If You Don't Know, Now You Know
Just had to share real quick. Our new place is in a new development not too far from where we were originally living. I'm always bitchin' how freakin' dark it is at night...no lighted roads anywhere. If you ask me, I'd rather not be out and about in our parts 'cuz it might be a horror movie waiting to happen, know what I mean? Well, everytime we make that left turn into our complex, we always joke that we honestly don't know what is beyond the other bend of the road. We're reminded of that scene in Lord of the Rings when Frodo and Samwise are beginning their journey and leaving the Shire. Sam pauses and says that if he takes one more step, it will be the farthest away he's ever been from the Shire. While we were returning from running errands, hubby was about to make that left turn when I suddenly pointed ahead that we should check out what's beyond our complex. Know what we found?
Nothing. Absolutely nothing. And this is where we start freaking out, laughing out loud, and realizing just how far into Minnesota country farmland we really are. When hubby and I first drove from CA to MN, he pointed out that if you see silos, you know you're really OUT THERE in boonyville. Well folks, it's official. We live out in the boonies! We proceeded for about 5 minutes and it was nothing but farmland. We saw some cows, some horses, and even some wild turkey, I think! The road twisted and turned and when we finally reached the end, we found ourselves in a small ass town, almost Dawson's Creek-like, but not. To me, it was borderline nice town & nice folks, or small town, white KKK hicks. No jokes. It could've gone either way. After driving on a bit further and seeing the land roll out before us, I decided it was time to turn back for home. It was then I realized all of these mailboxes in the middle of nowhere that made me go hmmmm... I mean, if you have to literally drive out so far just to get your freakin' mail, it makes me wonder just who the neighboring folks are, y'know? Are we living next to some recluse freaks who'll one day be the next unibomber? God, I sure as hell hope not!
Anyways, as close as we are to civilized living, we're not just one step away from the boonies...hell, we ARE in the boonies! Never mind that Target, Sam's Club, and outlet shopping is a hop, skip, and a jump away, we are out there. Holy Shit.
Silos. Cows. Wild turkeys. Oh My!
Friday, December 31, 2004
The End of an Era
Today was D-Day...our last day at the apartment. The last few days have been spent driving back and forth, lugging leftover junk back to our new place just to be piled up somewhere, and cleaning like crazy to make the apt more presentable to avoid any deductions from the nice lil' deposit that we should be getting back. I went ahead of hubby to finish up last minute cleanups and by the time I was done, I had about an hour to kill before the management conducted the walk thru. I guess you could say that I had my last moments with the apartment, my personal farewell to it. I went through each room to make sure we didn't leave anything behind. I did my whole once over glance, heaved my resignating sigh as I recalled certain moments or conversations that took place, and then proceeded to the next room. Of course it didn't take too long, but as I looked around the empty apartment, empty walls, and freshly vaccuumed rugs, I remembered the excitement of moving into a brand new place.
Aside from the whole moving process being a major pain in the ass, memories of moving out of California came rushing back. Although it's been over a year (a year and four months to be exact!), the adjustment has really been tough. Geographically speaking, it's been rough not being able to get in my car and drive an hour to visit my sister, go to my parents for dinner, and hell, even drive that 10 minutes to the nearest Baskin Robbins for that mochablast I'm always craving. I've missed all the many get-together dinners, walk and talks, theme parties, birthdays, weddings, and all the other events that included seeing and hanging out with family and friends. Sure we've made some friends here, but it's just not the same. Plus, of all things, it pains me that we're not anywhere near a body of water..namely a beach.
BUT...it hasn't been all that bad...with the exception of the weather. The weather? Shoot, I can bitch about that all day and all night. In fact, we were having "warm" weather today..if you can call 26 degrees warm. It finally hit me that what I've been muttering as the "crazy Minnesotans" who dress in shorts in this weather really are NOT crazy because hell, after having bouts of negative 15 degree weather, anything above that is, indeed, warm. I actually went out today without my scarf and gloves. On the real though...Minnesota hasn't been so bad as I might've made it in the past. First of all, we've met some cool people from church and second of all, we've been running into fellow Californians who, like us, are moving to MN because of job opportunities. This might seem odd, but it comforts me that we're all in the same boat so to speak. There's that connection that these people know what the world outside of MN is like. It has definitely been a culture shock for me and hubby. In all honesty, I just haven't been around so many white people in my life, is that funny? I do miss seeing fellow brown-skinned folk. You'd be surprised at how diverse MN really is, but really, it just ain't California.
Being away from da Bay has allowed hubby and I to really get to know each other MORE, for better or for worse. Things aren't always peachy keen, but we work through whatever comes our way. Now that our lease to the apartment is finally up and we had just closed and moved into a brand new house, well, gee! This is a huge step for us! Hubby calls it an "end of an era" and yes, in many ways it is. I also like to call it a beginning of a new chapter in our lives.
New Year's is always a time for reflection, isn't it? We all look back at how the year transpired and whether they were all good, bad, happy, or sad, it's time to look ahead to what tomorrow brings. We look back at our mistakes and vow to learn from them. We look at relationships, see how they've grown, and if things have gone sour, look for ways to amend and resolve them. New Year's is really about leaving all the bad shit behind and starting with a clean slate. Although realistically speaking it may not be a totally clean slate, with some changes in attitude, perspective, and heart, one can be on their way to the much needed brand new start that their life has been needing.
I have many hopes and dreams for 2005. My expectations are much higher than last years and I believe everyone should always aspire for more, too. Although we don't know what the future holds for us, we can at least take it one day at a time. With all the devastation, war, sickness, disaster, and hate that is plaguing our world today, we owe it to ourselves to make the best of the coming year. If you have given up on making resolutions because of the liklihood of breaking them, at least make one. It's sounds cliche, but tell family and friends that you love them. Those three lil' words will be the most powerful words you ever mutter, but say them and say them often. You won't regret it.
SOOOOO....what started as the 'end of an era' recollection of our apartment experience in MN, it has ended with an entire New Year's reflection on my part. See how rambled my thoughts can be sometimes! Aiya!
Wishing ya'll a Happy and prosperous 2005! Whatever you do, wherever you are, and whomever you're with, be safe. And if you're silly, short, and superstitious like me, don't forget to jump at the stroke of midnight and make sure you jingle them coins in your pocket....much love always.
*Birthday love goes out to M.Lapid who celebrated her 32nd birthday!*
Today was D-Day...our last day at the apartment. The last few days have been spent driving back and forth, lugging leftover junk back to our new place just to be piled up somewhere, and cleaning like crazy to make the apt more presentable to avoid any deductions from the nice lil' deposit that we should be getting back. I went ahead of hubby to finish up last minute cleanups and by the time I was done, I had about an hour to kill before the management conducted the walk thru. I guess you could say that I had my last moments with the apartment, my personal farewell to it. I went through each room to make sure we didn't leave anything behind. I did my whole once over glance, heaved my resignating sigh as I recalled certain moments or conversations that took place, and then proceeded to the next room. Of course it didn't take too long, but as I looked around the empty apartment, empty walls, and freshly vaccuumed rugs, I remembered the excitement of moving into a brand new place.
Aside from the whole moving process being a major pain in the ass, memories of moving out of California came rushing back. Although it's been over a year (a year and four months to be exact!), the adjustment has really been tough. Geographically speaking, it's been rough not being able to get in my car and drive an hour to visit my sister, go to my parents for dinner, and hell, even drive that 10 minutes to the nearest Baskin Robbins for that mochablast I'm always craving. I've missed all the many get-together dinners, walk and talks, theme parties, birthdays, weddings, and all the other events that included seeing and hanging out with family and friends. Sure we've made some friends here, but it's just not the same. Plus, of all things, it pains me that we're not anywhere near a body of water..namely a beach.
BUT...it hasn't been all that bad...with the exception of the weather. The weather? Shoot, I can bitch about that all day and all night. In fact, we were having "warm" weather today..if you can call 26 degrees warm. It finally hit me that what I've been muttering as the "crazy Minnesotans" who dress in shorts in this weather really are NOT crazy because hell, after having bouts of negative 15 degree weather, anything above that is, indeed, warm. I actually went out today without my scarf and gloves. On the real though...Minnesota hasn't been so bad as I might've made it in the past. First of all, we've met some cool people from church and second of all, we've been running into fellow Californians who, like us, are moving to MN because of job opportunities. This might seem odd, but it comforts me that we're all in the same boat so to speak. There's that connection that these people know what the world outside of MN is like. It has definitely been a culture shock for me and hubby. In all honesty, I just haven't been around so many white people in my life, is that funny? I do miss seeing fellow brown-skinned folk. You'd be surprised at how diverse MN really is, but really, it just ain't California.
Being away from da Bay has allowed hubby and I to really get to know each other MORE, for better or for worse. Things aren't always peachy keen, but we work through whatever comes our way. Now that our lease to the apartment is finally up and we had just closed and moved into a brand new house, well, gee! This is a huge step for us! Hubby calls it an "end of an era" and yes, in many ways it is. I also like to call it a beginning of a new chapter in our lives.
New Year's is always a time for reflection, isn't it? We all look back at how the year transpired and whether they were all good, bad, happy, or sad, it's time to look ahead to what tomorrow brings. We look back at our mistakes and vow to learn from them. We look at relationships, see how they've grown, and if things have gone sour, look for ways to amend and resolve them. New Year's is really about leaving all the bad shit behind and starting with a clean slate. Although realistically speaking it may not be a totally clean slate, with some changes in attitude, perspective, and heart, one can be on their way to the much needed brand new start that their life has been needing.
I have many hopes and dreams for 2005. My expectations are much higher than last years and I believe everyone should always aspire for more, too. Although we don't know what the future holds for us, we can at least take it one day at a time. With all the devastation, war, sickness, disaster, and hate that is plaguing our world today, we owe it to ourselves to make the best of the coming year. If you have given up on making resolutions because of the liklihood of breaking them, at least make one. It's sounds cliche, but tell family and friends that you love them. Those three lil' words will be the most powerful words you ever mutter, but say them and say them often. You won't regret it.
SOOOOO....what started as the 'end of an era' recollection of our apartment experience in MN, it has ended with an entire New Year's reflection on my part. See how rambled my thoughts can be sometimes! Aiya!
Wishing ya'll a Happy and prosperous 2005! Whatever you do, wherever you are, and whomever you're with, be safe. And if you're silly, short, and superstitious like me, don't forget to jump at the stroke of midnight and make sure you jingle them coins in your pocket....much love always.
*Birthday love goes out to M.Lapid who celebrated her 32nd birthday!*
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
House Update
House. Townhouse. Shiet. It's all the same to me! I might've mentioned this earlier, but when we were deciding on our place, I had to ask what the difference between the two were...sorry, I'm not knowledgable like that! So contractor dude says that townhomes share walls, whereas homes do not and are separated. Well if that's the case, the whole city of San Francisco are living in townhomes! Hahaha, I guess they don't take into consideration the earthquaking proof thang...oh well.
Anyways, we've slowly but surely have been settling into our new place. On the day of our big move, Mother Nature decided to give us some bone chilling weather. No snow, mind you, just seriously freakin' cold ass temps that once you step out into the cold, your face freezes up like the Joker. No jokes. And perhaps she wanted to take her sick and twisted joke a bit further, she added some cuts-like-a-knife-through-your-chest wind. Egads! Well, that big move was mainly to get the huge furniture outta the way. What was left at the apartment was a whole bunch of lil' things...things that didn't get packed, things that didn't get sorted...shoot, probably things that'll end up in the trash if you ask me!
Just the other day, the youth group from our church decided to pay us a visit. One of the parents basically dropped them off and they were ours for the day. Yay! First of all, it was just nice to have visitors at our place and second of all, the five extra hands would definitely help us clear out everything else that was left. So on to the apartment we go! Since we didn't have a moving truck this time around, hubby and I had to pack our cars until they couldn't hold anymore. On our first run, we had to leave the three girls behind in order to haul our stuff over. When we got pack to the apartment, we found that they seriously kicked ass and cleaned, cleared, packed, and vaccuumed all that was left. (Thanks you guys! You're totally awesome!)
Aside from the moving thing, I enjoyed hanging out with the girls. Though we've been here over a year (has it really been that long?!), I feel that I haven't really gotten IN with them just yet. But it's all good. I took this time to get to know them a little bit better as they all helped with cooking and cleaning. It was all laughs, all venting, all bitching, all girl talk...and it was good.
Our walk thru with the apartment management is tomorrow. There's still a few things left over there, namely our bikes and some of hubby's computer parts. We have to make sure that it's all clean and tidy, too. Our garage right now is looking how a garage should look- full and packed to the rim! The rest of the house has boxes here and there, some halfway unpacked and some still unopened. We've got the basics down- hubby's office, the other room, the bathrooms, our bedroom, the kitchen, and my library. Ahhhh, my library. When I get a chance, I will definitely post a picture of my beloved sanctuary of books. I gotta say, it looks bomb...thanks to hubby (and IKEA!).
Anyways, that's why I haven't blogged recently. My mind is just focused on getting everything unpacked and put in its place. It already looks like a home and feels like a home, but there's still so much work to be done. Hubby says that it hasn't truly hit him that we're homeowners yet. Wow. HOMEOWNERS! It's due to the fact that we're still going back and forth to the apartment. Well, by January 1st, it'll all be out of our hands. In the meantime, it's back to unpacking and cleaning. Will post pics soon! (like ya'll haven't heard that one before! LOL!)
House. Townhouse. Shiet. It's all the same to me! I might've mentioned this earlier, but when we were deciding on our place, I had to ask what the difference between the two were...sorry, I'm not knowledgable like that! So contractor dude says that townhomes share walls, whereas homes do not and are separated. Well if that's the case, the whole city of San Francisco are living in townhomes! Hahaha, I guess they don't take into consideration the earthquaking proof thang...oh well.
Anyways, we've slowly but surely have been settling into our new place. On the day of our big move, Mother Nature decided to give us some bone chilling weather. No snow, mind you, just seriously freakin' cold ass temps that once you step out into the cold, your face freezes up like the Joker. No jokes. And perhaps she wanted to take her sick and twisted joke a bit further, she added some cuts-like-a-knife-through-your-chest wind. Egads! Well, that big move was mainly to get the huge furniture outta the way. What was left at the apartment was a whole bunch of lil' things...things that didn't get packed, things that didn't get sorted...shoot, probably things that'll end up in the trash if you ask me!
Just the other day, the youth group from our church decided to pay us a visit. One of the parents basically dropped them off and they were ours for the day. Yay! First of all, it was just nice to have visitors at our place and second of all, the five extra hands would definitely help us clear out everything else that was left. So on to the apartment we go! Since we didn't have a moving truck this time around, hubby and I had to pack our cars until they couldn't hold anymore. On our first run, we had to leave the three girls behind in order to haul our stuff over. When we got pack to the apartment, we found that they seriously kicked ass and cleaned, cleared, packed, and vaccuumed all that was left. (Thanks you guys! You're totally awesome!)
Aside from the moving thing, I enjoyed hanging out with the girls. Though we've been here over a year (has it really been that long?!), I feel that I haven't really gotten IN with them just yet. But it's all good. I took this time to get to know them a little bit better as they all helped with cooking and cleaning. It was all laughs, all venting, all bitching, all girl talk...and it was good.
Our walk thru with the apartment management is tomorrow. There's still a few things left over there, namely our bikes and some of hubby's computer parts. We have to make sure that it's all clean and tidy, too. Our garage right now is looking how a garage should look- full and packed to the rim! The rest of the house has boxes here and there, some halfway unpacked and some still unopened. We've got the basics down- hubby's office, the other room, the bathrooms, our bedroom, the kitchen, and my library. Ahhhh, my library. When I get a chance, I will definitely post a picture of my beloved sanctuary of books. I gotta say, it looks bomb...thanks to hubby (and IKEA!).
Anyways, that's why I haven't blogged recently. My mind is just focused on getting everything unpacked and put in its place. It already looks like a home and feels like a home, but there's still so much work to be done. Hubby says that it hasn't truly hit him that we're homeowners yet. Wow. HOMEOWNERS! It's due to the fact that we're still going back and forth to the apartment. Well, by January 1st, it'll all be out of our hands. In the meantime, it's back to unpacking and cleaning. Will post pics soon! (like ya'll haven't heard that one before! LOL!)
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
Santa's Gifts
Well, I guess it's official...MnM was a good girl this year! Just wanted to share what Santa brought me this year..and boy, did he spoil me or what?
- Canon EOS Rebel Ti
I still don't know how to use this camera just yet (and no, there's more to it than just point and shoot!), but I'm hoping to read up on some photography books and learn more about taking REAL pictures. I ain't got nothing against digital or anything...just want to learn more about this craft is all.
- white winter jacket; NY&CO sweater and striped collared shirt...yes, Santa has a better fashion sense than I do!
- books for my library: Tuesdays with Morrie, The DaVinci Code, Classics Literature Set, and the Childrens' Classics Set...all individually wrapped, mind you.
Santa was good to hubby, too. He got some black and silver basketball gear: rip-away warmup pants and a top, Meguiar's Cleaning starter kit (for the Lex!), and a nice golf organizer that'll look good in the garage. That Santa sure knows how MnM doesn't like kalat in the garage and this will definitely help hubby stay organized! Yay!
Hope ya'll had a good Christmas and that Santa got you what you wished for! I wish you all a safe and Happy New Year, too! Here's to 2005- a fresh slate, a clean start, and new beginnings. Much love ya'll!
Well, I guess it's official...MnM was a good girl this year! Just wanted to share what Santa brought me this year..and boy, did he spoil me or what?
- Canon EOS Rebel Ti
I still don't know how to use this camera just yet (and no, there's more to it than just point and shoot!), but I'm hoping to read up on some photography books and learn more about taking REAL pictures. I ain't got nothing against digital or anything...just want to learn more about this craft is all.
- white winter jacket; NY&CO sweater and striped collared shirt...yes, Santa has a better fashion sense than I do!
- books for my library: Tuesdays with Morrie, The DaVinci Code, Classics Literature Set, and the Childrens' Classics Set...all individually wrapped, mind you.
Santa was good to hubby, too. He got some black and silver basketball gear: rip-away warmup pants and a top, Meguiar's Cleaning starter kit (for the Lex!), and a nice golf organizer that'll look good in the garage. That Santa sure knows how MnM doesn't like kalat in the garage and this will definitely help hubby stay organized! Yay!
Hope ya'll had a good Christmas and that Santa got you what you wished for! I wish you all a safe and Happy New Year, too! Here's to 2005- a fresh slate, a clean start, and new beginnings. Much love ya'll!
Belated Christmas Wishes!
MnM hopes and prays that ya'll had a blessed and wonderful Christmas!
On Christmas Eve, hubby and I had to find a church to attend 'cuz the church we currently go to didn't have a service. No service on Christmas Eve? That just sounds wrong, doesn't it? I mean, even if there are hella peoples who are only "C and E" attendees (Christmas and Easter), going to church on Christmas is just the thing to do...in my book anyways. So we find one through the newspaper listings called Wooddale Church. First of all, this is one HUGE ass church! Growing up, I've always been used to big, Catholic churches anyways. Coming to Minnesota, I've had to adjust to a much smaller scale church community. I'm not quite sure which I prefer yet, big or small. In big churches, I like the fact that you're just surrounded with a whole bunch of people getting their praise on and such. The downside is that you're just a number. Sure you know people, but in most cases, there are so many that you'll never really get to know-know personally. On the other hand in smaller churches, everyone knows everyone and that in itself can either be a good thing or a bad thing...depends on which way you look at it.
Anyways, I really enjoyed going to this service. They had a full orchestra for what I thought was only for this Christmas occasion, but in actuality, this ensemble plays each Sunday. How totally cool was that? I don't know about ya'll, but I personally dig hearing all the instruments meshing into that one beautiful sound. I'm totally mesmerized by all the instruments, especially the violins. One of my favorite moments is when they all start tuning their instruments. I don't what know it is about it. Technically, it's like a singer clearing her throat before she starts belting out. Even though they're not playing anything specific as they're tuning their respective instruments, it still sounds pretty. In any case, because of how the church was set up, it somewhat felt like we were at a concert instead of a church service. The music totally added to the already Christmas feeling in the air and made for a satisfying spiritual experience.
Compared to a Catholic Mass, Christian services don't have the regular 1st and 2nd readings followed by a Gospel. Usually, we have a praise & worship section and the pastor will deliver a message. In this service, they had what was called a Dramatic Reading. While the orchestra played on, a lady with a headset walked out and in a voice that just wills you to listen, began to tell the story of Christ's birth. Perhaps because it was the way she recounted the story, perhaps it was the accompanying music that made it seem as if the story was happening before our very eyes, perhaps it was a combination of both, and even still, perhaps it was the depth of the story knowing how it all ends in His death on a cross for us...whatever it was, I was teary-eyed at the end. I've heard the story hundreds and hundreds of times, but never like this. 'Twas just beautiful. Simply beautiful.
As the service ended, hubby and I walked out to a winter wonderland. Though it had started snowing as we arrived at the church, we found ourselves in awe at the beauty of the night. How appropriate that Minnesota should have the first snowfall on Christmas Eve! Hubby and I stood in the parking lot for a few minutes, relishing the falling snowflakes as it hit our cold cheeks. It looked like falling cotton from the sky. In my eyes, the snow was symbolic of so many things- among them being God's love pouring down on us from above and also, just a sign of renewal and fresh starts. Even though it was my first Christmas away from home, being with hubby on this Christmas Eve turned out just perfect.
MnM hopes and prays that ya'll had a blessed and wonderful Christmas!
On Christmas Eve, hubby and I had to find a church to attend 'cuz the church we currently go to didn't have a service. No service on Christmas Eve? That just sounds wrong, doesn't it? I mean, even if there are hella peoples who are only "C and E" attendees (Christmas and Easter), going to church on Christmas is just the thing to do...in my book anyways. So we find one through the newspaper listings called Wooddale Church. First of all, this is one HUGE ass church! Growing up, I've always been used to big, Catholic churches anyways. Coming to Minnesota, I've had to adjust to a much smaller scale church community. I'm not quite sure which I prefer yet, big or small. In big churches, I like the fact that you're just surrounded with a whole bunch of people getting their praise on and such. The downside is that you're just a number. Sure you know people, but in most cases, there are so many that you'll never really get to know-know personally. On the other hand in smaller churches, everyone knows everyone and that in itself can either be a good thing or a bad thing...depends on which way you look at it.
Anyways, I really enjoyed going to this service. They had a full orchestra for what I thought was only for this Christmas occasion, but in actuality, this ensemble plays each Sunday. How totally cool was that? I don't know about ya'll, but I personally dig hearing all the instruments meshing into that one beautiful sound. I'm totally mesmerized by all the instruments, especially the violins. One of my favorite moments is when they all start tuning their instruments. I don't what know it is about it. Technically, it's like a singer clearing her throat before she starts belting out. Even though they're not playing anything specific as they're tuning their respective instruments, it still sounds pretty. In any case, because of how the church was set up, it somewhat felt like we were at a concert instead of a church service. The music totally added to the already Christmas feeling in the air and made for a satisfying spiritual experience.
Compared to a Catholic Mass, Christian services don't have the regular 1st and 2nd readings followed by a Gospel. Usually, we have a praise & worship section and the pastor will deliver a message. In this service, they had what was called a Dramatic Reading. While the orchestra played on, a lady with a headset walked out and in a voice that just wills you to listen, began to tell the story of Christ's birth. Perhaps because it was the way she recounted the story, perhaps it was the accompanying music that made it seem as if the story was happening before our very eyes, perhaps it was a combination of both, and even still, perhaps it was the depth of the story knowing how it all ends in His death on a cross for us...whatever it was, I was teary-eyed at the end. I've heard the story hundreds and hundreds of times, but never like this. 'Twas just beautiful. Simply beautiful.
As the service ended, hubby and I walked out to a winter wonderland. Though it had started snowing as we arrived at the church, we found ourselves in awe at the beauty of the night. How appropriate that Minnesota should have the first snowfall on Christmas Eve! Hubby and I stood in the parking lot for a few minutes, relishing the falling snowflakes as it hit our cold cheeks. It looked like falling cotton from the sky. In my eyes, the snow was symbolic of so many things- among them being God's love pouring down on us from above and also, just a sign of renewal and fresh starts. Even though it was my first Christmas away from home, being with hubby on this Christmas Eve turned out just perfect.
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Real Quick
- I drove today. Not that it's my first time driving ever, just my first time driving in the snow. To be quite honest, the amount of snow ain't much for me to bitch about just yet. I have this phobia of driving in the snow. Last year, it wasn't anything to worry about because my beloved Honda was still safe and warm in the Bay. If my Honda could talk right now, I'm sure it would yell expletives and other such profanity at how fricken cold it is over here. I actually had a dream that was probably due to anxiety about the snow. I dreamt that I was on this road and practically every car in front of me and in back were skidding out of control. I remember how tight my grip was on the steering wheel and how fast my heart was racing. I think I even started muttering a prayer to help me get to my destination safely. The scary part was that as the cars slid off the road, they ended up in and/or on a lake. If ya'll ever come to visit us out here, you'll notice that everything is surrounded by various bodies of water- lakes, ponds, marshes, whatever. Yes, yes, Minnesota is the Land of 10,000 lakes...in fact, a local had told me that it's really more like 15,000. The way I see it? In the summertime, all these bodies of water are just breeding grounds for the millions of mosquitoes that will attack you no matter how much bug spray you use; in the wintertime, all of the lakes are just hazards and accidents waiting to happen. Idiotic people racing their cars out on the frozen lakes only to fall through thin ice OR one of my worst fears coming true, a car sliding off the road into a lake and breaking through the ice. Maybe it's because I still can't swim for sh*t, but water and me don't mix. Let me rephrase, freezing icy water and me don't mix. Hell no. In any case, although the snow wasn't falling in sheets or whatnot, the fact that there IS snow on the ground and that I was able to suck it up and drive on my own was a very big thing for me.
- My Christmas packages were ready to be sent off to San Francisco today. I was stoked that I was able to squeeze in some holiday shopping amid the chaos of our home, get them wrapped, and even do my ghetto wrapping of the box with brown grocery bags. I suck at wrapping that way. I'm secretly proud that I was able to get everything done before the big deadline- Dec. 23rd. If packages were sent priority mail before then, presents would be delivered Christmas day. Hubby went to send my packages on their way, but called me with some majorly distressing news that if I wanted my gifts to arrive in San Francisco by Christmas, it was going to cost about $90! Holy crap! At this point, if I did regular ground shipment, it would arrive a few days AFTER Christmas, but it would only cost approximately $15. Geez...talk about a downer! Well, it serves me right that I waited so long to shop and take care of business, but damn! 90 bucks?! Goodness gracious me...I think the family will excuse me for not spending so much on delivery and be content with a belated celebration from me. Oh well.
- I drove today. Not that it's my first time driving ever, just my first time driving in the snow. To be quite honest, the amount of snow ain't much for me to bitch about just yet. I have this phobia of driving in the snow. Last year, it wasn't anything to worry about because my beloved Honda was still safe and warm in the Bay. If my Honda could talk right now, I'm sure it would yell expletives and other such profanity at how fricken cold it is over here. I actually had a dream that was probably due to anxiety about the snow. I dreamt that I was on this road and practically every car in front of me and in back were skidding out of control. I remember how tight my grip was on the steering wheel and how fast my heart was racing. I think I even started muttering a prayer to help me get to my destination safely. The scary part was that as the cars slid off the road, they ended up in and/or on a lake. If ya'll ever come to visit us out here, you'll notice that everything is surrounded by various bodies of water- lakes, ponds, marshes, whatever. Yes, yes, Minnesota is the Land of 10,000 lakes...in fact, a local had told me that it's really more like 15,000. The way I see it? In the summertime, all these bodies of water are just breeding grounds for the millions of mosquitoes that will attack you no matter how much bug spray you use; in the wintertime, all of the lakes are just hazards and accidents waiting to happen. Idiotic people racing their cars out on the frozen lakes only to fall through thin ice OR one of my worst fears coming true, a car sliding off the road into a lake and breaking through the ice. Maybe it's because I still can't swim for sh*t, but water and me don't mix. Let me rephrase, freezing icy water and me don't mix. Hell no. In any case, although the snow wasn't falling in sheets or whatnot, the fact that there IS snow on the ground and that I was able to suck it up and drive on my own was a very big thing for me.
- My Christmas packages were ready to be sent off to San Francisco today. I was stoked that I was able to squeeze in some holiday shopping amid the chaos of our home, get them wrapped, and even do my ghetto wrapping of the box with brown grocery bags. I suck at wrapping that way. I'm secretly proud that I was able to get everything done before the big deadline- Dec. 23rd. If packages were sent priority mail before then, presents would be delivered Christmas day. Hubby went to send my packages on their way, but called me with some majorly distressing news that if I wanted my gifts to arrive in San Francisco by Christmas, it was going to cost about $90! Holy crap! At this point, if I did regular ground shipment, it would arrive a few days AFTER Christmas, but it would only cost approximately $15. Geez...talk about a downer! Well, it serves me right that I waited so long to shop and take care of business, but damn! 90 bucks?! Goodness gracious me...I think the family will excuse me for not spending so much on delivery and be content with a belated celebration from me. Oh well.
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Belated Birthday Shout-Outs
Just wanted to send some birthday love out there to some peoples. Even though it's belated, it's better late than never! (and plus, just 'cuz I didn't blog about it, ya'll know that I was thinking of you!)
1: Papa Reyes 32nd- old skool "faboo" ASU/PACEr, anime artist, computer nerd, great friend, and proud papa to a beautiful baby daughter.
3: Raegan's 3rd birthday, my ina-anak #5.
5: Mighty Mom, aka Keyopes turns 31! One of my best friends I met from my State days, political student activist, Disney lover, fellow folk dance diva, and proud mama to two lil' rugrats.
11: Marisa, my lil' cousin turns the big 18! Soon-to-be high school graduate class of '05, aspiring chef, and engaged to the love of her life.
13: Hoezaycuervo turns 20. Currently a SFGator, but in my eyes will always be lil' Jose who rode his bike to my house for choir practice. Awww...he's all grown up now!
15: Tita Baybs, my mom's youngest sis, the coolest auntie ever, lover of Prince and all things purple, hair dresser, and interior designer.
16: Oreo's 13th- hubby's second born, multi-talented chick- can sing, play piano, play drums; soon-to-be 8th grade graduate of class of '05.
16: Butterfl13, last of the Penalosa clan turns 26. Will forever remember her bday 'cuz it always falls on the first day of Simbang Gabi!
16: EastBay, hubby's fellow jokester. I can't seem to remember who's whose sidekick? LOL! Hubby to AI and faithful reader (I think!) of MnM's blog. (Thanks Eastbay!)
Dang...December sure is a busy month for birthdays, eh? Hope ya'll had a great one and may this coming new year bring you all much love and happiness. Hope all of your wishes come true! Much love...
Just wanted to send some birthday love out there to some peoples. Even though it's belated, it's better late than never! (and plus, just 'cuz I didn't blog about it, ya'll know that I was thinking of you!)
1: Papa Reyes 32nd- old skool "faboo" ASU/PACEr, anime artist, computer nerd, great friend, and proud papa to a beautiful baby daughter.
3: Raegan's 3rd birthday, my ina-anak #5.
5: Mighty Mom, aka Keyopes turns 31! One of my best friends I met from my State days, political student activist, Disney lover, fellow folk dance diva, and proud mama to two lil' rugrats.
11: Marisa, my lil' cousin turns the big 18! Soon-to-be high school graduate class of '05, aspiring chef, and engaged to the love of her life.
13: Hoezaycuervo turns 20. Currently a SFGator, but in my eyes will always be lil' Jose who rode his bike to my house for choir practice. Awww...he's all grown up now!
15: Tita Baybs, my mom's youngest sis, the coolest auntie ever, lover of Prince and all things purple, hair dresser, and interior designer.
16: Oreo's 13th- hubby's second born, multi-talented chick- can sing, play piano, play drums; soon-to-be 8th grade graduate of class of '05.
16: Butterfl13, last of the Penalosa clan turns 26. Will forever remember her bday 'cuz it always falls on the first day of Simbang Gabi!
16: EastBay, hubby's fellow jokester. I can't seem to remember who's whose sidekick? LOL! Hubby to AI and faithful reader (I think!) of MnM's blog. (Thanks Eastbay!)
Dang...December sure is a busy month for birthdays, eh? Hope ya'll had a great one and may this coming new year bring you all much love and happiness. Hope all of your wishes come true! Much love...
Time Flies
I hadn't realized just how long it's been since I last blogged until the Firemarshall called me on my cell and asked what I've been up to. Ahh...one of the faithful few who do their duty of checking up on me to see if I'm still alive. Thanks homie!
Since my arrival back to Minnesota, this bum leg of mine had put a major damper in our moving plans. It was a pain, literally, to hobble here and there and pack up our apartment. Moving just downright sucks. We actually had our big move this past Saturday and thank God for some church folks who, out of the goodness of their heart, chose to come out in the below zero degree weather and help out. (Maraming salamat!) From our kalat apartment, we are now in our kalat townhome. All of the boxes and bins lying around are getting on my nerves, but they're not a priority at the moment. We still have hella junk left at the apartment sans the heavy furniture. Plus, we still have to get that place all cleaned up, too. On top of the moving, there is still Christmas to think about! I have to say, I've always been really good about getting my shopping done ahead of time, but this year has got me out of whack. Seeing that this is the first Christmas that I'll be spending away from my family (BOO!), I have to worry about getting their gifts shipped out on time. But wait, I have to have bought the presents first in order to ship them out, right? With everything going down at one time, the past weeks have been nothing short of overwhelming. Because of all the stress and whatnot, it hasn't felt like Christmas at all. I can't believe that it's already three days away.
And So It Begins...
Winter has officially come. In fact, it made its presence known with all the zero degree wind chill factor, but in my eyes, the snow made it official. Snow = winter, right? Um...yah. Sure. Anyways, let me just share a quick MnM moment. On Monday, we had the first snow. Coincidentally, it's also garbage day. As we were getting ready to do some shopping, I saw that our garbage had made its way to our next door neighbor's place. Yes, it made its way there on its own. I take the task upon myself of retrieving it, y'know, just like anyone else would do. Before I do, I make sure that I'm all bundled up. Jacket? Check. Hat? Check. Gloves? Check. Scarf? Check. Imagine getting ready...it's a huge undertaking to put all this crap on! ANYWAYS...I'm standing in our garage, looking at the white ground thinking how pretty it's all going to look and telling myself that hey, we just might get a white Christmas after all. I brace myself for the cold, take two steps out to my driveway, and before you know it, I'm flat on my ass! I swear, I saw it happen in slow motion. It was exactly how you see it in the movies. You're walking when suddenly your feet start to slip from under you. Your arms start to flail, your feet do a funky and desperate dance, and by the time the yell emerges from your throat, your ass has made contact with the concrete. Of course, I did what anyone else would do when they scrub...I looked around to see if anyone witnessed it! LOL! Luckily, as far as I know, no one saw me bust my ass in the driveway. Unfortunately, I seemed to have tweaked my already bad knee during the fall, but honestly, I think I hurt my pride moreso. I suppose I'm lucky that I didn't split my head open or that I didn't break anything. Yes, I can laugh it off now, but y'know what? With my luck, this will be one of many incidents for MnM. Great. Just freakin' great.
Weddings Galore
I feel like that I've just attended a wedding marathon. First there was Ms. Penny's the Saturday after Thanksgiving; the following week was Voodoo's; then the Saturday I returned from the Bay, we attended hubby's co-worker's nuptials. Though each was different and beautiful in their own way, I began to reflect on the institution of marriage as a whole.
It's funny that when people reach "of age," they are constantly bombarded with the "when are you getting married?" question. People are so quick to assume that because a couple has been together for a while that marriage is the next step. But marriage isn't just a thing to do. It's a lifechanging experience that involves not only two people in love, but two lives becoming one. In a nutshell, it's some serious sh*t. And one thing that people often forget about marriage is that it's NOT an easy thing. Marriage is something that must be continually worked on "for better or for worse." Sure there will be lots of wonderful and happy times, but because all things need a balance, there will be many bad times and downright crappy times. I remember learning in one of my psychology classes that conflict in a relationship is healthy. Conflict leads to growth and understanding, whereas if a relationship was perfect all the time, where is the challenge so to speak? On the other hand, if there is too much conflict, well, that ain't cool. There needs to be a light at the end of the tunnel, the understanding that there is a solution to the problem, and that the problem can be tackled by both parties in the relationship. There has to be a give and take, a compromise, that each must make. I think because I am married, I see things in a different light now. I may be one of those people who joke around with non-married friends teasing them that "it's time to tie the knot," but on the real, what's the big rush? Marriage is a HUGE step and a HUGE life decision. Again, it's not just something to do because it's expected.
It's funny how one event can stir up so many emotions. Life is funny that way, isn't it? Kinda reminds me of the movie Forrest Gump and the famous quote: "Life is like a box of chocolates...you never know what you're going to get." It can't get any truer than that.
I hadn't realized just how long it's been since I last blogged until the Firemarshall called me on my cell and asked what I've been up to. Ahh...one of the faithful few who do their duty of checking up on me to see if I'm still alive. Thanks homie!
Since my arrival back to Minnesota, this bum leg of mine had put a major damper in our moving plans. It was a pain, literally, to hobble here and there and pack up our apartment. Moving just downright sucks. We actually had our big move this past Saturday and thank God for some church folks who, out of the goodness of their heart, chose to come out in the below zero degree weather and help out. (Maraming salamat!) From our kalat apartment, we are now in our kalat townhome. All of the boxes and bins lying around are getting on my nerves, but they're not a priority at the moment. We still have hella junk left at the apartment sans the heavy furniture. Plus, we still have to get that place all cleaned up, too. On top of the moving, there is still Christmas to think about! I have to say, I've always been really good about getting my shopping done ahead of time, but this year has got me out of whack. Seeing that this is the first Christmas that I'll be spending away from my family (BOO!), I have to worry about getting their gifts shipped out on time. But wait, I have to have bought the presents first in order to ship them out, right? With everything going down at one time, the past weeks have been nothing short of overwhelming. Because of all the stress and whatnot, it hasn't felt like Christmas at all. I can't believe that it's already three days away.
And So It Begins...
Winter has officially come. In fact, it made its presence known with all the zero degree wind chill factor, but in my eyes, the snow made it official. Snow = winter, right? Um...yah. Sure. Anyways, let me just share a quick MnM moment. On Monday, we had the first snow. Coincidentally, it's also garbage day. As we were getting ready to do some shopping, I saw that our garbage had made its way to our next door neighbor's place. Yes, it made its way there on its own. I take the task upon myself of retrieving it, y'know, just like anyone else would do. Before I do, I make sure that I'm all bundled up. Jacket? Check. Hat? Check. Gloves? Check. Scarf? Check. Imagine getting ready...it's a huge undertaking to put all this crap on! ANYWAYS...I'm standing in our garage, looking at the white ground thinking how pretty it's all going to look and telling myself that hey, we just might get a white Christmas after all. I brace myself for the cold, take two steps out to my driveway, and before you know it, I'm flat on my ass! I swear, I saw it happen in slow motion. It was exactly how you see it in the movies. You're walking when suddenly your feet start to slip from under you. Your arms start to flail, your feet do a funky and desperate dance, and by the time the yell emerges from your throat, your ass has made contact with the concrete. Of course, I did what anyone else would do when they scrub...I looked around to see if anyone witnessed it! LOL! Luckily, as far as I know, no one saw me bust my ass in the driveway. Unfortunately, I seemed to have tweaked my already bad knee during the fall, but honestly, I think I hurt my pride moreso. I suppose I'm lucky that I didn't split my head open or that I didn't break anything. Yes, I can laugh it off now, but y'know what? With my luck, this will be one of many incidents for MnM. Great. Just freakin' great.
Weddings Galore
I feel like that I've just attended a wedding marathon. First there was Ms. Penny's the Saturday after Thanksgiving; the following week was Voodoo's; then the Saturday I returned from the Bay, we attended hubby's co-worker's nuptials. Though each was different and beautiful in their own way, I began to reflect on the institution of marriage as a whole.
It's funny that when people reach "of age," they are constantly bombarded with the "when are you getting married?" question. People are so quick to assume that because a couple has been together for a while that marriage is the next step. But marriage isn't just a thing to do. It's a lifechanging experience that involves not only two people in love, but two lives becoming one. In a nutshell, it's some serious sh*t. And one thing that people often forget about marriage is that it's NOT an easy thing. Marriage is something that must be continually worked on "for better or for worse." Sure there will be lots of wonderful and happy times, but because all things need a balance, there will be many bad times and downright crappy times. I remember learning in one of my psychology classes that conflict in a relationship is healthy. Conflict leads to growth and understanding, whereas if a relationship was perfect all the time, where is the challenge so to speak? On the other hand, if there is too much conflict, well, that ain't cool. There needs to be a light at the end of the tunnel, the understanding that there is a solution to the problem, and that the problem can be tackled by both parties in the relationship. There has to be a give and take, a compromise, that each must make. I think because I am married, I see things in a different light now. I may be one of those people who joke around with non-married friends teasing them that "it's time to tie the knot," but on the real, what's the big rush? Marriage is a HUGE step and a HUGE life decision. Again, it's not just something to do because it's expected.
It's funny how one event can stir up so many emotions. Life is funny that way, isn't it? Kinda reminds me of the movie Forrest Gump and the famous quote: "Life is like a box of chocolates...you never know what you're going to get." It can't get any truer than that.
Friday, December 10, 2004
Up With The Good, Down With the Bad
This is the lil' mantra that I've been rehearsing over and over, out loud, and to myself this entire week. Up with the good, down with the bad. Another one is just as similar, "the bad in first, the good one last." Just what the hell does all this gibberish mean?
To update my the mini predicament, ever since the delightful POP of my kneecap, I've been busy trying to get around via my good left side. I'm not down with the whole crutches thang. In fact, I tried it for a day and a half. It's tough. I'm using muscles that normally depend on the left side- right side deal, and because MnM is so out of shape, I'm struggling with the upper body strength needed to maneuver these damn crutches. The nurse talked about getting that pendulum swing action going to move forward, but for some reason, I take a step and somehow get stuck midway. More times than not, I end up swinging back to where I started. I'm such a loser, I know! I thought that all those times playing around with my sister's crutches would've paid off, but nada. The day after my ER appearance, I went to see a regular doctor. According to him, he said to ride out the week first and icing my knee three times a day. If it doesn't get better on its own, an MRI would definitely be in order. My progress thus far? Well, without the crutches, I can move faster. I am even able to drive! When I'm in a regular sitting position, I feel no pain at all. Perhaps a slight discomfort, but nothing major. Walking, I resort to limping. I'm a total slowpoke on stairs and here is where that mantra "up with the good, down with the bad" falls in." You'd think it was obvious which leg I'd use to go up or down, yes? Shoot, maybe I'm special or what, but I'd actually be baliktad and try to use my bad leg first to go up. Honestly, because it's my right leg that's f*cked up, it's normal for me to use that leg first. Well, if you can imagine, as MnM approaches the stairwell, I literally have to remind myself, "up with the good, down with the bad." Saying it really helps. If and when I forget, the lil' twinge in my knee reminds me. The same goes for the "bad in first, good one last." This is for putting on pants. Duh, it makes sense, doesn't it? Considering that my leg is in a brace, I feel so tanga trying to find a way to get my pants on the wrong way!
I definitely have a deeper appreciation for my ability to walk and move normally. In these past few days, I've learned a major lesson in patience. Patience because I simply can't walk to one place to another just like that. Who really thinks about the range of motion on your knee, how high you can lift it, how fast you can run, etc? Since Monday night, it's as if something happened to make me slow down. I'm a true believer that all things happen for a reason. Although I cannot see what possible good came out of this just yet, I'm confident that it happened because it was supposed to. On the surface, it couldn't have happened at the worst time. First of all, we are in the middle of making our move from the apartment to the house. I feel terrible that I'm not able to help transport and carry. I'm still able to pack things away in boxes, but I get easily tired standing around. As I mentioned earlier, I'm basically out of commission. I'm helpless and it sucks. Second of all, because we're moving, our phone and Internet connections were cut off. This means that I was not able to access my classroom and schoolwork. I already lost a day flying home and it didn't help that I spent hella time at the ER. There's simply no way I would've been able to keep up and thus, had to withdraw from my current class. Lastly, the part-time job that I just started in November will have to be put on hold for a bit. In a way I feel bad because during the Christmas rush is when they need people the most and plus, I felt that when I left, there was still so much to learn. At the same time, maybe this knee injury is telling me that I could do better, you know? *Sigh.* All I know is that if I don't analyze and think about any of it, it all falls down to one fact: IT SUCKS!
A quick shout-out to all the people who left a message in my comments. I'm hanging in there and not being the invalid that the nurse at the ER said I'd be. On the real and as far as I can tell, I don't think it's as serious as previously believed. It's still not 100%, but I'm assuming that if I'm moving, then it's cool. And just for the record, this knee injury is NOT due to any booty hopping I supposedly did during the Voodoo-Mango nuptials. There is no evidence that points fingers to any such act no matter what is stated by Mrs. Voodoo and Mighty Mom. LOL! (I just had to get that bit in there!) ;-)
This is the lil' mantra that I've been rehearsing over and over, out loud, and to myself this entire week. Up with the good, down with the bad. Another one is just as similar, "the bad in first, the good one last." Just what the hell does all this gibberish mean?
To update my the mini predicament, ever since the delightful POP of my kneecap, I've been busy trying to get around via my good left side. I'm not down with the whole crutches thang. In fact, I tried it for a day and a half. It's tough. I'm using muscles that normally depend on the left side- right side deal, and because MnM is so out of shape, I'm struggling with the upper body strength needed to maneuver these damn crutches. The nurse talked about getting that pendulum swing action going to move forward, but for some reason, I take a step and somehow get stuck midway. More times than not, I end up swinging back to where I started. I'm such a loser, I know! I thought that all those times playing around with my sister's crutches would've paid off, but nada. The day after my ER appearance, I went to see a regular doctor. According to him, he said to ride out the week first and icing my knee three times a day. If it doesn't get better on its own, an MRI would definitely be in order. My progress thus far? Well, without the crutches, I can move faster. I am even able to drive! When I'm in a regular sitting position, I feel no pain at all. Perhaps a slight discomfort, but nothing major. Walking, I resort to limping. I'm a total slowpoke on stairs and here is where that mantra "up with the good, down with the bad" falls in." You'd think it was obvious which leg I'd use to go up or down, yes? Shoot, maybe I'm special or what, but I'd actually be baliktad and try to use my bad leg first to go up. Honestly, because it's my right leg that's f*cked up, it's normal for me to use that leg first. Well, if you can imagine, as MnM approaches the stairwell, I literally have to remind myself, "up with the good, down with the bad." Saying it really helps. If and when I forget, the lil' twinge in my knee reminds me. The same goes for the "bad in first, good one last." This is for putting on pants. Duh, it makes sense, doesn't it? Considering that my leg is in a brace, I feel so tanga trying to find a way to get my pants on the wrong way!
I definitely have a deeper appreciation for my ability to walk and move normally. In these past few days, I've learned a major lesson in patience. Patience because I simply can't walk to one place to another just like that. Who really thinks about the range of motion on your knee, how high you can lift it, how fast you can run, etc? Since Monday night, it's as if something happened to make me slow down. I'm a true believer that all things happen for a reason. Although I cannot see what possible good came out of this just yet, I'm confident that it happened because it was supposed to. On the surface, it couldn't have happened at the worst time. First of all, we are in the middle of making our move from the apartment to the house. I feel terrible that I'm not able to help transport and carry. I'm still able to pack things away in boxes, but I get easily tired standing around. As I mentioned earlier, I'm basically out of commission. I'm helpless and it sucks. Second of all, because we're moving, our phone and Internet connections were cut off. This means that I was not able to access my classroom and schoolwork. I already lost a day flying home and it didn't help that I spent hella time at the ER. There's simply no way I would've been able to keep up and thus, had to withdraw from my current class. Lastly, the part-time job that I just started in November will have to be put on hold for a bit. In a way I feel bad because during the Christmas rush is when they need people the most and plus, I felt that when I left, there was still so much to learn. At the same time, maybe this knee injury is telling me that I could do better, you know? *Sigh.* All I know is that if I don't analyze and think about any of it, it all falls down to one fact: IT SUCKS!
A quick shout-out to all the people who left a message in my comments. I'm hanging in there and not being the invalid that the nurse at the ER said I'd be. On the real and as far as I can tell, I don't think it's as serious as previously believed. It's still not 100%, but I'm assuming that if I'm moving, then it's cool. And just for the record, this knee injury is NOT due to any booty hopping I supposedly did during the Voodoo-Mango nuptials. There is no evidence that points fingers to any such act no matter what is stated by Mrs. Voodoo and Mighty Mom. LOL! (I just had to get that bit in there!) ;-)
Monday, December 06, 2004
Quick Update
Okay, I know that I haven't updated the Bay Area Diaries (and I've got MUCH to tell!), but now that I'm back in the Midwest, I really had to share about my flight home.
First of all, it was NOT the homecoming that I was expecting.
I was awakened my the sound of my niece's voice leaving a message on the answering machine. Turns out that my alarm didn't go off and if Bina didn't call, I would've definitely slept in. She was on her way to school and wanted to say one more goodbye- ain't she the sweetest?
The morning started off with me feeling rushed to take care of last minute packing. I still had to tape up the balikbayan box (oh yes, i did!) while my mom kept throwing in canned foods. I kept telling her, "Mom, they sell Vienna Sausage in Minnesota...and we have tuna there, too!", but she continued filling the box up. Eh, not a problem. You can never have enough Vienna Sausage! Lol!
Anyways, my dad drops me at the airport, I check in my bags, go through security in no time, and wander around the different shops to kill time. I have time to have a quick conversation with my Ate and before you know it, it's time to board. So far so good, yes? I wait until my row gets called and try to squeeze my way around the idiots crowding the entrance. It's irritating really. They hear rows being called by number and yet, they stand eagerly near the front KNOWING that they won't be called next, but still HOPING that they will, y'know? I hand the dude my ticket, he scans it, and I shuffle behind the others making their way down the walkway to the plane. I am greeted by the flight attendant and continue to find my way to my seat, 37F.
Whenever I travel back to the Bay, I always, always, always get a window seat. For the most part, I'm one of those people who won't get out of their seat for the duration of the flight and just chill reading a book. Because I need to bring my laptop for schoolwork, I usually have two carry-ons when I fly. I don't prefer to put my carry-ons in the overhead bin; rather, I stick them under the seat in front of me. Easy access, y'know? Plus, I'm just too damn short. ANYWAYS...when I get to my designated row, I would normally throw my handbag onto my seat and while carrying my laptop bag in front of me, continue to scoot to my seat. Not today.
I suppose that my laptop was unusually heavy today, not quite sure, but as I tried to scoot towards my seat, I heard a very loud and distinct POP! The next thing I knew, I had lost my balance and collapsed unto the seats. I totally freaked out because it was my knee that gave out. Instinct made me start feeling around my knee, making sure there weren't any bones sticking out or anything like that. After a quick assessment, I didn't see anything wrong, but as I tried to stand up and scoot some more, the pressure of my weight upon my right leg was too much to bear. At this point, my heart was pounding and I'm freaking out. All of these scenarios are going through my head...did I break something? do I need to get some assistance? do I need to get off the plane and go to a hospital? am I going to need to miss this flight home? what the HELL was the popping noise?!
After a few more attempts, I struggle from the aisle seat to the window. I put my bags in place and again, try to decide if anything is swelling or popping out, etc. Perhaps after about a few minutes, I feel myself settling into my seat and I disregard the pain.
Three hours and some minutes later as we're pulling into the Minneapolis airport, I start gathering my junk together and I feel a pain in my right knee. Uh oh. Not a good sign. As we begin exiting the plane, I feel myself limping. And just my freakin' luck, Northwest Airlines just happens to be the farthest from the baggage claim. So I limp, stop, limp, stop, limp, stop the entire way. I even test my right leg and try to put my entire weight unto it. Big mistake. I practically lose my balance, but thankfully, I don't make a fool out of myself in the middle of the terminal. I finally reach the baggage claim, am greeted by hubby (who had flowers for me!), and begin to feel a nagging pain as I walk. It hurt so much that I had to go to the Emergency Room.
ER's are often always long waits. It's to be expected. I went to the triage, filled out some paperwork, got put in a room to wait for a doctor, received an icepack for my knee, and continued to wait for over an hour. By this time, the swelling around my knee was definitely noticeable and I was beginning to feel worried. I was telling hubby that when my sister broke her leg when I was younger, or just whenever she got sick (and it was often!), I'd sometimes wish that it was ME that was injured so that I could get all the attention. Stupid, I know, but it's true. Thankfully, I've never had to stay overnight in the hospital for anything. Sure I've been to the ER for back spasms, but that's about it.
To make a long story short, here's the scoop: turns out that the POPPING noise was my kneecap separating! Because it had popped out, there was fluid in my knee from the trauma causing the swelling and the kneecap was now floating around. Ewwwww!Y'know, I've never been good with anything hospital related, blood especially, but this one has to take the cake for now. I literally had this nauseous feeling in my tummy just thinking of what he was saying. Turns out that I had to get an x-ray just to be sure that nothing was broken. It came back fine, but validated the fluid in my knee. He told me that I'd have to make an appointment with my regular doctor later today to get an MRI. He said that it could be anything from a torn or ripped ligament, to broken cartilage. He couldn't tell me how serious it was, but he wasn't ruling anything out. In the meantime, I would be leaving the ER in crutches. In crutches!!!
As I write this, my leg is wrapped in this knee isolator contrapment. It's really just some foam that they wrap around my leg with velcro to ensure that I do not bend my knee. On the way home, I probably almost busted my ass a few times already. My arms got easily tired and I think I sprained my left foot, too. I will not be able to move around much for the next few days and basically, I'm out of commission. This totally sucks because we're in the midst of moving to our new townhome and now, I'm confined to resting and/or hopping around the house. How so not conducive for me! I feel for hubby who needs to do more for me now, but on top of work and moving, I know he's already tired. Aiya! Talk about a NICE homecoming, eh?
So there you have it. Sorry...MnM has a problem with succinctness and isn't capable of sharing a "quick update." i was going to post a picture of me looking all ka-wawa, but we left it at the house. Stay tuned for a pic later today. I would appreciate the prayers that it's nothing too serious and yes, prayers that I won't bust my ass as I maneuver myself in crutches.
Other than that, the Bay Area Diaries will continue as soon as I'm able to figure out what the deal is. In a nutshell though, I had a GREAT time back in the City. It was awesome to see family & friends and do the whole catching up bit. Most of all, I was honored to have witnessed the marriages of two of my closest friends. More to come later...pray for me ya'll!
Okay, I know that I haven't updated the Bay Area Diaries (and I've got MUCH to tell!), but now that I'm back in the Midwest, I really had to share about my flight home.
First of all, it was NOT the homecoming that I was expecting.
I was awakened my the sound of my niece's voice leaving a message on the answering machine. Turns out that my alarm didn't go off and if Bina didn't call, I would've definitely slept in. She was on her way to school and wanted to say one more goodbye- ain't she the sweetest?
The morning started off with me feeling rushed to take care of last minute packing. I still had to tape up the balikbayan box (oh yes, i did!) while my mom kept throwing in canned foods. I kept telling her, "Mom, they sell Vienna Sausage in Minnesota...and we have tuna there, too!", but she continued filling the box up. Eh, not a problem. You can never have enough Vienna Sausage! Lol!
Anyways, my dad drops me at the airport, I check in my bags, go through security in no time, and wander around the different shops to kill time. I have time to have a quick conversation with my Ate and before you know it, it's time to board. So far so good, yes? I wait until my row gets called and try to squeeze my way around the idiots crowding the entrance. It's irritating really. They hear rows being called by number and yet, they stand eagerly near the front KNOWING that they won't be called next, but still HOPING that they will, y'know? I hand the dude my ticket, he scans it, and I shuffle behind the others making their way down the walkway to the plane. I am greeted by the flight attendant and continue to find my way to my seat, 37F.
Whenever I travel back to the Bay, I always, always, always get a window seat. For the most part, I'm one of those people who won't get out of their seat for the duration of the flight and just chill reading a book. Because I need to bring my laptop for schoolwork, I usually have two carry-ons when I fly. I don't prefer to put my carry-ons in the overhead bin; rather, I stick them under the seat in front of me. Easy access, y'know? Plus, I'm just too damn short. ANYWAYS...when I get to my designated row, I would normally throw my handbag onto my seat and while carrying my laptop bag in front of me, continue to scoot to my seat. Not today.
I suppose that my laptop was unusually heavy today, not quite sure, but as I tried to scoot towards my seat, I heard a very loud and distinct POP! The next thing I knew, I had lost my balance and collapsed unto the seats. I totally freaked out because it was my knee that gave out. Instinct made me start feeling around my knee, making sure there weren't any bones sticking out or anything like that. After a quick assessment, I didn't see anything wrong, but as I tried to stand up and scoot some more, the pressure of my weight upon my right leg was too much to bear. At this point, my heart was pounding and I'm freaking out. All of these scenarios are going through my head...did I break something? do I need to get some assistance? do I need to get off the plane and go to a hospital? am I going to need to miss this flight home? what the HELL was the popping noise?!
After a few more attempts, I struggle from the aisle seat to the window. I put my bags in place and again, try to decide if anything is swelling or popping out, etc. Perhaps after about a few minutes, I feel myself settling into my seat and I disregard the pain.
Three hours and some minutes later as we're pulling into the Minneapolis airport, I start gathering my junk together and I feel a pain in my right knee. Uh oh. Not a good sign. As we begin exiting the plane, I feel myself limping. And just my freakin' luck, Northwest Airlines just happens to be the farthest from the baggage claim. So I limp, stop, limp, stop, limp, stop the entire way. I even test my right leg and try to put my entire weight unto it. Big mistake. I practically lose my balance, but thankfully, I don't make a fool out of myself in the middle of the terminal. I finally reach the baggage claim, am greeted by hubby (who had flowers for me!), and begin to feel a nagging pain as I walk. It hurt so much that I had to go to the Emergency Room.
ER's are often always long waits. It's to be expected. I went to the triage, filled out some paperwork, got put in a room to wait for a doctor, received an icepack for my knee, and continued to wait for over an hour. By this time, the swelling around my knee was definitely noticeable and I was beginning to feel worried. I was telling hubby that when my sister broke her leg when I was younger, or just whenever she got sick (and it was often!), I'd sometimes wish that it was ME that was injured so that I could get all the attention. Stupid, I know, but it's true. Thankfully, I've never had to stay overnight in the hospital for anything. Sure I've been to the ER for back spasms, but that's about it.
To make a long story short, here's the scoop: turns out that the POPPING noise was my kneecap separating! Because it had popped out, there was fluid in my knee from the trauma causing the swelling and the kneecap was now floating around. Ewwwww!Y'know, I've never been good with anything hospital related, blood especially, but this one has to take the cake for now. I literally had this nauseous feeling in my tummy just thinking of what he was saying. Turns out that I had to get an x-ray just to be sure that nothing was broken. It came back fine, but validated the fluid in my knee. He told me that I'd have to make an appointment with my regular doctor later today to get an MRI. He said that it could be anything from a torn or ripped ligament, to broken cartilage. He couldn't tell me how serious it was, but he wasn't ruling anything out. In the meantime, I would be leaving the ER in crutches. In crutches!!!
As I write this, my leg is wrapped in this knee isolator contrapment. It's really just some foam that they wrap around my leg with velcro to ensure that I do not bend my knee. On the way home, I probably almost busted my ass a few times already. My arms got easily tired and I think I sprained my left foot, too. I will not be able to move around much for the next few days and basically, I'm out of commission. This totally sucks because we're in the midst of moving to our new townhome and now, I'm confined to resting and/or hopping around the house. How so not conducive for me! I feel for hubby who needs to do more for me now, but on top of work and moving, I know he's already tired. Aiya! Talk about a NICE homecoming, eh?
So there you have it. Sorry...MnM has a problem with succinctness and isn't capable of sharing a "quick update." i was going to post a picture of me looking all ka-wawa, but we left it at the house. Stay tuned for a pic later today. I would appreciate the prayers that it's nothing too serious and yes, prayers that I won't bust my ass as I maneuver myself in crutches.
Other than that, the Bay Area Diaries will continue as soon as I'm able to figure out what the deal is. In a nutshell though, I had a GREAT time back in the City. It was awesome to see family & friends and do the whole catching up bit. Most of all, I was honored to have witnessed the marriages of two of my closest friends. More to come later...pray for me ya'll!
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