Welcome To My Box

While I don't always enjoy the entire content, I do enjoy watching Sex In The City because, finally, someone actually understands how it feels to be single in today's world.  The issues with relationships with both the opposite and same sex, trying to live an exciting life on your own in today's world, the use of labels when you don't fit the "norm", the writing just nails it all.

This weekend two of my favorite episodes were on.  The first involves when Carrie turns 35 and she finds herself without someone special to share it with...except her other 3 soulmates...her friends Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha...even though they failed in their attempt to give her a fantastic birthday party.  Carrie gets a flyer for joining a singles group and they get into a discussion as to whether they are defined by the men in their lives. This is where we discover how old Samantha is when they have to answer one of the questions on the singles survey - which box fits your age.  I like this one because all of them finally realize that they don't have to be defined by being involved with anyone to be happy and that they have someone who will always be there to support them, care for them, and have their back. Carrie mentions how sad it made her to turn 35 and have no real man to take her to dinner, to treat her nice, etc. and I can relate to that.  But, I too have some very special "soulmates" who have my back and are always there when I need them.  Interestingly enough, their husbands often times fall into the "guys we just can have fun with" category as well.  I think everyone needs to have these kind of "soulmates" in their lives to get through the days we face.  Male or female, married or single, having these soulmates just makes the days easier to get through.  I thank God every day that I have the soulmates I do.

The other one involves Carrie becoming a model for a fashion show as one of the New York "normal" people and Samantha deciding to have nude photos of her body (at age 44) taken so that when she is old and wrinkled she can remember what she looked like.  I admire Samantha because she has that self confidence in herself that she is willing to do something that most women are scared of doing...putting herself out there for everyone to see.  Carrie goes through this period of not knowing if she's good enough to do it to realizing that she's just a "real" person.  In fact, one of my favorite lines in the entire series comes from this episode.  Carrie has tripped on the runway because of her high heeled shoes and is laying face down across the runway when Heidi Klum steps over her and continues down the runaway.  That is the point that Carrie has to decide what she's going to do, be fashion roadkill or get up and go on.  The line goes, "when real people fall down in life, they get right back up and keep on walking." And that's just what she did.  This episode is great because it show us all the flaws everyone can find in themselves and what they can concentrate on, or they can just not let anything slow them down but to keep on going.  I think everyone has those days when they want to slink off but it is more important that we never give up...just get back up and keep on going.

This past week I had to share with some parents news that no parent ever wants to hear.  As bad as it was, I could see their courage as a family would get them through.  As I watched these shows this weekend I could only hope that they each had a soulmate they could lean on and the courage to get back up from falling down.  I hope they do...I really do.

Clinic Visits and Knee Bends

I had my 6 month check up with the clinic this week.  The one where you give them about 9 vials of blood and get slathered with that cold gel for the echocardiogram.  The clinic seems to be shifted somewhere in the hospital every time I come in to visit now so I had to wind my way around to finally find it in Cardiology of Tulsa's offices.  After going over what I have been doing (and they weren't really thrilled to hear that I'd taken on another job) and haven't been doing (enough exercise although they were happy I was doing some strength training) I spent some quality time with Dr. T.

The good doc had been battling a cold last week so he kindly wore his mask while visiting with all of us.  Bloodwork results and echo results were great and I was released to come back in 3 months for more bloodwork and 6 months for my annual.  Even my "regular" doc was happy with my glucose rating (which had dropped 1.2 points since May) but sadly had to inform me that he was retiring in December.  His 61 year old wife was just diagnosed with Alzheimer's and he and his son decided it would be best to spend whatever quality time they had left in Arkansas surrounded by family.  I truly understand that.  So, when I see him in November I'll be meeting my new primary care doc (someone in his office) and establishing a new relationship.

My strength training has been going pretty well if inconsistent.  I've been trying to get at least 30 minutes in with Mike every Friday but sometimes he has church related events and sometimes I have school related events.  Yesterday my knee begin to get that old twinge of bad ligaments so we stretched out my quads and hamstrings to see if that would help....and now I can hardly move!  Crestor will cause your muscles to cramp up and we thought maybe that was part of it...maybe we overstretched a little??  All I know is that trying to sit down on the "john" has become a lot of moans and groans...and I don't see too much relief in sight.

On a good note, however, OSU beat A&M today! 

Sometimes, you just have to end with a good note.

New Year, New Challenges

It's been a busy beginning to this school year.  I finished my summer by spending a few days with my parents in Branson - time I will never regret taking.  Reported to work the next Monday and soon my poor partner discovered her Mother had what is hopefully going to be manageable cancer-related issues.  (Prayers for the Stone family will be appreciated!)  Naturally she had to be away to take care of family issues but it also meant busy days for just one.  Fortunately the wonderful staff at my school stepped in and helped in any way they could.

An opportunity then developed for me to try something new in addition to my "day job".  My district is starting a virtual school as well as a night school.  Students who are on long term suspension come to night school and do online learning as part of their suspension.  Students who cannot function in a school setting come to go through the virtual learning in order to graduate.  And soon we'll be adding students who are needing to make up credits in order to graduate.  Students in middle school and high school are eligible to attend.

I was asked to consider being the counselor/backup administrator 3 nights a week for 4 hours each night.  After much discussion with my own administrator at my site, I decided to go for it.  This should prove that the transplant should not be an issue in my becoming an administrator because I'll be working pretty much the same hours as an administrator who supervises extra-curricular activities does.  And, I believe that virtual learning is the wave of the future and getting the experience now will make me more marketable to other districts, which I could possibly be exploring in the near future.

In addition, I'll probably be doing drug education classes for suspended students and parents.  Now, that should keep me busy for the year!  I wouldn't have done it without the support of my administrator and my brother because I want to be sure my parents are covered should anything happen to them.  And, with the extra pay, I hope to take a really nice vacay next summer!  Now, I'm not sure how the transplant clinic is going to feel about it...although I believe they will say to do whatever I feel up to doing. 

In addition, I'm continuing my upper body strength training every Friday to gain some upper body strength.  While it would be nice to drop a few pounds, I'm most proud of the fact that I can tell my core strength has improved and I'm gaining strength in my arms, chest, and lower back.  After being sliced open and sawed, it is nice to be able to lift a little more than 5-7 lbs for a change.  My trainor, Mike, is very careful in how we proceed and great to work with. 

So, my days are full, my nights are full, and football season approaches.  Not a bad life right now!