Knitting @ MindSay

Mark had his first chemo today.  It went over pretty well actually...  We went in, and they got the IV set up in his Port-A-Cath.  We watched a 10 minute video about chemo with him, and they took him into the room.  They told us that he would be about 2-3 hours depending on how he reacted to the allergy test before they administered the actual medication, and that in the middle, if we wanted to visit him we could.  So Mark's mom and I went to the bank, to AT&T (to exchange my phone because it died last night), to JoAnn's Etc. to get yarn for making hats. :)  I want to help her make hats and things for the chemo patients at the center.  She is already doing it, but I told her that I was interested so she said she was going to teach me how to knit and crochet.  We went to Target to pick up Dragon Age: Origins for Mark and I... because Mark has been DYING to play it.  It looks like a really amazing game...  And we went to Quiznos and got sodas for us. :D

When we got back to the center, Mark's mom and I talked about knitting for awhile and techniques and terms and such.  They let us go visit Mark and he had a big smile on his face.  It was great to see him smiling...  They had two GIANT syringes which were two of his four part medicine... and they injected them in front of us.  He was alright though. :)  And they put a steroid in his meds so he's really loopy... but he seems normal other than that.  I'm really happy that he's so strong and amazing... I couldn't ask for anyone else in my life.  I hope he doesn't get too many side effects from it... We're home now and we're all getting subs later.  :)

Things I did whilst enjoying Earth Hour:

- Knitted a few rows on the scarf I'm working on.

- Read a few chapters of a book I bought ages ago but never have time to pick up.

- Wrote a letter to a friend by candlelight and pretended I was in Colonial times where this was standard procedure.

- Realized how ridiculous it is to be nostalgic for something I've never experienced (you know, living in Colonial America) but continued to do it anyway.

- Played a quick game of 'Tissue' with my cat (I throw it up, he bats it around).

- Planned my 2 cooking lessons for this upcoming week (cookies with my reading group, Hawaiian Pizza with my writing boys).

- Decided to spend the hard-earned, not-really-there-to-spare $200 on an iPod in the next upcoming days.  I have the iPhone, and I am so NOT a tech person, but I use my phone...for phone purposes (SHOCK!).  I dial the digits and I send the occasional text; no pictures, no checking-of internet, no music.  If I could go back in time, I would not have let my father and the saleseman talk me into it because I DON'T USE IT.  So I need a music player.  I've made a solemn promise that if I do this, if I spend this money, I will use it to go on at least 2 long walks a week (3 when school lets out).  I like to listen to music when I work out, and this will afford me that opportunity.

*Earth Hour sorta turned into 'Earth 3 Hours' because I was so engrossed in stuff (especially the first 3) that I looked up and it was 11:45.  Oops.  Oh well; can't wait for next year's!

I should be knitting.

I'm talking to Kisa and watching Red Dwarf. I'm supposed to be knitting too, and I'll start on that in a little while. I had to reformat the laptop again today, so everything's a little off schedule.

Thankfully, I don't have to work tomorrow. When I left the office on Friday, I was expecting to have to work 10-2 tomorrow, but Gary called before he left today and said there was nothing to do, so don't worry about coming in. The overtime would have been nice, but the sleep will be better.

Holiday presents should be arriving in the next few days so I can get them wrapped. Except Kisa & Alpha's gift, which I don't have to wrap. Hehe.

So we're just relaxing today. Shady and I are both getting over the sick, but Stonehenge seems to have caught a cold. He's sleeping lots and curled up next to the heater at the moment staying warm.

There's rumors of snow in out future. I haven't been outside today, so I have no idea what it's like out there. I hate snow. HATE.

Ok, must knit.

I'm following one of my friends and am making a list of the Christmas presents I need to make, not buy just make.

 

Brady-->50% done

Donna--> I'm going to guess about 60%

Bill-->not started.  Just came up with the idea today, but will be quick knit.

Billy-->same as Bill

Whitney-->Done

 

I think I can get done by christmas.  I only worry about Brady's because I usually can't work on it when I am at home.

Wow, so it's been over 4 months since I last posted.  About something kinda trivial too.  Hehe.

Anyways, much has happened, dear Mindsay journal + 2 people who actually read this.  I've taken up knitting!  And it's taken me by storm!!  My knitting adventures are now on Blogger.

What else?  Med school applications!  I hate them!  I've finished every one that I want to apply to except one - Mount Sinai in NY.  I've gotten interviews at Colorado (already did), Washington in St. Louis (already did), New York Medical College, and Harvard (both in February).  Yay!  I've gotten rejections from Mayo, UCSF, UCSD, and Case Western, and I think another one, I can't remember.  Boo.  I'm still waiting on NYU, Cornell, Columbia, and Creighton.  I'm sure you can tell where I really want to go, geographically, that is.

What else?  Work.  And more work.  But it's all good.  I enjoy it, though every now and then I have a bad day.

Hmm... I thought there was more.  Oh well.  I guess work and applications and knitting has taken up a lot of my time lately.

I do have a rant though.  Christmas songs.  I hate them.  Well, hate is a strong word.  I don't enjoy them.  ESPECIALLY when they are played 24 hours a day for an entire month on the radio, in stores, in restaurants.  They have this sick and twisted way of embedding themselves into your head and then coming out your mouth.  Boo.  And my coworker, starting on December 1, has begun playing Christmas music from his iPod and from KOOL 105.1 (or whatever radio station that plays Christmas music all day long) in the office throughout the entire workday.  And I suspect he'll keep playing them until Christmas comes.  More BOO!!  I mean, playing music on Christmas Eve/Day or the couple days before is fine.  But do you really have to claim the entire month of December?  And even the second half of November for crying out loud!!  No other holiday permeates throughout society as much as Christmas does.  Don't get me wrong, I like Christmas - OK, so I'm not Christian, I just like getting presents, whatever - but I don't think it has to take over December.

Whew, glad I got that out.