Happiest Place on Earth? Not Really

Tomorrow, I am setting off for a vacation I looked forward to since June, July? But I probably will be sobbing a little (I always cry at airports) as I make my way to check-in solo.

Some of you were recipients of my panic phone a few days ago when I found out from M that he had to cancel his end.

The root of this evil once again lies in the corporate tools. He went to KC at almost the eleventh hour last week for some corporate deal. I received a phone call the night before he's scheduled to return that he won't be able to make the vacation as some last-minute budget adjustments must be made. Needless to say, I'm devastated. And so was the rest of his family, whom we'll be having this unofficial mini-vacation with.

Hence, the rabid phone calls I made to friends who have kids or who are single to see if they want to take over his Disney packet. After all the panic, my sil managed to get her nephew to join us, I found out last night. All is almost well again. We didn't lose the money, and M's airfare with Southwest can be used for up to one year from day of purchase, with no penalty charge. One hurrah for Southwest.

But what makes me ill and so ironic is that we are going to the supposed happiest place on earth, and I doubt I can be truly happy without him there.

Feminists may deem me weak, that I need a man to make me happy, and that I can't be independent enough to enjoy by myself and with my other loved ones (I'm fortunate my in-laws and I get along fabulously). But he truly is my better half, and life is just simply more enjoyable with him around.

The other frustration is that while I'm enjoying myself in Orlando, M is toiling away for THE MAN (yes, we are actually serving the real man/men, keeping their McMansions, and golf club memberships intact). It's too infuriating. And there's nothing right now we can do anything about it. And really, that's another blog for another time, when I'm sure there're no "traitors" in friends of friends who will let slip my hatred for THE CORPORATION.

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Jeremy: In regards to the last paragraph, you have a "fellow traveler" in me. Just in time for Wednesday's "employee appreciation day" where everyone who doesn't work with the public can dress down. That's never meant me.

Patrick: Wait, you're going to the happiest place on earth? You should have told me you were coming to New York City; I'd totally be your tour guide!

Christina: You know you're preaching to the choir when you're talking about how evil THE CORPORATION is. And now THE CORPORATION and its minions have hacked me off even more by ruining your vacation with Mark. Comfort yourself that someday the corporation, The Man and his minions will burn in a very special room on the 13th ring of Hell. I've asked some of my associates at Vatican Central to help arrange this...

Professional Respect

Since joining a different set skill here, I've come to respect the worker bees that keep the business alive more.

When I was at the newsroom, the tension between the sales and news teams were rumored to be intense. I played along, being the follower I was, and created this animosity towards them within me.

Now that I'm with the sales force, I see and sense the tremendous pressure they are put under. And if you ask me now if these folks deserve the "high" pay they are getting, and driving the sort of cars they drive, then for the most part, I think so. It's not a fun job to ask a stranger to part with money. And it takes savvy and math acuity, to boot. I have it easy, to be honest. And I feel guilty when I approach the sales rep to see if they had considered this piece of research to support their cause, or why they didn't pursue that account. Although, to be fair, there are some lazy asses who'd rather be order takers, than soliciting new businesses, or thinking of new and creative ways to package a message.

Another newfound respect that I have for a while now are to the reporters. Today, I had a last-minute task to go interview a retired lady at a retirement home for a women's section that advertising is publishing in conjunction with a marketing women's event. No, this is not my job duty. But being in the committee means I help out when needed.

It was tough having to do that at 2 p.m. with a 4 p.m. deadline. The interview took an hour, and it got better as I got over my initial self-doubt. While it is a feature piece (150 words at most), there's the break-the-ice moment, the constant reminder not to come across as patronizing, to constantly smile. Absolute emotional and physical drain at the end of it.

To my friends out there in the many different jobs you do, unless you truly are doing a piece-of-cake work, you're doing great.

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Opposites do Attract

So, I often kill time after work by logging into myspace and seeing what the rest of you are up to. Tonight, I came upon Jill's new set of quizzes. I took them and upon sharing my results with M, he decided to take a break and do a few, too. Here are our results:

Which Classic Movie are you?

Me: Platoon
Him: Easy Rider

Which Famous Leader are you?
Me: Hitler
Him: Einstein

Which Hogwarts school do you belong to?
Me: Slytherine
Him: Ravenclaw

Ying, Yang

Milk to my coffee

We are perfect for each other -- we balance each other -- we complete each other

I'm sure my friend Karen can relate to this.

Eye Surgery Aftermath

I'm rid of my contacts and glasses.

Finally, after years of wondering and wishing, I confronted the searing laser.

The experience itself was pleasant -- my eye care center consultant was there to allow me to squeeze her tiny fingers and there pre and post-operation as well to asure me everything was going to be OK.

It was.

The only scary part is doing all the research before that and not knowing what the experience was going to be like.

For those who are considering laser eye surgery, other than having to find out who the trusted local surgeons are in your area, the only advice I can offer is GO DO IT!

I went through a battery of tests a few days before my operation, and on the day itself was provided plenty of numbing drops. I didn't feel except for the pressure of the little brush clearing away the epithelium (the topmost thin layer of the cornea) and then it's to stare straight into the orange light.

How did I keep my stare without blinking? Easy. Tape was plastered around my eyes to hold a Clockwork Orange-like contraption that prys my eyes open. Again, no pain.

A few seconds of the laser zapping away at my cornea and a bandage contact lens was put over my cornea to protect it as it heals.

I was told to expect lots of pain on the 3rd day, and fluctuating vision.

Sunday came, and no pain.

Today, I went for my 2nd post-op checkup, which included removal of my bandage contact lens. The verdict -- because I took care to use my medicated drops, lubricating drops, daily dose of Vitamin C etc, that my healing is remarkable.

Although I do not have perfect vision now (nearsightness has some blurriness), I can still make my way around really well.

For clarification, I did not have Lasik. I had PRK.

Lasik involves the cutting of the epithelium (resulting in a flap, which after the cornea lasering, the flap is restored and set to heal.

PRK involves the brushing away of the epithelium (no flap here), cornea lasering, and bandage contact lens, and new epithelium cells growth.

Flap for one, no flap for the other. Simple.

Another difference, Lasik vision restoration is almost instant. PRK is slower -- takes a few weeks to 3 months.

Eye Surgery Query

A really straightforward blog: does anyone know or has gone through PRK (photorefractive keratectomy) surgery. It is NOT Lasik. It does not involve the cutting and peeling and restoring of the cornea. Instead, the process is more akin to scraping the cornea. It's been around longer than Lasik.

If you have any information or feedback, let me know asap.

Forget the 3-second rule

And always wear shoes outside. While we are at it, gloves, too.

First of all, thanks to Christina for the advice pertaining to the critter blog. (Frankly, do you guys check back to see if your comments are answered? I do! Yeah, I need validation and a life.) My shoes will be thoroughly shaken to rid them of any pestilence.

Speaking of which, another set of critters were delivered to us, courtesy of our fearler predator Bubba.

I awoke this morning to find that our small patio table was shifted away from the wall. Since I told myself umpteenth times not to sweat the small stuff anymore, I let it be.

Now, my morning ritual involves lugging an array of supplies to bring to work, like my copies of the local paper and the WSJ, bills, sometimes, the travel coffee mug, my jacket etc. (and you fellas thought we stop at handbags), I flung today's offerings, the papers, on our bigger patio table.

The slam it made on the metal table would hardly serve as a wakeup call to one's neighbors but M jumped, and told me to essentially cool it, and take a chill pill. I'm paraphrasing, of course. But few things cause my husband to be jumpy and I asked what the big deal was. He asked if I didn't hear a sound, a squeak essentially. And I calmly said: Oh, is that what that sound was. What is it?

Now, most of you are pretty wise by now where the story is going. But trust me, if you were me this morning and you're not a morning person, you can be oblivious to a lot of things.

He said Bubba caught a field mouse. And he, M, rescued it, which explains why the small patio table is pulled away from the door cuz our clawed cat was flicking it about. I've seen him done that before. That cat is so sadistic, I love it!

Now, why the hell would you want to do something like that, I asked him. Just kill the damn pest. Yah, and I'm born Buddhist. He said there's no reason for a mouse to be subjected to such torture and he used my decorative tealight candle holder to store it for the time being.

Urghhhhh, I feel so contaminated. I know it's no big, mean rats but they are all in the same family. I don't feel so good living in the country all of a sudden. And I'm real proud of my cat who is serving us well in return for his maintenance and lodging.

As we were getting ready to head out, M noticed a limp gray matter on the deck and we recognized it to be another field mouse. A dead one. My cat managed to get to it in time. Good for Bubbs, I say. Frankly, sometimes, I'm really glad my eyesight isn't that great to see all the details.

So, this finally brings me to my point that I will never ever abide by the 3-second rule again. If any food, utensils etc fall anywhere in and outside the house, it goes right to the sink.

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Melissa: LOL!!! After that story, I'll probably think twice about abiding by the 3-second rule too! ;-) Along the same lines, when I was still living at my parents house (so, if memory serves me correctly, this took place some time during high school), a mouse somehow became trapped beneath the floorboards in my bedroom. All night long, I would hear it clawing and chewing. *shiver* I tried to convince myself that it was a 'friendly' mouse by naming it Fievel (from "An American Tale"), but it didn't work! LOL!!! Every night, I had visions of this monster mouse chewing its way through the floorboards and carpet, and then running across my pillow!!! ... We don't know whatever happened to Fievel. One day, the noises just stopped. We don't think he met his demise down there, because we never smelled anything. He must have just finally decided to turn around and go back out the way he came in! *shrugs*

Christina: We thank God have never had a problem with mice in our house here in Columbia although a few others have. What we HAVE had in the neighborhood, however, which is worse...is...(scary horror movie music inserted here)....RATS. This is because we have a lot of manmade lakes in the area with drainage pipes and spillways and etc. and unfortunately these are areas which tend to attract....rats. They thankfully rarely come up into houses but just to see one running around in any proximity to your dwelling is unnerving. This is why I am also thankful the lakes provide us with plenty of snakes to keep the rat problem under control. We also have red-tailed hawks from the nearby Fort that fly over and practice rodent control so that is a help. As for ever seeing one even near my home, I'd probably have a coronary.
As for field mice, I could probably handle them okay. and I'd rescue them too. However, any rat who ever came near me would get a shovel to the head!

Where the Wild Things Are

Since being in my home in the country for a little over a month now, the creatures are coming out of the woodwork. I only wish I have photos taken, but they won't look sightly next to the toilet paper floating in the toilet bowl where I tossed them. Gotta flush those suckers away.

First sucker: scorpion
Yup, not your typical dark shelled stinger. The 2 I've found so far are translucent white. They still have that curled tail.
The first time I found one, it was on my bathroom sink.
The second time I found one, it was on my bathroom floor.
They were both discovered in my groggy, almost-blind morning state. I could've stepped on it.

Second sucker: centipede
Before I had a chance to research on these babies, I picked it up and sent it to the porcelain bowl. Now, I found out that house centipedes are good controls for spiders and other small insects. Still, how am I to know if this centipede was a house or outside one. Apparently, outside centipedes cannot be controlled. Since I live out in the country, and surrounded by desert fauna, I better be safe than sorry.

Now, I add another routine to bedtime, flipping the covers, checking all surfaces. And to meal time, washing all cookware to make sure there ae no evidence of creepy crawlies.

This is the country lifestyle I've to compromise for being surrounded by beauty. Small price, I guess, until I'm stung or bitten by one of these creatures.
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Patrick: Oh wow, and to think I got worked up over mere camel crickets and cockroaches. I can handle big spiders too, but scorpions? Aw hell no!

Christina: Ling -- had no idea you were in scorpion country. Rule #1: CHECK YOUR SHOES. If you have closed toed shoes or slippers sitting around shake them out before you put them on in the morning. Scorpions love dark moist environments, especially shoes. This was the first lesson taught to me when I visited friends in Mesa, Arizona a few years ago. They were still freaked out by the scorpions having just moved there but I told them I'd trade scorpions in exchange for no humidity, no mosquitoes and no palmetto bugs anyday!

Good thing you're checking cookware because for some reason certain lizards like to curl up in teaputs, kettles and pots. Again, I wouldn't mind doing that in exchange for never having to see another three inch palmetto bug!

Melissa: Wow!!! Scorpions!!! And inside, no less! Ewww! *shivers* I didn't know there was such a thing as a tranluscent white one!