A N N A J O H N ' S D I A R Y

Happy Anniversary, Parent(s).

I love St. Patrick's day, but not for any predictable reason.

Thirty-six years ago today, an 85-lb woman and a 110-lb man were married in a Greek Orthodox church somewhere in California. The bride wore cream, then peacock blue. Her hair was glamorously piled up; his massive collar pointed down.

A year later, the tiny couple would have a suitable 8-lb baby who would grow up to be much taller and fatter than either of them.

The end. ;)

Let's test this Live Blogging thing out, shall we?

What's in my purse...again.

(click to enlarge, if you'd like...)

What's in my super ancient Fendi lunchbag purse?

Clockwise, from top:

1) Chococat Sack o' Stickers

2) Hello Kitty "Pirate" wallet, which has anchors all over it, which is perfect for this DG, which is why I'm mad sad that I can't replace it...oh, well.

3) Heart-patterned emery board

4) New take on something from childhood: erasable pens

5) SmarTrip Metro/Subway card

6) Cadbury Dairy Milk bite-size candy

7) (partially obscured) L'oreal Glam Shine lip gloss

8) Sharpie Extra-fine point in Yellow

9) Godiva Chocoiste "Dark Chocolate Pearls with Mint"

10) Half of my Coach Key chain, with half my keys.

What's in my purse? - August 19th Edition (slightly updated)

WIMP, originally uploaded by suitablegirl.

Almost five years after I commenced a fotolog devoted entirely to "What's in my purse?", I'm still dumping out my bags and photographing the contents, albeit not as often...

Surprising as it may seem, out of my (then) five blogs and fotologs, this was once the *most popular* site of them all; no other website generated as many impatient emails for me to "Update, already!".  Shocker, I know.

Clockwise from the top:

1) My straw purse (floral lining, bamboo handles)
2) Sanrio "pirate" Hello Kitty wallet*
3) dead Canon SD :(
4) Smith Sunglasses
5) Tide pen
6) CVS anti-bacterial hand spray, in "pen-like" formation
7) WaPo magazine Sunday crossword puzzle
8) half of Coach key fob
9) green mechanical pencil
10) hot pink micro-point rollerball pen
11) Cadbury Milk miniatures (x 3)
12) atomizer filled with Creed perfume
13) CVS anti-bac individual wipe
14) Goody anti-slip hair elastics (partially under #13)
15) SmartTrip card for the DC metro
16) Red Palm Centro from Sprint
17) Orbit Cinnamon (cinnamint?) gum
18) non-stick lip gloss in "lotus"
19) facial tissue (allergies...ugh)

*Since it's "pirate-themed", it's covered in anchors, my sorority's symbol...wish I had bought two of them, this one is falling apart, out of overuse and love

"Welcome back Anna! Where have you been?"

Some of you have noticed and wondered about it, some of you have noticed and worried about it and finally, some of you have noticed and rejoiced-- I have not posted or commented on Sepia Mutiny in almost two months.

I couldn't, because of what I was going through; the number one thing my doctor specified was that I was not to be under any sort of stress whatsoever, lest it exacerbate my condition, which was serious enough that I was on medical leave from work for seven weeks. 

Sadly, SM is one of/if not the most stressful aspect of my life, because of my devotion to keeping it lovely (which meant moderating for up to 16 hours a day) but also because the vicious personal attacks are a bit much to bear, even after five years of blogging.  It's easy for others to tell me to ignore it, they don't get hate mail.  Yes, can you believe it? I used to get hate mail, among the dozens of blog-related email messages I receive each day.  That's stressful.  I started approaching both my inbox and SM itself with trepidation; what nasty email lurked within the former or worse, what borderline-trolly-is-thisclose-to-being-banned jerk had left a new comment, which was visible on the sidebar?  Who needs such madness? 

I didn't.  Not when my health was being jeopardized.  By the way, my lovelies, my deterioration was occurring when my life was simultaneously turning upside-down; I was packing up and moving far, far away...and moving is the most stressful thing I ever do.  My job was all shook up thanks to three re0rgs in as many weeks.  My ankle got re-sprained.  I was supposed to be planning the hugest, most significant day of my life, but that was its own nightmare.  When it rains, it monsoons.

So I avoided my Sepia baby, because I had to, because I needed to heal.  That's where I've been.   Resting.  Running. Rebooting.  Rising.

Today, the tragic, terrorist attack on Jaipur compelled me to put up my first post in two months. Three out of the first five comments referenced my absence, which makes me feel concomitantly loved and guilty on a thread about something so serious.  It is wonderful to feel missed and appreciated, but I don't want to inadvertently threadjack my own post, because of my unexplained absence.  Not when I can explain it here, in a more appropriate space.

Thank you for noticing that I was gone, and for graciously, warmly welcoming me home.  I've missed you, too.

March 12: Things Fall Apart

I checked my alerts, saw a new post on SM. 

Read that post and comments, noticed that I was getting credit for something I did not do.

I got confused; I surfed back to past SM post to see who wrote the post I didn't write.

Read the post, started skimming the comments.

Saw a super-courteous, and much-appreciated (even a year later) comment which directed thread-jackers elsewhere, to a whole new post/discussion on that person's own blog.

Followed the link and read the post; still smiling at this point, what an awesome thing for them to do.

Read the first comment and felt like Bruce Banner, turning green as my shirt shredded.

Hulk mad.

Immediately started to respond.

Paused.

Hulk sad.

Realized that many of the people who frequent that space dislike both me and SM.

Asked myself what good would or could come, from my addressing closed minds.

Stifled my inner-15-year-old, who is not so clear-headed, calm or philosophical.

Immediately comforted said 15-year-old, who internally wailed, "I can't keep this in!  Stop telling me that I shouldn't leave this comment because I'll be over it by tomorrow!  YOU'RE NOT EVEN MY REAL MOM!"

Sighed.

Remembered that this is why I have this diary, which I have not felt safe to express myself in, for over a year.

Not Ready For a Neti

Before the "Irrigation", originally uploaded by suitablegirl.

So...I was on GChat with Deee, and she was telling me that she, too, was sick.  We're sick of being sick.

Deepa: as part of my insanity
  i bought a neti pot
  i'm sick of having colds and allergies
  so i'm going all ayurveda auntie
  on the problem!

me: oh, please tell me how that works

12:18 PM Deepa: i wonder if there is something similar for bronchitis? some ayurvedic/non-prescription thing

dude, i think you are as .... squeamish about certain things as me a neti pot is basically used to wash out your nose/nasal cavity

me: i saw it in the nyt and i'm scared of water in my nose but i'm so sick of being sick :(

Deepa: dude, yes - i'm not thrilled with the idea but, if it works

me: and tylenol/anti-histamines etc only have done so much

Deepa: i'll get over it.  yeah, i'm also sick of allergies  and the idea of washing out allergens ... MAKES SENSE

resolved: i will try neti pot with plain water (you are supposed to make mild saline solution) today

i have probably had it for close to a year

it sits in my med cabinet and i look at it, warily and never touch it

me: oh wow.  you had it before the current neti-boom  :)

12:23 PM Deepa: i've been wanting, in theory, to neti for ages

there is also a somewhat less scary option:
  www.kadavy.net/blog/archive/2005/06/sinusrinse_nasa.php
 
sinus rinse

::

So as I staggered to Rite-Aid this evening, I kept thinking there was something I needed besides Tylenol Cough-and-Sore-Throat liquid, a.k.a. Mint Nyquil which doesn't taste like ass.

Thankfully, despite the mental fog and exhaustion, I remembered the afore-pasted convo before I left the store.  I didn't know what I was looking for, so I bought the only thing that looked like a "kit".  Well, that and it was the only product that had the scary but necessary word "irrigation" on it...

::

One day later:  as odd as it was, it worked.  The "kit" I bought was essentially "Neti for Dummies", so it's not that great a surprise that it was effective, but whatever.  It's nice to have an option which doesn't involve benadryl (which leaves me feeling drunk) or claritin (which I'm not sure really works).   I guess India really does do everything better, but don't take that from me, not when Oprah is all giddy over her unfortunately-termed "nose bidet".

Haagen-Dazs is good, FREE is even better.

::

Free Haagen-Dazs TODAY!, originally uploaded by suitablegirl.

::

Considering the fact that I actually go in to evil-Starbucks for Cinnamon Dolce drinks, I'm all about trying the Cinnamon Dulce de Leche. :D

I lurve me some Haagen-Dazs (Seven years to search for the perfect strawberries!  I sweat such a.r. attention to detail!),  so I'm off to Gallery Place/Chinablock...I'll report back with my corny cone-y review later.

::

This mandatory test of the Flickr Broadcasting System is complete. :)

Wicked Google-y

Wicked Google-y, originally uploaded by suitablegirl.

Super cute. :) And it's about to be Mutinous...

No Excuses

First tournament
The first All-African Amputee Football Tournament is taking place in Sierra Leone. Many players lost their limbs as a result of atrocities during wars, gun-shot wounds or land-mines. Sierra Leone are the experienced favourites, but Ghana and Liberia have been training hard and could cause an upset. The winners go through to the world cup, later this year.

Right. 

Well, despite the rather unfair* developments at work this afternoon, seeing and reading the above effectively destroys any further urge to whine on my part.  Thanks Ennis.  I needed that.

* temporary.  snow-related.  don't fret, my pets...not yet.