/needed it, I snatched that baby up!



So now that I've updated you on my ever so exciting weekend that kind-of-sort-of was / wasn't - how was your weekend?

The weekend that wasn't.

So remember in the other post, where I said we were going to spend the weekend in Reno? Yeah, obviously that didn't happen. As I'm sitting here, at home, writing this blog post. In my pajamas. At 8:36 on a Saturday morning. In Fallon, Nevada.

Now, let me start this off by saying that ditching on the trip to Reno was entirely my decision. MarvMan and I got into an argument and to spite him, I said we weren't going. I have no clue why depriving myself of a trip to Reno would be that detrimental to MarvMan. Because he's required to go due to his volunteer work at the Special Olympics. So either way, MarvMan gets to go.

Have you ever had those kind of arguments? They start about the simplest - even the stupidest - of things. Usually something small, a minor irritation that could easily be solved by saying, "Hey, I'm really bothered by (insert infraction here)."

For some of us, though, the situation rarely goes like that. I go about, huffing and puffing, correcting the infraction - this one in particular had to do with the laundry - and all the while ensuring that everyone in the house knows that I'm upset. It's childish behavior, I'll wholly admit to that. Then when "discussion time" came around, I was entirely too aggressive about the matter with MarvMan, and it escalated until it was no longer about the laundry.

Well, it was still about the laundry. Then it was also about the dishes. And what kind of music I listen to. How he's a stubborn harda$$ and needs to chill. I'm surprised my extremely short haircut and lip piercing weren't brought up - he's not a fan of either. Suddenly, the very things I profess to love about him are now the very things causing problems.

And I capped it off by pulling out from the Reno trip.

It's been beneficial in a sense for myself and BreMonster. We've spent tons of time snuggling. And I got hold of a new entertainment center. Got to focus on the positives, right?

But I think that tonight, I'm going to bake a cake for MarvMan. Just to let him know that I realize I overreacted and made a mountain out of a mole hill. Hopefully this communication thing between us will get better over time. We're both only 24, we've got time, right?

What in the world #fcubedpeeps?!

If you follow me and @oliveshoot on Twitter, you may have found yourself asking over the past week, "What in the world is #fcubedpeeps?" I am here to tell you!

First of all, I have to tell you that this idea is the brain child of Leslie and myself, and you really need to check her blog out as well.

Conversation came up last #FollowFriday about celebrities and other famous people that we'd recommend. I made the comment that if we did that, it would be a fairly short list. The amount of celebrities/famous people that actually get Twitter and use it as it was intended is a pretty small amount.

Now, before continuing further, I should note that the issue of celebrities being on Twitter has been discussed before. The lack of following back, lack of engagement - it's something that can upset Twitter users because Twitter is based on engagement and reciprocity. Others don't necessarily give a hoot and find their tweets entertaining. If you're one of the latter and don't enjoy a good lark now and again, this is probably not for you.

Regardless, we started nosing around, finding various celebs to follow and observe. We've been watching carefully and are preparing to begin releasing our lists for our first ever #fcubedpeeps! I'm super excited! We want to share celebs that we find to be worth the follow.

For those celebs who might be reading this post, and for those who want to add their own recommendations to the list, you may be wondering: What's the criteria?

• Reciprocity: Who do they follow back? We're understanding that maybe they don't adopt the same "follow everyone back" principles that many of us operate on. But are their only follows @PerezHilton, et al?
• Tweet Quality: Are their tweets interesting? Yes, we've got the usual eaters/sleepers. Maybe there's not enough time in the day other than to let the world know what you're having for breakfast and when you're crashing for the night. But hey, occasionally updating about what you're up to, giving us a more personal glimpse in your life, satisfying our inner voyeur - isn't that what Twitter's most basic of concepts is all about?
• Follower Engagement: Do they know how to @ reply to people? Do they thank people for RTs, comments on TwitPics? Replies to other celebs don't count in this category - we want interaction on levels that stretch deeper than that.

This is for everyone to participate in. Twitter is a community, and this little bubble of an idea is meant to be released into the Twitterverse, and will hopefully grow.

It should be mentioned that, insofar as we're concerned, these famous peeps don't have to interact with us (@linlori, @oliveshoot) directly. We're not @PerezHilton, we won't tear them down because we feel snubbed. Our focus is community participation on the whole. We won't actively advocate against anyone on Twitter - we don't want to discourage anyone. Rather, we want to acknowledge and send good vibes to those famous people who do get it.

I don't think I'll ever be a country girl

It's come up quite often, especially since we moved down here to the middle-of-nowhere, Nevada. For those of you who may not know, Fallon, Nevada is an extremely remote location somewhere east of Reno. How remote, you ask?

So remote, we had to be given "Overseas Screenings" before transferring down here. Because it's considered "isolated duty."

So when I say I won't ever be a country girl, please realize I've been trying to fit in for the past year now. I can't believe I've survived for a year out here. There have been some close calls, I'm sure, but I've survived.

I've been off-roading. I have seen lizards and didn't scream. I've even gone rabbit hunting, killed a jackrabbit and then managed to skin it, and various others. Faster than MarvMan, my husband. And without vomiting. I was so proud.

I routinely shop at Wal-Mart like it's going out of style. And not necessarily because of budget concerns, either. Because it's the biggest store Fallon has. I go shooting with the hubz and have given the okay for my four year old to learn about shooting a .22 long rifle, and she has shot a 12 gauge shotgun under Papa MarvMan's direct supervision.

I surprisingly don't mind getting dirty.

But good lawd, I miss the city y'all.

I miss being able to talk tech and people know what I'm talking about. I miss being able to squeal over new brands and the shininess of it all and people appreciated that. I miss coffee being the lifeblood of the streets, the hustle and bustle of it all. Trying to decide which is better - a street view or a river view. Not that I ever got that chance, but still... And yes, river view beats street view any time, unless you're overlooking a historical downtown section. Or, y'know, if you're in New Orleans for Mardis Gras.

I've learned to appreciate the loud cows in the morning. The silence broken by the sunrise and filled with the souns of birds and other animals as they wake up and start their day. It's really quite beautiful, idyllic and serene.

Oh, and of course, the sound of jet engines as the base wakes up.

This morning, MarvMan called to verify plans for this weekend. He's volunteering at the Special Olympics and will be having to stay overnight at least tonight and into tomorrow. But when he called, he asked me if we wanted to stay in Reno for the weekend - all of us. In the city.

I told him "yes" as politely and coolly as I could. And when he hung up? I did a happy dance. Full on, bouncing around, squealing and clapping - there may even have been some form of the Running Man in there. I'm going back to the city this weekend!

Health Update

I'm too lazy to find the first few postings, so just know that for those of you just joining, I've been having lovely health issues that I'm finally getting seen for recently. The problems have been narrowed down to tinnitus (ringing in the ear / hearing loss), coupled with recurrent vertigo.

So the ENG was today. Hooo that was so fun. (note sarcasm) The doc was super nice. We did a more in depth hearing test and I could tell there were things that were lacking, so we'll see where we end up on that front, if indeed that is separate from everything else. Hoping they'll find something to do about the tinnitus, this ringing is just unbearable. It makes me so sensitive to noise and loudness, makes me cranky and irritable... oi.

On to the ENG. I had no video goggles (super disappointed, I was all set and ready to pull off my best Star Trek look), but instead there were about five or six electrodes taped to my face to monitor eye movement - and maybe possible brain activity? (I know, what do they think they were looking for?)

Did the sit up, lie back test and of course nothing happened. On the day of the test, you will be healthy as a horse. Then came watching the light go back and forth, up and down, slowly and then at varying speeds, and then it jumped all around. Oodles of fun as my eyes spazzed.

And then came the water. I'd been told it was air, apparently it's water. Shot into your ear canal. With a little cone thing. Blech. First the cold, which made my eyes jiggle around like a pair of dice in a Yahtzee cup. All well and good, I can handle that. It was the warm/hot water (think like a hot tub-ish) that made me dizzy and woozy.

All during the time after the water was done and he was monitoring until everything settled, he was asking me questions: states that begin with letter (insert here), boy/girl names that start with the letter (insert here), animals that start with the letter (insert here). Now, to really set the stage, the way I was feeling directly after these blasts of water was something akin to being drunk and high, but not in a good way. And here is what I learned:

• I know no other states that start with K besides Kentucky.
• I was retaught that Canada is not, in fact, a State.
• The only animal/bug that starts with G that I can think of is a Gorilla.
• The only state that begins with the letter M is Massachusetts.
• I am capable of remembering that Georgia is not only a state in the US, it is also a country somewhere near Russia.
• I obviously don't care about France, because I couldn't think of any countries starting with F.

-My apologies to all my teachers. You try thinking when your head's spinning like that.

My left side was distinctly less severe than my right. I don't know if that has any bearing on the results, and now it's more of the waiting game until Dr. Lemay reads the outcome of the tests and sends the report on to Dr. Beall for the final analysis.

Bless you all for the thoughts, prayers, love and support.

My body hates me

aka - Fast Food Binges Suck

No, really, it does. I swear it. We'd been eating a ton of fast food lately, so when this past payday rolled around, my brilliant self said, "No more!" To be honest, the stuff is crap, anyway, and wreaks havoc on my system. Don't believe me? Skip eating at McDonald's for two or three months. Then go back - order anything on the menu. Your toilet will hate you and your plumber will giggle.

So I've ventured back toward my crunchy roots. It's nice to lay back and enjoy convenience for a period of time, but it makes me feel so craptastic, I'm running back to my oven in no time. In addition to eating at home more often, I decided to also get back in the routine of doing yoga every morning. I found some videos on YouTube and put together a one hour session that has been working wonders.

But then came detoxing from the nastiness that is fast food. I did a detox yoga routine for a day or two and oh, my goodness. In addition to all the gastrointestinal issues while the nasty stuff from the fast food was working its way out? Migraines. Skull splitting, vomit-inducing migraines. Slammed with two of them in the space of two weeks. Thank goodness for short naps, super hot showers, acupressure and breathing exercises.

Oh, and Excedrin and Coke. No, I am not above over the counter remedies while I'm in the middle of texting MarvMan, begging him to take me to the hospital so I can get shot up with Demerol or beg for Morphine.

Now, thankfully, I'm over the detox period. Just in time for what? Oh, that's right. The weight gain / loss fluctuation that comes with changing my eating habits until my body figures out what's going on. Lost three pounds, gained one, lost two pounds, gained three, lost one. Then two pounds. Overnight. What?! My body hates me.

My apology to it won't be actualized until the long term, but I hope that it accepts it sometime soon.

After all, we're starting cardio next week.