Of Moose And Men
The Best Laid Plans Of Both Often Go Astray

I can tell I’m fighting off a cold, and not just sniffling from allergies, because I’m in full “OMG, must eat and eat and eat some more” mode. Stoopid body. Probably caught my friend’s cold from Monday night. No good deed going unpunished and all that.

I finally started knitting on the hat I was requested to make by my friend K for her chemo treatments. Of course last night as I got past the initial ribbing and into the cabling I managed to goof two rows, one of which I couldn’t tell was goofed until I got up a few rows. So, I ripped out four rows at the end and called it a night. Redid them this evening, and they’re correctly done now. Have to say, for a non-wool yarn, Calmer is pretty darned nifty to knit with. Definitely a different (and better) experience than with other non-wools I’ve knitted with.

Work continues to be insane this week, and the early morning insanity continues into next week as well – I’m scheduled for 9 am meetings again all next week. I know most folks don’t think anything of that, but I don’t normally report until 9:30, and adjusting my sleep and waking schedule hasn’t been easy.

Got a random text from a friend this afternoon asking if I could do him a favor. He wasn’t feeling well, and needed to go to urgent care after work (both to get looked at, and to get a doctor’s excuse so he could stay home – yay stupid HR policies). Said yes, of course, skipping my swim workout and heading down to the wilds of Alexandria. Left home around 6, just got back in now (post-11pm).

I’m a wee bit tired.

Got him checked out, he’s got some non-specific bug that tested out as bacterial, so we got him some antibiotics, some dinner (at almost 10 – we were both pretty darned hungry by then), then I got him home, walking him up and making sure he got a fever reducer in him before I left.

On the upside, since I figured any “after hours” visit to a doctor (read: urgent care center) would involve a waiting room of some sort, I came prepared and managed to knit about 3 more inches onto the leg of a sock I’m working on (bringing the total on it to 5 inches [out of 8 planned], more than doubling the length while I waited). Yes, we were there that long. But at least I managed to be semi-productive while we/I waited.

Very glad I could help, but tomorrow is going to draaaaaaaaaaaag.

Despite my best efforts to be a complete and utter slug today, I did actually manage to get something done today, namely laundry. Otherwise I called in to work because I hadn’t really slept, and then crashed until noonish to catch up on sleep. Then there was Dead Space. Lots and lots of Dead Space. I actually beat the game once through just now (started it Saturday; easy mode), and I’m trying to decide how much more I’ll play in the near future to max out achievements. Sounds like a good inauguration day activity (when not watching the events, that is).

Called the SIL this evening, no word back tonight, so I’ll pester again tomorrow. I can tell I’m still on edge because my poor fingers have been gnawed down to nubs (I bite my nails/cuticles when I’m upset). Perhaps throwing myself back into work tomorrow will help assuage some of this, and I’m hoping my SIL will have better news about my brother (and their efforts to clean the apartment). Who knows?

Still need to organize some shelving I picked up on my way home (yay Ikea!) which looks pretty good, but needs to have some sense of what-goes-where on it. It’s given me an idea for the entertainment stuff as well, which might not need to be as large as I’d assumed before. We shall see. But first tomorrow evening is prep work for the new triathlete program for this year. We’re getting off to a slightly later start, and I’m hopeful this will help cut out some of our volunteer burnout from previous years.

I had a follow up with my podiatrist this morning. Result: he carved a corn off my little toe (unrelated to anything else going on), and released me from follow up appointments on the plantar fasciitis. There was almost no pain when he pressed on the heel, and I’ve been able to walk around town and do some short sprints (a la running for an elevator or the Metro) without paying for it afterward, so there was no more need to go in and see him. I have the brace to wear if I feel the need to stretch out the tendons, and I’m cleared to start running when I feel ready to do so, with the caveat that I have to build up very slowly with any running I might do.

I should be relieved, but I’m more scared than anything else. Scared that starting up will mean the return of pain. That this will somehow end up being an even longer process because I’ll screw up the foot by doing too much.

Yuck.

I’m going to have to play it by ear. First step will be sleeping without the blinkin’ brace on my foot to see how that goes. Then maybe some running, on a dreadmill treadmill, in case something isn’t right with it. Keep your fingers crossed.

Took a sleep aid last night, and for the first time had a bad reaction to it. Woke up groggy this morning, went in late, and by noon I hadn’t really woken up, despite coffee, so I went home and napped. Oh, and while on the way to work I managed to leave my badge at home, so I returned to get it rather than go through the rigmarole that work inflicts upon you when you forget it. Nothing like walking back and forth to Metro twice. Totally not my day today.

Once I got up, I did go swim this evening, doing a mile once all was said and done. Felt good to get moving again, and I think it worked the last of the stuff out of my system. What a mess. Won’t be using that again any time soon, which is a shame, because it had worked okay before.

On an unrelated note, if clementines were more readily available, I’d eat more fruit on a regular basis. Love those things, was happy to see them at Safeway on the way home from the pool.

Had to buy a new ring for the Prince Albert today. Around 2ish last night I woke up, as men sometimes will, with an erection. I suspect, because of some scoring of the ring, that it was damaging the area around the extra hole, so when I awoke there was a bit of pain. Immediately hopped into the bedroom and removed the ring, adding another score to the ring in the process. Sleeping after that was easily done, but when I got back up and looked at the ring, there was no way it was going back in. Slipped in a curved barbel to hold it for the day, then went about the rest of my day.

Left work early for a doctor’s appointment up in Dupont, then stopped in to Fatty’s to see if they had a replacement ring. Thankfully they had one left in stock, so I snapped it up. The piercer also looked at the old ring, confirmed the problem, and gave me some pointers on keeping the removal tool from damaging the ring in the future. One of the tricks worked (covering the tips with bandaids), at least with the initial install, so it’s good to go again.

Also wandered over and got my hair cut a day early, so there’s one less thing to worry about tomorrow night. Leaves me free for a swim after work, and then the DC Boys of Leather’s bar night at the Eagle.

Picked up replacement shoes (shower and gym), as well as a new lock this evening. Both pair were on sale, which is always good even when someone else is paying. Still, the replacement costs is going to be almost as much as they make from me for a year’s worth of locker rental fees.

Quiet night. There are happenings around town, but I got home from the shopping, laid down for a quick nap and woke up an hour later feeling pretty cold (for no apparent reason), so I stayed in and behaved myself. Earlyish morning tomorrow to pick up some last minute food needs for tomorrow night’s dinner, then it’s some cooking and some time spent in Crobuzon (aka my town in Animal Crossing: City Folk) before I zip down to Alexandria.

Friday in the office should be nice and quiet (I hope!). I’d like to get filing done and clear a ton of shit off my desk.

This was one of those days. Got up late, got ready, was going to be a few minutes late, but was zipping out the door to make our 10 am staff meeting (I report at 9:30 normally). Checked the work blackberry as I was packing my bag, only to find out it had been changed to 9, not 10 (they’re always at 10!!!), and I was now late for it. Horribly embarrassed I biked in as quickly as I could. Everyone was already back from the meeting (oy), and I apologized all over the place to my supervisors. They were laughing about it, but it pretty much set the mood for the day. At least the presentation I gave to our field counsel over the phone went well.

Thankfully I’m off tomorrow so I can run errands (podiatrist, new drivers license, dry cleaning, etc.), but man did that blow.

That was a surprise. Came home, put the bike away, loaded up laundry, was heading out to go do it when I looked at the carpet in the dining area where something was missing, but I couldn’t pinpoint what. Then I saw the manuals for the stove and microwave, but not the appliances themselves. Quick doubletake to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating, then zipped into the kitchen to see the new appliances in place. And all of my crap shoved all over the place because they didn’t warn me they were coming so I didn’t clear the area for them. Oy.

But hey, they’re in!

Of course, I didn’t actually get a chance to use them tonight because I was also doing laundry, and getting rid of my old desk, so by the time I got done and could sit down to figure out how to work the microwave I was starving, so just had leftover potato salad. And collapsed into my chair to actually sit down finally (after cleaning some of the countertops, of course, and putting away dishes, and putting dirty ones in the washer, etc., etc., etc.).

Got up and biked this morning. After snapping off another presta valve stem in the pump. Grrrrr. Stupid design, both the pump and presta valves in general. But the ride itself went well, cool, and gradually sped up each round, cutting each 5.whatever mile loop by 15 seconds. And now I’m ready to collapse – I’m not used to getting up at 5:30 any more, though I hope to get back to that this week.

Running a little slow this morning. Last night was one of those “my brain will not shut off” kind of nights, with melatonin and exhaustion finally kicking in around 3-something. It wasn’t all a bad thing – the brain was going over some conversations I’ve had over the course of the weekend, and thinking a lot on what it is I want to be doing with myself, and with other people.

I did miss going out to take photos of the training tri this morning with the club, but I’m headed out to brunch at a friend’s house in a little bit, then a potluck birthday thing this evening over in Virginia with one of my body electric buddies.

I did decide that I’m not going to do the IM this fall. It’s not to say that I won’t ever do one, but it’s not the right time, and I think I signed up for it for the wrong reasons. I still have two races I’m currently signed up for, and I can find one or two more for the fall here locally. And perhaps this year I won’t end the season completely burnt out and unmotivated to do off-season fitness maintenance.

I also think I’m going to attend the local Celebrate the Body Erotic course in November. I need the refresher, and I’d like to go back to an earlier plan of mine, to attend one of the week-long intensives next summer. I also need the renewal of my ties to this particular community. I’ve been disengaged from the energies I need for long enough now, it’s time to get them back.