a new domain and a "new" blog

I've finally taken the leap and purchased my own domain.

http://thunderofwade.com

and set up a new blog there. Well, not so much "new" - more like "moved, consolidated, and renovated"

visit me here:

http://thunderofwade.com/blog/

I'll eventually shut this down - so update your bookmarks.

week 3 of Sumac 2011

So, I'm just past the midway point of week 3 of my poison sumac experience. I'm doing much better, but it's still not quite gone yet. Still doing the long-sleeve shirts and calimine lotion - with a dubious effectiveness. Though there have been a few times where I've stopped and thought "hey, it doesn't itch" - which of course makes it instantly itch again.

I hit the pool yesterday after work - the first time I've been back since the itch began. I think the chlorine in the water helped a bit - but it was counter-balanced by massive cramps in both calves. Very painful. I managed to "limp" my way through the last two laps, but it was rough. They are still sore today. Guess I need to eat more bananas.

I went over to the neighbor's for dinner on memorial day - they had grilled out. I had a couple hot dogs and two ears of amazing corn on the cob. I have a "kernel extraction" technique that impressed those assembled - and that was about the extent of the excitement for the weekend.

Work has been rough this week. I can't really go into it - other than to say that there are those that are actively opposed to their own success - and mine, incidentally. I'm getting close to unleashing some wrath.

Tired, sore, cranky, and itchy. Still so very itchy.

poison

The weekend before last, I decided to do a little yardwork. I don't do much since I rent and the landlord does the mowing - but a storm had knocked down some trees and branches into the yard. And instead of cleaning them up, they just mowed around them.

So, armed with a really wicked tree pruner, I went after those branches and tore through them. And of course, I got more than I bargained for.

Poison oak - or sumac. Doesn't matter what it was except that I got a bad case on both arms. It didn't really hit me at first, but this past weekend it went into overdrive. The itch was maddening. And, try as I might, I couldn't stop scratching. I'd do okay for a bit, then the madness would strike and I'd tear into my arms like I had a flesh-eating scarab beetle burrowing into my... well... flesh. And to make matters worse, I've actually made some progress on breaking my lifelong habit of biting my nails. So, when I dig in - I can really dig in.

On Sunday, I had an appointment to donate blood - a double red donation. Not really sure of the protocol I went anyway and I signed in. It was at a Best Buy and they were giving out gift cards and t-shirts. They handed me a gift card when I signed in and sat down to read the red book. The woman seated next to me was getting an explanation of the double red. The women decided against it - mainly, it appeared, because she would only get one gift card. I could tell that the staff were a little disgusted by that as well. I went back to do the history and did the full disclosure. The staff member took a look at my arms and said the poison was too close to where the needle would go in and they wouldn't be able to to disinfect it properly.

They thanked me for coming in anyway and offered me a shirt. I declined and returned my gift card as I left.

Kind of a bummer, but at least I tried - and I'll try again once the poison is gone.

Today, I was bad enough to take off of work and go to a stat care. They gave me a prescription and suggested a few things - and I think genuinely felt bad for me.

So, I'm on drugs and covered in Calimine lotion. I'll do another shower tonight and slather it on before I go back to work tomorrow.

Oh, and I've got a head cold too. Yea.

a good deed

Yesterday, at the pool, I was doing my laps as usual and noticed that the guy in the lane next to me was a novice swimmer. Well, more novice than I am, as far as that goes. He also didn't have goggles and the pool is usually super-chlorinated.

So, when I finished up my workout, I waited at the end of the lane for him to come back. I told him that I noticed he didn't have goggles and how rough the chlorine is on the eyes. I handed him my goggles and said he could have them - and that I had a back-up pair at home. He was really surprised and gratefully - and put them on right away. I wished him a good weekend and went back to work.

balance

I saw a set of signs up in the student union today. One said that graduating seniors could pick commencement tickets today. The other directed incoming freshmen to orientation.

Seemed like a circle of life kind of balance thing. Kinda neat.

Which was good, because the rest of the day was shit. As was last evening. As is, apparently, tonight.

So, at least I've got the circle of college life thing going.

easter weekend, saving the day, still standing, temp

I went to my sister's new house for easter weekend - my parents stayed there as well. The new house is huge and on a great piece of property. We had a pretty low-key weekend; I got trounced by my brother-in-law at ping pong and we went for a couple of walks with my niece. She's babbling up a storm and working on new words all the time. We all enjoyed her exploration outside - the creek, the trees, the trampoline, and the trip down the quiet road in the wagon.

Back to work and a very stressful Monday - but on Tuesday I saved the day several times. It's getting close to the end of the semester and the pressure is rising. I helped several departments get things done yesterday and got some good feedback.

I'm still experimenting with the standing desk. I think I'm getting used to it, but my feet still get a little tired by the end of the day.

The heating and cooling system here at work is based not on the outside air, but on the time of year. So, we freeze in the fall and cook in the spring. A nice warm day - with the heat on in the building - means that we swelter. Yesterday, it hit 83.1 degrees in the office.

Hope it doesn't get that bad today, but we're already at 77.5 degrees and it's not even 7:00 yet.

dog

I forgot to mention one part of the walk from the other night. I was taking a slight shortcut through a bank parking lot and out of the corner of my eye I saw some movement behind and to the side of me. I turned and saw a dog. Here's a reconstruction of what went though my head while I was busy being startled:

DOG!-straylostrabies?!-(werewolf?)-rabies!-lostdog-stray-help?-run?-CHASED!

I made a loud noise and shouted at it to leave me alone. It was a pretty good sized dog and it was a full moon - so, I was totally justified in the werewolf thought.

The dog wandered away and successfully made the trip across a busy road to pester some people at the dollar store. I continued on to Starbucks - and kept looking for the moon.