I'm Gonna Get Lei'd!

It's been far too long since I've been out and about in the world. My last vacation was last June, and needless to say, all the effects of the relaxation have worn off by now. Well, thank goodness for Mr. Ten S' company, because they are sponsoring our trip next week to Kauai. That's right. Saturday morning Mr. Ten S and I are boarding a plane and are heading to a place far far away from here where people will bring us drinks and we can lay around in the sun all day long if we feel like it.

Good thing this came around, because I am royally burned out. Too much work and school are again sucking the life right out of me. Truthfully, I plan on spending much of the time pretending I'm a sleepy cat, always looking for a good place to nap in the sun. So bring on the tiki bars and leis! I'm ready to lounge.

Keeping It Close To Home

Much like the woman in this video, I have now come close to completing the items on this checklist. Eating local has been the challenge of the year. I will admit that sometimes I fail, but more often than not, with just a little bit of extra effort, it is absolutely possible to eat local. It helps that Bink's favorite food is Whitefish, which is a fish of the Great Lakes. It helps that Sweetness' favorite snack is apples. It helps that we all have a fondness for root veggies, which kept us on track this winter. I'm looking forward to a summer of fabulous local crops, including our own. If I could keep a chicken, I'd do that too! It's all the small things that we do that will keep our beautiful earth healthy longer. And don't forget to turn out the lights!

A Cat and a Cup

Much thanks to Beth for her partnership and camaraderie in our tribute to college radio. I am what I am today because of college radio. I'm not going to say I'm smarter, because I certainly "skimped" on my study time when devoted to the station, but I have great memories and music that I carry in my heart everywhere. That's worth way more than the sheepskin on my wall. Please feel free to click on the link above to view our cooperative labor of love and thank Beth for me!

"Left" Out

In the late eighties, Split Enz frontman Neil Finn formed what was to be a band that went on to eclipse the Split Enz fame. Crowded House, for me, was one of those bands who even though they attained fairly wide commercial success, never was nor became anything less than a group that consistently produced impeccable music. Their lyrics and harmonies have stayed with me through many years now. Rich and luscious, with Neil's pure voice layered on top, they were and are again one of the best bands that have straddled the alternative/commercial line. While they were a little too commercial to get played on most alternative stations and a little too alternative and thoughtful to get ridiculous overplay on commercial stations, they managed to find their audience, and I for one, appreciate the music they've left for us. This is my very favorite song by them.



CROWDED HOUSE-Into Temptation

Back in the Game

SWEET-Action
Aw hell, this video has nothing to do with anything, but it's kind of the frame of mind I'm in right now and therefore, I'm posting it. School starts again tomorrow. Gratefully, the break seemed really long and I actually feel refreshed and pleased that I took some time to remind myself why I'm putting myself through this torture. The good news classwise is that I have the same professor I had for Statistics and he is great. I'm looking forward to another class with him. Even though this is all online, you defintitely get a very strong feel for people's personalities. So, rock out glam style. I'm letting my hair down one last time before I suck it up for the final push. As Bink said today, "Just think, in about a year Bush will be gone and you'll have your Master's. Perfect timing!"

The Verdict

Unless they are wrong, my knee problems have been sorted out and the result is not a very happy one for me. My right knee is now feeling fine after being therapized for the last three weeks. My poor left knee, however, is barely better than when I started therapy. Today they told me that it most likely is a problem with my medial meniscus (see illustration). What this means is that this is not just tired muscles or something that has been pulled. This is a piece of my body that basically said, "Screw you. You will never run again."

More than likely, it was damaged because of my faulty mechanics due to ye olde ankle injury. Damn, if that thing hasn't come back to haunt me time after time. If I had known that taking a study break to play in the snow would ruin a portion of my life forever, I would've stayed planted on the sofa. Now I fell like I'm stuck planted on the sofa for an eternity. Today I had to have the "Well, what can I do?" talk. I can swim, ride my bike and maybe walk. Lifting weights is OK too because the movement is controlled. I want to cry. I want to scream. I want to run.

As I sit here, about to start school again for the final year and change push, I feel like I didn't accomplish what I wanted to in my time off, which was to get in shape. Actually, my legs are in great shape right now, thanks to physical therapy and the task masters there. I feel my body getting older and I feel like it's time to fight back. If I let go now, it really is all downhill. I'm not ready for that and probably never will be. I just need to wrap my head around the new reality. Maybe if I continue with therapy, and maybe if I regain a little more function in my ankle, I might have a shot at running again. But for now, it's an aborted mission. And it was starting to feel really good again, too.