crack

I rock hit my windshield this morning on the way into work. It's not big, but it still wasn't the way I would have liked to start out my week.

When a house is tottering to its fall,
The strain lies heaviest on the weakest part,
One tiny crack throughout the structure spreads,
And its own weight soon brings it toppling down.
—Ovid

Cracks happen against your will. They happen in spite of your efforts to avoid them.

Words strain,
Crack and sometimes break, under the burden,
Under the tension, slip, slide, perish,
Decay with imprecision, will not stay in place,
Will not stay still.
—T.S. Eliot

Fissures suddenly spring up and can't be closed or mended. One is helpless watching the crack, willing it not to spread.

It ain’t no sin if you crack a few laws now and then, just so long as you don’t break any.
—Mae West

Leave it to Mae West to put life and it's flaws back into perspective.

strange news

ABC News: A Pregnant Man?

OK, you've got to read this. It's so bizarre.

Quote: Inside Bhagat's stomach was a strange, half-formed creature that had feet and hands that were very developed. Its fingernails were quite long.

Read more at www.abcnews.go.com/Prim...

off making money

Affluenza, my current book club book, is all about how our consumeristic culture is killing us. And how we believe making more money will make us happier but just makes us emptier.

I think many of us would agree with this. The Pope recently told us to chill out a bit and relax before we all became hard-hearted and spiritually stunted.

But that's easier said than done isn't it? We want what others have. We want what we think will improve our lives. And most of the things we've got to have cost money. So we work.

My roomie and I have recently decided to get a DVR because videotaping is too troublesome anymore, oh and while we're at it, we might as well upgrade to digital cable and add the internet. We haven't had the internet in five years. It's going to be tough going from a $12 bill to a $90 one. But we have to have it, right?

I can justify the internet. My freelance work is growing. I just got another job. And having the internet will simplify my work. So I'm working to pay for the internet, which I need to do my work. Hmm...

For the rest of the week, I'm going to push off the book and the Pope's recommendations. I have a magazine to get out and a rush-order freelance gig to get through before Friday. Maybe this time, maybe money will be able to buy me happiness.

Or maybe not. At least my weekend looks to be work-free. I might even have time to look for a affluenza remedy. Do you think I can find that with the flu and cold meds at CVS?

flickr time

Magazine play
Originally uploaded by theCallowQueen.

I finally posted new photos to Flickr. They're from my recent trip to Chicago. I'll put more up as time allows.

My dear friends and former co-workers on my faux magazine cover were able to attend the conference too, and they got to trot home with a stack of award plaques.

nibble, nibble, bite

I'm not hungry, but I have the desire to eat and eat and eat today. Sigh.

Twix, I hear you calling.

a royals evening

Kcprogrammer and I went with A&J to the Royals' game last night against the Red Sox. It was a good game. A ball hit by one of the Red Sox guys went flying straight toward us (AT and I ducked while the boys were eyeing the potential prize). Thankfully, it continued flying over our heads and out of the ballpark. The Royals won! And it was nice to spend some time with friends. (And I didn't get a sunburn!)

i want candy

It was one thing for my roomie to go on a super health kick. She's eating all this low-cal stuff, which I'm cool with (I like having good snack options), and going to the gym every freakin' day, which makes me feel a bit lazy and tired. But then last week, kcprogrammer kicked exercise and health eating into high gear as well.

The overall end result I'm good with. I don't eat out as much. I eat healthier foods. I'm motivated to go to the gym a bit more often so I don't feel like such a slug.

The problem: There's a sever lack of chocolate in my life. Yes, I could go to the store and buy candy bars to eat. But that requires, um, effort.

See, I'm not the grocery shopper in my household. My roomie may give me instructions to pick up and item or two on rare occasions, but she's the buyer. (This is due partly to my avoidance of the task, her preferred shopping time on the way home from work, and the fact that I don't think she trusts me to make the most cost-effective choices.)

And now no candy or dessert with kcprogrammer either. If he's going to indulge, he tends more towards pizza or BBQ than chocolate and ice cream.

The other day at the store (yes, I have been known to go into stores), I looked at the fat and calories in my favorite candy bars. The facts weren't good, I know, no surprise. But I was hoping that one, just one, of my preferred sweets might somehow slip into the not outrageous category. For more sad news, see CNN's Nutrition Comparison of Sweets.

In the words of my doctor, "If it tastes good, spit it out."

headaches

So that headache from Monday worsened. And the meds I was given to relieve the headache (since I'm not supposed to take ibuprofen any longer and Tylenol does nothing for me) turned out to be nothing but trouble, intensifying my upset stomach. A trip to the porcelain god was required before calling it quits for the day.

I went home still hoping to take a nap and then finish my day's work. That didn't happen. The throbbing continued in my head and the nausea came like waves. Thank you, to my very attentive roomie. I'm very lucky to have you.

I did feel well enough to venture back to work at 6a.m. to work for a few hours without the noise of co-workers or the glaring lights. I didn't accomplish as much as my managing editor would have liked. But she was, understandably stressed. My illness left her alone on the editorial staff to tackle two magazine deadlines and the day's ration of newsletters. I felt bad, but I would have felt even worse if I had stayed. I simply could not look at my computer screen for an instant longer.

My boss, who has less to do with production and didn't know of the stress my managing editor was under, was surprised and impressed with my dedication. He even asked me if he could get me anything from downstairs. (OK, most of you would not be impressed by this, but if you knew what a reclusive type my boss is, you'd be impressed.)

I went home a bit after 9a.m. to spend a second day nursing my headache. I tried to nap. I grew restless. And then last night, I couldn't sleep at all. I tossed and turned and woke a bit grumpy and with aches in my back.

So, after two days of resting to nurse a headache, I'm more tired than when I began.