can you hear me now?

The other day a representative from Verizon called me to ask me a few questions about a recent survey I had filled out for them. In the survey I told them that I was disappointed about the lack of service I get in my house and in many buildings on campus. I also told them I don't like how my free nights and weekends start later than my friends with other carriers. Ironically, when he called he wanted to know where I didn't get service but I couldn't tell him because I didn't have enough bars. He did inform me that I could purchase an extender pack that would allow me to get service in more places. Good idea! I should pay more to be able to use my phone indoors! I mean, the idea that the money I already pay you should allow me to use my phone anywhere is preposterous! Especially after seeing ads like this, I'm not sure how I ever got that idea in my head.

hot dogs

Roommate #1: "You don't look so good. Are you tired? Your eyes are red."
Me: "Yeah my eyes are on fire. I don't feel good. I shouldn't have eaten that Polish dog."
Roommate #2: "Wait, are you allergic to hot dogs?!"

locked out

My roommate and I went to Costco today and I, being the genius that I am, shut her trunk before she could get hers keys out. So she didn't have her keys, wallet, or phone. Luckily I had my wallet, key (to my car) and phone. Too bad my car was at home. So we returned her bicycle (the purpose of the trip) and called a locksmith. 30 minutes and $66 later we had her keys and wallet and had to go back into Costco to buy our groceries. Genius.

a new collection

I'm in the middle of reading Alice's Adventures In Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll. Over the summer I bought some vintage books from garage sales. I now have Sherlock Holmes, the complete works of Shakespeare, a children's stories and poem book, Gulliver's Travels, Treasure Island, 101 Dalmatians (the original), and Kid Napped. I just bought Alice and Peter Pan from Barnes and Noble because the copies I have are family heirlooms and I didn't want to hurt them when I read them. I'll also probably buy soon a new copy of Treasure Island, Grimm's Fairy Tales and a Hans Christen Anderson book.

the bus

A couple days ago, a young man got on the bus with a large bundle attached to his front. When he sat next to me I noticed that the bundle was actually a week old infant. As I watched I noticed that the young man and the child where staring staring into each other's eyes. Without breaking the gaze he would shield the baby's head or rock it gently back and forth. I was mesmerized. It warmed my heart to see a man my age, presumably a new father, being so attentive to his child. A little credit is given.

I think one day I'll just ride the transit all day long and write down the interesting things I see. I think it would be a great set of vignettes.

beware of falling trees

Mom and I got hit by a tree on the way home from work today. We were driving down the freeway in my Camaro, with the T-tops out and the windows down. Suddenly we both gasped when we saw an alder tree falling out from the woods and onto us! I swerved into the other lane, but the tree still came in through the open T-tops. I kept driving and looked in the rear-view mirror to see the car behind me driving through the tree. Then I asked mom if she was hurt. She said she wasn't, but wasn't sure about the car. We pulled over and checked the car...no damage. Then we both started laughing. Of course that would happen to us.

blood money

For the past couple of weeks I've been donating my plasma. Well, I don't know if I should call it donating because I get paid for it...Anyway, I've attempted to "donate" three times now and none have been successful.

Trip #1:
I'm sitting with my nurse, Rick, going over all of the possible things that could happen to me. After each one I jokingly say "that'll happen to me." Rick laughs. I go into the room and they hook me up to the machine. Worst part over. The way the process works is that they pump out a certian amount of your blood, spin it around to separate the plasma from the red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets, pump the plasma into a little baggy, then give the rbc, wbc and platelets back to you. They do this through about eight cycles. I had gotten to my fifth cycle when all of a sudden my arm (the one with the big honking needle in it) started to get really sore. Then I got nauseous. I called my helper Cassie to come over because I thought I was going to faint. I wasn't scared. I knew exactly what was happening, but as I looked at Cassie my vision got darker and my hearing became muted. I remember Cassie asking me a question and start fanning me with my chart then...I was flying. The person I was flying with asked me "can you hear me? Can you hear me?" "Yes," I said. Then I startled awake and there were three or four people standing around me. "Woah," I said. Then I got uncomfortably warm and my hearing and vision returned to normal. Then Rick walked in shaking his head. "I told you," I said to him. "Yes. You called it."
It turns out I was only out for about 2 seconds, but it felt much longer to me. Then I had to eat my second pack of the cracker sandwiches with the cheese in the center and I drank about a gallon of water. Everything was fine and I laughed on the way out. Mainly because it wasn't like I had a room to myself. No, there were literally 8 people across from me and a person on each side of me. It was not subtle. Everyone saw. I thought it was funny. I was paid $30.

Trip #2:
After trip #1 Rick suggested that we try the left arm to see if it's not directly over the nerve that caused me to black out. The problem this time was that they couldn't find the vein in my left arm! I had about three different women feeling up my arm and none of them could find it. So, my girl Cassie decided to go to my right arm...again. So, she's putting the needle in and it hurt really bad. Then I hear "uh oh." That happens to be the worst thing to hear in a medical office. She had scraped the side of my vein and caused it to bleed leaving a hematoma. "Well, good news is you're done for the day," she told me. I was paid $20.

Trip #3 (yesterday):
After my last trip I asked my mom (a nurse) if there was anything I could do to make the vein in my left arm bigger. "Put some heat on it." So I did. I decided to put my washcloth in the microwave to warm it up. It would have worked if I would have remembered to wet it down first. I think I opened the door right before it caught on fire. It was smokin'. I used it anyway...then tossed it. I got to the plasma place, did the usual prick of the finger thing then chose a left handed seat/bed. I warned the guy, Mark, that they couldn't find my vein last time. Well, he found it and inserted the needle (no pain). Then he said "hmmm." Another thing I don't like to hear at a medical place. "It's not...going," he said. I sighed. "I'm going to move the needle a little bit to see if I can get it to flow better." I wasn't really likin' the idea so much, but kept my mouth shut. Let me just tell you that yeah, it wasn't comfortable. Mark gave up after several unsuccessful attempts. Then a new girl walked over and tried. "Ouch," I said. Then I looked down at my left arm and saw what was the beginning of another hematoma. She had poked the side of that vein. "I'm going to try the other side," she said. I told her that I still had a bruise on my right arm, but she wanted to do it anyway. I was gritting my teeth the whole time. It hurt. We had to stop. I was paid $30.

Trip #4:
This Tuesday. Expect an update. I will be successful. I will be paid $20.