Posted in health, random

ATTACK OF THE POLLEN

Pollen Mix

I have spent most of my weekend in bed, thanks to all the tree and grass pollen, ragweed and who knows what else is in the air. I have not been to the doctor, because I am trying to remain antibiotic free this year. I have at least one major sinus infection per year, and I’ve had several minor ones this year, but so far, I’ve managed to fight them off without antibiotics.

So, I’m blogging to say, a) I’m still alive, but saturated with pollen… b) I’m still alive, but I’m saturated with pollen… and c) see a & b.

Hopefully what little rain we’ve had will help. I’d really hate to see my head explode…

Posted in food, random

THE INFERNO, AKA SMOKY POPCORN

I have bad popcorn karma, or, more specificially, bad microwave popcorn karma.

When I make microwave popcorn, 25% of the time the bag catches fire. This happens for many reasons, the main one being that I, up until a few months ago, refused to use the handy popcorn button on the microwave.

I’ve burned so much popcorn, I have been banned from making it at work without supervision (in other words, if I want popcorn at work, someone else has to make it for me). I’m pretty sure if I can’t get this popcorn issue under control, I’ll soon be banned from making microwave popcorn at home.

Tonight, I threw a bag of microwave popcorn in, hit the magic popcorn timing button, and started talking to Jene’. Then I smelled the smoke.

Unfortunately, though I once lived in Indiana,
I cannot seem to get the spirit of Orville Redenbacher to help me with this problem.

Turns out I had thrown in a mini bag of microwave popcorn and pushed the button for a bag twice it’s size. Hence the smoke.

I put out the smoldering remains of my popcorn in the sink, apologized for the smoke and sprayed odor eliminating spray throughout the apartment. Then I threw a large bag of popcorn in the microwave and pushed the appropriate button. Nothing burned.

My unburned popcorn is now finished… and hopefully the smoky air will dissipate before I go to bed.

Posted in random

THE THREE THIRTY A.M. POST

Sometimes I fall asleep, but can’t stay asleep. I am usually grateful, if on any given night, I get four hours of uninterrupted sleep. Unfortunately, this is one of those nights when sleep has been a complete stranger even though I’m really tired.

Sometimes, I can’t fall asleep at all, but those times are rare… yet this is one of those times.

My allergies are so bad today, I’ve had a sore throat and a runny nose. My throat was nearly raw tonight when I got home, so I took a Benadryl at midnight… but I’m still awake. My eyes are strangely dilated as well, so I’m sitting here in the dark listening to music. TV after midnight is just scary and I’m all infomercialed out and I don’t want to fall asleep thinking about the ThighMaster (TM) or a George Foreman Grill.

Sometimes I can’t sleep because I have something on my mind, but I really don’t have anything on my mind except the fact I can’t fall asleep. Sometimes I have nightmares/flashbacks of things that have happened to me that I hardly can piece together when I’m awake. For some reason the time those images usually choose to reveal themselves is when I’m somewhere between sleep and non-sleep.

Sometimes I’m too hot to sleep, but not tonight. Other times, I’ve had too much caffeine during the day or have taken a medication that will keep me up, but that’s not the reason I can’t sleep.

Sometimes I wake up and someone pops into my head, so I pray for them. I figure there’s a reason I’m up, might as redeem the time, but nobody specific popped into my head this morning… but about an hour ago, I started praying and I believe I’ve covered just about everybody I know that’s going through something or nothing at all. Sometimes, after I do that, I fall asleep.

This isn’t one of those times.

I’ve tried meditating, but I’m so tired, I can’t concentrate enough to make it through to relief. I tried reciting my Grandpa’s, “Good Night Toes,” routine and made it all the way up to my hair, but alas, even my hair doesn’t feel the need to sleep right now.

I tried counting sheep, but they decided they’d rather do something more productive, so they went out to pasture to chew grass or whatever it is sheep do when they’re tired of being counted.

Jene’ and I always joke that if we’re both up like this we should just get up and play cards. I think, though, this is actually one of those nights Jene’s actually asleep. I hope she is. Most of her nights are like this and I personally can’t see how she functions, because I can tell you right now, when I don’t get sleep, simple tasks become Herculean and sometimes putting a complete sentence is nearly impossible.

It’s now 4 AM and I have an old Night Ranger song in my head.

Four in the morning came without a warning, everybody’s got a place to be…

I’m going to try to get some of those sheep to come back and try again…

Posted in random

I’VE BEEN TAGGED!!

Nancy tagged me in her blog… so I’m going to do my part.

The Rules:

1. I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.

2. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.

3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog (about their eight things) and post these rules.

4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose people to get tagged and list their names.

5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

Random Things About Me:

8. I was on top of the World Trade Center in 1991 during a mission trip to New York.

7. From what I remember, there are 1088 steps to the top of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. Yes, we counted.

6. I stepped on four bees in one summer because I hate to wear shoes. (In Indiana, there are no fire ants and the grass is nice and soft).

5. I set the living room carpet on fire when I was a kid doing an experiment I’d seen on tv… the one where you write with lemon juice on a piece of paper and hold the paper over the flame to make the “ink” appear. Fortunately my brother was a hero and threw his coat on the flames and threw himself on top of the coat, and the house didn’t burn down.

4. The first cassette tape I ever bought was Asia’s Alpha. I still have a 45 of Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors. I could totally identify. (A 45, for you youngin’s is a tiny record – that’s a black, flat disc with grooves on it – that you played on a record player – which is… nevermind).

3. When I was in high school, I had a big slumber party in the hay loft of my barn. It was a lot of fun!

2. When I was born, my hair was as black as coal.

1. I never really drank coffee until college.

Tag – you’re it – Courtney, Kelly, Lizzy, Karie, and Meg!

Posted in pics, random, weather

AN HUMBERTO SUNSET

Tonight, as I was eating a late dinner, I noticed the vertical blinds go pink. As I peeked out, I saw a gorgeous sunset staring back at me, courtesy of Tropical Storm Humberto, which is churning off the coast of Galveston at the moment.


I ventured out with my camera and some of my neighbors saw me, so they came out and I told them to look at the sky and one couple started looking around for good angles to shoot from (very enthusiastically, I might add) and I followed them between the buildings and got some better shots.


As I was taking pictures, the daughter of another neighbor (early 20’s whom I’ve already met) came out and we talked as I took more pictures.


Then the colors faded quickly.

I turned to thank the neighbor couple and introduce myself, but they were already gone. I’ll have to catch them next time.

Humberto is going to go east, so we are not going to get much of the rain/flooding, for which I am grateful. The ground is saturated and we got a significant rainfall already this morning. Hopefully those who will get Humberto’s rain actually need it.

And now, it’s dark outside…

Posted in about shae, random, weight loss

JEANS SHOPPING

I went out this afternoon to drop off my recyling and while I was in that neighborhood, I stopped at one of the few places I actually buy clothes from (and like them). I bought a pair of jeans there in July since the two pairs of jeans I really like are 7 years old and are big enough now that they barely stay up and one day soon they will undoubtedly sprout holes in undesirable places. My pair of July jeans are a size smaller than my really old jeans.

I picked out that same size when I tried on another pair of jeans. The first pair (different style than my July jeans) I pulled up without unzipping them and I looked in the mirror in disbelief. I figured it was because they were a different style.

Next I tried on a pair of jeans that are pretty much the same brand, style and cut of my July jeans. They were a bit baggy. I asked the clerk to get me a size smaller, and she came back with some while I tried on some chinos.

Granted, I have been doing some exercise in the last six weeks, but I had no idea I’d lost any weight at all (I’m not an obsessive weigher). I bought the jeans, though, and retired my two pairs of old jeans.

I came home and celebrated by eating a salad.

My, how times have changed.

Posted in friends, random

COORDINATING WARDROBE

This is what happens when Rae says, “Oh, go shop there, they have great clothes!” and you don’t call each other to discuss what you’re wearing to work. LOL.

Rae and I ran into each other before lunch and Rae screams, “this is like a high school nightmare!” Actually, we found this coincidence rather hilarious and decided to commemorate the occasion with a picture.

Even just a few years ago, however, I would have been mortified and ran home to change clothes. Now, this is just another funny moment in my crazy life.

If you can learn to laugh at yourself, even moments like this can bring much laughter.

We even sat by each other at lunch. 🙂