goal check-in

2013 goals- progress

(1) This year, I will unpack. Completely, fully, with organization. I  at my last house and there are things I missed. Some have already been freed in my new location. My landlord sucks, which can inspire back peddling, but I hope to make peace with one another and be able to stay here for at least 3 years.
Discontinued. I can't wait for my opportunity to leave this house. I have no positive words to say about my landlord. I think I'll begin to pack.

(3) Pay off my student loan. I owe 1405.88. After interest, that might be $1465.88. A range is fairer to me than an absolute elimination. Thus, I'll say that by December 2013, I will owe no more than $310. That means I would have eliminated about 75% of that debt. I explored this topic at 43things
My payoff amount is now $599-- that's a big difference from $1086 in February. This debt will be gone by December 2013. Apparently, I'll exceed the goal I wrote concerning this at the beginning of the year.

(4) Own less stuff. I'm not really sure how this looks but moving (again) showed me that I have a bunch of stuff. Most ppl don't have this much; why do I? Often, packing helps me see what things to shed. This time, it did not. Before the move, I mentally established the modest goal of getting rid of 60 things in 2013 onward-- 5 things per month on average. That's a minimum. I need less. I need to get rid of more. 365 items seems like an intimidatingly large commitment but maybe not. Somewhere between 100 & 365 for 2013?
I'm only at 32 on http://www.43things.com/person/rainbowphoenix compared to 23 in Feb.  Still not great at tracking what I've gotten rid of. Feeling a bit more motivated about this as I realize the amount that I own is a major reason I was resistant to moving. Having a landlord that flat foot refuses to make repairs inspires me more than having a bunch of stuff stifles me.

(5) Get my health in better shape. There's fibromyalgia, fibromyalgia, fibromyalgia. Then there's fitness. These past 6 months have been much worse than many 6 month periods. I'm trying a new medication (Savella), been referred to aquatherapies, and am reapproaching yoga (stopping is probably one of my worse mistakes thus far). I once said that I refuse to allow fibromyalgia to steal my life. It's been gaining more ground than I prefer so this year I am changing that.'
June 2013: Still not doing great with this goal. Actually just got put on 2 new daily meds. Went to yoga this past Wednesday and tried water aerobics on Thursday. I want to continue with both but the tattoo will delay my water activities. Got my bicycles repaired; need to spend more time riding them.

Feb 2013: Insurance won't pay for aquatherapies.
I take Savella as prescribed but doubt that it does much good. The timing is bad because allergen elimination decreases my pain. I have no way of knowing to what extent Savella helps.
Yoga hit a snag due to me having surgery on my hand; then I forgot to go to class.  I also acknowledge the need to increase home practice but struggle for a location. It is challenging to find the TV in the living room not in use, the space is insufficient in my bedroom, and the art room has a bunch of clean laundry and boxes in it right now that prevent that space for being used for anything. Hallway yoga? Maybe I'll do a few minutes of that. Also, I start photoshop classes this week, which will prevent me from attending the supportive yoga classes I was trying to commit to attending. 
Overall, I feel no healthier than when I started the year. I'm trying to make a health/fitness change per week. I give myself a C.

(6) Learn to eat in a way respectful to my body, particularly as it relates to delayed food sensitives
Working on starting over. Beginning at fast food instead of a specific food group.

(7) Do not increase the number of medications I take. Decrease my total of pills by at least one at year's end. This goal sounds mild but note that my doctor has me on 3 additional pills per day compared to what I was taking a month ago and has another on standby  Really, I think I'm trying to get off a blood pressure med, not be put back on cholesterol med, and not have Prilosec become a daily norm. More than get off of meds, I want to not increase despite being on the verge of that.
2 daily meds & 1 prn added last week of May. grrr. I'm kind of glad about one of them though because it's for something I've noticed as being high norm but never had a doctor express concern over before.

(8) Be a photographer/craftster for the year. Learn photoshop, Build my website (http://photosbyamy.weebly.com/). Build a kickstarter account to raise funds for a good and functional camera. Participate in 6 art fairs. Participate in photo club. Build some skills. Lets see what happens. I can put out another $700 with no or little return or I can see products move (though probably not enough to earn everything I put out in year 1 of seriousness).
June 2013: I completed 2 photoshop classes. Classes ended maybe 2 weeks ago. Haven't touched art since; I needed a break. It's all work. Not going to pursue all listed above. I need to pack, not unpack; I need to move.

Feb 2013: I signed back in to my website and reviewed how it operates. I signed up for a photoshop class. It starts this week.

(9) Be a better steward of my money. Actually balance my checking account regularly-- track weekly/biweekly. Balance quarterly. It's enough for me.
June: I changed my budgeting/tracking system to something less complicated. I decided on the change a few months ago then didn't address financial matters :o. Today, I looked back at it and began to balance.

Feb: The balancing has begun for the year. I have not updated for this week. Thus, I am behind.

(10) Lose some weight. My mom's pain increases when she gains weight. Dr. Steven Murphree once stated I would hurt less if I weighed less. Without mom's testimony it sounds silly but why not give it a try? I'll set a modest 12lb goal by my 31st (6-30-13). Shockingly (to me), I just opened my journal and learned that I've gained 25 lbs since Jan. 2010. For those of you that actually see me, do you see that 25lbs gained? Wow! SMH.
June 2013: I'm back at Jan's weight. That especially bites since my goal deadline is about 3 weeks away.

Feb: I've lost about 10lbs this year due to the elimination diet. I say "due to" but I've never lost weight on this diet before (which surprises even me). I resume regular eating in about 2 weeks so Feb/March will be the real tellers of how my weight loss goal is going. 

(11) Recycled from Jan 2012: "Put forth more effort to find a spiritual home. 24 attempts minimal." Okay, 20. Slight change from last year.
Feb 2013: I've gone to City Fellowship at least 5 times this year, I went to the church at the Health Food store once too many times :). Still needing to get to New St. Luke and might check out the UMC and non-denominational churches I visited last year. 

Last week, I went to City Fellowship. Today, I planned to go to New St. Luke Missionary Baptist but my hair was still wait when I woke up. If I can get it dry in 30 minutes, I'll go back to City Fellowship. 

(15) Keep A1C at or below 6.5. It's a constant goal of mine though my new doc wants it at a 6.0. I guess I can aim for 6.3  May's # didn't nail it. Thankfully, I'm still not at a place to be called "bad"

(16) Get my first tattoo. I wrote that for 2011 but here it is 2 years later. It's time to get some of these reoccurring items off the list.
I've actually sought out 5 artists this year for my yoga design. Tattoo artists seem to be flakes from my experience but I finally got an appointment scheduled for today. 15 minutes before we were to start, I got a text that something came up but I'll get a discount once we connect. We'll see. Mostly I'm being quoted something like $500 so I'm not sure that I'll proceed if it doesn't work out with the discount artist.

(18) Do some training in reading others. A microexpression online training? Read Bodytalk? Something.
June: no new updates. Feb: I purchased Bodytalk and Body Language. I haven't read much of either but at least I have some tools to get crackin'.

(20) Evaluate these goals and my progress regularly, no less than once a quarter. Here is another  conscious review....  I am glad to report that every item on this list is in my regular stream of consciousness. I may not be progressing in them all but I'm trying to work out a plan and get to action at least.

2013 goals- progress

(1) This year, I will unpack. Completely, fully, with organization. I  at my last house and there are things I missed. Some have already been freed in my new location. My landlord sucks, which can inspire back peddling, but I hope to make peace with one another and be able to stay here for at least 3 years.
THUS FAR: Continuing to work on this. My goal is 4 hours of unpacking a week. Doing fairly well with that. Have a long way to go but made a lot of progress as well.

(3) Pay off my student loan. I owe 1405.88. After interest, that might be $1465.88. A range is fairer to me than an absolute elimination. Thus, I'll say that by December 2013, I will owe no more than $310. That means I would have eliminated about 75% of that debt. I explored this topic at 43things
My pay off amount is down to $1086-- not bad for 2 months into a year. I am committed to making extra payments; so far, so good. It looks like I am ahead of my goal thus far.

(4) Own less stuff. I'm not really sure how this looks but moving (again) showed me that I have a bunch of stuff. Most ppl don't have this much; why do I? Often, packing helps me see what things to shed. This time, it did not. Before the move, I mentally established the modest goal of getting rid of 60 things in 2013 onward-- 5 things per month on average. That's a minimum. I need less. I need to get rid of more. 365 items seems like an intimidatingly large commitment but maybe not. Somewhere between 100 & 365 for 2013?
I'm at -23 according to my 43things.com blog blurbs. I haven't been great at tracking what I've gotten rid of; I'm working on that. 

(5) Get my health in better shape. There's fibromyalgia, fibromyalgia, fibromyalgia. Then there's fitness. These past 6 months have been much worse than many 6 month periods. I'm trying a new medication (Savella), been referred to aquatherapies, and am reapproaching yoga (stopping is probably one of my worse mistakes thus far). I once said that I refuse to allow fibromyalgia to steal my life. It's been gaining more ground than I prefer so this year I am changing that.'
Insurance won't pay for aquatherapies.
I take Savella as prescribed but doubt that it does much good. The timing is bad because allergen elimination decreases my pain. I have no way of knowing to what extent Savella helps.
Yoga hit a snag due to me having surgery on my hand; then I forgot to go to class.  I also acknowledge the need to increase home practice but struggle for a location. It is challenging to find the TV in the living room not in use, the space is insufficient in my bedroom, and the art room has a bunch of clean laundry and boxes in it right now that prevent that space for being used for anything. Hallway yoga? Maybe I'll do a few minutes of that. Also, I start photoshop classes this week, which will prevent me from attending the supportive yoga classes I was trying to commit to attending. 
Overall, I feel no healthier than when I started the year. I'm trying to make a health/fitness change per week. I give myself a C.

(6) Learn to eat in a way respectful to my body, particularly as it relates to delayed food sensitives
I tested positive (increased pain) to gluten. My commitment  now, is to purchase/make gluten-free when that option exists (e.g., gluten free hamburger bun over regular hamburger bun).I spend time thinking about other commitments to make once the diet is over.

(7) Do not increase the number of medications I take. Decrease my total of pills by at least one at year's end. This goal sounds mild but note that my doctor has me on 3 additional pills per day compared to what I was taking a month ago and has another on standby  Really, I think I'm trying to get off a blood pressure med, not be put back on cholesterol med, and not have Prilosec become a daily norm. More than get off of meds, I want to not increase despite being on the verge of that.
I had surprise blood work drawn last week. No threats of additional pills were said.

(8) Be a photographer/craftster for the year. Learn photoshop, Build my website (http://photosbyamy.weebly.com/). Build a kickstarter account to raise funds for a good and functional camera. Participate in 6 art fairs. Participate in photo club. Build some skills. Lets see what happens. I can put out another $700 with no or little return or I can see products move (though probably not enough to earn everything I put out in year 1 of seriousness).
I signed back in to my website and reviewed how it operates. I signed up for a photoshop class. It starts this week.

(9) Be a better steward of my money. Actually balance my checking account regularly-- track weekly/biweekly. Balance quarterly. It's enough for me.
The balancing has begun for the year. I have not updated for this week. Thus, I am behind.

(10) Lose some weight. My mom's pain increases when she gains weight. Dr. Steven Murphree once stated I would hurt less if I weighed less. Without mom's testimony it sounds silly but why not give it a try? I'll set a modest 12lb goal by my 31st (6-30-13). Shockingly (to me), I just opened my journal and learned that I've gained 25 lbs since Jan. 2010. For those of you that actually see me, do you see that 25lbs gained? Wow! SMH.
I've lost about 10lbs this year due to the elimination diet. I say "due to" but I've never lost weight on this diet before (which surprises even me). I resume regular eating in about 2 weeks so Feb/March will be the real tellers of how my weight loss goal is going. 

(11) Recycled from Jan 2012: "Put forth more effort to find a spiritual home. 24 attempts minimal." Okay, 20. Slight change from last year.
Last week, I went to City Fellowship. Today, I planned to go to New St. Luke Missionary Baptist but my hair was still wait when I woke up. If I can get it dry in 30 minutes, I'll go back to City Fellowship. 

(15) Keep A1C at or below 6.5. It's a constant goal of mine though my new doc wants it at a 6.0. I guess I can aim for 6.3  I mentioned surprise blood work. I'm not where I want to be but I'm not high enough for there to be great concern.

(16) Get my first tattoo. I wrote that for 2011 but here it is 2 years later. It's time to get some of these reoccurring items off the list.
I've actively sought out two artists. They are not returning calls and e-mails. There's another I want to talk to that actually works in a shop in a nearby city. I hope to drive over in the next few weeks. Also, I asked a co-worker to give my contact info to the artist she uses that happens to be in town right now. I really am trying to start the ink.

(18) Do some training in reading others. A microexpression online training? Read Bodytalk? Something.
I purchased Bodytalk and Body Language. I haven't read much of either but at least I have some tools to get crackin'.

(20) Evaluate these goals and my progress regularly, no less than once a quarter. Here is a conscious review....

Things to Come, 2013

(1) This year, I will unpack. Completely, fully, with organization. I never unpacked at my last house and there are things I missed. Some have already been freed in my new location. My landlord sucks, which can inspire back peddling, but I hope to make peace with one another and be able to stay here for at least 3 years.

(2) Use, use, use my Mexican food cookbook. Make at least 10 new recipes :).

(3) Pay off my student loan. I owe 1405.88. After interest, that might be $1465.88. A range is fairer to me than an absolute elimination. Thus, I'll say that by December 2013, I will owe no more than $310. That means I would have eliminated about 75% of that debt. I explored this topic at 43things

(4) Own less stuff. I'm not really sure how this looks but moving (again) showed me that I have a bunch of stuff. Most ppl don't have this much; why do I? Often, packing helps me see what things to shed. This time, it did not. Before the move, I mentally established the modest goal of getting rid of 60 things in 2013 onward-- 5 things per month on average. That's a minimum. I need less. I need to get rid of more. 365 items seems like an intimidatingly large commitment but maybe not. Somewhere between 100 & 365 for 2013?

(5) Get my health in better shape. There's fibromyalgia, fibromyalgia, fibromyalgia. Then there's fitness. These past 6 months have been much worse than many 6 month periods. I'm trying a new medication (Savella), been referred to aquatherapies, and am reapproaching yoga (stopping is probably one of my worse mistakes thus far). I once said that I refuse to allow fibromyalgia to steal my life. It's been gaining more ground than I prefer so this year I am changing that.

(6) Learn to eat in a way respectful to my body, particularly as it relates to delayed food sensitives

(7) Do not increase the number of medications I take. Decrease my total of pills by at least one at year's end. This goal sounds mild but note that my doctor has me on 3 additional pills per day compared to what I was taking a month ago and has another on standby  Really, I think I'm trying to get off a blood pressure med, not be put back on cholesterol med, and not have Prilosec become a daily norm. More than get off of meds, I want to not increase despite being on the verge of that.

(8) Be a photographer/craftster for the year. Learn photoshop, Build my website (http://photosbyamy.weebly.com/). Build a kickstarter account to raise funds for a good and functional camera. Participate in 6 art fairs. Participate in photo club. Build some skills. Lets see what happens. I can put out another $700 with no or little return or I can see products move (though probably not enough to earn everything I put out in year 1 of seriousness).

(9) Be a better steward of my money. Actually balance my checking account regularly-- track weekly/biweekly. Balance quarterly. It's enough for me.

(10) Lose some weight. My mom's pain increases when she gains weight. Dr. Steven Murphree once stated I would hurt less if I weighed less. Without mom's testimony it sounds silly but why not give it a try? I'll set a modest 12lb goal by my 31st (6-30-13). Shockingly (to me), I just opened my journal and learned that I've gained 25 lbs since Jan. 2010. For those of you that actually see me, do you see that 25lbs gained? Wow! SMH.

(11) Recycled from Jan 2012: "Put forth more effort to find a spiritual home. 24 attempts minimal." Okay, 20. Slight change from last year.

(12) Read a book about money, finances, etc. I once heard that wealthy people do and decided I should too. This is the year to put money where my mouth is.

(13) Scrapbook. I like the idea of it, I never achieve the goal of getting it done. I'm thinking about starting a meetup group for scrapbooking. I worry about trying to find time to craft for a side gig and "Craft" in scrapbooking. More specifically, I am trying that scrapbook one week of your life idea I saw on pinterest. This is the week.

(14) Write out a 5 year plan. My old plan ended yesterday. There are areas where I missed the mark but the basic premise of that plan did influence what was constantly on my mind.

(15) Keep A1C at or below 6.5. It's a constant goal of mine though my new doc wants it at a 6.0. I guess I can aim for 6.3

(16) Get my first tattoo. I wrote that for 2011 but here it is 2 years later. It's time to get some of these reoccurring items off the list.

(17) Redistribute TSP funds (retirement money)

(18) Do some training in reading others. A microexpression online training? Read Bodytalk? Something.

(19) Shoot a gun; take a class. Oddly enough, this goal began to form after a dream about me as a landlord....

(20) Evaluate these goals and my progress regularly, no less than once a quarter.

almost a mat

Tonight, my intention became to exercise for 15 minutes, just a little something to get me back? into the practice of something. I haven't been inactive lately. Tae kwon do, some supportive yoga, 2 nights per week or so at the gym. But I ache, I"m tired, and I'm just not well. Also, I'm in limbo on rather or not I am going to keep my gym membership. I'm waiting to hear back from my doctor on rather or not she is going to grant me a handicap tag for my car. I'm not going to walk 25 stairs per night to exercise. Anyhow, my 15 minutes became 30 minutes, my 5 minute stint on the treadmill did not occur. Gentle stretch, gentle stretch, gentle stretch. A little yoga, a few sit ups, some breathing. It felt good.

Namaste.

lab work

My red blood count is a little low. It's 4.12. It should be no less than 4.2. I can't donate blood. Again. What can  I do about that?

Instructions 

1. • Exercise regularly. Your body needs more oxygen when you exercise. Therefore, exercising on a regular basis sends messages to your body to increase red blood cell count. This allows your body to deliver a larger amount of oxygen during subsequent exercise sessions.
   • 2
     Make sure you consume proper levels of iron. Hemoglobin relies heavily on iron to help transport oxygen to your cells, so not having the proper iron levels decreases red blood cell count. Normal iron levels will vary according to age and sex.
   • 3. Consume the proper levels of Vitamin B-12 and folate. These compounds are important in the production of red blood cells. Thus, if you want to increase red blood cell count, you won't want to skimp on the fish and fortified breads. As with iron, proper vitamin B-12 and folate levels vary according to age and sex.
   • 4
     Train at higher altitudes. Oxygen is less abundant at higher altitudes, so your body's natural response is to increase the number of red blood cells. Doing this increases the amount of oxygen that can be delivered to your body's cells.
      From http://www.ehow.com/how_5416655_increase-red-blood-cell-count.html
     
     Lack of iron in the diet leads to iron deficiency anemia. Sources of iron include red meat, organ meat such as kidney and livers, beans, lentils, dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and kale, dried prunes, dried raisins and egg yolks, according to MedlinePlus.
     
     

     
     

     Iron-Rich Foods

     Iron is a mineral needed by the body to make hemoglobin. Hemoglobin helps carry and store oxygen in the body. Lack of iron in the diet leads to iron deficiency anemia. Sources of iron include red meat, organ meat such as kidney and livers, beans, lentils, dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and kale, dried prunes, dried raisins and egg yolks, according to MedlinePlus.

     Folic Acid-Rich Foods

     Folic acid, also known as vitamin B9, is a B-complex vitamin that helps the body make new healthy red blood cells. Patients with low levels of folic acid often develop anemia. Patients can increase red blood cells in the body by consuming foods rich in folic acid. Examples of foods with high amounts of folic acid include enriched breads and cereals, green leafy vegetables, such as kale and spinach, dried beans, peas and nuts.

     Vitamin B-12-Rich Foods

     Vitamin B-12 is a B-complex vitamin that is important for the DNA synthesis and production of red blood cells in the bone marrow. Low levels of B-12 lead to abnormal cell division in the bone marrow that results in large immature red blood cells known as megaloblasts. Patients with megaloblasts suffer from megaloblastic anemia because the abnormal red blood cells cannot store or transport oxygen to tissues. Vitamin B-12 is naturally found in a wide variety of animal foods and is added to some fortified foods. Sources of vitamin B-12 include beef liver, fish, red meat, eggs, milk, dairy products, fortified breakfast cereals and nutritional yeasts.

     
     

     
     Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/349946-foods-to-eat-to-increase-red-blood-cells/#ixzz1tZZQ02V9

     
     

Well, I take a b complex daily for adrenal fatigue. I have some B12....

I like red meat,beans, lentils, dried prunes (with cream cheese. dairy!), dried (?) raisins, and egg yolks. I can eat them. However, I'm trying to eat a few less egg yolks because of cholesterol. I also like nuts.

I will exercise (aerobic) more.

The foods listed that are removed from my diet during allergen elimination stand out to me. But I was not practicing the diet when I did this lab work.

I used to take iron but couldn't remember why so I decreased my consumption, then I stopped (ran out). Perhaps I should again take an iron pill or two per week.... or not. My face frowns when I think of that. Too many pills. Plus the doctor hasn't contacted me about being concerned about my labs.

My next slightly low reading-- chlorine. What is that??

A chloride test measures the level of chloride in your blood or urine. Chloride is one of the most important electrolytes in the blood. It helps keep the amount of fluid inside and outside of your cells in balance. It also helps maintain proper blood volume, blood pressure, and pH of your body fluids. Most of the chloride in your body comes from the salt (sodium chloride) you eat.

Why It Is Done

A test for chloride may be done to:

• Check your chloride level if you are having symptoms such as muscle twitching or spasms, breathing problems, weakness, or confusion.
• Find out whether you have kidney or adrenal gland problems.
• Help find the cause for high blood pH. A condition called metabolic alkalosis can be caused by a loss of acid from your body (for example, from a loss of electrolytes through prolonged vomiting or diarrhea). You may also have metabolic alkalosis if your body loses too much sodium or you eat too much baking soda (sodium bicarbonate).

Dag. Another symptom of having kidney problems. I reject that notion... or maybe I just weep at the thought. That being said, we know I have adrenal problems adrenal failure). I'll accept the low reading as being just that. I got a 95 with "98" being the low normal.

Also, it's an electrolyte, much like potassium, which I'm consistently low in (if unmedicated).

From http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/chloride-cl

Hypochloremia (Low Chloride)

What Is Hypochloremia?
Hypochloremia is an electrolyte imbalance and is indicated by a low level of chloride in the blood.  The normal adult value for chloride is 97-107 mEq/L.
Chloride in your blood is an important electrolyte and works to ensure that your body's metabolism is working correctly. Your kidneys control the levels of chloride in your blood. Therefore, when there is a disturbance in your blood chloride levels, it is often related to your kidneys.  Chloride helps the acid and base balance in the body.
What Are Some Symptoms of Hypochloremia?
Causes of hypochloremia may include:

• Loss of body fluids from prolonged vomiting, diarrhea, sweating or high fevers.
• Drugs such as: bicarbonate, corticosteroids, diuretics, and laxatives.

What Are Some Symptoms of Hypochloremia To Look For?

• Many people do not notice any symptoms, unless they are experiencing very high or very low levels of chloride in their blood.
• Dehydration, fluid loss, or high levels of blood sodium may be noted.
• You may be experiencing other forms of fluid loss, such as diarrhea, or vomiting.

Things You Can Do If Your Blood Test Results Indicate Hypochloremia :

• Make sure you tell your doctor, as well as all healthcare providers, about any other medications you are taking (including over-the-counter, vitamins, or herbal remedies).  Do not take aspirin or products containing aspirin unless your healthcare provider permits this.
• Remind your doctor or healthcare provider if you have a history of diabetes, liver, kidney, or heart disease. 
• Keep yourself well hydrated. Drink two to three quarts of fluid every 24 hours, unless you are instructed otherwise.
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol, as these can cause you to have electrolyte disturbances.

http://www.chemocare.com/managing/hypochloremia-low-chloride.asp


Kind of interesting that my doctor's office didn't mail me information about these things, yeah? Maybe I'm close enough to range that they weren't going to mention it. I know the results because I requested a copy of my lab results. There are more areas out of range but this is enough for tonight.

migraine tracking

I think that maybe I have a migraine. Headache. Nausea. Pills not decreasing the sensations. This time, I am grateful because I did not let it progress as much as last time before I took medication. First, I took Tylenol. A few hours later, Excedrin migraine. Neither have really made me feel better but I like to believe they are keeping me from getting worse. I'm also down to open blinds and lamps. Staying off of this computer would help but....

Monday, a migraine began. At one point, I thought my head hurt because my blood pressure was up. I didn't do a good job of locating my pills and my pill box at the same time this week. I found the pills, I took them. My head continued to pound. By the time taekwondo was over I felt like shit. Thursday, I finally stopped walking around with sunglasses on all of the time. This migraine surprised me a bit because I no longer take Trammadol; I thought that was causing the increased frequency of migraines. Then I reasoned, maybe it has to do with my period and changing hormone levels; wasn't that a past theory on why migraines came to me? Sunday & Monday (TMI), I bled like I was getting rid of what a normal person might pass in 4 days. Monday afternoon, it calmed down but the migraine began. (I check here before going to the doctor, okay?)

Today, I have no guesses on why, only that it is. It's like there are knots on my shoulders and I keep rubbing the back of my neck. My pain is on both sides of my head, the temples.

life summary

It has been a while since I've been here to write. Praises to the Tilley for installing my new keyboard. Now, typing isn't such a pain.

So, how to sum up life? I'll start with Fitness & Health 'cause I received an e-mail inquiring about that and I don't think i ever answered.

Fitness/Health: They suck. I exercised for that week, then stopped. I got into Christmas shopping instead. That had a brilliant start. I'm excited about the gifts I'm giving this year. They are "bigger" as in more expensive than usual. One of my giving highs is buying little Christian some Yamaha electric drums. If you have not already, go to his facebook entertainment page and like him: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Christian-Merriweather/179567812100172 Fatigue increases and wanes; all-in-all no better than I was when I started exercising.

I joined the YMCA 'cause they were waving their membership fee and offer water zumba, self-defense, and yoga. I have yet to actually use that new membership, however. I'm on week 1 of membership I believe.

I half-way tested nightshade plants as an allergen. Those things are messed up! They make me burn. One night, I woke up thinking I was on fire. I checked my bed thinking my electric blanket had sparked it and took off my shirt thinking it was on fire. The results aren't that bad unless I eat a bunch but wow. A co-worker nicely told me she thinks they negatively effect my personality as well. lol. I'm finding they are a hard thing to avoid. I eat sour cream b/c I like it. Nightshades, particularly tomato based items, just seem 'bout impossible to avoid. And ketchup!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh my. It was just today that I realized I need to stop using it so liberally. *weep, weep, weep* What do you like with your french fries? Umm. I guess I'm not supposed to eat those either. *pout*

Right now, I feel bad 'cause I'm only about a week out from the experiment and went through 2 night shade plant intense holiday parties since then. So. much. pain. And I gave mom my trauma oil 'cause I'm a nice, caring daughter. I'm hoping the health food store is open tomorrow so I can replace my bottle.


For the pursuit of Love: I'm kind of fed up with this to tell you the truth. This year has seen me dating 3 different people & getting hurt and hurting in the process. You previously read about me dating 2 people at the same time. Tilley & I lasted longer but broke up about a month ago. She was really angry about me ending that relationship. I was noticing the horrible things that people who dated me were saying so I traveled to livejournal to ponder. The review of each relationship since 2010 showed me that it's better for me not to be nice and to be less honest. Twice since 2010, there was a situation when I told someone I wasn't feeling them but they didn't hear it. My only rationale is that my tone was too soft and I was too nice. I'm not sure how to be mean when I say such things but "I think we should be friends" and "I don't love you" isn't forceful enough for anyone to listen to what I'm saying. Anywho, I'm on take 3.5 as I went on a date with Memphis last weekend. I've also fought with her since then. I have serious doubts on going back down that road but here I am. We'll see. It'll be nice if it works out but today's not a great day for finding optimism from me. I think I'm tired and have a massive to do list of important tasks-- energy drain, spirit drain.

Christmas: We're having our first that I remember family pot luck. My cousin and her mom now live together and wanted to host it. I love getting with my family. Always.

New Year's: no clue what I'll be doing

Work: Frustrating. Friday, I could honestly say I didn't want to be working there.

Church: I think I don't go 'cause I don't expect to find anywhere that I like and am fully accepted. Tomorrow, hopefully, I'll return to the Episcopal church and see how that goes.

Good night, friends.