Baselining and Tailor's Buttons

I'm sitting in the third waiting room of the day at Illinois Masonic Medical Center.  I just had my baseline mammogram (fellows, line up, wanna hit this?)

I opted (and my doctor agreed) to have this a bit on the early side of 40 (the normal recco age) because of family history.

But I think, even more so I was motivated by a friend who was diagnosed and is now going through Chemo.  Said friend, let's call her "J", is recovering well and started Chemo today.  But man, she was YOUNGER then me, so it got my ass off the proverbial couch.

Also in exciting medical news, I am getting a foot ex-ray so a podiatrist can look and see if I have a bunion!  I wiki-pedied bunions, and my self-diagnosis makes me believe I have one on my big toe and one on the outside of the foot, otherwise known as a Tailor's Button.  Could that name be any more whimsical?  Like an old-fashioned tailor put a little button on the outside edge of my left foot---for fun!

Fellows, I know you are lining up now...for this gal with her mammogram and bunion---quite a cougar!

Oh well....I got a good luck at Uma Thurman's foot last night in the movie Kill Bill, and it looks like she's got a bunion AND hammer toes!  Take that sexy ladies!

I'm not so good at the medical stuff (i almost passed out when my sister Kitty, I mean "K" got her sonogram), so I often try to build in rewards for the after-care.

Today, as my reward, I get to eat a banana and go see an Oscar movie of my choice at Century City and maybe do Yoga at the Gym tonight.

Take that White-coat syndrome!

In the non-medical area of life--all is well...tomorrow I'm heading out to lovely Greyslake to see my old buddy Lori "L" and I've been babysitting a lot.  

Second City teaching is going well and I'm looking forward to vacation in Florida in a few weeks. Does this part of the post sound like the response at a cocktail party to the question of "And how are you?"

In all honesty, lately when people have asked me that, I've responded, in the most chipper, interesting and energetic way that I can..."Nothing is going on. Absolutely nothing.  I'm totally bored, and I've been going to the gym a ton, and watching tv, and reading and sleeping. So I can talk about that to the nth degree, but right now, my life is really really boring."

The fun ones let me talk about nothing and the ones who are thrown off by that response walk away.

Oh! They just handed me my "charts" so I'm free to go.

Which is good, because there's a lady crying in a wheelchair here, and another guy wearing only a White Sox tee (in this weather?) and a big giant face mask.  I don't need to catch what he's trying to stop spreading.

Woo hoo!

1/16/WHAT???

How can it be 1/16/09?

Yikes!

Today, thus far, has been lovely.  In fact, the past few days have been really nice.

I've managed to avoid going outside for almost two full days.  Yesterday was the super-cold coldest in years and years you may die if you go outside day.  So, I decided to follow that advice and did not venture out!

Yay for me!

Last night, Amy S and Lis came over and we ate pizza, drank wine and beer and huddled together against the cold.

This morning, I had my friend Erica over, and we feasted on breakfast food, visited, overdrank coffee and she just left.

Now, it's pretend to do stuff time by going on facebook, googling people in the name of research for a private matter, and sort piles on my desk.

Then, I go to the gym.

Tonight, show at LOL in Schaumburg (it's really good to actually get out of the house) and tomorrow is writing date with Amy.

I've started WORKING again, people!  And, I have this secret private matter that is occupying my brain, and taking up time.

Life is normalizing.

And you?

Working together, making it happen

Hello 2009!!! Bring yourself on!

I am finally, finally, getting stuff done.

I think my body was afraid of getting bedsores, so it's kicked into gear.

Here's what's happened in formerly LAZY land....

1) I made an appointment to go get legal aid for our top-secret production company legal issue

2) The play I'm in opens tonight!  It's a little 20-minute play, but has been real fun to rehearse for.

3) I went to get my lady parts checked out! I know have more referrals for other pieces parts that are not working so well.

4) I took down xmas decorations.

5) I planned my trip to Florida

6) I booked my classes for this term at Second City

7) I made up with my dad!  Well, we had made up, but I reconnected with him after the make up after the big holiday 08 fight.

8) I journalled!  Two days in a row!

9) I made Polska Kiebalsa...and ate it!  It's so darn good.

10) I did Laundry like a mo-fo.

11) I read a few books

There's no stopping me world!!!!

Pre Party Party

I hosted a pre party party at my house on Saturday and it was a ball!!!  A friend of mine lives in my condo building and has a big bash every year.  Last year I started this pre-party and we continued on this year.

My god, it was so fun.  

As Andy later said, the thing about a pre-party is that you know everyone's going to leave and not be there all night.  

So true!

And, the actual party was a ball, too.  A bit of a blowout for old Beck, even more so then my purposely tame NYE.

Today is back to life, which, for me, at the moment, means cleaning up my desk, doing laundry, hitting the gym, trying not to spend any money until the work comes in later in the week.

Apparently, tonight, Ohio State plays in the Tostito bowl!  I may just have to make a steak and potatoes and watch the game for my entertainment.

I've watched so many movies over the past month, including this weekend's movie festival of my own making..here are my thoughts:

1) Batman The Dark Knight--Boring and so so

Why?  These kind of movies are far too noisy for my taste, I don't care about advances in blowing things up, there are an awful lot of guns and killing and why can't the whole movie just be the butler and Morgan Freeman?  Why do I always think Gordon is William H. Macy instead of Gary Oldman?  Where did he go when he fake-died?  And the joker!  Man, I guess the way we portray "crazy" is by licking our lips and inventing knife scar stories?  UGH!)  When I told friends I saw it, they look at me with glee, and then I tell them my opinion and they seem disappointed in me. I think if I saw it in a movie theatre I would like it more.

2) 27 Dresses---fine.  Nothing big.

The leads didn't have a whole lot of chemistry together, as much as Heigl was trying to light up the screen with her giant display of teeth smile, he just didn't seem that into her.  And, when a movie is about 27 bridesmaid's dresses, you know it's already a farce.  But if she was such a good friend to all those gals who's wedding she was in, why on earth weren't they part of her life during the movie?  I get why people have beefs with romantic comedies--they are basically poorly written, love to have women engage in a cat fight (in this case, two sisters!  Two sisters with a dead mom!  I mean, come on!  Really?) and love to have women wearing crazy clothes.  These 27 dresses were so god-damn awful.  And I don't mean awful, like, oh that crazy bride picked something that doesn't flatter me.  I mean, awful, in that costumer went crazy and won't it be hilarious to have these super-over-the-top dresses?  Right? We all think tacky clothes are hilarious?  Because we are all smarter then that?

Anyway, with no chemistry, a wanky premise and even with the lovely Heigl slugging her way through, this movie just didn't do it for me. Uh, fine to watch, but nothing great.

3) La Dolce Vita--I didn't read a thing about this movie before watching it, nor had I ever seen any Fellini, so I found myself looking for the narrative to follow.  But once I just chilled out and watched, it was really cool visually. I've been to Rome for a few days of my life, but this movie just made me want to learn Italian immediately and move there.  Nicely done old Fellini.  Some bonus material on the DVD included Fellini TV with some fucked-up cool commercials.  And then an interview with the lady who played the blond Swedish-American actress, Sylvia.  She was washed up in every sense of the word---bloated, a dress that tried to hide her body that was not the same as the one she had in the movie, and so much war paint.  Oh lady! It's ok, you don't have to look that way anymore.  We'll still be interested in you.  Sad. I couldn't really watch it.

4) Into the Wild--By far, my favorite movie of the whole fest.  Man, it was so so great.  So beautifully shot, and such a great adaptation of a wonderful wonderful book.  This is a sad story about a young man who is kind of a dick, but is so recognizable and just seemed to make a few mistakes that cost him his life.  Or made one big huge mistake.  Not sure which, but I loved it.

5) Read after Burning---Those Cohen brothers make some good movies. This one was interesting, but not great.  I mean, the actors are wonderful, the story is kind of, eh.  I don't know what they wanted it to be--a caper? A crime story?  I wasn't satisfied, though I was impressed by the performances.  Don't hurry out for this one.

Now, onto laundry!

Here are some things I have opinions on

These are things I like:

--Facebook--I now can find out that a friend's sister from elementary school has either birthed, adopted or fostered a new baby and that it's "A christmas miracle" that the baby came.

--My cleaning lady. She has opinions and gossips with me.

--My roommate Andy. He reminds me every day how to live a creative life that is not caught up in chaos, how to be kind and that crumbs on the counter are ok.

--My friend Amy. She makes me laugh and laugh and tells me "You don't want to mess around with that business" about something that one should feel kind and generous about, but you don't feel that way.  Plus, she doesn't get judgey when I tell her she should start reading my blog, because she's missed out on a lot and that some of it, sometimes, is funny.  

--The feeling of getting something done that I get after my cleaning lady cleans my apartment. I didn't do it, but I wrote the check, so that's the reward for money well spent.

--Walking in brisk, cold, wintery nights.

--Working out, and then taking a shower at the gym, then sitting in the sauna or steam room and combing out my hair.

--These little fish guys from mexico. They are brightly colored, have stripes and their tails are in constant motion

--My Mac.  It's cute and makes me feel hipper then I am.

Things I don't like:

--Drunk men threatening bullet activity on the el

--When you buy something, like a new clock radio alarm, and that's supposed to fit and charge your Ipod, and it doesn't.  The Ipod jack refuses to quickly or consistently recognize my ipod. So I am constantly shoving the thing in there, flopping it back and forth and trying to get it to read the ipod. Frustrating!  I need to call the manufacturer.

--When the UPS man comes after 5, and you really really wanted to get your camera back and you waited around all day and missed him.  Shady business UPS.

--Putting away Christmas Decorations

--Breast Cancer

--My Mac--it hates my hotmail, every day there is some issue with my email and I can't figure out how to do everything I want to do on it and it makes me angry.

What about you?

Wow

I just saw the movie of the Into the Wild.  I loved loved loved it.  Man, it's so great.  I'm listening to the "actors" talking about the movie, and Sean Penn, etc.  It's pretty awesome, as I sit here, that Sean Penn is being interviewed about the movie, and he's smoking.  You know, he's Sean Penn, he can't be bothered by convention and as he's being interviewed, he just HAS to smoke.

Hilarious.

It does make me want to move out west to live in the desert. And, to go to Slab City.  I really dug the California desert when I was out there in May.  Oh my god, I totally just wrote Dug, and it's clear that I'm being influenced by the cool, crunchy, uber non-traditional hikey sort of thing that this movie is talking about.

Next up on special movie night is The Dark Knight.

Christmas was good.  New Years was great.  I'm taking off a night from drinking and excess to be in my house alone alone alone.

Everyone, be cool.  Don't be cynical.  Embrace it all.  

Toodles.