Sweet Surroundings

Tucker

2008-12-09T14:05:00.003-05:00

I thought I would share some pictures of Tucker, our Yorkchon (that's half Yorkie and half Bichon) with you all. Little Tuck is 14 weeks old and has been a part of our family for 6 weeks. He is the very first pet that I've ever had and he's proving to be the sweetest, smartest dog that I've ever met. Seriously, he's learned to sit and shake in the last 2 weeks and now to impress people, I make him do it while we're in the elevator.

Weekend Relaxation

2008-12-07T18:54:00.000-05:00

I spent this weekend attempting to try and recuperate from a busy week at work and the overall blah feelings I've been having about life in general. Friday night, Ross and I went to one of our favorite places for happy hour with some of our friends. It was great to be in good company and eat good food. We came home and had an early night- having a puppy and it being really cold here in DC makes it an easy decision to stay in.

Saturday morning, we took Tucker to get his first puppy haircut, had breakfast at this cute little diner, and worked on getting our Christmas presents together. I'm doing these awesome frames for our grandparents and trying to take advantage printing photos and giving personalized gifts.
Yesterday was my sister's 18th birthday so we spent some time with my family today and took some time this morning to enjoy doing nothing. It was awesome.

It was great to have some down time this weekend and to not really have anywhere to be. Hope you had a good weekend with your friends and family!

Rebound

2008-12-04T16:13:00.002-05:00

With the pretty awful experience that I had this past weekend, I'm trying to rebound. Mentally and physically. I'm trying to take the best care of myself that I possibly can, by scheduling appointments and making sure all of my diabetes supplies are fully stocked, and by wearing my Dexcom starting tonight since my new batch of sensors arrived this afternoon. Counting carbs, bolusing, and check constantly.

Mentally, I'm trying to forgive myself for what happened. I'm trying to live by what my dad told me on Sunday morning: this was just a bad lap. If I focus on that lap, I'm never going to win the race. I need to adjust the car, tighten the seat belts, and drive. (Yes, I grew up in a NASCAR household---and my dad is great at motivating me). And I'm trying to not think about the "what ifs".

I'm hoping that with the weekend approaching and the fact I don't have a ton of stuff to do, I can relax, catch up on sleep, and enter next week ready to face whatever's thrown my way.

When things like this happen does it take you a bit to rebound and get it together?

My not so great Black Friday

2008-12-02T11:48:00.003-05:00

This weekend I spent some time with my best friend in VA Beach, doing fun girl stuff and catching up. It really hasn't been the two of us since college, so we went shopping and made plans to go out with her coworkers on Friday night and I was soooo excited. We got ready together, listened to music, and had a snack, just like our college days. Before we left, my blood sugar was higher than I would like, but I bolused for my turkey sandwich and out the door I went.

At the bar, I had 2 drinks over the course of a few hours which normally isn't a problem. I checked my blood sugar and saw that I was 340 mg/dl and bolused a bit, think that with the 2 rum and diet cokes, I would come down and didn't want to crash. We headed to another place and after dancing a bit, I started to feel very strange. My friend Kristen said that I got very white and started complaining that my head hurt. Unfortunately, I started to get very sick and ended up throwing up several times. Kristen, who lived with me for several years, and works in the medical supply business knew that with the diabetes, this was a sign that we needed to get some help. I think I remember when we first moved in together saying "If I start throwing up, just get me a doctor." I was so weak at this point, her coworkers carried me to the car and to the ER we went. Moderate ketones, 494 mg/dl, and overall funk. The nurses at the ER were nice and I was able to answer their questions, but I was surprised that they never asked about my pump sites nor do I remember them checking them. I seriously felt like a dump trunk ran me over and slept while they re hydrated me. When I was discharged- around 300 no less- I got home changed out my pump cartridge and tubing. When I went to bolus, I got a "blockage detected" at the pump site.

I just keep thinking that normally, I'm pretty much a champ at taking care of this disease, but when I least expected something to happen and wasn't prepared or paying attention, something really bad does. In the matter of about 2 hours, I got myself into a really awful situation because I was just living my life. Dancing with my friends, meeting new people, and then all of a sudden- BAM!

Recovering from this episode has been pretty disheartening because I can think of all the things I should have done differently. Put the CGMS on, check the site when you're high, wear your medical ID (what if you'd been alone traveling like you have to for work?), carry an extra pen for correction (and ditch the clutch- carry a hobo bag everywhere).

Diabetes is strange, because as soon as you think you've got it mastered, it slaps you across the face and laughs at you.

Times are changing

2008-11-05T10:51:00.002-05:00

After a historic night for the United States (on which I forgot to blog), I decided to continue to let my voice me heard here on this blog. I've rearranged some things and even given this space a new name, in order to hopefully reflect my life.

Because right now, life couldn't be sweeter. Ross and I welcomed a new addition to our family on Sunday afternoon. Tucker, our Yorkchon, is 10 weeks old and about 4lbs. We'd been contemplating adding to our fam for a few months now, and it just seems to be the right time. We're surrounded by people who love us, and are willing to dogsit for us if we need them to and I need something to keep me busy on Tuesday and Wednesday nights with Ross in graduate school classes. So, now I've got a puppy to train and clean up after!

We've also been traveling a ton. This past weekend was my college's Homecoming. I've been out of school for a year and half and really haven't missed it until now. Spending the day on campus was amazing. I took my younger sister with me for her college tour and I could see her falling in love with the school the way I did my sophmore year (freshman year, I was not a fan).

We're heading to a wedding in Charlottesville on Saturday for two of our high school friends and I'm excited to see all of the girls that I used to hang out with. It should be a really fun night.

Next weekend, Ross and my sister and I are heading to NYC (me for the first time!!!) to attend the Young Voices Forum at the ESPN Zone. Allison Blass has more information here We're also celebrating my sister's bday while we're there by going to see Mary Poppins and generally taking in anything NYC has to offer us in the brief time we'll be there. Anything that we possibly can't miss? Let me know!

NaBloPoMo 2008

2008-11-03T16:06:00.002-05:00

Well, I intended to start NaBloPoMo, but was out of town on Saturday, so I figured that if I go through December 3rd, then I'm not a fraud and will maybe start posting again on a regular basis. (Holy run on sentence!)

Things have been busy the last few weeks/months, so hopefully I can give you all a recap during this time.

Stay tuned!

FL recap

2008-07-29T18:38:00.004-05:00

I made it back from Orlando this morning...My flight was scheduled to leave out of MCO last night at 9:20pm, but we were delayed, then delayed, then delayed again. We finally left at 2:15am and finally got to our apartment around 5:00am.

But, it was completely worth it. I was at CWD for work, but I was able to volunteer at the first timers hospitality area on Tuesday when I arrived. I got to meet a ton of great people who welcomed me with open arms and made me feel at home. My coworkers and I headed to Magic Kingdom on Tuesday night and then spent Wednesday working. I was able to meet up with some DOC all-stars briefly and finally meet some people who I truly admire.

The rest of the conference is a blur. My hubby arrived on Thursday and attended a session on CGM data since he's so involved in that part of my care. Friday we hung out with some of our friends and then spent the rest of the weekend honeymooning at the Disney parks (complete with Just Married buttons). I told him that it seemed strange not seeing anyone running around with a green wrist band, something I got used to over the few days at CWD.

We're discussing going to the CWD Focus on Technology in Bethesda (as participants vs. not having to work). Anyone out there heading to the conference?

6 Years at 6.6

2008-07-22T07:15:00.000-05:00

Last week it struck me that tomorrow happens to be my 6 year diabetes anniversary. I also found out from my endo that my A1C was a 6.6, the lowest that it's ever been despite the whole wedding things and all of the stress associated to that.

It got me thinking about how lucky I am to have a great support system that encourages me to take the best care of myself that I can, a job that is really fulfilling, and just the fact that right now I'm living well.

I'm writing this from my Blackberry on my way to Orlando to the CWD Friends for Life Conference. Tomorrow night I'll get to meet some of the bloggers that I truly admire and I'll get to celebrate 6 years of this disease with some of my favorite work friends. Ross my husband will be in Orlando on Thursday night to attend the conference and get an even bigger glimpse of what this diabetes thing is all about.

I may also play the lotto because 6 years at 6.6 just seems very lucky.

The wedding present

2008-06-23T19:01:00.007-05:00

My wedding gift from my hubby was a Dexcom 7 that he purchased for me with the assistance of my CDE and medical team working with the Dexcom folks. I'd decided to wait for the Dexcom until after the wedding stuff was over, but he wanted to make sure that our big day wasn't plagued with lows and I was able to have the best day of my life. In every effort to surprise me, he ordered it, came home early, wrapped it in newspaper, and hid it in his yucky college t-shirt drawer.

I managed to foil the surprise for myself by checking the mail and finding an invoice with my name on it, with "PAID IN FULL" stamped on it, the day before he was supposed to give it to me. Ross helped me put the sensor in Thursday night after the scavenger hunt to find the box and I was able to see pretty decent results throughout the wedding weekend. At our rehearsal dinner, Ross explained that he'd gotten himself a "life insurance policy" so when we're not together there's something there to help take care of me. It may not be 100% accurate 100% of the time, but it definitely helped last week when I was on business and by myself.

So, now I'm joining another newlywed in hopes of getting insurance coverage. Luckily, I have a new partner in crime who is just as determined as I am- my husband

Our first dance

My James Bond-style leg thing held the pump and CGM perfectly on one leg and my blue garter donned the other. Ross grabbed the wrong leg and went ahead and checked to see what my blood sugar was doing while he was down there.

Mrs.

2008-06-13T09:53:00.004-05:00

After a few weeks away preparing for my wedding, then actually getting married, and then recovering from all of that, I'm back!! The last few weeks have been a whirlwind and now I'm finally getting the chance to catch my breath.

My wedding was more beautiful than I could have imagined. It was the hottest day of the year with temperatures in the 100s and humidity that made my beautiful bridesmaids use enough hairspray for a year. I enjoyed seeing my dear friends from college, meeting more of Ross' extended family, and celebrating with my parents. We laughed, ate, drank (perhaps alittle too much), and danced until late into the evening. And we're still talking about it...

I'm in a bit of a post wedding slump at the moment with the craziness coming back to work and not having a huge event to plan for (and the fact my bouquet is wilted). Anyone else go through that?

Oh well, I have some of the best memories ever from the evening including my grandparents dancing to Rihanna's "Please Don't Stop the Music" and feeling more loved than I've ever felt.

Days fly by

2008-05-14T11:27:00.002-05:00

My MIA-ness is bothering me. With the move and the wedding in 3 weeks, everything that isn't essential to my well being is getting brushed aside to make room for wedding programs, wrapping attendant gifts, and formulating an agenda for the wedding weekend. So that means being MIA from my friends, from going out, and from this blog.

But, I'm loving these days. The busy-ness and the fun that comes with a wedding may keep me awake at all hours of the night (well, that and a low blood sugar), but it also keeps me smiling throughout the day when I think of my friends, family, and fiance' in one place celebrating us. I can't wait to walk down the aisle and then spend the evening with my favorite people in the world and see this year of planning come together like a play on opening night when the lights, sound, and actors in costume all appear, even though they've been planned as such separate entities.

So, sorry if this blog remains quiet for the next few weeks. I can't wait to share some of my wedding moments with you.

Raise your voice for all to hear...

2008-04-28T12:11:00.002-05:00

This week marks the beginning of the American Diabetes Association's Call to Congress. I know some of the members of the Diabetes OC are attending but I think this is really important as we continue to raise our voice about having type 1 diabetes.

ADA is encouraging individuals to call their Representative and Senators toll-free at 877-ADA-2008 between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM (EST) from April 28 – May 2, 2008, and tell them we need more money for diabetes! Diabetes costs this country more than $174 billion dollars a year (Can you even imagine how much money this is??)

Make sure to tell them to support legislation that will increase research and prevention funding for diabetes at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Share with them any personal connection to diabetes your wish to share and make sure Congress understands the effect diabetes has on the lives of the millions of people living with this disease. Help represent everyone living with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes!

The Dex Update

2008-04-21T21:21:00.002-05:00

Today marks the 3rd day with my 2nd Dexcom sensor. On Thursday night, I got a failed sensor error from my 1st sensor. I restarted but that was short lived. On Friday, during my Adobe InDesign class, I got another failed sensor error and made a trek back to my CDE's office for another one. I've been doing marvelously since and have managed to avoid a few lows and reduce a few of the afternoon highs. I'm still at a loss for what the heck is happening to me at night and tomorrow I'm trying my hand on the treadmill to see what exactly is happening during my exercise routine.

Overall, the Dex and I are friends. So much so that I was thinking that this was the next step in my diabetes management process. Unfortunately, my insurance doesn't seem to be loving that idea so after the wedding (and when I have alittle more cash to spend liberally) I'll pick up my sword and head into this battle with hopes of some reimbursement. As I've only been out on my own a year and really don't have much insurance company experience, I'm overwhelmed with what to do. I've been provided some guidance by the people at Dexcom, but I really wish someone would write "Dealing With Insurance Companies When You Have Type 1 Diabetes". If someone had told me a few months ago when I started my job, that I would need a PPO plan I might have done that...or if someone would explain how to file an appeal....or if someone could tell me how successful they were at getting coverage and what they did....all in a hand dandy book, that could be a GREAT resource, especially for us 20 somethings navigating new waters on different plans than our parents.

So, I'm using the next few days to learn as much as I can about the Dex and to prepare for my bridal shower (thrown by my wonderful maid of honor, my sister!, with help from my mom) and my bachelorette party (dinner at the Melting Pot, then a surprise that I have no idea about) and get ready for this wedding that goes down in a little over 6 weeks.

All hooked up to the Dexcom

2008-04-15T20:08:00.002-05:00

I got hooked up to the Dexcom this morning and I'm totally loving it so far. It's pretty cool seeing the trends (and reporting my blood sugar to all my friends at work).

More info tomorrow as I get more data.

Raising my voice today and everyday

2008-04-14T13:18:00.003-05:00

I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes on July 23, 2002. There are several things about that day that stick out in my mind, and there are a few things about that day that I don't remember.

On that day, I had the day off from my job as a Guest Service Representative at Target and was convinced my allergy medicine was making me tired and thirsty. I was watching Bold and the Beautiful on CBS while eating a "double cheese" grilled cheese sandwich after a routine doctor's appointment when my mom walked down our stairs and told me that I had diabetes. I imagine it was the hardest thing she's ever had to tell me, but I'm not quite sure we knew then what diabetes meant for someone my age. I don't remember crying, but I do remember being worried I was going to be fired from my job because I had to work the next day. I was told I was going to the hospital and should plan to be there for several days. It's funny what matters to you when you're 17.

I don't remember how the conversation with my boyfriend Ross went or how the conversation between my parents went. I remember battling DC rush hour traffic to get Walter Reed and being admitted and hooked up to an IV. I remember being cold and feeling out of place in the children's ward. I remember my mom, dad, and sister reluctantly leaving me that night to go home and get things in order. I remember being awoken several times that night by nurses just a few months older than me who would bring me People Magazine and chat about high school, the sports that I played, and my budding social life.

I remember getting the bag of information and trying to absorb so much information the first few days. I remember that first shot and those first few finger pokes. I was learning about how my body worked and realizing that my life would never be the same. Then we were turned loose to deal with this disease. I remember the ride home with my mom and talking about Steel Magnolias and having a family and her telling me it would be okay and we'd get through the journey together (we'd already experienced it a month earlier with my sister's diagnosis of JRA). I remember crying at my favorite bbq restaurant and my dad telling me it was okay to have a few fries as long as I counted the carbs, like I'd learned. I remember my dad saying that he'd take away my diabetes if he could.

I don't remember ever knowing what diabetes was before my diagnosis or ever thinking about what I would do if my life was changed by a disease. I don't really remember how sick I really was. I don't remember ever advocating for my own health, or even ever really listening to my body. I don't remember if I'd ever knew the distinction between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

The most important thing I remember hearing was something that my dad continues to say to me even after living with diabetes for almost 6 years. He said that there has to be reason why diabetes has affected my life. I've always taken that to heart and realized that without diabetes, I probably wouldn't be in the career I'm in, or have the hobbies that I do. I wouldn't know about the wonderful community that exists online for people like me.

So today on our self-proclaimed T1 Diabetes Awareness Day, I promise to try everyday to sound the alert about diabetes and how it's affected the life I lead. Because I think that's what I'm supposed to do...

Spring has sprung

2008-04-11T10:38:00.002-05:00

It's spring in the DC area (FINALLY!) and even though thunderstorms are predicted for tonight, nothing can rain on the fact that it's absolutely GORGEOUS outside. A warm 65 degrees keeps me hopefully that in just a few months it'll be summertime.

This is the only free weekend I have for the next few months and I'm hoping to take advantage of it by sending out our wedding invitations and shopping for my beautiful bridesmaids' gifts. We're less than 2 months away from our wedding and I'm more excited than anything else (well, and alittle bit stressed about making it the most perfect day ever). So much has already been done, but I still have a good sized list of things to do.

I'm also taking a new step in my diabetes management by taking a Dexcom 7 on a trial run starting Tuesday. My numbers have been surprisingly good the last week (an average of 147mg/dl according to my Cozmo history) and I'm hoping that the Dex will let me fine tune the use of my pump. If things go well, I'm going to pursue adding this to the management program permanently.

It's gonna take some time...

2008-04-04T10:14:00.002-05:00

This week went by quicker than I thought it would. I spent last weekend hanging out with my dad in Martinsville, VA at the Craftsman Truck Series race. We have a very good friend, Timothy Peters, who self-funded a car to compete. My dad "spots" for Timothy (aka he stands on top of a tower and is basically Timothy's eyes around the track). My job for the weekend was to observe and try to engage some people who may be interested in sponsoring Timothy for more races this season. I had a stack of business cards, but unfortunately didn't hand out one. We qualified 6th and finished 19th (Timothy got in a pretty big wreck). I hung out with the pit crew and tried to learn about the business. (Bring a grill, pack a heavy coat always, stuff like that).

Work has been busy, but I want to do more!! I'm going to take a web design class this summer or fall so that I can do some web design projects.

Almost the weekend...thank goodness!

Be the change you wish to see

2008-03-26T12:32:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, March 25th, was the American Diabetes Association Diabetes Alert Day. The premise for Diabetes Alert Day is to be a one-day, “wake-up” call to inform the American public about the seriousness of diabetes. The American Diabetes Association encourages people to take the Diabetes Risk Test and find out if they are at risk for developing diabetes.

I've been reading alot of blog chatter about the revalance of Alert Day and my conclusions after reading all of this remains that Alert Day is a great idea. Type 2 diabetes is an epidemic and it's true, 1/3 of the people that have diabetes don't know that they do. I have friends and family that have Type 2 and yes, their struggle with diabetes is very different then mine. I want everyone I know to know their risk for the disease and learn as much about both types of diabetes as they can. Yesterday wasn't about "us" as Type 1s, it was about promoting the overall idea that you should be informed of your risk for developing a serious illness. And awareness and prevention is a great thing.

As to making a Type 1 Alert Day, why isn't everyday an Alert Day for us? Why isn't everyday about educating people about Type 1, breaking down the stereotypes, and taking the best care of the disease that we have? I don't think appointing one day to tell everyone I know about Type 1 is going to benefit them that much, but rather having those moments at work when someone looks at the tubing snaking out from my shirt and gives me a funny look is the time to tell them "I have Type 1 diabetes, that's the autoimmune kind". I think having the discussion with family on an everyday (or atleast often enough) basis about how diabetes affects you is what it's all about. So the blogsphere may decide on a day to get their alert out, but I'm alerting everyday.

Six word memoir

2008-03-25T13:12:00.002-05:00

Holy cow. Six words, this is going to be tough. Thanks for the tags, Jillian, Kerri, and Jules.

So here we go.

relax. enjoy the moment. perservere always.

1. Write your own six word memoir;
2. Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you’d like;
3. Link to the person that tagged you in your post, and to the original post if possible so we can track it as it travels across the blogosphere
4. Tag at least five more blogs with links; and
5. Don’t forget to leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play!

Seems like everyone has been tagged, so I tag anyone that hasn't!

ADA Alert Day Video- Check it Out!

2008-03-21T17:37:00.002-05:00

Big props to ADA for creating an awesome awareness piece. I'm hoping maybe this video educates a very more people on the risk factors for diabetes.

Endo Appointment- Getting what you want...

2008-03-21T09:29:00.002-05:00

Wednesday morning I had an appointment at my new Endo's. The morning started out really rough with an awful low in the middle of the night and waking up to find myself completely disconnected from my pump and teetering in the 300s. I knew this did not bode well for my arrival at the new endo's office.

My fiance' went with me to eliminate the stress of trying to find the place (I get lost...alot...despite having a navigation system). I saw a younger PA named Wendy and her student which was actually really cool ("Do you mind if Nadine feels your enlarged thyroid gland, as well?) She was extensive in doing my family history and even did a pretty decent exam. And then came to the how happy I was with the pump and how efficient I was with carb counting. I think I do a good job, but I'd love to really get a better idea of how my body is responding to the foods that I eat and to the exercise that I'm trying to incorporate to get my cholesterol down. So, Wendy told me about their CDE Kim that's in charge of their pump starts AND THEIR CGMs!!! So, on April 15, I'm meeting with Kim to test out a Dexcom for a week. Supposedly, she's had some great luck in getting it approved in the last few months, so if it's something that I like, she can help me out.

I'm super excited about trying it out-but sort of nervous. I've read alot about CGMs technology and I'm hoping that I find wearing one to be beneficial rather than a hindrance. This is a sort of crazy time in my life right now, but I figured I would give it a go and then maybe try it again after the wedding sometime this summer. Do you all have any advice on wearing a CGM? Let me know!

Happy Friday!

Happy Now, Happy Hence, Happy Ever After

2008-03-18T10:26:00.002-05:00

Happy day after St. Patrick's Day! Hope that your day was especially green! I celebrated my not so Irish heritage with some friends, sipping on pomergranted martinis and some wine.

My schedule is filling up quickly for the week. Tonight is my 1st (and hopefully only) wedding dress fitting, so I'm heading down to my parents' place for dinner and a trek to the bridal shop. I was pretty sure of what I wanted and I bought it straight off the rack because it fit so well, so it'll be interesting to see how I've done exercising and eating over the last few months. Our invitations arrived last night and I've been proudly showing them off to friends and have one in my bag to show to my parents tonight. Then, it's on to making sure the guest list is completely set and then they can go out the first week in April.

I also have my first appointment with my new Endo (I've had a 2 "new" Endos in the past 6 months, thanks to my job craziness). So look for a report sometime later this week. Tomorrow night is a friend's birthday party and this weekend will be spent celebrating Easter with my family.

So, busy-ness and happiness...which is great.

And to add another "ness"- randomness, my coworker just sent me an e-mail that said "the word "set" has the most number of definitions in the English language: 192." She's an awesome Type 1 pumper as well. So I know her favorite "set" definition. :o)

My 7 words

2008-03-18T08:32:00.001-05:00

Live with passion. Educate others. Persevere always.

A thought...

2008-03-10T18:24:00.002-05:00

I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning my day difficult. -EB White

Happiness

2008-03-10T12:42:00.004-05:00

Happy Monday! This weekend was awesome, except for that dreadful time change. Friday night, the fiance' and I donned our most fabulous party duds and headed out to a new lounge in DC that looked out onto Franklin Park. We had a great time celebrating our friend Tony's 24th birthday, dancing to overly loud techno music and drinking beverages from our VIP tables. (Side note: I don't understand bottle service at bars and clubs. I understand the mark up, but seriously?) We danced and took pictures and I had the feeling more than once that this couldn't possibly be my life.

Saturday took us out into Arlington to look at an apartment complex that I found on Friday. We saw it and fell in love with a one bedroom + den with a fabulous kitchen with granite counters and hardward floors. Goodbye crazy allergies and hello luxury living! We were accepted on Sunday to the complex and we sign our lease on May 12th which will make for a crazy 5 weeks of moving and then getting married, but such is life and both the fiance' and I are super stoked. Again, I got the feeling that I am so blessed to be able to work at a great place, with great insurance, and to be able to marry a man that cares about me enough to give me the world. I'm also so grateful to my parents for all the support that they give us (as well as the excitement for us to move to somewhere really nice- my mom seemed so happy for us when I told her about everything this morning!) Even with diabetes, the stress of work, an impending move, AND marriage, I am so happy that I'm able to do and experience so many great things. Whether it be a good dinner, a warm bed, or the strong hold of the person I love.

And to that person, Happy Birthday My Love!

I'm glad that this year you will become my husband. Hope that your birthday is all that you wish it to be and much more. I love you all this world.

Hope your Monday was STELLAR!

The Fierce Friday Five

2008-03-07T11:32:00.003-05:00

1. Where the heck did this week go? Seriously! Last Friday was spent with the reception coordinator at our reception location planning the delicious menu for our big day and picking out centerpieces (we're using lots of candles and it's going to be beautiful). And Saturday was a blur of hanging with College BFF and drinking and dancing at a club in DC. Sunday was spent recovering from the aforementioned drinking and dancing.

2. Project Runway Finale on Wednesday was seriously MAH JAH (that's major for all of you non-Posh Spice loving folks out there). Can we talk about the fierceness? And then can we talk about the perfect PR party---it would include Chris, Christian, Santino, and Tim Gunn--and probably Andre'.

3. And my new obession since PR is over---America's Best Dance Crew! Is anyone else completely addicted to this show, or are me and the fiance' the only people that stay up late eating cookies to watch Kaba Modern, BreakSk8, and the other break it down.?(Sigh) I wish I could dance like that.

4. We're getting married 3 months from today. HOLY SHIRTS and PANTS! I will continue to obsess about how much I have to do until June 8th when it will be over.

5. If you're a blogger in DC and would be interested in meeting up with some other bloggers (especially those with the 'betes), comment and we'll try and make it work. (Tim Gunn, I love you!)

6. Agenda for this weekend:
-Bday party tonight at overly pretenious (or so I've heard) The Park on 14th by Franklin Park. I have a feeling I will not fit in, despite the cute red dress that I bought especially for the occasion.
-Dinner tomorrow night with the 'rents to discuss all things wedding
-Cleaning my house and invisioning my move to a more beautiful apartment (more on this to come)
-Deciding what to get fiance' for his birthday on Monday. I am stuck with no ideas with the upcoming wedding.

HAPPY FRIDAY FRIENDS!

Staying busy

2008-02-26T22:15:00.002-05:00

Ah, over a week since I last posted....I did complete NaBloPoMo in November, right??? Anyways, I think in March I'm going to work to try and update atleast everyday during the work week. So we'll see how that goes.

DC Tidbits:
1. Ross and I ate at an awesome restaurant a few weeks ago called Open City in the Adams Morgan section of DC. It was this great little coffee shop/diner/bar place with some of the best pie that I've had. We don't often get dessert when we go out, but the gorgeous piece of blackberry goodness was too hard to refuse. If you're in the DC area, you should check it out!
2. I was downtown for a Web 2.0 seminar today and realized I do miss working amidst the hustle and bustle. I'm working in VA now and the area is not nearly as cool. For example, there is no Well-Dressed Burrito Restaurant in the alley next to my building and I sort of hate that.
3. One of my bffs from college is coming to town in Saturday and we're going to take her out in the city, which means venturing to some of our favorite clubs for dancing and drinks. I love getting dressed up and going out and CANNOT WAIT til the weekend!

Diabetes Tidbits:
1. Diabetes is blah.

Work Tidbits:
1. I'm staying super busy with projects and trainings and stuff.
2. I also picked up the book "The 4 Hour Workweek" by Timothy Ferriss after seeing it on ChronicBabe.com and am excited to finish it. A review will come when I'm done.

What's new with you guys?

Friday 5

2008-02-15T15:48:00.002-05:00

Hell yes for a 3 day weekend! It's much needed...

1. I'm venturing down to Williamsburg, VA this weekend to see my two best friends from college. Shopping at the outlets, dinner at a tres chic restaurant, and browsing through the colonial area. The weather is supposed to cooperate and I'm looking forward to a night of wine drinking and chick flick watching with my girls.

2. Valentine's Day was amazing! I made calzones for the fiance' and we enjoyed hanging out and watching a movie. He got me a beautiful bouquet of daisies (Gerber, my faves!) and a really cute card!

3. My job is going really well and things have gotten super busy. So glad that I got the opportunity to come and work here. And I have Monday off. Wahoo!

4. Agh, the wedding! Can it magically happen? Please? I need to do some many of the little things and June is going to be here before I know it.

5. Oh, and the fiance' and I have decided to move. Our lease is up the week before our wedding and we don't want to renew...what would you do?

Have a great weekend!

101 Things About Me

2008-02-12T16:07:00.000-05:00

101 Things- 101 Through 80.

101. My younger sister used to be obessed with the 101 Dalmatians movie. I now, even at the age of 23, know all the worlds to all of the songs in that film.
100. I have blue eyes and dark brown hair and am not nearly as tan as I would like to be.
99. I bite my fingernails religiously.
98. I wear a size 91/2 or 10 shoe, so my feet resemble skis
97. My first job was as a Guest Service Representative at Target. I was 17 and a customer made me cry once.
96. I have technically only ever been on one first date.
95. My first car was a Plymouth Neon. It died on the way home from the Baltimore Inner Harbor this past August.
94. I was born in Montana.
93. I've lived in the Northern Virginia area for about 13 years.
92. I went to school at James Madison University where I was a Sociology major.
91. My favorite movie list includes: Can't Hardly Wait, 10 Things I Hate About You, Superbad, The Holiday, and pretty much every Christmas movie ever produced.
90. My favorite Starbucks drink is a Tall Skim Extra Hot Carmel Macchiato.
89. I'm slightly obessed with Disney World- My favorite park is MGM Studios.
88. I've seen 98 Degrees in concert twice- My favorite member was Jeff Timmons.
87. I am getting married on 06/07/08 because my fiance' is a nerd.
86. I overuse the exclamation mark!!!
85. I wish I was motivated all the time.
84. I have one sister, who is 6 years younger than me. She is my best friend.
83. I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 17. I've been on an insulin pump since I was 20.
82. I have a plethora of other ailments which I care not to discuss because they depress me.
81. My favorite time of year is between Thanksgiving and Christmas
80. I speak to my mom atleast once a day, even though I don't live at home.

Surviving

2008-02-05T15:43:00.000-05:00

I survived the gym last night. Fiance and I went since I ended up having a mini meltdown after a trip to CVS.

Rant: For the last year and a half, I've read everyone's blog and thought "Whoa, I'm glad I don't have to fight with my insurance company or with a pharmacy to get the supplies I need" but with the new insurance at my new job, things were going along too smoothly. I went to CVS to get my strips (I signed up for my provider's online pharmacy which is MUCH cheapers) until my online shipment arrived. I was supposed to receive 100 strips with 0 refills. Instead, I got 100 strips and 1 refill. Ugh. Now, I'm sort of illiterate when it comes to this stuff because I used to receive 600 strips at a time, so I don't know if this is kosher or not. I mean, now, I have to go back, pay the copay and get my other 100. Why not just give me the 200 now? I know people have it alot worse, but all I have to say is thank goodness for military (read: AWESOME) health insurance. : End Rant.

So, 40 minutes on the treadmill with varying inclines. The fiance' ran and I walked briskly. I'm amazed by him and his ability to do anything athletic (like rollerskate...or ice skate...or run without looking like an idiot or falling off the treadmill). We came home and had a delicious dinner of chicken and sauteed snowpeas.

And an oatmeal raisin cookie...I mean, I did go to the gym.

This is your weekend update....

2008-02-04T16:56:00.001-05:00

Ah, this weekend was a blur...

Friday- dinner with the Fiance' and Best Man at Olive Garden. Delicious Cappelini Pomodoro and massive amounts of insulin. Wine and We Are Marshall. Great evening.
Saturday- hanging out with my parents, delicious dinner at my favorite bbq restaurant, Verizon to look for a Blackberry that will provide me constant access to my e-mail, and then a night out on the town (ADAMS MORGAN, 'nuff said) at a really fun club
Sunday- Recovering from lack of sleep from said fun night out, making chili for a Super Bowl party, catching up on wedding stuff, laundry, and then watching the Super Bowl. I went to bed much too late, which explains today's 2pm trip to Starbucks for a Grande Skim Carmel Macchiato.

Today has been super busy at work. So much so, that I'm thinking about how much longer I'll be here. The fiance' is dragging me to the gym tonight and I'm hoping to go for the next three weeks with some regularity. I hate the gym. No good reason for it, I just am lazy, I guess. For someone that went to softball practice for years- I just can't motivate myself once I get home from work to put on gym clothes, delaying cooking and eating dinner, and trekking back out to walk on a treadmill to only have my blood sugar plumet 40 minutes later.

I need motivation.

Sussy-rific

2008-01-31T18:02:00.000-05:00

After a few days of excitement and rushing home to get my mail, today I found a huge package on my doorstep. I couldn't take off my coat fast enough and seriously almost lost an arm trying to get through the tape on the box. "Fragile" was stamped across the box and I couldn't help but giggle as I thought of A Christmas Story (F-RAG-EEEL-EEE....I think it says Fragile, dear).

And what did Jessica send me? A GORGEOUS breakfast set with a pitcher, two big mugs, and a great bowl. The bowl is screaming for me to put some stuff in it and display it on my kitchen table. I also got this awesome fold up blanket (from Jessica's college, perhaps?), and a pen that I'm sure was awesome but got completely destroyed by the good people at the US Postal Service.

Jessica, thanks so much for my sussy! YOU ROCK!

Ummm, diabetes, can you work with me?

2008-01-29T16:21:00.000-05:00

For the past week, my numbers have been just plain crazy. I can't figure them out. Everything seems to be working okay, but for some reason I've been running high. Unfortunately, I don't have a great idea of my average, because I'm not using my Cozmonitor and am only entering in data for corrections. I'm eating relatively the same thing, doing relatively the same thing, and BAM...280...or something high like that. Seriously, what the heck is up?

I went to my new PCP yesterday and after my 7.1 A1C in November, she didn't think there was anything to worry about. She did a full lab work up so it'll be interesting if my A1C has gone up and what her reaction will be. I received a referral for a pretty progessive Endo practice, so I'm excited to see if a CGMs is in my future. I would love to have some idea what the heck is going on with my body. I want to be in control of this disease, but sometimes it just stumps me, and it would be great to get some help. I'm going to have to do some basal testing, which is never, ever fun and probably try and watch my carbs hardcore for a few days...what a drag.

Also, we're like 4 months away from our wedding and I'm in ultimate planning mode. I'm trying to control any Bridezilla urges that may arise (wedding stress+high/low/flucuation blood sugar=major meltdown) and am trying to be really upbeat about everything. Things will work out, it will be great...I have to start a mantra and chant it to myself. This weekend...Invitations, guest list, and contracts in the mail. For real.

Oh, and I'm super stoked about the "sussy" circle (a surprise). I put mine in the mail yesterday, so hopefully my person posts when they get it. I'm so excited to see what she thinks about it! I'll be sure to post when I get mine, don't you worry!

The cost of diabetes

2008-01-24T11:17:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, "Economic Costs of Diabetes in the U.S. in 2007" was released in the journal Diabetes Care. Alot of the media outlets picked this story up and I even received a call from my dad last night asking if I had seen it.

I had.

The study is an update of a previous cost study published five years ago and provides information about diabetes costs in the U.S. The new cost study finds that the total cost of diabetes in the U.S. in 2007 was $174 billion, up from $132 billion in 2002. Direct costs due to treating diabetes and its complications amount to $116 billion; indirect costs attributed to lost productivity amount to $58 billion.

What does that mean for us as Americans, and us as people with diabetes? Alot. So much money is being spent on the treatment of diabetes and its complications, but we hear little about where the money is going in terms of research. What would happen if that amount of money would be given to researchers who are searching for a cure or provided to educators in order for people to have a true understanding of what living with diabetes means, how they can prevent Type 2 diabetes, etc?

According to the study, people with diagnosed diabetes have medical expenditures that are approximately 2.3 times higher than the expenditures would be in the absence of diabetes. This is something that I've totally noticed in my short time on my own-worse than my parent's- insurance, especially compared to my friends who just graduated and are perfectly healthy. They're not worried about when payday is in order to get supplies or making sure that they have a stockpile of test strips in their closet during the period where they are between jobs so they don't have to pay the full price.

I'm taken back by the numbers because they are so big that it's almost hard to wrap my mind around.

What do we do to reduce these costs?

Busy

2008-01-22T23:02:00.001-05:00

Busy Busy Busy...

Wedding planning weekend complete
Church is good to go
Photographer is awesome
Reception facility is willing to work with the fiance's food allergies (milk fat, not lactose is in everything!)
DJ is all about having a party after 9:30pm and super excited to play for my college friends

I'm still on the prowl for a doctor and transferring my prescriptions. I need to do this asap and hopefully will have a chance to call some offices tomorrow afternoon during my lunch break. Work is crazy busy, and I'm loving it.

Oh and I have to get my Sussy Circle gift in the mail. Super stoked about that one!

What's up with you?

CGM? and Cozmo?

2008-01-10T22:41:00.001-05:00

So after this announcement and this announcement, I hoping that Smith Medical is next on board for a partnership, seeing as I'm obsessed with my Cozmo but have been wishing that they would incorporate the CGM in some way.

After a pretty rough low at the gym tonight, I'm thinking this may be a good option for me since I would really like to have a better idea of what my body is doing during exercise. I'm trying to get to the gym on a regular basis, but lows like the one I had tonight make me nervous.

I'm in the process of finding an Endo on my new insurance and am thinking that someone that has a CGM in the office or is proactive about CGMs for their patients is probably the endo for me.

2008 so far

2008-01-09T21:25:00.000-05:00

I just realized we're already over a week into 2008 and I haven't even looked at my blog. The last two weeks have been super busy with celebrating the holidays with my fiance's family, ringing in the new year with some friends from high school, and heading back to work.

Things have picked up at the office and I'm really enjoying my new job. I'm really happy to be working with people I really like and working toward a mission that I firmly believe in. Ross and I are also busy with finishing up our wedding details. We're 5 months away and I have already started to experience some severe anxiety over the the details. I ordered our Save the Date cardsalready and am trying to order the invitations by the end of the month. We're also meeting with our caterer and photographer on the 19th. I'm starting to feel like planning the wedding is a full time job.

I've also resolved to get alittle bit more organized in 2008. So, my random pile system of organization looks to be on it's way out. I'm throwing away old stuff and trying to put things in places where they make sense. I'm also trying to get into a better gym routine and add some running to my workout. I've downloaded a few podcasts on interval training and have been listening to those to get more ideas.

Hope that your 2008 is going great!

Come and gone

2007-12-28T15:05:00.001-05:00

The holidays have pretty much come and gone for me. I spent the last week with family, visiting in NC, hanging out at my parents, and being with my fiance' and his crew. On Wednesday, we headed back to our apartment and began the task of unpacking our gifts and organizing our stuff. In a tiny apartment, I tend to get overwhelmed with clutter. I'm not a superbly organized person so I've signed up on one web site to receive an organizational update a day.

We're laying low for NYE it looks like. With the busy-ness that will be 2008, it might be nice to start it off quietly. Hopefully some good food, a glass of bubbly, and the hope that 2008 will be a completely awesome year.

Wednesday---the holidays are coming

2007-12-12T16:52:00.001-05:00

Ah, halfway through this week! So glad that time is flying by as we get closer and closer to the holidays. After a busy weekend directing our church's Outdoor Christmas Pageant, attending Ross' little brother's swim meet, celebrating my sister's 17th birthday, and being with family in general, both of us were exhausted. Good exhausted, yet exhausted.

Our weeks are filling up at work and at home, but it's great to be able to spend this exciting time of the year together, Ross and I. For the past 4 years, we've been away from each other and had to go our seperate ways to sepnd time with our families. This year, we'll be traveling to NC to see my family the weekend before Christmas and then heading to Ross' grandparents the weekend before NYE. We'll both end up staying at our own parent's on Christmas Eve, but will get to see each other alot during the day.

Work-wise, I'm staying busy. I was in Philly for the day on Monday (YAY for taking the train). I had my first work holiday party last Friday and it was a blast! I work with some great people!

On the agenda for the rest of the week:
- Gym tonight (to work off the calories from the delicious treats that I've eaten at work this week!)
- Shopping for my work Secret Santa tomorrow
- Scheduling a prescription pickup before I head out of town on Friday
- A trip to Richmond to see my lovely college roommates (our Christmas gifts to each other is a night on the town and I AM SO EXCITED!)
- Cleaning my apartment before said trip

Hope that during this busy time of year things are well with you! Leave me a comment and let me know how life is!

Happy Birthday

2007-12-06T16:41:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to my best friend, my admirable adventurer, my car ride companion, the "Arthur" to my Beatty".

Happy 17th Birthday, Little Sister!

Wahoo!

2007-11-30T16:46:00.000-05:00

Wahoo! I did it! A whole month of posting on this blog, during the most stressful month I've had since graduation. Congrats out there to everyone that was able to participate.

This month has allowed me to get to know more people in the Diabetes Online Community and for me to share alittle bit more about myself. I hope to be able to keep up with posting frequently (no more gaps from February to June!) even with the busy months ahead.

As for tonight, dinner and the drinks out on the town to celebrate NaBloPoMo being over, it finally being December, and surviving week #1 at my new job!

Have an awesome weekend and see you Monday!

Same old

2007-11-29T21:14:00.000-05:00

I'm glad that tomorrow is the last day of NaBloPoMo as for the last week, I've had pretty much nothing to write about. Blood sugars are trucking along, counting carbs, finding I have less time to sit and snack at work which is good for my numbers and for my waist line.

Maybe tomorrow I will have something inspiring to write or something. For now it's just the same old, same old.

Today

2007-11-28T22:16:00.000-05:00

I'm reduced to bullets as I'm home late from dinner with my fam, and up early to try a new way to get to work.

-Uncle and Aunt in town before heading to NYC, so the fam went out for dinner at my favorite Tex-Mex joint. Always an experience.
-Work is going swimmingly. I love my job so far. People are great. Things are great.
-I think I may actually be able to pull this Christmas pageant thing off. Please remind me next year when I think about doing this again how stressed I've been.
-Wedding is in about 6 months. Time to put it in gear after the holidays.
- Thought of the day I heard today on the radio: "Our greatest danger in life is in permitting the urgent things to crowd out the important." So true.

Night!

Another Meme...Yes!

2007-11-27T18:51:00.000-05:00

1. Were you named after anyone? Nope, my dad had a dream that he and my mom named me Allison. That's it!

2. When was the last time you cried? Yesterday, during a movie.

3. Do you like your handwriting? Yes, it's a mix of cursive and print and sort of small and boxy.

4. What is your favorite lunch meat? Turkey breast

5. Do you have kids? Nope

6. If you were another person, would you be friends with you? I think so. I'm alittle standoffish at first, and sometimes I can be sort of awkward.

7. Do you use sarcasm a lot? Not a tone

8. Do you still have your tonsils? Yes.

9. Would you bungee jump? Yes

10. What is your favorite cereal? Cheerios and Special K

11. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? Not normally. My shoes are mostly dress shoes or flip flops. I treat my tennis shoes like they are as well

12. Do you think you are strong? Physically, no. Mentally, it depends.

13. What is your favorite ice cream? Chocolate Chip from Baskin Robbins.

14. What is the first thing you notice about people? General appearance

15. Red or Pink? I like both.

16. What is your least favorite thing about yourself? My not so toned body

17. Who do you miss the most? My Nana and Papa

18. What color pants and shoes are you wearing? Gray pants with black flats

20. What was the last thing you ate? Manacotti...delicious and so carb-filled

21. What are you listening to right now? MTV- I think "Made" is on

22. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Periwinkle

23. Favorite smells? Cupcakes, cologne, Keri lotion (the brand my nana wears), apple pie

24. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone? My dad

25. Favorite sports to watch? Softball

26. Hair color? Medium brown.

27. Eye color? Blue

28 .Do you wear contacts? Yeppers

29. Favorite food? Italian, or Mexican, or Ethnic food in general, or a cheeseburger.

30. Scary Movies or Happy Endings? Happy endings. I hate scary movies.

31. Last movie you watched? The Holiday on DVD yesterday.

32 What color shirt are you wearing? A white shirt with a pink sweater.

33. Summer or winter? Early summer or late fall.

34. Hugs or kisses? Hugs. Kisses from my fiance'.

35. Favorite dessert? Ice cream

36. What is on your mousepad? I have a laptop and use the touch pad

37. What did you watch on TV last night? Heroes and The Hills

38. Favorite sound? Laughing

39. Rolling Stones or Beatles? Beatles, I guess

40. What is the farthest you have been from home? Panama City, FL. My life is boring.

41. Do you have a special talent? Umm...I remember people really well. Like today, I saw a girl and remembered her name from a church thing I went to in 6th grade. Is that weird? Do you say, oh actually I've met you before or do I just pretend I met her for the first time?

Stress

2007-11-26T23:18:00.000-05:00

I start my new job tomorrow and the Christmas pageant I'm directing is in less than two weeks. I'm slightly stressed (read: very stressed) and I tend to freak out a bit. My numbers go alittle crazy and I tend to snap at people, or just become a crying-blotchy-not-so-cute mess of a human being.

I wish that I had the personality that I could just take my own advice. I always tell my friends that they spend more time worried about the test/problem/appointment than the actually event itself, but I do the same thing. I worry for days/weeks/etc about certain things that I can't change.

Maybe it's having diabetes and always wanting to have the upper hand in most situations-being well informed, prepared for anything, ready for the worst- that makes me stressed out when I don't know what's going to happen (not knowing how the new job is going to pan out, making sure we have enough actors for the pageant and not knowing where the heck to even begin in trying to sort out my thoughts about the night of the pageant itself).

Thanks so much, Big D, for contributing to my already tightly wound, prone to stress personality.

The Basic Blog MeMe

2007-11-25T20:51:00.000-05:00

1. How long have you been blogging?
I started my blog in September of 2006, during the fall semester of my senior year of college.

2. What inspired you to start a blog?
I was inspired by the blogs that I was reading and really wanted to be part of the Diabetes community that was emerging online

3. Are you trying to make money, or just doing it for fun?
I do this for fun, to learn more about other people that are living with diabetes, and as a somewhat creative outlet.

4. What are three things you struggle with online?
I struggle with finding things to post (because some days my life is boring), deciding how much to post about myself, and wanting to play a bigger part in the online community.

5. What are three things you love about being online?
Reading the stories that other people deal, being able to more adequately explain this disease to people I know by directing them to places where I know that it's so clearly explained (for example, sharing posts with my family and going, "this is how it is") and getting to know new people around the country/world.

6. And if you could entice someone else to start a blog, who would it be?
My fiance' or maybe my dad. They're the smartest guys I know.

Out

2007-11-24T23:19:00.000-05:00

I'm out of things to blog about.

I saw a Meme circulating, which means I may have something to talk about tomorrow.

Black Friday

2007-11-23T18:28:00.000-05:00

So on America's biggest shopping day, I managed to only buy something for myself. A black pencil skirt from the Gap. It fit perfectly and I know it's something I'll wear. My family always likes to get "in the midst of it" and today we did a good job of getting out early and hitting our favorite DC-area mall.

I've already gotten a good majority of my Christmas shopping done already and didn't find anything today that I just had to get. My family is rather small so I've picked things up for them over the last few weeks and am pretty much done. My fiance' and I are still trying to figure out what we're going to do for each other this Christmas.

Heading out on the town tonight to meet up with some friends, should be a good time.

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-22T11:36:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving! Hope you get to celebrate the day with family and friends!

Our turkey is in the oven and we're planning on eating around 2pm, then heading to the movies, a tradition in our family. What are your plans for today??

Home for the Holidays

2007-11-21T19:43:00.000-05:00

At my parents' house for the holiday and just shared with them this blog and many of yours out there. Thanks for helping me explain how there are more people that feel sort of like me.

This Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for you, OC!

Random 7 MeMe

2007-11-20T11:05:00.000-05:00

Thanks for the tag, Jillian!

The Rules:
1. Link to the person’s blog who tagged you.
2. Post these rules on your blog.
3. List seven random and/or weird facts about yourself.
4. Tag seven random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
5. Let each person know that they have been tagged by posting a comment on their blog.

1) I was obsessed with the band 98 Degrees when I was in middle/high school during the boy band craze. (98 Degrees was the one with Nick Lachey) I saw them in concert twice and Jeff Timmons was my favorite member.

2) I have one younger sister, who is 16, but looks like she's about 5 years older than me. Whenever we go to family functions, everyone thinks she's the oldest. At orientation for college, 4 years ago, she got yelled at for being in the auditorium with my mom and not with her group. She explained that she was only in 7th grade.

3) I have a freckle between my big toe and second toe, on each foot. I think that's weird.

4) I have already purchased my wedding dress for my wedding in June. I've also purchased the bridemaid dresses,found the place, reserved the church, and designed the "save-the-date" cards. I guess I feel like I'm ahead of the game and that's weird to me.

5) I played Little Red Riding Hood in the Stephen Sondheim musical "Into the Woods" at my high school the last semester of my senior year. It was awesome and so much fun.

6) I love purses, shoes, and coats. I just picked out a new coat for Christmas! It's long, dark green, and has a very European feel with great buttons on the pockets. I love big leather bags, because I can put all my crap in them. And my favorite pair of shoes are a pair of black, leather, Ferregamo pumps that I got at Nordstrom Rack on sale when I was in school. Full price, I would have had to eat Top Ramen noodles for every meal for a year to pay for the them. Thank God for sales!

7) My favorite movie of all time is Can't Hardly Wait with Ethan Embry and Jennifer Love Hewitt. If I ever need a good laugh, I put it on. It's frickin hilarious.

Allison (Lemonade Life), Kassie, and anyone else who hasn't been tagged, give it a go!

Darn you, Water Heater!

2007-11-19T18:43:00.000-05:00

I took this week off since I didn't want to start my new job right before a holiday. I came home from the gym this morning and got a loud knock on my door. A plumber sent by the condo association was at the door to inform me that there was a leak coming from somewhere in my condo. Unaware, I let the plumber break into the utility closet that our landlord didn't give us the key for, and of course, there's 2 inches of sitting water coming from our water heater.

They're sending another plumber out tomorrow to fix the valve that is broken, and a contractor to make sure there isn't any water damage to the wall and no mold since I'm allergic.

Ugh, it sucks to be an adult....can I go back to college?

Brothers and Sisters

2007-11-18T20:55:00.002-05:00

I finished watching disc one of ABC's Brothers and Sisters and one of the characters has a daughter that was diagnosed with diabetes. I assume type 1 because she has all of the symptoms (going to the bathroom and drinking tons of water), but even in a scene where the family is in the hospital, they never say which type. Ergh...do any of you all watch Brothers and Sisters???

More about "Him"

2007-11-17T20:25:00.000-05:00

Ross and I met for the first time when we were in 9th grade, during Mr. Pell's Social Studies class. He was a smart guy who played soccer, but I was interested in other people. He was dating a girl named Allison but I always thought he was really cute.

Fast forward two years. My good friend Stefanie, who I played softball with, liked Ross and I would throw the softball over hear head during warm-ups so that she would have to talk to Ross to get it. That summer she started dating Ross' best friend.

A few months later, a mutual friend of ours invited me over to hang out and after a night of truth or dare. I realized that Ross was a really cool guy. That week we talked online and hung out. He invited me to see Ocean's 11 with him on a Saturday evening and he kissed me after he walked me to my car. The next day, after school, he called me and asked me to be his girlfriend.

We dated throughout high school, and decided to try and make it work when we went to college, 2 hours apart, even though everyone including our parents told us that it probably wouldn't work out. We broke up for 4 days during the first month of freshman year in college.

We've been together ever since. He encourages me to be a better person and pushes me to follow me dreams. He's one of the most loving people that I have ever met. He challenges me, but also makes me realize that life is sometimes not as serious as I believe that it is. He's loud and outgoing and I am more quiet and reserved.

I didn't believe in high school love and never thought that when I agreed to go out with an awkward high school junior that he would turn into the most driven, handsome, 23 year old that I could have imagined.

And in June, he's going to be my husband.

Another new beginning

2007-11-16T19:19:00.000-05:00

Today was my last day at my job. On the 27th I start my new position doing marketing for a fairly large health NPO. I'm super excited because I believe so strongly in the mission of this organization and hope that by being there I can contribute to the work they're are doing.

For the next week, I get to relax, get my apartment organized, go to some doctor's appointments, and spend some time with my family. I'm super excited to start my new adventure.

Alone

2007-11-15T22:14:00.000-05:00

A low. One that sneaks up on you. When you're not expecting it. It scares you because you were fine. And then you're not. In a strange place. You're just trying to get things done. I was trying to get some pictures printed to send to my family. Derailed. Digging through the bag. Meter, Checker, Strip. Check.

50. Fruit snack.

And then the feeling that if something was to happen I was in the middle of DC on a cold, rainy night. And there was no one around who could help me if I needed it. I try and be courageous and normally believe that being prepared is the key to this disease.

But being prepared today didn't make me feel less alone.

World Diabetes Day

2007-11-14T21:37:00.001-05:00

Even though, as another blogger mentioned, everyday is World Diabetes Day for us that live with this disease, I would like to hope that we made strides today in informing other people about how much diabetes can affect the lives of people. Thanks to the organizations that helped to make diabetes more visible today. Even though nothing was happening in DC, it was great to see some of the pictures from around the world.

Happy(sorta?) World Diabetes Day to you!

Sicko

2007-11-13T21:12:00.000-05:00

I rented Michael Moore's Sicko since my fiance' is out of town. Interesting movie that you sort of have to take with a grain of salt. It brought up some pretty valid points though. Has anyone seen it? What are you thoughts on it?

My favorite part of the whole movie was when Moore was interviewing a British couple who have just had a baby in a London hospital. The child is absolutely beautiful and he yells "How much did you have to pay for that baby???" and the couple gets the most ridiculous look on their faces. It cracked me up.

I don't think they'll let me back in Giant

2007-11-12T22:47:00.001-05:00

Tonight, after the fiance' boarded his plane to Nevada for work, I ventured out to get a few movies (Brothers and Sisters: Season 1 and Sicko) and headed to Giant to pick up some groceries for this week. I needed to get some gluten-free pasta and veggies to go in a pasta salad I'm making for my office potluck on Wednesday and some staples to get me through the week being by myself (Ben and Jerry's Low Fat Cherry Garcia and yogurt).

After going through the self checkout, I reached into my huge bag for my wallet. Digging around, meter case, extra infusion sets, sunglasses, checkbook- awesome. OK, I can write a check however ancient that might be. I realize my wallet is in the pocket of my coat (it's a small one, I put it there yesterday after I got gas), but I can pay for my groceries since I have my checkbook. Wrong. I need my license to right a check.

After being pretty much humiliated it front of the cashier that walked over to my self checkout, I tell them I'm going home to get my wallet. They save my order, I void my check, and they keep my bags. I hightail to the closest exit to set off the emergency alarm.

About half way home, I decided I wasn't going back. I'm not sure how I could have walked back there without being completely embarrassed. I 411ed Giant on my way home and explained that I would not be coming back, but I had some perishable items that they might want to put away, and thanked them.

I found my wallet. And headed to Safeway. And thought of putting two pints of Ben and Jerry's in my cart, because it's been that kinda of day.

Family

2007-11-11T21:58:00.000-05:00

My family is changing. In about 6 months, I'm gaining another family. Yep, after I get married, I'll have a sister-in-law and brother-in-law to add to my small, but cozy family. Along with my new mom and dad-in-law. I'm excited to have a few more people to pick on and joke around with. I played some Guitar Hero with my future BIL tonight and had an overall great time.

My future MIL is a great cook and made the best beef stew I've ever eaten. It was delicious on a cool day like today. Since Ross, my fiance', and I have been together for 6 years, I feel like I've known his family for forever. We started dating when we were 17, dated through college (and long distance, no less) and got engaged in March. I'm excited to start a life with him and become a bigger part of his family.

Nothing like it

2007-11-10T22:38:00.000-05:00

There's nothing like having dinner at a really great restaurant with your fiance' to start the weekend off. On Thursday night we went to Vapiano's, a really cool pasta and pizza place. The carb estimation was alittle off because of the homemade pasta and fresh tomatoes. But we ended up having a great time at a really cool bar called 1223, or MCXXIII (I think?) on the outskirts of Dupont Circle. A pretty relaxed atmosphere and normally a great open bar special on Thursday (6-9pm, $15, all you can drink) and on Friday (5-9pm, $20, all you can drink).

Last night, the fiance' and I picked up Guitar Hero for our Wii. Needless to say, my wrist and forearm are killing me. I didn't think I would like the game, but it's crazy addictive! We also met up with my younger sister who crashed at our place last night. We got up this morning and decided to spend the day walking around Georgetown. We grabbed lunch at Johnny Rocket's and then managed to walk a few miles through the neighborhood, down to the waterfront, past the Watergate Hotel and the Kennedy Center, and then through the GW campus to Foggy Bottom. My sister is 6 years younger than me, so it was great to get to spend some time with her since the last 4 years I've been away at school. I make it a policy to see my family atleast once a week since I only like about 22 miles away from them.

I'm back at my parent's tonight as tomorrow at my church I'm recruiting people for our outdoor Christmas Pageant. Yes, I'm directing it. And yes, it's proving to be much more work than I thought.

Ugh, the blood sugar is high again after dinner with my parents at my favorite Tex Mex place...gotta go and take care of that, nothing like trying to correct a crazy high.

D-Blog Day Thank You

2007-11-09T23:43:00.000-05:00

Thanks to a community that inspires me to write about my struggle with this disease, that makes me feel like I'm just like them, that leaves comments that explains that they understand, amd makes me feel alittle more normal.

Thank You Diabetes OC

A night out and a short post

2007-11-08T16:37:00.000-05:00

I'm starting the long weekend off right with a Thursday night date with my fiance' and then a happy hour event with his coworkers, so who knows what time I'll be home.

We celebrated a coworkers bday today with a gluten free cake that I thought was much more carb friendly than I expected. Clocked in at a 53 mg/dl and am nursing a regular Mt. Dew. I used to be obsessed with Code Red Mt. Dew pre 'betes, but now not so much. How did I drink this stuff?

Hopefully a nice report on the DC nightlife to come tomorrow!

Meltdown

2007-11-07T21:35:00.000-05:00

I was fine.

Then, I wasn't.

I was a stupid fight over how many noodles I should have with my stir fry. How many were in the bowl progressed to how I felt about myself, then how I felt about this disease. He was trying to take care of me because of what he read, because he cares. He read watch "your carbs for better control." He was only trying to make sure that I'm ok.

It was like my brain completely shut off. I was mad, then all of a sudden I was so sad. I didn't want to talk, I threatened to leave, and then as he held me, I just explained that I hate this.

I hate this disease for making me feel like I did tonight. Out of control. How it makes me feel about myself and how it's the one thing that as hard as he tries, he'll never understand completely.

I said some awful things. To the one person that I truly would do anything for and who I love. Because he was trying to help me. Because he loves me. Because he's going to be my husband in a few short months. I must learn to let him help me.

I know he would take this away if he could and I wish tonight that he could have taken it away. I wish that the word diabetes never came into play when we talked about our future, about our family, or when we talk about our daily dinner.

I wish tonight that I didn't have diabetes.

Let's Dish

2007-11-06T20:43:00.000-05:00

Since I'm finding this NaBloPoMo thing more difficult that I thought, I've resulted to searching the Internet for themes for certain days.I found a site (TMI Tuesdays) that provide some questions that I'll try and write about here.

And since some of the questions are WAAAYYYY TMI, I picked a mild one: What did you eat for dinner yesterday?

Last night, we fixed bbq pork tenderloins with baked potatoes and salad. I do this thing once a month called Let's Dish where you go to a kitchen facility after ordering meals online and prepare the meals using all of their ingredients, recipes, and dishes. The menus are awesome and we end up not eating the same thing over and over again. You do all of the prep work at the kitchen facility and then package everything in freezer bags. When you're ready to eat the meals you take the freezer bags out, let them defrost, then most take under 30 minutes to cook through either in the oven or on a grill (we use our George Foreman ALL the time!) It's great for Ross, my fiance', and I because we love great food, but don't have a ton of time. Makes dinner alittle less work after a day at the office!

Reading

2007-11-05T19:45:00.000-05:00

Now that I take the Metro to and from my office I've been able to actually start reading for pleasure again. After 4 years of reading for classes, it's great to relax on the train with a book. I finished Cheating Destiny by James Hirsch a few weeks ago and was completely impressed. If you haven't read it, do it! It's awesome and is probably going to be gracing the Christmas stockings of my mom and dad.

My fiance' just finished reading it and the conversations that it has started has been awesome. I feel like he has learned more from the book than he has in the 6 years we've been together. It's great to be able to discuss diabetes with him and feel like he understands. A few weeks ago, he even let me test his blood sugar (118mg/dl after eating....bastard!) just to see what it was.

Right now, I'm reading Gluten Free Girl. I don't have celiac but I love reading the author's blog, http://www.glutenfreegirl.com/ and her book is proving to be a great read.

Check them out if you haven't!

Doctor's appt

2007-11-04T19:50:00.000-05:00

I have a follow-up endo appointment tomorrow with a somewhat new doctor. I get stressed out to go to the doctor's in the first place. And I know the doctor is going to be looking at my numbers and I'm going to be trying to justify them. (Does anyone else feel like that? You show up with your log book/computer print outs and you have to go "I have no idea what happened there....and there....and there....oh, and there!)

My A1c went down from an 8 to a 7.1 so I feel like we have good things to talk about. We also have to try and figure out some thyroid stuff.

Will update you all tomorrow!

Have an awesome evening!

Saturday

2007-11-03T18:18:00.001-05:00

Ah, the weekend! Nothing like sleeping in and being lazy and doing all the stuff that I've managed to ignore this week. Grocery shopping, making a delicious dinner, and relaxing.

Last night, Ross (my fiance') and I went out downtown around George Washington University with some friends. Nothing like having a few drinks and hanging out.

We're trying to figure out what to do tonight...but chances are, we'll end up staying in and watching a movie.

Happy Saturday!

Dear Perez

2007-11-02T19:07:00.000-05:00

Dear Perez Hilton (aka the Queen of All Media),

Thanks for posting about Halle Berry today and generating more than 200 comments in about an hour. As I sat at my desk and watched the number of responses to your entry about Halle Berry's completely crazy statement about weaning herself off of insulin, I was amazed by people's reaction. There was the ever present "F-U Perez!!!" and "You're fat Perez!" but there was also comments from Type 1s like me who fill their minds with your celeb coverage like it's crack (or candy, for us PWDs). Comments like "I'm a Type 1 diabetic and there is no cure" generated responses of "it is possible in some circumstances to get off insulin if you’re a type 1 diabetic" and even a mention of Type 1 diabetes meaning a mental disease.

Perez, I do not have a mental disease. I'm not a hypochondriac that read something and thought I could have diabetes nor did I start exhibiting the symptoms of diabetes on purpose. I did not do anything to my body to viciously start attacking itself. I do what I have to do to live and that is give myself insulin through an insulin pump. I monitor my blood sugar 5-10 times a day and I try and do whatever I can to keep myself healthy. I value this life and I chose everyday to live proudly with diabetes. If there was something that I could do to not have diabetes, I would gladly do it. If it was to eat raw foods, I would try it. (But having tried to educate myself as much as I can, I don't think that will help...can someone say starvation diet and how that didn't work in the long run?)

Thank you Perez for giving diabetes a place today in mainstream popular culture. Thank you for trying your best to tell people that there is a difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes even though you may have had your information alittle bit wrong. Thank you for starting a dialogue that includes at present 340 comments from people who know alot about diabetes, and from people who know very little.

Thanks for starting National Diabetes Awareness Month off with a bang, Perez.

(And Halle, don't you think you've stuck your foot in your mouth enough these days? You may be a beautiful woman and a talented actress, but one thing you are not is informed)

Many thanks,
Allison

(check out the original post at http://www.perezhilton.com/ on the 2nd page)

Day 1: I almost blew it

2007-11-01T22:55:00.000-05:00

So I almost blew it on day one.

I thought about posting today at work, but was slightly preoccupied because I GOT A JOB OFFER! Yes, I pretty much got an offer for my dream job. Everything is still in the works but I'm excited to start something new (after 6 months at my current job, sometimes you just know where you're supposed to be.)

Anyways, it's a great way to start out National Diabetes Month and I'm happy to be writing about it here on Tales of a Twentysomething

If you're doign NaBloPoMo, leave me a comment so I can check out your blog!

Home Sweet Blogger

2007-10-31T19:40:00.001-05:00

After playing around with Wordpress and Blogger, I've decided to stay put right here. I'd like to learn more about custom headers, so if you all have them and know how to build them in Blogger, let me know. That's one feature that I really like about Wordpress.

Also, I'm signing up for NaBloPoMo, so it looks like this space will be getting some time from me in the next month. Just because I haven't been posting, doesn't mean that I haven't been out there reading. Thanks to all of you who have sent me comments, I've added you to my Blogroll and continue to follow your journeys.

Hope this Halloween finds you well.

Update

2007-10-25T23:03:00.000-05:00

Hi All!

It's been forever since my last post. I am in the process of changing layouts and moving to WordPress. Hopefully, I'll be done moving everything this weekend.

Hope you all are well!

Allison

Update

2007-09-07T12:00:00.000-05:00

Well, so much for getting back to blogging and everything.

Here's an update:
1. I've been at my job for 3 months and it's growing on me. I'm taking an online marketing class and learning more.
2. We have a place for our wedding reception! YES! (and it's gorgeous, FYI)
3. I just got a chance to go to Disney World for the weekend to see my family (who were all down in Orlando on vacation) and had a fabulous time. It was a good way to finish up the summer.

Diabetes-wise
1. First endo appointment with my new insurance and everything on the 18th.
2. Changed some basal rates and am hoping to do more basal testing soon (I want to try out that feature on the Cozmo- has anyone done that yet?)
3. My office is walking in the ADA Step Out for Diabetes in DC. I went last year and had the best time. Now, setting our fundraising goal...

Are there any DC Type 1s out there in the OC?

Have a great weekend! More to come, I promise!

Please try and top this week

2007-08-03T21:21:00.000-05:00

I've had one of those days-or weeks- that makes having diabetes seem like the biggest pain in the ass. I pretty much haven't been able to buy a break. In general, actually, it's been a week where you go "is life really suppose to be like this?"

Saturday began with me going out with friends and managing to drop kick my Deltec Cozmo across the street while running to catch the Metro. I picked up my life-line from the middle of the street, checked to make sure I wasn't oozing internal organs from my sticky site, and managed to insert a new one on the Metro (going backward no less!) The cap on the pump has a pretty nice gash, but nothing to warrant any return trip (seeing as my new one should be shipped any day now)

Monday morning I was on the Metro on my way to work, when a woman in a motorized wheelchair entered the train. Her bag on the back of the chair got caught and another gentleman and myself pulled it loose as the annoying voice of Metro screamed "DOORS CLOSING!" The woman continued to block the entrance of the busy train and as I went to get off, she decided to get out of the way too, wheeling herself right over my left flip-flop clad foot. My toes screamed and I couldn't help but give her the nastiest look I could muster, in between my tears. The throbbing continued for the morning and my toes are a slight green, but nothing broke and it seemed like one of those good Samaritan stories gone terribly wrong. You help someone, they run over your foot.

And then yesterday I spent 2 hours on the Metro going 2 stops. Yes, my train was behind a disabled one and I spent 40 minutes underneath the Potomac River only to be deboarded at the next station. At that point, roughly an hour an a half into my trip, Fiance was called and dinner was had in Arlington. Sometimes, DC just sucks.

Yesterday also led me on the pursuit to get an initial appointment with my PCP at my brand new HMO. I tried to schedule online and they told me I was shit out of luck. Beads of sweat on my brow, I'm surveying test strips and insulin like I'm about to head to a bomb shelter for a year. I think I can maybe make it until September? Today, I called for good measure and my PCP has TONS of openings. I got to pick a time on Friday. I can tell already that this is going to be an adventure. Also, since I'm new to paying for diabetes stuff, can anyone give me a rough estimate of out of pocket expenses for a month? I had military insurance before and well, I was spoiled rotten. A ballpark would be great so I don't keel over and force Fiance to sell his organs for supplies.

Alas, I make it to Friday and a hot one at that, and go to Happy Hour with my coworkers since this week, well, sucked. No beers or anything but a Diet Coke and good conversation and then BAM- pump decides to DIE! On my walk to Georgetown to meet Fiance and friends, I get error messages, key stuck messages, and overall bad times. I get the pump running enough to test, but of course, not to bolus as I dig into my potato skins and other delicious bar food. 30 more minutes of pump being a pain in the ass and I'm on the phone with Deltec asking "What the heck is going on?" At this point, buttons aren't working and I'm pissed off. They tell me they're sending a new pump, but not until Monday and I'm scrambling to figure what I'm going to do about shots since I'm endo-less and can't seem to remember what types of insulin I have at home in the fridge. Then, by the grace of God, and maybe Computer Hacker Savvy Fiance, the pump is magically working, but not until we're safely on our way back to our apartment in the burbs away from the fun-ness that is Georgetown on Friday night.

I'm home now and the pump is...pumping. I had the "you don't understand what it's like" discussion again with Tipsy Fiance which ended with both of us in bad moods and him in bed and me running things over in my head like "what if I didn't have diabetes?" or "why does this frustrate me and why do I let it since I know this is my life?"

This has been one for the record books, ladies and gents.

5 years

2007-07-23T08:03:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I "celebrated" having diabetes for 5 years. 5 years ago yesterday, I went to the doctor's to have some allergy medicine refilled and explained that I hadn't been feeling well for awhile. Later that afternoon, my adventure with this disease began.

Diabetes frustrates me on a daily basis, but I believe that it's taught be more about who I am than anything else in life. It brought be a great internship last summer, and it continues to make me wish that I was a doctor (so instead of 4+ years of school, I work for a medical NPO.) It makes me more sympathetic to others who have to struggle daily to manage their health. It makes me more active in our political system and I continue to submit my letters to my congressman and my sentators, encouraging them to make decisions that benefit people like me. It made my family closer because I knew at first I could not do this by myself. It makes me value everyday and appreciate the people that I spend my time with.

But, there are days like today and day's like yesterday, I wish that diabetes didn't exist. I wish that July 22 was a day I remember because it's my fiance' mom's birthday, not the day that I packed up and headed to Walter Reed. I wish that it wasn't the day I had my first shot of insulin or my first finger poke.

5 years ago...

Brief Update!

2007-07-09T21:29:00.000-05:00

Hope you all had a great weekend. Mine completely flew by! Friday night was spent with some awesome people my fiance' works with. We went to Adams Morgan and danced and spent Saturday and Sunday wedding planning and looking at reception sites for our BIG day! I get more excited the more I talk about it, which has been ALOT lately!

Diabetes wise, I'm still trying to get insurance stuff in order. Hopefully after this week, I'll be set up with a new doctor and on my way.

Getting things in order

2007-07-02T21:13:00.000-05:00

I finally managed to finish filling out my forms for the Cozmo upgrade. I just got my packet a couple of weeks ago, even though I swear I called on the first day. I can't be mad, because the Smith folks happen to be the best people in the entire world. I appreciate them more now that I'm out on my own---with my own insurance that I'm navigating along. I'm still trying to get things set up with a new doctor and with new 'scripts and am wondering if I made the right choice going with an HMO rather than the PPO. Darn you great insurance for spoiling me rotten.

In other news, I joined a gym last week and have taken a few classes with the fiance'. He's the only guy in the classes but it's great to have him there. My numbers have been excellent this past week and I'm chalking it up to the exercise.

As I posted earlier this month, alot happened during my last few weeks of college. I got an A on my senior seminar paper looking at the portrayal of diabetes in film as opposed to the real way it is. I looked alot of blogs for help with this and am happy to be a part of the blogging community like the Diabetes OC. I also got engaged to my boyfriend of 5+ years and we moved in together. We're getting married next June and are in the early stages of planning (ok, I already have the dress, and I'm obsessed with it!). I got a job with a medical society doing some marketing things and am enjoying working in DC. Honestly, DC in the summer makes me so happy. I work in a great neighborhood and there's tons of stuff nearby. On Fridays, we have a walking club that walks during lunch and we strolled to the White House. Even growing up around here, I was awe struck by the fact I was at the White House and more impressively, could see the Capitol Building. It was a perfect day and I'm truly blessed to be living this life right now, enjoying everything that this big city, that sometimes feels very little, has to offer.

If you've been lurking, please leave me a comment so I can check out your blog.

:o)

Weighing in....

2007-06-17T22:46:00.000-05:00

If you check out http://www.cnn.com/ scroll through recent headlines and take a look at this article: http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/conditions/06/17/diabetes.bulimia.ap/index.html.

What do you think? How does it portray the diabetes community? Does it talk about the advances if diabetes technology? Advances in research? No, it talks about diabulimia. Here's some advice CNN: 1. Do a series of articles- like what is Type 1?, how is it managed?, what are the complications?, and then maybe information on complications and other social issues involved.

Maybe I'll have a different opinion in the morning....What do YOU think?

Introducing "Silly Sightings in the City"

2007-06-12T17:03:00.000-05:00

Now that I'm officially a commuter, I've seen some pretty crazy things on my trek into DC in the mornings and on my way home to the NoVA 'burbs in the afternoon. I've decided to incorporate all the crazy stuff and my general thoughts about the city into this blog once a week and will call it "Silly Sightings in the City."

I hope you enjoy.

Silly Sightings Week #1 and Week #2
1. Many men in blue seersucker suits. Seersucker strikes me as funny, I'm not sure why. I guess I expect to see a frat boy in it, and not middle aged men.
2. A man with a "Special K" tattoo, like the cereal logo, holding onto the same pole as me on the train. It made me hungry.
3. A little boy staring at my pump tubing sticking out from my shirt and probably thinking I was going to blow up or something. When I smiled at him, he scowled at me and looked at his mom. I imagine he was relieved when I got off the train without combusting.
4. A woman who looked like Bert from Sesame Street. She had the biggest and most bushy uni-brow that I have ever seen in my entire 22 years.

I'm back, I think

2007-06-07T18:52:00.000-05:00

Hi all,

Holy moley! I haven't posted since February and it's....JUNE! What the heck! I've been a busy girl---I finished my thesis, ran my organization's Gala and Finale event, got engaged, got a job, and moved! I'm now a DC commuter and loving the city.

Here's to more frequent posts and getting back to blogging!

A

He's some kind of wonderful

2007-02-19T21:29:00.000-05:00

My boyfriend and I have been together 5+ years. Most people that I meet in college are sort of shocked to hear that I've been dating someone for that long and our relationship has endured the 127+ miles to and from his school to mine and almost 4 years of being apart. But, I love him more today than I ever thought I would love anyone in my whole life.

As I start applying for jobs and trying to figure out what I'm going to do back home, one of the things that makes me less nervous and more happy is that we'll get to be together. I'm happy that I'll be able to meet my sweetheart for dinner in the city, spend the weekends with him doing things like getting groceries and helping him to clean up his house, and hopefully living close enough to him so that I can be there if he needs me.

There are days I wish he understood more about diabetes, but I know he tries as hard as can. I asked him this weekend if I could put a site in him and couldn't help he would probably think I had gone off my rocker. I just thought if maybe he understand what it was like to just do that, maybe he would understand me just alittle bit more (I even offered to let him wear a groovy patch if he wanted) I'm sure that having a girlfriend that breaks up with you because her blood sugar is low is not pleasant (yes, this happened freshman year and was the closet I had ever come to passing out. I had to call him and tell him I couldn't really remember why we fought and that I was sorry.) or even convienent. But, since the beginning, he's been there. In the clinic where I was diagnosed, he was there for me to rest my head on and hold my hand. He is there to be uncertain of the future with. To rely on when there's no one else around who know what to do. To be comfortable enough to show the site to and comfortable enough to say, "Please scoot over, you're laying on my pump cord".

We go together better than pancakes and sugar-free syrup. We balance each other like orange juice and low blood sugar. We love each other more than a diabetic loves cake (and as I diabetic, I certainly am crazy about cake!).

Reddog, you are my best friend and I love you. Thanks for putting up with me, taking care of me, and being the light in what seems kinda dark. <3

Frosty Friday

2007-02-16T16:55:00.000-05:00

<---Current art obession: "Waiting" by Andy Warhol

Well, here in VA were blanket and trying to dig out of the great ice storm that hit on Tuesday evening. Since the temperature rose above freezing this afternoon and caused the ice from the roof of my apartment building to melt, there is now a huge icy patch on the bottom stairs going out of my apartment to the parking lot which I manage to slip on and fall down the remaining steps into a huge puddle. No broken bones or anything, but a mildly busted up hand and very sore butt and knee. My good friend was behind me and fell when he went to help me up. It must have been a funny site, now that I think about it.

Diabetes wise, things are going alright. Nothing new to report, which I feel is a good thing. My weekly average is alot better than last week, even after eating things that normally make my body freak out like lasagna (I made it from scratch on Valentine's Day for my roomies since we didn't have class).

I applied for a job today, so I'm beginning to stress alittle less when it comes to stuff like that even though I'm still uncertain exactly what I want to do. My degree when I finish will be in Sociology (yes, it's okay to say "What are you going to do with that?" My friends still ask :o)) but I'm really interested in marketing, programming, event planning in the diabetes arena. It seems like alot of people in the OC have pursued careers related to diabetes...is it something you all feel into or actively pursued? Also, how do you all deal with the diabetes in interview settings? For example, if you are going to work for a pharm company, a diabetes nonprofit, or a medical device company, would you mention that you have diabetes? I know employers can't legally ask, but if you consider that having diabetes a selling point, do you bring it up? Let me know what you all have done!

Hope everything is going well with everyone!

Better days

2007-02-05T22:56:00.000-05:00

<---Current art obession: Kissing on Valentine's Day Times Square - May 8th, 1945 Artist: Alfred Eisenstaedt

The last few days have been much better bg-wise. I finally was able to get things under control and have been checking religiously and trying to remind myself that things will be okay.

I spent the weekend in VA Beach with one of my best friends and boyfriend and had an absolutely amazing time. I love getting away for alittle while and I love experiencing new things. We had an awesome dinner at a restaurant called Fellini's (as in the director) on Friday night and then spent the evening dancing at a very cool club/bar in Norfolk. Saturday was spent shopping and enjoying time with my roommate's family--and eating amazing food that my roomies parents had made!

The next few weeks look to be busy ones with school and organization committments. I'm trying to not stress and take a few minutes each day to be in the moment and to try and relax. I don't want to look back this time next year and go "Jeeze, that was your senior year and you spent it worrying about everything, you loser!" When I was exploring ways to deal with my stress last semester, this is something that I really tried to embrace, but failed at. I had a hard time managing stress and I don't want to get so bogged down that I spiral into the sea of "OMG I'm drowning in everything that I need to do."

So, today I brought these Valentine's Day cards that you get to assemble at Target and did that between classes instead of starting my homework (I loooove crafts and the only reason I don't have all my artsy-fartsy stuff at school is because I have no space). And you know...I was in an awesome mood the rest of the day, having completely glued and glittered until I was as satified as a kindergartener after art class--seriously running around my apartment showing my roommates what I had made

It really is those little things that make days that could just be "blah" so much better.

Oh geeze...

2007-01-30T00:49:00.000-05:00

Last night, I checked my bg before bed and was startled by a 486. Holy crap. Waves of panic. 3 glasses of water, multiple checks. I saw that my tubing was completely blocked. Got the kinks worked out, but woke up every few hours and check. Sailed in at a 175 this morning.

Now...pizza from a campus event for dinner and probably more gummy sour candy than I should have had and I'm 496. WTF! This is sooo not me. How does this happen? I think I'm doing so good, then BAM, like a MAC truck, I'm down.

I was looking at my averages and they have been pretty high. I need to get back on track.

NOW.

7 thoughts

2007-01-28T23:15:00.000-05:00

<--- Current art obession. Audrey Hepburn Breakfast at Tiffanys. (Because my sister is obsessed with her and because she's pretty much a style icon.)

1. I made it back to school after a very relaxing weekend home in NoVA. No clubbing or bar hopping, but lots of fun with my family. I got to hang out with my little sister and enjoy some quality time with my mom and dad. My boyfriend was home this weekend, so we saw Alpha Dog with Justin Timberlake, went to dinner, and hung out. Always fun.

2. My roommates and I went to a coffee ship downtown tonight to do homework. I got alot done and got the chance to enjoy a delicious smoothie beverage. BG has been alittle high since then.

3. Even though I don't have class tomorrow until late, I have a "to do" list a mile long (cleaning my room is on the list...)

4. I need to finish my resume. And start applying for job. And decide what I want to do with my life.

5. Spring Break needs to hurry up and get here. With my senior seminar undergrad thesis in the works and a few other class projects starting up in the next few weeks, I am counting down the days until I get on plane and head to sunny Panama City for 7 days.

6. I love bulk sour gummy candy. Gummy worms, gummy gears, sour patch kids, sour gummy worms, neon worms, the sour watermelons, gummy sour fruit salad. All of them.

7. I am ready to graduate and start something new. Don't know where I'll end up, or what I'll be doing, but I'm ready for something different.

Wednesday---Is the week almost over?

2007-01-24T11:48:00.000-05:00

<---Current art obsession: L'Instant Taittinger. Artist: Unknown. It's in my hallway of my apartment and it's cute. :o)

Even though it's only Wednesday, this week feels like it's been going on forever. No snow day on Monday forced me out of bed and across campus for meetings, lunch with my roommate, set up for an event for my job, class, Happy Hour at Chili's with my class, and Student Organization Night for my organization. I got home and felt like I hadn't seen my apartment in years. Tuesdays are my marathon days on campus with 3 classes from 11:00-4:45 and work from 5-8:30. I got home and allowed myself to veg out and watch John Tucker Must Die. Yes, I am lame and it doesn't take alot to amuse me.

My numbers have been pretty good the last few days. I had a low before bed on Sunday night, suspended my pump, and then fell asleep and forgot to turn the damn thing back on. 289 at 5am. Crap.

Another awesome thing I figured I would share with you ladies...Have you seen the Nick and Nora PJs at Target? The ones that look like old man pajamas? I have several pairs in completely outlandish prints-Dogs, Pink Poodles in Paris, Clouds, etc. They have these awesome pockets on the shirt which hold my pump perfectly. I always get stuck in my tubing at night if I just throw the pump in bed with me or I end up on top of my pump and my back hurts. If I drop my pump in the pocket, it's pretty easy sleeping. I've even pump my little black case with my checker in the other pocket and I am fully armed for any diabetes related nightly incidence.

They're pretty affordable at Target (the regular ones sold at the high end places can be alittle pricey) . Check them out. --->

I'm heading home to Northern VA this weekend to get my haircut, see my boyfriend, and to go out in DC. Should be a much needed good time.

Have a good one!

SNOW SNOW SNOW and grooviness...

2007-01-21T21:20:00.000-05:00

<---Current art obession: Couple Walking Through Central Park, NYC Artist: Steve Linder

Virginia has been hit by it's first snowstorm this year and I'm very excited!!! Have you seen the movie "Snow Day" that came out a few years ago? The little girl in the movie is obsessed with snow days and the town she lives in only ever gets one at a time. She does everything she can to keep the Snowplow man from plowing. It's hilarious and my roommates and I are all about getting a snow day tomorrw. No more wishing for a delay, we want a full day! We'll see what they announce tomorrow at 6am. In the meantime, I'll enjoy the idea of maybe not having to go out tomorrow and the idea missing another nonprofit class (no class last week because of MLK) which is a complete waste of time in the first place.

One of my new obession in life are my Groovy Patches from www.groovypatches.com . I got them in my stocking for Christmas from my parents after having bothered them about ordering them. I pretty much don't wear a site now without wearing a Groovy Patch on top of it. I got Tropical ones for when I go to Panama City for Spring Break in March, but have been rocking the Retro and Butterflies. I'm sure my roommates are entertained when I change my site and run out of the bathroom with my shirt pulled up around my head, pointing at my stomach. Check them out. I'm a huge fan and wish I would have thought about this.

Hope each of you have been doing well. Let me know what's going with you!

:o) Allison

My week #1 encounter with someone who doesn't know a thing about the 'betes

2007-01-11T22:14:00.000-05:00

<--- Current art obession: The Café Terrace on the Place du Forum, Arles, at Night, c.1888 by Vincent Van Gogh

Wow! The first week of class went fast and so did this long weekend!

I'm busy working on a couple of events for the organization that I direct on campus and trying to keep up on all the work that I have already this semester. I'm taking a block class on immigration and I think there was almost 100 pages of reading just for this week. When you have 4 other classes and 2 projects to work on, the reading isn't very thorough. :o)

At the beginning of the semester, I always have run ins with people about my diabetes. It came up when I was talking to a girl in 2 of my classes. She was asking what I thought I was going to write my senior seminar paper on and I was explain my interest in the 'betes and she said "Well, my dad has diabetes"- I assume Type 2 and am not really in the mood to have the difference in diabetes talk with her- but I ask, just to make sure. She says she doesn't know.

I can't get over how you live with someone and don't know. I mean, I know about my parents' health issues only so when I go to the doctor's I can give educated answers AND not look like a complete DUMBASS about my medical history. I just said "Oh" at this point, because I didn't want to get into it anymore than I had. It frustrates me when people don't know the difference between the two and really pisses me off when they have a personal connection to the disease and are completely uneducated. <---I'm done ranting, I promise.

So what do you all say when you meet people like this? What do you say to people that don't seem to care about a disease that affects MILLIONS--20.8 to be exact--of people and people they know---like us--on a daily basis??? How do you educate without being too pushy?

Musings

2007-01-10T10:49:00.000-05:00

<-- Current art obession (a new feature of my blog)- "London" by Andrea Laliberte

I made it back to school safely and was reunited with my roommates and all my school friends. I'm still trying to imagine not coming back here next semester. It's definitely going to be a shock.

My schedule is pretty nice- no classes til the evening on Monday and Wednesday (only one on both nights) and no classes on Friday (a senior's dream!). 3 classes on Tuesday and 2 on Thursday. It's pretty nice. Even though I'm not in class alot, I'm going to be on campus a ton- holed up in the library doing research for my Senior Seminar class where I'm writing an undergraduate thesis. Yeah, it's going to own me. But, I have a good idea for a topic- last semester I wrote about the portrayal of diabetes in "Steel Magnolias"- notice how Shelby NEVER tests her blood sugar during the whole movie??? I'm thinking of doing the portrayal of diabetes in the media in general and connecting it with how diabetics are almost seen as a deviant group, etc.---I took a deviance class last semester and I think I could totally make it work. Any thoughts?

Diabetes-wise, things are great. My numbers have been pretty decent. The increase in exercise with running across campus and stuff has been really good. I've also been watching what I eat with the whole cholestrol thing.

Did you all know that the “Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act” (H.R. 3/S. 5) was introduced in the House and Senate last week and is expected to be voted on Thursday, Jan. 11? Make sure you contact your representative- you can sign up online through the American Diabetes Association Advocacy http://advocacy.diabetes.org/site/PageServer?pagename=AC_homepage and they'll help you with contacting the right people.

:o) Allison

Last night home

2007-01-06T23:17:00.000-05:00

I always get sad the night before I go back to school. Tonight, I said goodbye to my boyfriend and tomorrow I'll say goodbye to my parents and my sister. You would think as a senior I wouldn't get sad and would be ready to go back, party, and officially be done. But I'm not.

I hate leaving. I love my family and feel the most comfortable being here daily to make them laugh. I love that my sister yells at me before I go anywhere to make sure I have low snacks, my mom tells me to check before I get in the car, and that when I'm at the mall I have someone there to hold my pump and so I don't have to find a bench to check my blood sugar. I love that I don't have to explain why my pump is beeping to these people. When I say "I don't feel so good" they know exactly that I'm low, need juice, need...them.

At school, I'm pretty much on my own. That scares me sometimes especially with those lows at night when I want my mom. Kinda like the one that Kerri described a couple of days ago at www.sixuntilme.com. When you want someone to sit with you or hold you or something, but since when I'm at school all I have is my roommates and you can't really ask them to hold you because that might be just alittle wierd, as much as you love them.

Technically, this is the last "last night home before going back to school." I like that idea.

In 5 months I'll be a college graduate. I'll be done. I'll have the rest of my life to live. Wow.

Happy 2007!

2007-01-01T22:34:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year everyone! I hope that you all had a great evening celebrating. My boyfriend had a party at his apartment with a bunch of friends from college and some friends from our high school. It was a great evening and it was fun to ring in 2007, which will be a big year (I graduate in 5 months...Holy crap!!! Must find job. Must decide what to do with my life.)

My Christmas went well with my family and we traveled to NC to visit with my grandparents and cousins. It was nice to celebrate with them and get a chance to hang out, without having to worry about what I was missing at school or something like that.

Diabetes wise, everything has been pretty great. Nothing to exciting to report. Did any of you all receive the new Cozmo update about their changes to their pump? Check out their website www.cozmore.com and see the new features their adding. Some of them look pretty interesting. The only thing that totally bums me out is that they are redoing their colors and getting rid of my Atomic Purple (which I got because it's my favorite and one of my school's colors...but I digress...). The new colors are pretty, but I'm surprised they didn't introduce a pink one or something to capture the hearts of all those little pump wearing girls out there (me included!).

Do you all make resolutions? I'm trying to make health resolutions this year. I'm going to work to keep my A1C under the fabulous 6.8 and try to lower my cholesterol and try and excerise more. I haven't really taken advantage of the gym on campus- so since it's my last semester, I might as well. :o) Let me know what you all are resolving to do!

Here's to blogging more, stressing less, and living life to it's fullest in 2007!

A short appointment recap

2006-12-23T19:56:00.000-05:00

Ok...quick post to update on my endo appointment.

1. I have high chlosterol...Yes, at 22 it's high. Significantly high. I have 3 months to get it down or I'm on my way to another pill to take in the morning. I was sorta depressed about the whole thing, as it's something else to worry about, but the changes I need to make will be better for my overall health, so I'm willing to make them. (Hopefully, I might be able to lose the 5 pounds I've been talking about losing--in time for Spring Break 2k7 in Panama City

2. On a very happy note....my A1c was a 6.8!!! The lowest it's ever been! I'm super stoked and am now working on keeping it down.

Alright, I'm at the boyfriend's house so I have to run, but in case I forget to post on Monday, MERRY CHRISTMAS BLOGOSPHERE!!!

Thanks for inspiring me!

Home for the Holidays

2006-12-19T14:02:00.000-05:00

Yay! I'm home for Christmas and have been having a great time since I got home on Thursday. On Friday night, I went out with my boyfriend and his roommate and we had a great time partying in the city. Drank alittle too much, but my blood sugars were pretty good throughout the night.

I've finished most of my Christmas shopping and am working on a scrapbook (I used to work at a scrapbook store in high school and during breaks before I got my internship last summer...Yes, I sold stickers for a living and it was awesome) for my boyfriend's family. Their dog Oreo passed away a couple of weeks ago and the bf decided that a scrapbook with photos of the family and their pets would be perfect. He bought the supplies. I'm doing the labor.

Endo appointment on Thursday so that should be interesting...Will post more then.

Hope everyone is having a great week so far!

Almost there

2006-12-13T18:42:00.000-05:00

Well, I got my naturalistic analysis paper done last night and it's all turned in. I only have one more exam left tomorrow, then I'm leaving straight from campus to head 2 hours north to my house for 3 weeks. I cannot wait to be home celebrating the holiday with my family and to finally be done with final exams! Tonight, my roomies that are still here and I are going to hang out and watch ELF, one of my favorite Christmas movies! We've been planning hanging out all week since everyone's schedule is sooo messed up with exams and review sessions and studying.

I also have an endo appointment while I'm home, along with a check up with my regular doctor to make sure I'm all healthy before I come back here for my LAST SEMESTER! I've had a couple of highs lately (some of them due to my pump- one night last week the battery died- even though I had put a new one in just a few days before and I was super high when I finally woke up from the alarm). I also have some questions in terms of long term care and insurance stuff (since when I graduate, I'll lose the benefit of my parents AWESOME insurance). I know my A1C is probably going to be higher than I would like, so I hope I can keep good records this week and take about it with the endo next Thursday since I'm terrible at keeping a log book.

Alright, have to get back to packing up stuff to bring home. Clothes, shoes, Christmas presents that I bought at school, planner, meds, and all the diabetes junk...Blah.

All I want for Christmas is to be done with my exams...

2006-12-10T20:22:00.000-05:00

This has been such an awesome weekend. Our cocktail party went really great on Friday. Nothing like 35 of your closests friends, great food, and amazing drinks. I think my roomies and I would have impressed all of our moms :o) We had a ton of people come in from out of town so it was great to see old friends.

My boyfriend and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary today. It was nice to finally be together on the actual day, since normally in the past it's fallen during exam week for both of us. We went out to dinner with friends from out of town last night and watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vaction, which is one of my favorite movies EVER. Rent it if you haven't seen it. It'll crack you up! He left to go back home today, but I'll see him on Thursday or Friday once I get home.

Alright, well back to the massive amounts of studying I have. Can't wait to be for Christmas Break in 5 days. It's so close...only 4 written exams, a massive paper, and packing before I can leave!

Hump Day

2006-12-06T13:59:00.000-05:00

Thank goodness today is Wednesday. In one week, I will be (almost) done with school...i.e. my Naturalistic Paper will be turned in and almost all of my exams will be over. I seriously can't wait. I am ready for a break from everything and to not have a ton of work to do. I need to start working on job stuff which is stressful and am going to hopefully start looking around for places to apply.

But until next Wednesday, I have a ton of stuff to do. My body obviously knows this and is giving me a hard time (lows two nights in a row, making me feel like garbage and tired for the next day). I had one of those "Damn you 'betes, Damn you" days yesterday. A low in the middle of the day left me feeling overwhelmingly crummy. I've been testing a ton today to prevent any more of those.

Things to get done (in the next 3 days)
1. Health Care Portrayl Analysis Paper (on Grey's Anatomy)
2. More work on my Naturalistic Analysis paper
3. Planning/shopping/cleaning for our cocktail party on Friday
4. Studying for my first 2 exams (Monday morning)

Must. go. do. work.

Once upon a time...

2006-12-04T20:33:00.000-05:00

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Allison. She was a getting ready for her senior year in high school, seemingly in love with a very cute boy, working at her first job, and living her life to its fullest. She had been tired and worn out for a few months, drinking gallons of water on a daily basis, and having more muscle cramps then she had ever had before. Allison was thinning like the hair on a middle aged man and her mother began to think her little girl was anorexic, even though she was packing her a lunch double the size of many of the kids at Allison's high school.

In June, Allison went to Hersey Park for the day, and instead of riding roller coasters like her little sister and dad, Allison sat on a bench, weak from what she thought had been an intense kickboxing class. She drank more that day then she ever had before and she had to pee the entire ride home to Northern VA.

The next week, Allison had to go to the doctor to get her allergy medication refilled. She told the run-of-the-mill doctor she had been thirsty, emotional, losing weight, and feeling exhausted. He told her it was probably in her head. Allison peed in a cup, just for good measure. She drove home with her mom, who fixed her a grilled cheese sandwich. Allison sat in front of the television, watching As the World Turns, enjoying her day off.

The phone rang and her mom answered. She told Allison that the doctor called.

600s. Hurry and get here for more tests. Emergency room. Stop eating. The words blurred together as her mom threw the clothes in the suitcase. Bring an overnight bag. Make arrangements for several days. Tests. Pokes. Insulin. Don't eat or drink. Call the boyfriend. Pick up the sister. Go to Walter Reed. Allison has diabetes.

Allison wondered as she sat there what would happen. Would her life change? Would she ever be like she was? Would she...die?

Allison recieved the best care, education, and support she could have gotten. She left the hospital with her syringes, newly formed calluses on her hands, more literature then she might have imagined, and an NPH and Regular insulin regimen. 3 weeks later she went to Humalog and Lantus.

Allison still is in love with that very cute boy, who stayed by her side through all sorts of diabetes ordeals. She still is living her life to its fullest, but now she is almost done with college, wears a purple insulin pump, and she carb counts. She's become an outspoken advocate for diabetes, educating people that the face of diabetes isn't always the face of your grandparent. She's told many a faculty that she isn't wearing an iPod on her hip all the time. She's apologized for the inconvenience of her medical device, but never for who she is.

Her life has changed. She never will be like she once was. But the experiences have shaped her into who she is today.

The end of the semester craziness

2006-12-01T11:28:00.000-05:00

Monday starts my last week of class of the fall semester of my SENIOR year. Only one more semester to go and I'm starting to be very excited that I'm almost done.

The stress of the end of the semester is something that I dread. This week alone I had 2 events for the organization that I'm in charge (a restaurant night at this cute little place downtown that has amazing Greek American food and a blood drive), a test, a literature review due, and a paper due for my film class. None of which I started or thought about during my week at home. Nevertheless, everything got done (the film paper was pretty shitty...Did anyone else think the movie Lost in Translation was a waste of time???).

On the agenda for next week:
1. Reading material that will be on finals
2. Finishing my naturalistic anaylsis research paper (the bain of my existence, atleast on this list)
3. Health Portrayl anayslis paper
4. Holiday Cocktail Party that my roommates and I are hosting (it's Friday night and will be super fab, except for the fact 35 people are coming and I have no idea how we're going to feed them all)

So, it's going to be a busy one.

On the diabetes front, numbers have been fab for the past week. Of course, it couldn't be like that at home when I have my parents worrying. Met someone yesterday whose little brother has Type 1 and totally shot the shit about all things diabetes related. He's the philanthropy chair for this fraternity and their phil. happens to be JDRF. He's also the SGA president of our university so it was a pretty cool convo.

Hope that you all survived Thanksgiving and are counting down the days to whatever December holiday you celebrate!

A

I am...

2006-11-21T14:44:00.000-05:00

-home in Northern Virginia for Thanksgiving
- supposed to be in class
- currently skipping Communication in Pop Culture and Film to 1960
- going out for drinks with friends from high school tonight and am sort of nervous about seeing them
- spending the day with my sister and my boyfriend tomorrow
- going out of town (to NC) on Thursday to see my grandparents and extended family (yeaaahhh....) - thankful for my family, friends, and boyfriend
- not excited about going back to school next week and running two huge events, taking an exam, and having a paper due
- happy that I decided to start a blog and wish I would have earlier
- wishing that my blood sugar didn't go crazy when I was home, leading my parents to believe that it's crazy all the time Happy Tuesday, Allison

Procrastinating is not good...

2006-11-15T19:57:00.000-05:00

I was reading some old emails and realized I had one of these things from back in the day and decided that even with the abundance of work I have, I can procrasinate just a bit more.

1. Do you still have tonsils? Yes. They are large and when I'm sick I wish that I had a snoring problem like my little sister and could have them removed.

2. Would you bungee jump? Yes, I plan on doing it on Spring Break this year while I'm in Panama City.

3. If You Could Do Anything In The World For A Living What Would It Be? Something that would make a difference. I would love to be able to do programming or event planning for an organization that works in some way with diabetes

4. How many tattoos do you have? None. I have the perfect design and am waiting until a few weeks before graduation to get it done.

5. Your favorite fictional animal? Hmmm...probably the dogs from 101 Dalmatians. Pongo and Purdy.

6. One person that never fails to make you laugh? My younger sister.

7. Do you consider yourself well organized? I try hard, but normally end up misplacing something.

8. Any Addictions? Checking my email and maybe Diet Coke?

9. From what news source do you receive the bulk of your news? CNN is my homepage :o)

10. Would you rather go to a carnival or circus? Carnival...Quality food there.

11. When you were twelve years old, what did you want to be when you grew up? A teacher or a cook.

12. Best Movie You've Seen This Year? The Prestige. It totally rocked. And Christian Bale is pretty ridiculously good looking.

13.Favorite alcoholic drink. Gin and Diet Sprite.

14. Siblings? Younger sister. She's awesome.

15. What is the best thing about your job? Which one? I love my campus job because I get to find out all the things going on on my campus. Over the summer, I got up to speed on all things diabetes and loved that!

these questions were boring...

18. If you could have one super power what would it be? Super speed- be anywhere really fast!

19. Do you own any furniture from Ikea? Yes, I love that place.

20. Have you ever gone camping? Once, I hated it.

21. Gas prices! First thought? Ummm...could be lower?

22. Your favorite cartoon character? Olive Oyl from Popeye.

23. What was your first car? My neon.

24. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual? No, I love the idea.

25. The Cosby Show or the Simpsons? Cosby, mos def.

26. Do you go to church? When I'm home, not while I'm at school.

27. What famous person would you like to have dinner with? ummm...toughy. Probably Oprah.

28. What errand/chore do you despise? Chore- taking out the trash.

29. First thought when the alarm went off this morning. I should not stay up watching the Tyra Banks show.

30. Last time you puked from drinking? 2 years ago. A night of "jungle juice"= a morning of pain.

31. What is your heritage? Welsh, English, and German

32. Favorite flower? Gerber Daisies

33. Disney or Warner Bros? I went to Disney World for the very 1st time with my bf for Spring Break last year and LOVED IT! Disney all the way!

34. What is your best childhood memory? Riding bikes with my friends in Ohio.