Mackinac Bridge Walk

Next week Tony and I are heading to the UP with my parents for Labor Day weekend. On Labor Day I'll be walking the Mackinac Bridge with my parents (along with thousands and thousands of other people). Tony's passing on the fun -- for some reason waking up at the crack of dawn to walk five miles (the first half of which is uphill!) just doesn't do it for him. My parents participate pretty much every year; I've done it three times, most recently in 1997 with Tony and my parents. I'm due to give it another go.

Since the end of '05 I've been looking forward to the trip north with my parents and walking the bridge again this year. I knew my surgery was coming up, but I didn't figure my recovery would prevent a five mile walk more than seven months later. Well, let me tell you, it was a wake up in late April when I realized the bridge walk was only four short months away and I wasn't even able to tackle a mile yet!

But that was months ago and I've felt "fully recovered" for quite a while now. I know I'm still working my way back to "normal shape" exercise-wise, but I have so much energy and strength now, the only thing holding me back is pure laziness. Working out with Heather once a week, and swimming once a week with Stefanie is helping me to get back in shape (plus whenever I get on my treadmill in between workouts). I have no doubts about being able to complete the five mile walk without any problems.

Although, looking at that picture.... those cars are awfully small which makes the bridge look pretty intimidating!

M V E M J S U N ... period!

Tony's going to be disappointed, the International Astronomical Union just downgraded Pluto to a "dwarf planet". Pluto has always been Tony's favorite.

How are children going to learn the planets now? We'll need a new mnemonic device because I have a feeling "My Very Educated Mother Just Showed Us Nine" isn't going to cut it without the critical "Planets" at the end.

(yes, I had to look up "mnemonic"... who knew it started with an "m"!)

Today's Headlines

More often than not, I find internet news headline quotes to be absolutely ridiculous and absurd. I know they have to try and grab your attention with a tantalizing teaser but I think today a simple "JonBenet's suspected murderer arrested" would have sufficed.

I don't think I'm the only one who gets a little queasy reading the choice quotes used for today's headlines:

"Accused JonBenet killer says death was accident" -- I suppose this article will enlighten us as to how Karr HAD intended to kidnap, drug, beat, and have sex with a six-year old girl but had NEVER intended that she die, God forbid.

"JonBenet murder suspect 'I was with her when she died' " -- No coincidence here, most murderers are with their victims when they die, you a**hole.

And the fact that he was arrested while living in a Bangkok hotel .....well, I say they just throw away the key now. Even if -- no, I mean especially if he's lying.

The Devil's Rejects

This afternoon Tony and I watched The Devil's Rejects. Not the most up-beat movie watching weekend as this selection follows up yesterday's viewing of The Machinist (Christian Bale as a 120-pound -- yes, 120-pound, the man was SKINNY! -- blue collar worker dissolving into insanity after he ... wait, I can't tell you, it'll ruin the movie).

The Devil's Rejects is Rob Zombie's (writer and director) sequel to House of 1000 Corpses about a serial killing family who kidnaps, tortures, and eventually kills hundreds of random passersby. Lovely! Need I say this movie was a Tony selection?

I don't know much about Rob Zombie's music (no titles come to mind) but the man can make a movie! Who would think you'd be made to feel compassion (not just once, but twice!) for the family of heinously brutal unrepentent serial killers? No, it's nothing as easy as a deep-seeded rationale for their behavior; it's much more unexpected than that. They tease each other about whether to stop the car for ice cream, and if so, what flavor would they get. They have home movies of happy carefree times laughing together. Times they weren't in the basement hacking strangers to bits, that is. Okay, so they weren't exactly the Brady Bunch, you still felt something for them and it definitely caught you by surprise.

Now I've got to watch House of 1000 Corpses. And I see he has two more movies in the works. And I really can't blame the selection on Tony as I menioned earlier -- I'm TOTALLY into horror/slasher movies recently. Can't wait to see Saw II (just discovered that Saw III is coming out in October!) and Ring II (we're behind in our rentals).

Caffeine or Calories?

I used to be addicted to Diet Coke. Sometime last year I figured my consumption to be 100+ ounces a day and that's what I would admit to. Since January (and my ordeal) it just hasn't tasted right to me. Granted, I haven't even tried it since March but I figure hey, I broke an ugly habit, why tempt fate by trying it just to see if I like it; let's just assume I don't and I can move on with my life.

Side note: I chalk at least one of the "unresponsive" days in ICU up to kicking my caffeine habit.

I still like to drink pop and my carbonated beverage of choice is now Diet Squirt. Yes, Diet Squirt, I know it's unusual, but it was my go-to drink in February (loved the fruity goodness). Diet is still my preference (no calories) and I'm enjoying being free from the caffeine (and the health related implications of over-consumption). My pop consumption has been reduced to about 20 ounces a day. Yay, me!

Going out to eat poses a dilemma, though. Have you tried to find a diet caffeine-free soft drink in a restaurant? Not really going to happen. Sometimes you just gotta have the pop, though. Water or iced tea doesn't really do it for me next to my combination plate at Mexican Fiesta. So the question is... should I partake of the calories of Sprite or Sierra Mist, or just throw caution to the wind and go for good old fashioned zero calorie Diet Coke?

Instead of opening the Pandora's box of Diet Coke, I have decided to make a habit of opting for the calories over the caffeine. Heck, I'm already addicted to calories so what's a few more?

Poofy Hair

Wow! Has it really been over a month since I've posted? Shame on me!

Over the last couple weeks I've noticed that the back of my hair has been inexplicably poofy from time to time. I wash and straighten it about every other day, sleeping at night with it up in a pony tail. A couple weeks ago I started to notice (while running my hand over the back of my head to smooth my hair) that apparently a cowlick had developed, causing my hair to poof out in one section. Some days I noticed it, some days I didn't but it was always in the same place.

About a week ago while straightening my hair in front of the bathroom mirror, I turned at just the right angle and finally got a peek at what's been going on back there. New hair! New hair has been growing (and thankfully filling in those pesky post-traumatic bald spots) for a while and is now long enough to wreak havoc (you've seen my hair - thick and lots of body). Probably just long enough now (parts over 2" in length) to clamp in my hair iron and get them to calm the heck down.

I'm not complaining. I'm just taking opportunity to brag about my hair growing back.

:-)