Please explain this botox for the hair.
I have been wondering if you physically cannot frown, does it mean you can't have that emotion? I want to send out surveys with my dermatologist's patients.

1. Would the Bees be more miserable without me or moving somewhere new, small and confined with other cats?

2. Ugh, waiting on phone call I bet is not even coming today.

3. Maybe I should watch the end of Mildred Pierce, even though I can't stand that Vida. Wish I could be on a boat or swim without drowning.

1. Expensive plumber's visit...and dire warnings of what will happen if we don't get our hot water heater replaced.

2. Pomegranate sorbet mix cooling in the fridge. (I've been kinda obsessed since getting an ice cream maker.)

3. Date night at Ikea!

1) My husband's Uncle Bud died today. He was in his late 80's and suffered from emphysema. He was a very good man .. a WWII vet. He used to write letters for his fellow infantrymen who couldn't write, and he'd read them the letters they got in return.

He has one son, Larry, who is in his 60's. Larry was born prematurely and is disabled. He is a cheerful fellow who loves card games, beer and good food. He's held the same job at the same hospital (delivering meals to patients) for about 40 years. Larry stayed at his father's bedside for the last 4 days, round the clock. This makes me so choked up and sad, to think of him losing his dad. I think it's because my little son is also handicapped and the thought of him alone in the world, without his dad or me is unbearably painful.

2) I finally got a pair of reading glasses and I am astounded at the difference. I can read again!

3) Summer is going by way too fast. Someone please, slow it down.

Eth, the botox for the hair is an intense repairing serum, which is applied to the required areas with a syringe (no needle, just the syringe). It all looks very science-y, but really it's just a super-intensive conditioner that's meant to smooth the cuticles of the hair.

JoanArkham, do you buy stuff or just walk around at Ikea?

1. 15 YO cat is not eating, unless it's warmed human-food chicken. I will give him the weekend, and then get him looked at. It seems to me that a vet visit is almost as much as a human visit, and that vets have learned how to monetize stuff like never before, with different blood tests and expensive meds. I will not allow myself to go broke for a pet, as much as I care for them.
1a. As of October, health plan includes hearing aids, for the first time. I need new ones, and will get them asap before they realize their mistake. Lots of people in my office are interested in this also.

2. Followed the Google street view car for a few blocks the other day. The woman finally pulled over so I could get the hell out of her way. Made me wonder how much those drivers get paid, how long it takes to put the images up, etc.

3. Slow day. Some sort of date tonight, probably involving the First Friday Art Walk downtown.

1. I think the flicker of the fluorescent lights in the men's room is telling me to kill in Morse Code. Problem is, it won't tell me WHO. Ready to try process of elimination if need be.

2. Improv Lv. 2 starts Sunday. SO JAZZED. I am going to improv someone's face off. And then I will improv a new, better face for them.

3. Still getting used to having any level of seniority at my job (at any job). I'm in the exact middle of my department of 5 right now. People are deferring to me for decision-making! I'm also the techiest person in my department, which makes me look like a rock star when I figure out/explain something. Which would be great if not for the commute. I was stranded at the train station for over 3 hours Monday night, due to a thunderstorm. So yeah, my job is great except for the commute, but I am starting to feel the strain of the commute. BUT, I just made a friend who's going to be at Google by the end of the year. First thing she asked for when we met was my resume. Super sweet lady.

1. Sinusitis.
2. Side effects of new drug regimen.
3. Sleep deprived.
3.a. Hoping to survive the weekend without a complete physical breakdown.
3.b. My heart, though, is as happy as a lark.

Poignant, Kangaroo.

Senyar, so it works wonders? Because if anything could help my mother's damaged hair, I'm after it. Endless perms and curlers, her hair is tortured.

Senyar, would you recommend it? Do you think it was worth the money?

Danf, we're heading to Ikea specifically to get some replacement kitchen stuff...spatulas, spoons, cookware. I've been cooking more and realized I should probably replace some of the plastic Dollar Store crap I've been using since college. (And I graduated in 1995!)

1) Still so fucking tired of 110+ degree weather, but today is way more tolerable, given that I'm not working a ten-hour shift in a warehouse with no A/C.

2) Joining new ladyfez at her folks' (uh, no, they won't be there) lake-house after work tomorrow for a chance to get out of town, even if only for a night. (Hey now!)

3) Ready for Fall classes to start. Really ready. My mind is not friendly to me when it's idle.

eth and amro, I'll update you on the hair botox after I've washed it a couple of times myself. It's meant to last for ten washes.

1. It's really hot. It's been really hot. It's going to stay really hot. I'm over summer. So very over it. I have all this shit to do but it's hard to do it when every single time I move off my computer chair I'm soaked in sweat and cursing within five minutes. GRAR. Fuck summer!

2. Start my new bookstore job next week. Wish I was excited but I'm just kind of - not.

3. Between the car breaking down - replaced starter - and the whole house fan breaking down - replaced fan - and the dog breaking down - replaced dog HA HA PSYCH! I wish. Actually it's probably thyroid issues, waiting to hear and no, I don't wish, but man oh man, pure bred dogs are too high maintenance, he's like an Alfa Romeo or something, always in the fancy shop while the two trusty Fords/mutts are completely healthy and never even need a checkup - I have spent over $1000 in the last ten days and yet I have nothing visible really to show for it. I want, like, a mini skirt or a fabulous pair of boots or a couch or something, anything instead of my invisible but working car, invisible but working (although not as well as the circa 1977 one, I must say) house fan and far from invisible fat, fat springer spaniel.

Whoa, major flash of insight! The new diuretics dried out my sinuses and have caused an infection. Benedryl, while trying to fight the inflammation, simultaneously dries out sinuses. My sinusitis is a side effect of the side effects of the new drugs and is further aggravated by the drug I was taking to fight it. Three guesses why I haven't slept the past two night.

16 oz of tap temperature water to begin rehydrating and flushing out the system. Repeat twice more every two hours.

Of course, both my regular MD and my cardiologist are out this Friday afternoon.

Hmm, I'll bet that the baby aspirin I was chewing weren't relieving the pain momentarily, but the water I drank after to wash it down was just enough to rehydrate. I just drank 16 oz of water alone and the pain vanished like before.

Being sick feels so much better once you know what is happening.

1. My gimped Achilles tendon is still gimpy, but it's improving. I'm going to ditch my Herman Munster orthopedic boot for a pair of high-heeled Doc Martens for tonight's First Friday Art Walk (a friend's gallery is showing photos of Popcorn Sutton.)

2. I'm in the planning-and-acquisition phase of a three-week motorcycle trip: East Tennessee to Colorado and Utah, riding pavement to get there and back and offroad while I'm there. I've got all the big stuff covered but little details (like shipping fresh tires to Colorado so they're there when I need them) are coming due.

3. For someone with a lot of vehicles, I'm down to my ride. My car is at the auto body shop because I saw the pole I was backing towards but didn't see the pile of cinderblocks around it (really... who does that?), my little bike is only partially repaired from a massive offroad crash (NB: swingarm bearings with bearings in the races are not optional!) and my aforementioned westbound motorcycle is at the mechanic's for a pre-flight check and inspection of an unusually mooshy front brake.

Kangaroo, that was a great story. I'm sorry for your husband's family's loss.

1. Here's proof that sponsoring a podcast works: My headphones died recently, and I remembered that Tweaked Audio sponsored the Nerdist podcast in the early days. They're no longer a recent sponsor, but since I like Chris Hardwicke and think he wouldn't accept advertising unless he really felt that the product is good, I decided to buy from them. I mentioned in my order that I am a fan of the Nerdist podcasts and that's where I heard about them; they gave me a refund of some of my money in reply. And the headphones are great. In fact, they're so good, I wonder if I'll have problems walking and listening to stuff at the same time.

2. Woke up with a headache which hasn't really gone away. I wonder if I could convince my boyfriend to cook tonight.

3. I hate Print Shop so much. Why do you hate my printer so?

] Also, you would think that by now I would be suspicious after starting new prescriptions, instead of suffering off and on for 4 months. Neither of my docs caught on, that's for sure, and they had plenty of opportunity and more than enough info. Signing off now. ;-P [

1. Got a swinging Sunday planned at a 3 year old's birthday party in CT.

2. Thirsty.

3. About to go for run.

1. I am moving tomorrow AAAAHHHH!!!!
2. Not enough is packed.
3. BF has been a champ both helping me pack and staying out of my way when I am frustrated and want to smash everything instead of packing it.

1. Went to visit my mom yesterday. It's been about two weeks since she broke her right femur and had surgery to put in a rod. She is able to stand and walk a few steps, with support, in physical therapy now. She still doesn't eat much (she never does in the hospital), but the Ensure helps. I brought her more supplies and some warmer clothes from the house (it could be a hundred degrees and she's still cold). She was very happy with this big thick teddybear sweater she had made some years ago (she used to be a great knitter, before she hurt her hand). She had forgotten about it. I put it around her shoulders and she lit up. "I'll finally be warm," she said. It felt good to be able to make her in any way more comfortable. Every time I see her, she's more herself. I'm so grateful she seems to be mending. You never know with someone 96, but I'm hopeful.

2. The traffic was horrendous coming home last night. On a good night, I can make it home in about an hour and a quarter, but, last night, with all the construction, it took three. The highway went down from three lanes to one not once, not twice, but three times along the way. I did have a nice extended view of the city and the Empire State Building coming over the Triboro, though.

3. I played my clarinet for the first time in a long time the other day. I love the new reeds I ordered (a new kind of Van Doren's with a between size of 3.5+ (I usually go for the 4s) that's just perfect for me. Still plenty of resistance, with a warm, open tone. It was fun playing again. So far my landlady hasn't complained.

ethylene, is the Bees one of those cats who likes you and only you? Or will she play and interact with other folks? That should tell you how she'd adapt to living with someone else.

My Friday:

1. Good first week back at work, which was also the first week on a new project. Going well and stress-free at the moment.

2. Got my Google+ account re-instated today after dropping "BoringPostcards" from the name field completely. All along I thought the problem was that I wasn't showing my full name, but it was the nickname causing the issue. Dumb.

3. Speaking of cats and vets in the earlier comments, ours are all overdue for a trip to the vet and I dread it on every level, which is why they haven't been yet. Poor Kayla gets so stressed and furious she isn't right for days afterwards.

OK Here we go:

1: Repaired portable swamp cooler, so hopefully my wife will be happy with my skills.
2: Friday is my normal day off, but I haven't done my normal chores like laundry.
3: Tacos tonight at our favorite Mexican restaurant. YAY!
3b: Am approaching my perfect bloody mary. Found out today that Tequila works just fine in the mix.

Wow Pips, ouch for your mom. Hope she gets well.

And the clarinet reeds at 4!!! I'm a saxophone player, and 3.5 is the stiffest I go, and I loosen them a bit after softening them. You have a tough embouchure!!!

This little mexican place in Nowhere, SC makes tequlia bloody marys that are really good. The only thing I spotted them doing different was adding a half shot of lime juice.

The Bees gets along with others she knows but she loves being with me. I don't know that visiting will be enough but living with two new cats? She still fights with one of the ones she lives with. She doesn't care for other cats much.

1. Work is giving me a headache and it's 6:15 and I haven't left yet.

2. They're having a fake football game at the stadium (which is four blocks from my house) with the Pittsburgh Steelers dressed up as the Gotham City Rogues for a scene in Batman. I thought about signing up to be an extra in the stands but they want you to dress like it's December since the movie is set in Winter. This is like the eighth movie filmed in my neighborhood in the last two years.

3. Started running a lot more to train for a 10k in September. My ankles are not getting any younger.

Thanks, eekacat, about my mom...

In terms of the reeds, yeah, I like 'em stiff, so to speak. I just ran into the bedroom to get the exact name of the reeds in question (Vandoren 56 Rue Lepic), I love them so much, and looked up whether they have them for sax, but the site I bought from (Woodwinds and Brasswinds -- wwbw.com) doesn't list any. People seem to rave about the V16 reeds (also Vandoren) for sax, though.

At the height of my clarinet devotion, I'd practice four hours a day and my sessions often started with a bowlful of soaking reeds and the hunt for something decent. I also had my little kit of reed tools and frequently attempted to sand and clip my way to a passable result. I wish I had these in music school.

1. Definitely am going to have to drop the Ritalin, which I only started on Sunday. It's not doing anything for my motivation and it's making me more anxious and I can feel the sad sneaking back in. But I'm giving it until this Sunday so I can say I tried it for a week.

2. Zombies definitely seem to be a theme as of late, since I'm totes going to do the zombie 5k mentioned on the blue and my homie invited me to a zombie costume party at her favorite bar. (These two events were unrelated, surprisingly.) Now I have to find a way to get a cheap costume together for the party. And make shirts for the 5k (since I'm going with someone from Statements (on LJ).)

3. Really unmotivated to do anything. I went to NARA today and I was just completely wiped out by around 1 or so. I think it's time to put on some sort of movie or TV show and lie in bed and veg. Except that I'm looking through all my shows and movies and all of them are kinda serious. Hrm.

Annnnnnnd pops just emailed me about some federal jobs he found. I guess this means I can expect a phone call in the next 20 minutes or so.

I can easily imagine how your mom felt when you wrapped her in that sweater, pips. Those are the moments that make hospital stays bearable. Photos and picture magazines are the best things* to take to patients. You often don't have the energy to even do a simple crossword puzzle, and the simple mental stimulation of a picture is all you really want.

* Actually, the most important thing is a warm pair of loose slippers that can be worn in bed.

(Hospital air ventilates constantly and produces drafts. Heating and A/C are generally a different system altogether.)

1. Tonight is my last friday night on-call at the hospital. I hope I won't get called in but, hey, you never know.

2. I'm still on edge after a traumatic experience I had at the hospital yesterday (but at least it had a happy ending!) It's amazing how the body is so good at keeping an eye on itself. Yesterday, a few hours after the event, I was fine. Today, when I went to visit the patient again, I was triggered, anxious, and on edge all day and I was unable to visit with any other patients. Hopefully I'll be able to calm down over the weekend.

3. I'm enjoying a big pot of fondue with ThePinkSuperhero at the moment. This is a good friday night!

1. Had a second interview this morning in my industry. I know I can do the job, but have a negative feeling that they will go with the other finalist, based on a response to a thank you email that said "nice meeting you too, good luck with your job search." If this doesn't come through, I'm seeing myself taking a service industry job in a few months. And I won't be able to afford health insurance. Think good thoughts. I'm not afraid of hard work, but it would be a total permanent lifestyle change for sure.

2. My brother is recovering from his freak illness/coma very nicely. He's back in his home town in a physical rehab place and all should turn out well. I'm so thankful to have him continue to be in my life, and we've both learned stuff about future planning/having papers in order. He was more organized than most, but we still had many challenges with me getting stuff done for him medically and financially.

3. Gotta learn lines by tomorrow night to fill in for cheesy mystery dinner show. Not a very respectable gig, but beggars can't be choosers, and I want to do well.

It's been a heck of a month. Also I'm glad I lost a paltry three pounds over the last six months, because with the car travel/ass sitting/best I can do fast food, it's all back.

Good thoughts to Pips' Moms, too.

Thanks to metachat for all the kind thoughts. I don't like to complain/reach out with minor complaints, but wow, when the stuff hit the fan, you people came through. Community, etc. It's good.

Ardiril: Yeah, I've felt so helpless, it was wonderful to feel like I could make some small difference. I also bring her the "junkie" (her word) magazines she loves with all the gossip of the day, which have a lot of pictures, like you say, and they have those grippy socks on her, but I'll look into those slippers. Unfortunately, she can't hear the TV too well, even with her hearing aid. I got her a device that was supposed to make the TV sound louder and clearer the last time she was in the rehab. nursing home, but it never worked. She does have a very nice, friendly roommate, which helps. But she misses home.

(Thanks, rainbaby... glad your brother's doing better, too...)

1. I've gone five days without a single alcoholic drink and feel great; first time in a long time. I'm usually a single-beer-after-work-with-a-meal guy, and can't really drink more than two without feeling exceedingly drunk. I'm also socking away my groszy for my trip to England this month. And I totally don't need the calories. I've been using the HealthMonth site with the MeFi team to help me limit my alcohol consumption to two drinks a week, and walk 5k a day, and I'm doing well - I've hit both my goals each day this month so far. But I've got an invite out to a bar tomorrow night. And I am freaking out a little, not because I don't want to have a drink per se, but because I think that trying to explain the whole game-y aspect of how I'm working toward this goal and then actually doing it - how I check in each day, feel rewarded, and comment on everyone else's progress - would be totally weird to them; I'm sure people here set goals but are never that public about them. I'll have to think of a way to avoid the topic of why I'm leaving the bar before midnight - maybe say I'm going on a long walk starting in the morning if they won't take the "sorry, guys, I'm wiped out/an old man/yadda yadda" routine that has earned me my lightweight repuation. :)

2. I'm planning the last bits and bobs for my walking holiday in Cornwall (and trip to visit friends up in the North of England!) at the end of the month and I'm a bit confused about how, exactly, I want to plan each day out. My friend in London is meeting me with a whole heap of relevant OS maps for the area but I want them NOOOOOOOWWWWWWW so I can have my own map room and stick post-it notes on landmarks and then have ORGANI(S)/(Z)ED ALL THE THINGS.

3. The two different groups of people in numbers 1 and 2 today have been on my mind a lot this evening, as I've been typing this. If my friends in number 1 think goal-setting is weird and that me talking about my goal of drinking less while sitting in a bar is weird, maybe I need to back off our relationship a little bit, and spend time with the super-supportive people in number 2, who have opened their homes and been nothing but encouraging (I've never actually done much outdoor-type stuff, so a week walking in Cornwall is a big, big step, pun totally intentional!) Food for thought...

Glad to hear your mom is doing better, Pips.

1. Today I saw the inside of the new Target in SLOtown. Somewhat impressed.
a) It's shiny new. And very big. Otherwise, very Targety.
b) Pleasantly low prices on some things I wanted to buy (most of them edible, which will be a moderate temptation toward overindulgence).
c) Not as busy as I expected it to be a week after the Grandiose Opening - that may be a bad Economic sign.
d) I bought my silliest hat ever from the $1 display - pictures later.
e) Since I am no longer able to drag myself and a regular shopping cart from one end of a store that size to the other, I was delighted to see that this was the FIRST Targ I have EVER been in that has an ample supply of WORKING motorized carts (and I'm not ashamed to use one). But give 'em time; in 6 months, in true Target style they'll be down to one working motorcart and one that breaks down faster than I would...

2. Still car-less, had a neighbor drive me to the Targ; she was in a seriously negative mood (but then, she's usually in a moderately negative mood). Tried to cheer her up by buying treats for her cute dog and much more gas than was needed for the trip. Didn't work. I've found lately that being in close proximity to Debbie* Downer actually helps my own mood as I realize I'm not so bad off. Held my glee until I got back home alone. Still, I'm going to use the Disabled Bus Service (no, the bus is not disabled, it's for the Disabled and I qualify) now that I know the lay of the store. Besides, it's way cheaper (you can't tip the bus driver in dog treats).
*yes, her name is Debbie. don't tell her I said this.

3. Went back to eBay for the umpteenth time to get a very-cheap used ThinkPad for daily use-and-abuse. They generally last for less than a year before catastrophic failure (my current workhorse is 10 months old and getting temperamental so I thought I'd try to find something before it goes belly up). It usually takes a couple weeks to 'win' one that hasn't been bid up over my mental budget, but this time it only took 2 days to make a deal about $30 under my ceiling with everything I want... including Windows7 and enough memory to run it (4GB, right?) - I have been running XP for so long and never even tried Vista... (insert old fogey joke here) so this will be semi-educational. And if my old ThinkPad doesn't die soon, I may set it up to run Ubuntu Linux, just for the educational value. I feel like I need to force myself into learning new stuff.

Good thing this isn't a 4-point update. I'm sure nobody wants to hear how pleasant and NOT HOT the weather is here.

1. Cooked OK meal using input of the bunnies who had a chance to respond to my rosemary question. I used to be a good cook but am so out of practice now.
2, My Mom has pretty well recovered from her surgery a couple of weeks ago- best wishes to Pips's Mom and to those of you juggling health concerns
3, The new adopted kitty is sleeping next to me which seems to mean that she's finally decided things are OK. Aww.

3. Maybe I should watch the end of Mildred Pierce, even though I can't stand that Vida.

That's exactly why you SHOULD watch the end of Mildred Pierce! (I've only seen the old one, though. I have heard there's a remake but don't know anything else about it).

1) Bought all my books for grad school: MSW @ USC. Very excited. Schedule is not optimal, but it's just the first semester. Doing the MSW before the MDiv (PhD Div./Comparative Religious Studies?) because, quite frankly it's easier to get hired on as a social worker than it is to get hired on as a minister or adjunct professor. I think the social work is a form of secular ministry, and I'm honored to have been accepted. Now to mortgage my life away on grad plus loans...

2) Depression is lifting -- perhaps tied into my acceptance to grad school? Not sure. Therapy and meds help too, though.

3) Happy to hear Pips' mom is doing better and that rainbaby's brother is recovering. MetaChat was here for me in a major way when my stepdaughter was very ill. There are some really wonderful folks here.

Depression is lifting

Very glad to hear this, LP. Also, whoo hoo grad school! :)

1. Bro #1 is visiting. Surprised us with the request on Wednesday, but I'm always happy to see him.
2. We're going to see HP7 tomorrow, yippee!
3. Insomnia seems to be in remission. I hope saying that doesn't jinx me.

As for hospitals: I find them to be too warm when I'm a visitor, but if I'm the one in a hospital bed I get cold. Weird.

Happy to read that peeps are feeling better.

I'm sorry for your family's loss, Kangaroo.

Senyar, this post tricked me! I was like BOTOX, omg!
Glad to hear Mom is doing a little better, Pips, and that your brother is doing better, Rainbaby.
Sorry for your loss, Kangaroo.

1. I went to bed so early last night. Why do I have to drag myself to bed at midnight on weeknights, but I can fall asleep at 9:30 on Friday night? Thanks to falling asleep so early, I was up at 8:30 feeling like I slept in (minus being up around 5-6 due to loud music next door).
2. Thinking about getting a vacuum cleaner for the apartment- we have a small carpet in the living room, and the pet hair is building. Looks like there's a cheap Dirt Devil that's well-rated. I'll keep researching.
3. MEATUP TONIGHT IN FLUSHING! ALL THE MEAT IN THE WORLD! MEAT MEAT MEAT MEAT!

Ooh, that Veda.