Today is my anniversary.  Yup.....a year ago today I broke my tibial plateau.   I cannot believe a year has gone by.  I'm happy to be back on my feet again.   Yee haw!   

 

I got back to Boston on Friday afternoon.  It was a good flight.  Only spent 45 minutes waiting on the runway.  Bad weather over Pennsylvania and New York held us up.

Saturday I went to Amherst to have lunch with Amy.   She's off to Florida to teach for a year or two.  We had a yummy lunch at Judies and finished it off with ice cream at Bart's.  I tried to take my white bookshelf back to Boston with me, but it did not fit in my car.  So now it's Amy's forever.    In retrospect it's sort of funny that we lugged it all the way down the stairs only to bring it back up again.  Have a safe trip Amy.....and enjoy Florida.

Saturday night I made dinner and we watched the season finale of Queer as Folk "on Demand. " I love "on Demand."

Sunday we went to the Central Square Worlds Fair.  We ate Tibetan and BBQ.  We also enjoyed tea at Dado and went to see Bourne Supremacy.  I liked the Bourne Identity better, but this was still enjoyable. 

Now it's Monday and I'm back in the office.  I have been catching up from being away for a week.  We are getting ready for a two day training this week. 

I'm expecting this week to be a bit of a transportation nightmare.  The Democratice National Convention is in town this week.  Don't get me wrong...I'm a big leftist flaming liberal democrat.....I'm all about my political party.   I'm just a little concerned about my commute home today.  Other than that....I'm pretty psyched about the energy and excitement of the convention.  I hope I will be able to go to some of the events.

I'm off.............

Have been in Washington, DC for the past few nights.  Work is ok.  Having a WONDERFUL time catching up with people.  Carolyn....Alanna, Catherine, Nicole......Molly.  It is nice seeing old friends.  Went to NARA after work today.  Checked out the Charters of Freedom.  Feeling a little tried.  Will be happy to go home.

I know I only wrote four days ago......but I feel like it has been forever.  I have been out of the office since Tuesday.  I had  a wonderful time at the training I was at....learned a lot.....but I'm having one of those days where I wish I hadn't left.   Work is busy....my co-workers are a bit cranky.  I just want to go home.  Only one hour and five minutes left.
 
Went to see http://www.coffeeandcigarettesmovie.com/ on Tuesday and hated it.  Saw http://wip.warnerbros.com/beforesunset/ last night and loved it.
 
Hoping to stop by http://www.somervilleartscouncil.org/programs/artbeat/ at some point this weekend.  Lets pray for sun.
 
Going to Washington, DC for five nights on Sunday...for work.  Looking forward to seeing my friends...Carolyn, Alanna, Nicole, Catherine, and Molly while I am there.  Not looking forward to sleeping in a strange bed.  I think I'm a homebody at heart.  I like to travel.......but there is nothing like home. 

Cynthia and Mike's wedding was a great time this weekend. I had a lot of fun. My new nightmare hair was manageable. My heals came off and were replaced with birkenstocks half way through the reception. I danced. Saw some people I hadn't seen in years. Now I'm exhuasted.

I spoke with my dermatologist's office today. My biopsy results were in. Looks like the growth on my face is benign. Glad it's not cancer. Yee haw...just call me WartFace!

Good news. I found out at the end of last week that my enzymes are still normal. They cut my Prednisone to 2.5 mg qd. Yee haw. I go back in a month for more bloodwork.

Got a haircut this weekend. Not sure if the style is quite me. It's a little bit like Danny Partridge meets the L Word. Long bangs are in I hear. For the first time in forever I have an "in" haircut......but I don't really know how to "do" my hair. I haven't really had to "do" my hair since 1987. I'm working on it with new products etc.

Sunday was a GREAT 4th of July. Went to Ogunquit Beach for the day. Got a patchy sunburn on my upper arms and chest......ate yummy french fries.......took a dip in the ocean........spent time at the Front Porch singing cabaret..........had dinner...and watched the fireworks over the ocean. IT was all good. I didn't want to return to Boston. Spent the night in Kittery. Came back on Monday.

Got a Vitamin C Sea Spa Facial yesterday...it was dreamy. My face feels like new.

Gotta run.........

These are the days of political movies. I hope they will prevent George W. Bush from being elected.

I went to see Michael Moore's new movie Fahrenheit 9/11 on Saturday. It was great....I highly recommend it.

I also went to see You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train at the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline last night. This is a documentary about the life and work of Howard Zinn. It was pretty inspiring. It was tres cool to see the local footage. Zinn in and around Harvard Square...BU......anti-war protests on the Boston Common. I was at a couple of the events they showed him speaking at. I didn't see myself. I wasn't a star that day.

I feel like the rap singer Nelly. I suddenly have the desire to sing...."it's getting hot in here." I went to the dermatologist today. Had a skin tag removed from my eye lid. I also had a growth removed from above my lip. Hence...the bandaid on my face...and the Nelly thing. It could be a wart...it could be squamous cell skin cancer. They are going to test it. I am going to call the doctor next week to find out if it is something bad....or just an old wart. They tell me it is probably a wart.

Yesterday's Walk for Research was a HUGE success. Thank you to everyone who sponsored me.......walked....or volunteered. You are the best.

Had dinner with my friend Elke who was visiting from LA last night. It was really nice to see her. We went souvenir shopping...she bought me the new Beastie Boys cd for my birthday.....thanks Elke....I love it.....had dinner at the Border Cafe....and got some jamine tea at Dado. It was all good.

Congratulations to Lori and Sarah who were married just a few hours ago in Cambridge. I wish you a happy and healthy life together.

Getting ready for the Walk for Research. Only a few days left. I called the ALF office today and they said that things are coming together. Yee haw! I love walks...I love my liver.

Having bloodwork next week. I hope the results will be good. The hope is for me to be off the Prednisone very soon.

Seeing the dermatologist next week. I want her to get rid of this little growth I have under my nose. Could be a wart. Could be a skin tag. I don't really care...I just want it gone.

I have to run and do some work. Happy weekend!

I had a WONDERFUL birthday weekend. We went on a Duck Tour and had dinner with some friends at Tasca on Friday night. Thank you to Brenda, Cynthia, Dave, Lisa, Lori, Mike, Sarah, and Steph who all joined me at dinner and made my day special. It was a great time. Thanks!

Saturday we went to see Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban at the New England Aquarium IMAX Theatre. We also had dinner at Pizzeria Regina in the North End. The service was bad......but the pizza was yummy.

Sunday I took my father to Finian's in Quincy for brunch. I spent the afternoon with my mother and step-father. We went out to the Watch City Brewing Company . We celebrated not only my birthday, but Father's Day and their anniversary as well. It was nice spending time with my family.

The weekend was so busy that I'm feeling a bit tired today.

Yesterday was my Mom and and Step-Dad's anniversary. I believe this make 15 years. Congratulations to them.

I go home to Boston today.

Tomorrow is my 31st birthday.

Have been in Stockbridge, MA for the past few days. I'm here for a work related training. So far the training is informative. My colleagues are fun. I am staying at the lovely Red Lion Inn. I consumed some wonderful food at pearls in Great Barrington. Had dinner in the courtyard of the hotel last night. The dinner was tasty....and the entertainent good. Tonight we are having a bbq at my co-worker's house. Have gone shopping at the outlet malls. I tried to go for a hike with my boss and co-worker. They were too fast for me so I quit half way up the mountain. Came back to my room......washed up, and read a book on the veranda. I just grabbed a decaf skim latte with a shot of vanilla. All has been fun......but I'm ready to go home. I want to see my partner.....sleep in my own bed...watch my own tv.......use my own computer......take a bath.

I feel like crap. I have a scratchy throat.....I'm exhausted and......my head hurts. I have been feeling this way for a week now. I want to feel better. I called the doctor, but she doesn't have any appointments open today. I am waiting to hear back from her.

I hope I feel better soon. I have a lot going on. I want to go to Pride Lights tonight......I have a Walk for Research meeting tomorrow night...I'm seeing the Indigo Girls on Friday night....Saturday is the pride parade and festival....and that night is Cynthia's bachelorette party. Monday I'm off to Stockbridge for work for three nights. I just want to go home and nap...but I'm feeling like I cannot.

Went to see the Paw Sox last night. It was a good time. We got killed by the Louisville Bats.

Went to see the Triplets of Belleville this weekend. I highly recommend seeing this movie if you can. The animation was great...the music good...the story sweet. It was really cool how there was little to no dialogue.

I recently had an experience in my personal life where I used data migration as a preservation tool....and I'm pretty exctied about it. A few years ago I went to a college a capella competition at Smith College. I bought a Best of College A Capella cd at the concert and loved listening to it. Over the years I noticed that it didn't play well on any of my cd players. I cleaned the cd and it didn't make a difference. Sometimes it wouldn't play at all...or would fade in and out. This past weekend I imported those songs from that cd to my ipod and they actually sound great. I can listen to this music again...yee haw. I love seeing this sort of thing in my everyday life.

Mom is still working part time. I think she has been evaluating her long commute to work. She recently told me that she doesn't like wasting a lot of time getting to and from work. It's interesting to see her assess some of the things in her life from her new perspective as a cancer survivor.

I was excited to learn that a group of gay and lesbian residents of Dorchester have come together to form a group called DotOut. I am enthusiastic because not only am I a lesbian...but I also grew up in Dorchester. So there you go...these are my people. Their website states the following:

DotOUT is a grassroots, political organization representing gay and lesbian voters in Dorchester. We are committed to advancing a legislative agenda that will grant us equal and fair protections under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. We are further committed to working with and supporting those Dorchester elected officials and candidates for elected office whose personal conviction, public position and voting record demonstrate a commitment to us, their gay and lesbian neighbors. We believe in the strength of the gay and lesbian community in Dorchester and, together, believe that we will positively influence local elections and public opinion on issues that are relevant to us.

I have great news. I heard from my doctor today. He wants me to reduce my Prednisone to 5 mg. Yee haw. My enzymes are better than they were the last time I had bloodwork. He wants me to have bloodwork in another month. The hope is to take me off the Prednisone all together.

I have been sort of lazy about doing my ankle and foot exercises lately. As a result I have noticed more stiffness in my arch and ankle. I need to keep on it. I hope my foot issues won't re-surface with the decrease in Prednisone. I just did my exercises for the first time today. I will do them again tonight.

I am still walking and doing Pilates. I will admit that I have been doing a more modified...I'm in a rush...without the videotape Pilates workout these days. I need to get up earlier and do the tape slowly. But it's so hard to get up in the morning.

I have a headache....and a bit of a scratchy throat. I didn't go to work today. I hope it's not allergies. Allergies don't go away. Sickness does. I spent the day reading and napping. I'm feeling a little bit better.....

There isn't too much to report on with regard to my health. I am still on ten mg of Prednisone. Having bloodwork on Friday. Going to see my primary care physician tomorrow. Mom is back to work. She is looking for a new job closer to the city.

Went to Provincetown last weekend. We had an amazing time. I didn't want to return to Boston. We stayed at the Sandpiper Beach House. If you ever get the chance to stay here.....do. It was beautiful. We had a wonderful view of the harbor....a nice deck...access to a private beach...two bathrooms...all new appliances (microwave, dishwasher, stove)...everything is brand new...they only opened up in April......a nice gas fireplace (It was cold enough to use last weekend)....DVD player.........VCR....etc., etc. We had a lot of fun outside of the apartment too. We ran into my friend over at SighClub who I haven't seen in an age. It was great to see her. CabaretFest was going on so we got to see a lot of good entertainment. We went to a parade on Saturday and got to see the Cheer NY Cheer Squad and Dance Team, the South Philadelphia String Band, the Manchester Muchachos, and the Connecticut Alumni Drum and Bugle Corps. We also spent quite a bit of our time this weekend eating. We consumed had yummy espresso shakes and pizza at Spiritus, and had wonderful dinners at the Red Innthe Martin House,and Clem and Ursies. We also had a tasty brunch at the Mews on Sunday. I ran into my friend Juan who was working at the restaurant. We dated each other for a week in junior high. six years later we both came out of the closet. I also forgot to mention that we saw a cute movie called Latter Days while we were there. And we also rented these great seven speed beach cruiser bikes. They were a lot of fun. Very different than driving my mountain bike. I loved it. Oh yes......and this past weekend was the Monumental Yard Sale in Provincetown. So....we got to go to a bunch of yard sales. I didn't buy anything, but it was fun looking. See why I didn't want to leave?

Today is a historic day in the history of Massachusetts and this country. Massachusetts became the first state in this country to allow gays and lesbians to marry today. You can read all about it at MassEquality. I'm a proud lesbian living in the first state in the country to take such a stand. Pretty cool huh? Our Governor might be an idiot....but our Supreme Judicial Court has it going on.

Mom is back to work part time and looking for other employment. Her current commute to work is awful. Things with my liver appear to be going well. Still on 10 mg Prednisone. Am having bloodwork in two weeks. I was looking closely at myself yesterday....and I think my cheeks look bigger. No one else agrees. I have been eating like a hog lately too.

I was looking at some pictures of myself from about 12 or 13 years ago last night. Word of advice....never do this. I am a young person....only 30.....but for the first time in my life i could really see how I had aged in comparison. I used to be thin....and had amazing skin.......these days I'm heavy and my pores are getting a little larger. Argh! I'm trying hard. I do my pilates tape....and I walk...and I have been trying to eat better.

My life has been busy. Cynthia's shower was nice. Mothers day was yummy at Oleana. We also took a trip to Krispy Kreme. Having lunch with a friend visiting form out of town on Saturday. Going to a movie at the Gay/Lesbian Film Festival at the MFA on Sunday. Going to Provincetown the weekend after next. Had coffee with Mary T. last night..getting together with Mary P. tonight. Enjoyed mexican food with Joanie on Tuesday.