Hey hey . . . I’m still here. Sorry I haven’t written in a while. I have been Twittering a lot and tumblelogging a little, so hook up with me at either or both of those sites.
Updates:
1. I’m taking my first vacation since November starting on the 4th of July. We’ll be in Chicago for a week. I need to try to relax, so we’re not booking every day with activities like I usually do. Well, I’m trying not to do that, anyway. I really, really need a vacation.
2. Work is going fine. I’m starting to dive into the neighbor island stuff, which seems challenging at the moment, but it’s not insurmountable. The publications side is going fairly well and includes an article I’ve written about brain tumors that’s going to go in a newspaper insert later this year. The bosses seem happy so far, so that’s always a good thing.
3. Work on old projects (the pro-bono stuff) is going, well, not as well as the stuff I’m getting paid to do. But my former boss hasn’t really been working on it, either, so I guess we’ll have to motivate each other somewhere down the line, especially if one or both of our abstracts get(s) accepted to an international conference we’ve submitted stuff for. Oh, we did have one manuscript accepted, but that’s something that’s been in the hands of the journal’s editors for over a year now.
4. We’ve been to two weddings this month, both for former co-workers of mine. Both were cool (I was in both slideshows!) and the brides were beautiful, but I’m glad wedding season is over for the time being.
5. The migraines are stiiiiiill going. They’re getting a little better, though: fewer total and a little more predictable. I couldn’t handle 50mg of the prophylactic (it made me completely spacey), but 25mg seems to be doing well enough. I’m down to 1-3 migraines a week, which is a heck of a lot better than 7.
6. I tried to give blood again today, but they wouldn’t take me because my pulse was too high. Oh, well. Can’t say I didn’t try.
Did I mention I really, REALLY need a vacation? Good grief.
OK, back to radio silence . . . at least until the trip! :o)
tags: random author: Crissy comments: No Comments
July 1st, 2008
Dammit, I’m so sick of right now.
Right now . . .
My dog is in critical condition at the pet hospital. She has spent ONE NIGHT at home the entire past week.
The vog over Oahu is just ridiculous. The air is ugly, it smells bad and it makes my walk to/from work unpleasant.
My migraines won’t quit.
And then there’s the rest of the world, which also sucks right now. We’ll start small:
The season finale of “C.S.I.” sucked! It was anti-climactic and terrible. We all know the whole gig on “C.S.I.” is that the higher-ups in the LVPD are jerks. It would’ve been better if Nick had pulled the trigger. Now THAT would’ve been a game-changer. (Told you I was gonna start small. But honestly, this pissed me off.)
Customer service for everything is in India. I realize this has been a problem for a while, but now it seems like everyone is taking that route, and I can’t stand it! Dammit, it’s been years, but I STILL don’t understand what the CSRs are saying. I e-mail a complaint to the company because the CSR is uncooperative and unintelligible, and I get back a form e-mail from a guy whose middle name is — I am not making this up — Kumar. It’s like a joke, but I’m too pissed off to laugh.
The price of oil/gas. Seriously? What do you want me do, catch a subway to work? Oh, yeah, WE DON’T HAVE ONE.
The mayor’s stupid light rail proposal. Honestly, Mufi, WTF? It’s noisy, it’s intrusive and it won’t even service anyone on my side of the island, so why am I paying for it, again?
Are we honestly PAYING to take luggage on flights now? You know what this means: more asshats who take oversized handcarries that take up the entire overhead bin.
Natural disasters are occurring everywhere. I suppose I should feel bad for other people, but I am too busy being sad and stressed out about my dog.
I want to help the people of Burma, but I just can’t bring myself to do it. That’s right, it’s BURMA. The military junta calls it Myanmar — that same junta that’s probably stealing all the relief supplies. So screw it, I’m not feeding militants.
I want to help the people of China, but seriously, how is the Chinese government better than the junta in Burma?
. . . and the list goes on and on.
I know it wouldn’t actually help things if I took a vacation right now, but I need to get out of here. I need to go somewhere where all that matters it that the Cubs have a winning record. Does the rest of the world have to go to pot before the Cubs win the Series, or what?
tags: rant author: Crissy comments: No Comments
May 21st, 2008
It’s been the end of an era here in Hawaiʻi over the past couple of days. Just over a week ago, Aloha Airlines filed for bankruptcy. Two days ago, they announced that the following day would bring their last passenger flight; cargo operations would continue until a deal to sell could that arm of the business could be arranged. Today, 01 April 2008, Aloha Airlines ceased to exist.
I’d venture to guess that most people outside the 50th state don’t understand the impact the fall of this airline will have on Hawaiʻi; as it is, many of us can’t really grasp that yet, but we’ve been witnessing the tears of the defunct company’s now former employees on the news. Lots and lots of tears. It’s clear that Aloha meant so much more to many of them than just a paycheck, and it’s really hard to watch them come to terms with the shock of their new reality.
So aloha ʻoe, Aloha Airlines. I may have preferred Hawaiian Air for travel, but it’s still sad to see you go.
tags: random author: Crissy comments: No Comments
April 1st, 2008
For those of you not keeping track via the tumblelog, Facebook, Twitter or
my Flickr stream . . .
A boulder came rolling down the mountain across the street from our house at about 4:50 this afternoon, right after I got home. I heard what I thought were fireworks outside, but when I looked out our picture window, I saw part of the boulder (witnesses say it was larger but split in three) rolling down and toward the north. Apparently, the one I saw crashed through the wall of one of the rented homes [see red arrow] — and even through the floor. No one was hurt. The other boulders were caught by brush/trees behind homes more to the south. Police roped off five or six houses across the street and (according to one of my neighbors) warned people who live there that if they choose to stay, the police aren’t responsible for anything that happens to them.
Here are some photos I took of the ‘hood after the fact. Like I said, I saw the boulder come rolling down and heard it crash, but it was blocked by houses and trees at the time it crashed, so I didn’t actually see it crash into the house — and clearly, after the fact, no one besides the tenants, the cops and the fire department (oh, and the media) was going to be allowed up there:
(The dude being interviewed lives in the house that got hit.)
The photos above were mine. The following are from the TV news:
People saw Mom and me in the background on the local CBS affiliate’s news story.
And here I am again on the local ABC affiliate. The guys in the front are the ones who live in the house.
Yes, the roof of my house is bright green. Why do you ask? :oP
tags: news, random author: Crissy comments: No Comments
March 28th, 2008
So I have this flesh-eating bacteria-looking thing on my right shin. Some time last year, when it wasn’t quite so severe, my allergist said it was eczema and prescribed me some medium-grade steroid cream. Recently, it started to itch, flake and even bleed a little, so I made an appointment, and what do you know? Five weeks ago, he called it a “fungal infection,” and the steroid cream was making it worse, so he prescribed some Lamisil tablets. They worked . . . for about a month, at which point he told me I didn’t have to come back unless it got worse again. The day after that, the itching, flaking and bleeding started all over again, and the redness started to spread, so I made another appointment with the allergist. And now . . .
Did I seriously just write a check for a $14 office visit copay so that my allergist could tell me he can’t think of anything else to help me and that I have to see my dermatologist? Seriously?! I took time off from work for THAT?
Thank God my dermatologist has an opening on Monday so I can see someone helpful before my leg falls off.
tags: rant, health author: Crissy comments: No Comments
March 20th, 2008
So what if we set up and shot for three hours and I only made it onto a frame that lasts about 1/100th of a second: I can now truthfully say that I WAS ON “LOST!” Here I am (with the red arrow pointing to me) with my briefcase in a scene with Daniel Dae Kim.
Yes, it’s my backside . . . but I told some of you it would be. Like I said, I was walking toward Jin.
Rawk.
(Image copyright ABC.)
tags: tv, lost author: Crissy comments: 1 Comment
March 13th, 2008
Since the migraine prevention medication I was originally on wasn’t working, my neurologist switched me to another drug. And, so far, I’ve only had one headache during the entire week I’ve been on the new stuff!
I know what you’re thinking: “One headache a week is good?”
Believe me, when you’ve been having them nearly every day for months, it’s a freaking miracle.
So, knock on wood, we may have this under control. For now. It’s only been a week, but I’m so excited! Just in time for baseball season . . . ;o)
tags: health author: Crissy comments: 1 Comment
March 4th, 2008
Todd and I have purchased our Cubs tickets and booked our hotel and airfare for our July Chicago trip. United ripped us off a little and wouldn’t let us book the same flights using saver award points today — that is, using 35,000 Mileage Plus miles — that they were willing to let us book yesterday (when we weren’t sure we wanted those flights, as we hadn’t yet secured our hotel). Today, they would only let us book those same travel dates if we used standard award points — that is, using 70,000 miles each. Ouch. I had been prepared to “spend” that much to begin with, but that was before they dangled those delicious saver award points in front of my face for the one day. Damn you, United Airlines. Damn you.
Still, it is better than paying money for flights, especially around the 4th of July, especially when you consider how much we’re going to be spending on lodging. Dang. Sometimes it’s like we’re getting away with murder, with what little we pay to stay in River North. Sometimes. Not during the summer, that’s for sure. Nonetheless, whatever the cost — we’ve been asked about this before, so it deserves to be addressed — staying at a hotel is better than staying with friends (been there, done that) because we can come and go as we please without bothering anybody; plus, true Oriental-style, we just hate to impose.
I can’t wait to get out of here, even if it is just for a week. Ahhh, the hope! I can feel it!
tags: chicago, travel author: Crissy comments: No Comments
February 25th, 2008
Re: the family emergency Tuesday night . . . My mom is an Obama fan, too, and had been planning on caucusing with me, but she ended up having to take my grandfather to the emergency room that evening instead. When I got home from work, he complained of having stomach pain, sans diarrhea. Hours, a few diagnostic tests and an emergency appendectomy later, we found out that his appendix had gotten to the point where it was pussy and close to bursting. Fortunately, the surgeon was able to remove it in time, finishing at just around 2:00 Wednesday morning.
Needless to say, none of us got very much sleep that night. We’ve also been spending an inordinate amount of time amusing ourselves at the hospital, watching “American Idol” with Grandpa and making faces at each other. Mom and her sisters have been taking shifts keeping him company there, and I’ve been going after work, after I pick Danielle up from school, and I’ve been taking some time off so I can get there earlier. He’s supposed to come home tomorrow (Friday), which will be nice, to say the least.
Speaking of Friday, it’s Cubs ticketing day, which means that while Todd and I have taken the day off from work, we will be up before the crack of dawn (seriously, the virtual waiting room opens at 5:30 a.m. HST), sitting at our computers, waiting at the virtual waiting room for July baseball tickets. Ahhhh, Cubs baseball. I can’t wait!
tags: cubs, chicago, health, family author: Crissy comments: No Comments
February 21st, 2008
I just participated in my first ever Hawaiʻi Democratic Caucus. The Obama Factor has driven everything to fever pitch in this state. Supposedly, only about 3,000 people normally show up to caucus on any given election year. This year, they’re expecting something in the neighborhood of 12,000, but I think that’s a serious underestimate — there must’ve been a thousand people at my district alone, and my sister-in-law just told me that my mother-in-law says that there were about 2,000 people packed in at her site.
Here are a few images from tonight:
The line for District 20 voters extended out the Palolo Elementary School grounds, around the corner from 10th Avenue onto Kiwila Street. And this was before the sun went down. I hate to see how it looked by the time I got inside! Lucky for me, I had registered as a Democrat at the rally over a month ago, so I didn’t have to wait in the line for very long before one of the volunteers rescued me.
The above photo doesn’t even begin to tell you how crazy it was in there, but no way was I giving up my seat to get a better shot. The guy standing on the bench is our precinct leader. He was reading names from the sign-in sheets that were being passed around our tables and using that to distribute ballots. Naturally, they ran out of ballots.
Yeah, so . . . they ran out of ballots. Not that the pre-printed ballots were anything fancy anyway. I saw some, and they were just check boxes next to the names of the candidates, with the district and precinct numbers printed at the top. Anyway, this was my ballot before I turned it in.
I had to leave right after I turned in my “ballot” because we had a little family emergency this evening, but that was pretty exciting, and obviously, I hope everything goes smoothly despite all the ballot and precinct sign-in sheet shortages!
tags: politics author: Crissy comments: No Comments
February 19th, 2008
