I Am NOT A Pincushion or Mondays and Fridays

In the expanse of 6 days I had received:

-a blood draw for an oncologist appointment
-a needle core biopsy
-a finger stick for a blood count
-a flu shot

Needless to say after those 6 days I was completely done being poked and prodded at. On the plus side all of the poking and prodding resulted in a clean bill of health for me, which, given my tawdry medical history is a really good thing.

That being said, I just read this article online: When vital drugs run out, patients pay the price. In summary, drug companies aren't making enough or certain drugs (whether due to cost, or due to generic forms or what have you) so there are shortages or various medications. The article spoke about how one cancer patient wouldn't be able to receive part of his chemo due to the shortage of leucovorin (which is used to boost the effectiveness of the other chemo drugs the patient is receiving). What? Are we in some third world country? Are we woefully behind the times? I can't even imagine getting this kind of news from your doctor. What struck me though was the photo. One look at that recliner and iv stand and I was wooshed back 6 (SIX!) years. Mondays and Fridays spent in the room, hooked up to medicine that battled the hell out of me in the interest of making me better. Mondays and Fridays spent watching mindless television (I don't know why, but me and my fellow patients usually watched the Food Network - which is odd since most of us had issues with food at the time.) or movies I brought from home. Mondays and Fridays guzzling down root beer to get rid of the awful metallic taste brought on by my chemo. Mondays and Fridays being the person in the recliner, but still feeling better emotionally than the person watching me in the recliner. Mondays and Friday nights spent recouping and just feeling miserable. I know exactly what the man in the blue shirt is thinking and feeling and it hurts like hell.

Join the Band

I want to run away and join a band. Preferably one like this one:

Hey Marseilles: Tiny Desk Concert

Seriously? I am really digging the whole "non-traditional instruments playing cute Parisian type music" band thing.

I even have a cute, quirky wardrobe to wear to all of the gigs. Really.

A Whirlwind of a Weekend

Oof. It was an action-packed weekend. Saturday started with a program at the Museum - an art conservator talking about the process of conserving artwork and projects he's done. It was well attended and very interesting. I was glued to his presentation. Then it was off to the Buckley Fair. Luke was not a happy camper that day. Overwhelmed by people wanting to poke at him and coo at how big he's gotten. But some down time in the money room calmed him down and he even fell asleep on the way home after a jaunt to Trader Joes. I *heart* TJs. I love that their products are of high quality, but lower price. I love that they give samples. I love that they sell bananas by the piece instead of the pound so Mr. Bear can nibble on one while we shop. In fact, that's the first thing he asks for when we get there.

Sunday was equally as chaotic - I actually RAN with Luke. In a non-jogging stroller. A regular old umbrella stroller. Needless to say it wasn't easy, but I was proud I did it. (Do I get extra credit for running with him??) Then we hit the grocery store to pick up some provisions and went home. I cooked breakfast for all AND dinner for later. (Mmmmm....meatloaf) Since Tommy had some writing to do, Luke and escaped to a shopping center that had a TJ Maxx, a Toys R Us, a Dollar General and a Petco. So we shopped, shopped, shopped and visited the fish. I even got a good chunk of Christmas shopping done, so I felt productive. :)

Stuff I'm Diggin'

I have some new stuff that I really really really like.

Piano Puzzlers - See below. I'm such a music geek that I listen to them while I run.

Scarves - I've been rediscovering ones I tucked away at the end of last year's cold weather and wearing them whenever I can. I bought a new one at a craft fair and can't get enough of them. If I'm feeling meh about what I'm wearing, I add a scarf and *poof* instant glam.

Strange Parisian Type Cafe Music - At pandora.com I typed in 3 Leg Torso and came up with a nifty conglomeration of music that is just wonky and inspiring. Think Amelie meets Edgar Meyers.

Raising Hope - Funny. Just funny funny stuff. I need some goofball humor in my life. And how can you go wrong with Martha Plimpton and Chloris Leachman? Just crazy, dysfunctional fun.

The Event - Yeah, I know, it's kind of a ripoff of Lost, but since I didn't watch Lost, I'm not really affected by that comparison. I've only seen 2 episodes, but already I'm hooked. Plus, EVERYONE is in this show.

Chef of the Future

A new recipe that debuted in the Jordan household:

Decadently delicious pasta with brown butter, pine nuts and eggs. It's unbelievably delicious and super easy. But incredibly heavy. We decided it cannot be made more than once a month, if that. I actually stopped at Trader Joe's to get the pine nuts and pasta. And it was well worth it - without the pine nuts, it just would've been overly buttered pasta. Yum.