Posts from — April 2009

I hit an interesting roadblock in my attempt to lose weight without actually making any drastic changes (we’ll see how successful I am in the end), namely, one cannot drink two liters of water on the first day of their period. In fact, one cannot even drink a liter on top of her normal coffee consumption (which is a must because one cannot have a headache and cramps). By “one” I mean “me” and by “can’t” I mean that I was so bloated that I felt like all I could manage that day was to lie on my side and moan. Like this:

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh.

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh.

And if I wasn’t drinking water, I figured I might as well throw the whole thing out the window so I ate ice cream for three days and now I’m back at square one. Lesson learned.

My jeans actually are fitting differently. All I am doing is (1) eating healthier snacks such as apples or grapes rather than…oh…let’s say my usual chocolate chip cookie, (2) drinking two liters of water a day, (3) making sure one meal is a salad or is mostly salad, and (4) still not exercising. This non-diet, non-exercise weight loss plan takes into account that I have no time in my day, no money to take a class or join something like Weight Watchers, and am a vegetarian who loves carbs. Oh–actually, let me restate. I’m a picky vegetarian who prefers white rice to brown, yellow potatoes over sweet potatoes, and generally aims for the unhealthy choice.

I’m letting myself have a small treat in the evening. And I’m staying away from processed foods as much as possible. So I’m letting myself have all the fruits and vegetables I want and not depriving myself of my beloved carbs. And seeing if this is enough to get me down two pants sizes by the end of August. I’m guessing not. But we’ll see. I’d rather have it take longer but make me feel less unhappy. I guess that’s what this is–I’m not really willing to torture myself into eating things I don’t like to eat nor depriving myself too much, but still know that I need to do something to stop the weight gain. And so far, I’ve succeeded in making the jeans fit better.

I’m just trying to figure out the period roadblock since mine comes every 21 days…

I’d like to raise a glass to NIAW–National Infertility Awareness Week–here in the United States (and I’d like to apologize for not knowing if other countries are holding their awareness week during the same week). It’s not that this week didn’t exist prior to this point, but this year, they moved it to the spring, and frankly, it was a good choice.

Not that I don’t like my emotional support and activism sandwiched in between the start of school and Halloween, but it tastes a lot better right before Mother’s Day.

NIAW starts this Saturday (the 25th) and runs to the next Saturday (the 2nd), though there are also unrelated yet in-the-same-vein activities happening on the Web or in the face-to-face world up until May 10th.

The biggest events are being sponsored by Resolve–both national Resolve and the local chapters. It all begins with Resolve’s list of seven things you can do in seven days. They also are holding events across the country through local Resolve groups.

Focusing on the seventh item on the list, there is plenty you can do without leaving your living room to find support. If you haven’t started a blog, start one. Rachel wrote a rockin’ article about starting your own infertility-related blog. And then tell me about it so I can place it on the blogroll. Or, on that note, start reading a new blog this week. Join the forums and start a new thread asking for advice/support or set up an account on the Resolve bulletin boards or IVF Connections. If you’re on BlogHer, join the new infertility group. If you need support near Mother’s Day, join Liv who created OMG! Because You Rock Day.

So I’m raising a toast to NIAW–and doing what I can to spread word about my wonky ovaries in my tiny corner of America.

As always, it has been a little over a month since we met, bitched, cried, comforted, and caught up each other on our cycles and lives. Pull up a seat and I’ll pour you a drink. Let everyone know what is happening in your life and a compliment for another blogger. The good, the bad, the ugly. My only request is that if a story catches your eye, you follow it back to the person’s blog and start reading their posts. Give some love, give some support, or laugh with someone until your drink comes out of your nose.

I have a ton of assvice in my back pocket and as a virtual bartender, I will give it to you unless you specifically tell me that this is simply a vent and you do not want to receive anything more than a hug.

So if you have been a lurker for a while (or if this is your first open bar as someone who found this space through IComLeavWe), sit down and tell us about yourself. Remember to provide a link or a way for people to continue reading your story (or if you don’t have a blog–gasp!–you can always leave an email address if you’re looking for advice or support. If not, people can leave messages for that person here in the comments section too). If you’re a regular at the bar, I’ll get out your engraved martini glass while you make yourself comfortable. And anyone new, welcome. I’m glad you found this virtual bar.

For those who have no clue what I’m talking about when I say that the bar is open, click here to catch up and then jump into the conversation back on this current post.

So have an imaginary cocktail and tell us what is up with your life.

About six years ago around this time of year, Josh came home with a book and told me nervously that he thought I should get a hobby to distract me from treatments. A friend at work had told him how therapeutic bread-making could be and so he purchased what essentially amounted to a bread textbook.

I believe my exact words as I chucked it across the bed were, “I don’t need a hobby, you motherfucker.”

Yesterday, I took an hour of the morning for myself. I tried out a new bread recipe, the texture of sandwich bread with the taste of a rye.

It can be therapeutic; when the dough forms together and you’ve forced the yeast a bit with warm water and it is rolling into a small, tight ball beneath your hands.

When it is resting afterward, steam rising from the finished bread.

Thank you, Josh, for the hobby. Apologies that it took me so long to give you a proper thank you for the useful distraction. Apologies, also, for calling you a motherfucker.

I love you.

Show and Tell is wasted on elementary schoolers. Join several dozen bloggers weekly to show off an item, tell a story, and get the attention of the class. In other words, this is Show and Tell 2.0. Everyone is welcome to join, even if you have never posted before and just found out about Show and Tell for the first time today. So yank out a photo of the worst bridesmaid’s dress you ever wore and tell us the story; show off the homemade soup you cooked last night; or tell us all about the scarf you made for your first knitting project. Details on how to participate are located at the bottom of this post.

Let’s begin. Children are seen in this post in case you want to skip down to Mr. Linky and add your own without reading mine.

The ChickieNob set up this shot while we were at a party last week. Someone gave her a flower and she came over to me and asked me to take her picture. Afterwards, she looked at it on my camera and said, “put that up on your blog.” I follow directions, so the colours in her dress and the flower are my Show and Tell today. The only word I could think of when I saw this shot was “vibrant.” And perhaps, Portrait of the Artist as a Young Girl.

What are you showing today?

Click here or scroll down to the bottom of this post if this is your first time joining along (hint: link to the permalink for the post, not the main url for your blog and use your blog’s name, not your name). The list is open from now until late Tuesday night and a new one is posted every week.

Tweetroll link updated at the bottom

I have fallen in love with Twitter all over again. I first fell in love with Twitter when I finally understood Twitter. I communed with Twitter. We became one. And then we were on a break from one another. It was a little awkward when I’d swing through to read updates. There really wasn’t a good reason for the break. I think Twitter was a little bored with me and I had changed and suddenly, we weren’t a great fit–me being too wordy, Twitter being too controlling.

And then I just had this craving for Twitter recently and Twitter welcomed me back with open arms and all is forgiven and now we’re just grooving with one another. Twitter says something and I laugh hysterically. And then I say something and Twitter pees a little in his pants (it’s okay, he can’t control it and he takes precautions knowing that it’s going to happen). And then we throw our arms around each other and declare ourselves best friends forever.

Are you on Twitter? Can we be friends? Do you have your blog listed in your Twitter profile if your sign-in name differs from your blogging name? Does Twitter do that thing with you where he sort of is giving you a massage and you start wondering if he has feelings for you, but then he says something that makes it completely clear that he doesn’t have feelings for you?

Or is that just me?

Here is where you can find me on Twitter. Let me know where you are if you’re over there. In fact, let all of us know below in the comment section and also find new people there to follow.

In fact…

You knew this was coming…

I have created a form. If you click over and fill it out, I will add a Twitter section of the blogroll listing Twitter accounts in the ALI community.

Is anyone else having a love affair with Twitter? A hateful silence? Complete, cold indifference?

On a Twitter side note, I noticed a cool Tweet Me button at the bottom of posts on Lori’s blog. I clicked on it and it took me to my Twitter status bar and it had filled in all the retweeting information for the post including a title and a link. All I had to do was hit “publish” on Twitter and it tweeted her post.

I decided I needed this on my blog too (and hells yeah, if I write something you think people should read/know about, hit that button and Twitter it). So I tried to add the code and obviously, I’m not as bright as Lori because I messed it up 3000 times. Finally, I wrote the Tweetmeme people and by fuck, they wrote back a few hours later with an answer. Then I emailed a second question and the same helpful person gave me an answer.

I don’t know about you, but good customer service buys my loyalty and admiration. I love Tweetmeme. There, I’ve said it. I’m having another affair–a three-way with Twitter and Tweetmeme. In a week filled with tea-bagging, this should not raise any eyebrows, n’est-ce pas?

So add it to your own blog to make it easier for people to Twitter your stuff and click on my buttons (always at the bottom of the post) when the spirit moves you.