cookies...?

I'm trying, this evening, to make Innocentsmith's Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies - the Derien Gluten Free Version.

Right now they look like puddles with a pile of chocolate chips in the middle of each.

ETA: Failcrumbs! (yummy failcrumbs, though)

Time for bed, but I have been terrible about posting. I started my period today and have been wildly mood-swinging. Earlier today I looked at my first attempt to write Chapter 14 of "Swept Away" and thought, "Why did I get all overwrought about how terrible that was? It's not so bad." Then, as I was cooking dinner, I almost started crying over something very silly, you know how this is. I've taken a Tylenol PM, though, and am now going to drag myself away from the computer and go lie in my bed with Our Little Friend - a sock filled with rice, that we heat in the microwave - and a boring book, and hopefully get a good night's rest. :)

Noon, and I'm still barely able to keep my eyes open.

I went down to Becky's for breakfast today, by myself; sat at the counter and read my current Master and Commander book (we're still on The Hundred Days), which seemed kind of apropos and kind of cocky, since Becky's always has been a place primarily for waterfront working people. It's amazing to me how perfect their omelets are, and how neatly folded. And I'm also endlessly grateful that I can get gluten-free toast and grilled blueberry muffins, so of course I got both, and then ate until my tummy hurt and put the rest in a box for later. Which might be sooner, now. :)

The trip to Portland was because I needed a follow-up MRI to the one I had six months or so ago, because they found these hemangiomas on my liver when they were trying to discover why I have these random-seeming pains in my lower left abdomen. Apparently hemangiomas are common, but they need to follow up when they see them to see if there's any change in them. In a year I might have to have another MRI even if they don't see any change this time.

I nearly fell asleep in the tunnel, which surprised me. Maybe I did the same six months ago when I was in there, I don't recall, but I didn't expect it because it's pretty loud (they even give you earphones to deaden the noise) and one would think that it would feel claustrophobic and make a person too panicky to fall asleep. The tech said it is quite common; all the noises seem to lull people like chanting. It could also be the after-effects of the Tylenol PM I took last night, too, but my pet theory at the moment is that sleeping is a way to avoid panic. I have always thought that I could never sleep in one of those coffin-hotel things, but knowing that I've got the panic button in my hand (a bulb thing the tech gives you so that you can signal if you need Out Now) is a huge help. I had a feeling that if I allowed myself to want to do something badly, like scratch my nose (the nose itching is always the first thing that happens when you get all strapped down, right?) then I could start to panic, so I didn't allow myself to think about wanting to do anything. And then you have to listen for the commands, and breath deeply and regularly - it ends up like an enforced meditation. Even though I had to be awake to drive for a half hour, when I got home I laid down on the couch and drifted in and out for a while before I convinced myself that I had to get up because I have to drink a lot of water to get the dye or whatever it is they use out of my system.

When I finally got up from the couch I realized that while I was in Portland I could have gone over to the fabric store to look at something for a liner for my coat. Oh well, some other day.

Oh, useful tip for women who might be getting an MRI (though I don't imagine you'll remember any more than I did) - the underwire bra will have to come off. Last time the tech had me do that and then he started the IV, but this time a manager, trying to help him, started the IV for me and forgot to tell me to take off the bra. I had on a long-sleeved t-shirt, the sleeves were kind of tight, and now I had one sleeve pushed up and the IV plug in my arm, though it wasn't attached to anything. I'm really glad they use those little plastic tubes instead of metal needles, because it makes me more willing to bend my arm. I didn't think I could really get the shirt off, but I managed to get the bra off without removing the shirt. :)

Lazy and tired

having spent far too long writing an email, so I'll just post an excerpt from that...

Eor's been interested, this evening, in learning more about the Expulsion of the Acadians, because the front man for Beausoleil mentioned it in his banter last night, in telling about the name of the band.  And from that he's found out there's a housing design place also called Beausoleil, in no way associated with the band, which produces tiny, self-sufficient houses.   Their homepage here: http://www.beausoleilhome.org/  and  floorplan in this article: http://www.louisiana.edu/Advancement/PRNS/lala/2009-SPRG/BeauSoleil.pdf

I just had to chase down the floor plan I saw him looking at.  Oh, Internets, why so distracting?  There's also a clothing design place called Beausoleil, which sells double-stick tape to hold their clothes on with.  Can't be very comfortable. :P 

He's also reading about accordions.  Since seeing Vishten - http://www.vishten.net/ - a few months ago I've decided accordions are sexy and mysterious - although that might have been because of the girl who squeezed it in such a sultry manner :) - and they are my bet for next big musical instrument comeback.  Banjos have been making a huge comeback, and my brother [Hawk] thinks mandolins will be the next big thing, but I'm all for making it the accordion. ;)

Oh dear, I must sleep.  Getting silly. ;)

I'm back.

Bet you didn't miss me. :) I actually went to Boston for one day of training, yesterday, which was much more informative than I had expected, although I did already know a lot more than many of the students. It just sucks I didn't get this training a year ago, when I started this job.

So, I've been reading stuff online, had a cider and cooked mac and cheese. Nothing particularly accomplished, but it's a good evening. :)

More Beautiful Than Most? Your Higher Salary Makes You Happier I think it's kind of funny that this is news - we've known for a long time that kids who are better looking get better grades whether they deserve them or not, and more chances offered to them. All any one person can do to cash in on this trend is to buy into the beauty market and/or diet/exercise. I've tried to motivate myself to exercise because I'm more likely to get a raise or a better job if I'm thinner; it doesn't work well as a motivator. At least for me.

Men Who Cuddle More are Happier I have to wonder how much this study is skewed by the fact that "Couples had to be living together for at least a year in order to take part in the survey," but still it's interesting that their conclusion was that men actually like cuddling more than women do. (I actually got this one via lacrimaeveneris and it led me to the previous one.)

And via daegaer, Nancy Wake's obituary - seriously, why is she not the hero of a series of adventure movies?? Why does she not guest star in an Indian Jones movie?? Why is there no Nancy Wake femmeslash? Or is there?

And since I haven't posted here in approximately forever, here's something from yesterday, too... it's a 'Test Your Vocab' thingy, and doesn't seem to have any hidden worries to the web site. It's apparently part of an effort to collect data:

http://www.testyourvocab.com/

I was rather disappointed with myself, I only got 35,900. Disappointed mainly because a bunch of words sounded familiar enough that I think I've read them not so long ago, probably in Master and Commander books.

Actually, I kind of lied that I had accomplished nothing - I did deliver a letter to the Post Office which was written for me by the local Tax Assessor (a prince among men) and is supposed to fix our issues with mail delivery for our condo association. The Post Office insisted it got it's info from the Assessor's office and that there are only five units here, so therefore they "can't" deliver mail to a non-existent unit. The Tax Assessor understood immediately the sense of what I was trying to accomplish - that we not have to forward the mail again every year when another person takes over the presidency of the association - and designated the last mailbox as being for the building 'office.' (Also he told me that really the Post Office is not doing anything like what the Tax Assessor's database has in it, but that's beside the point.)

I have no particular excuse for why I haven't posted for so long. I just have too many blogs.

Man, I suck, again - haven't posted here since 2010.

Around that time I got Bee1982's old job and it's been running my ass off ever since. In April my father died, so that had me off kilter, and around the same time the other trainer where I work ended up leaving, suddenly, so I've been running even faster and been kind of grateful for that because it hasn't allowed me a lot of time to think. When I'm home I collapse into escapist reading. I joined a group which reads through the Master and Commander series by Patrick O'Brian, and I try to constantly have something else on tap as well - right now it's 'Dracula.'

I'm not a big fan of vampire stories, and this one, though it's supposed to be the definer of the genre, is really kind of silly and doesn't make sense. There don't seem to be any internal rules for vampires. I'd say this is more of a 'magical realism' style story, and I hate those because there's never anything sensible about them, there are never any rules I can discover. However, the characterization is good. :)

Time to go to work!