On the plus side, 2010 is just about half over

I called Walmart yesterday to have a prescription refilled and found I was out of refills on that number, so I called the pharmacist. She looked it up for me, and asked if it was okay that this one was a higher dose.

Um, yes, that would be good.

Using my deductive skills, I think the prescription was either called in incorrectly back in April or put in to Walmart's system incorrectly. This wrong prescription was then refilled for the past few months. I'm not sure who is responsible for the error, but considering the clinic has failed to inform me of or call in a prescription earlier this year, I'm inclined to think the problem is there.

I called the clinic, so there's a note in my file (oh how that file has grown this year), and today was the first time in the past week or so that I haven't woken up a little wheezy. Plus, no more Flovent and losing my voice almost every day.

Good thing I'm moving in two weeks and was going to transfer my prescriptions to Walgreens anyway, right?

Customer service has been contacted

The face lotion I bought last weekend specifically because it has sunscreen in it also has a sunburn warning on the back.

"This product contains an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that may increase your skin's sensitivity to the sun and particularly the possibility of sunburn. Limit sun exposure while using this product and use a sunscreen for a week after use." - Neutrogena Healthy Skin face lotion SPF15

Buses and buffets

After spending the afternoon shopping in Sioux City, Amanda, Eric, and I were ready for a very early dinner - 4:15 early. Amanda and I were planning on going to 5 Guys, but Eric didn't want burgers so we ended up at Golden Corral, a buffet. We got there, paid, and were directed to one side of the restaurant because a party of 500 was going to be coming.

Well, super.

We got our food and then the buses started arriving. Six buses of senior citizens on some sort of bus trip came, and I picked very poorly for our table location. We were definitely full when we left (well, Amanda and I were - Eric is Eric).

As we were finishing up a large group from WIT came as well as two more buses that I don't think they knew about. I am so glad we missed further craziness.

I'm thankful that...

... this time I ripped the butt out of my pants while I was at home, unlike last time when I was at Cold Stone and had to duct tape them back together for a seven hour shift.

A Mother's Day Tale

The thing about being the oldest child and only one with a driver's license is that no matter how much I would like to be on top of the whole present thing, I still end up somewhat responsible for my brother's present procurement as well.

Usually, Eric becomes my financial backer. I'll find something, tell him what his contribution will be, and then pick it up. This Mother's Day, however, he ended up on his own. I still told him what Mom wanted (Bell's Are Ringing on DVD), so off he went to Barnes & Noble. Apparently, someone bought the last copy minutes before he got there, so he ended up buying a DVD pack instead and getting Dylan to chip in. I'm sure a bewildered clerk check him out on Friday (What is this movie and how did two people come in for it within 30 minutes?!?)

While I had the present taken care of, I put off buying a card because I knew I would be giving someone a ride to Walgreens on Saturday. However, Dylan failed to inform me that Dad took him to get a card earlier, so it was put off longer than necessary resulting in a more limited card selection. Eventually a card was found, and Mom liked the gift.

A case of mistaken identity

Last weekend I visited some friends in Storm Lake, and when we were out on Friday night a lady came up to talk to us. Becky, who I had never met before, was very certain she knew not just me, but also my family. She thought she had met my sister last weekend and sold my mom a car recently. Neither of these women were redheads, so that wasn't the connecting factor. It took some doing to convince her that she didn't know my family.

In which I return to the internet

Long, long, long story short (which may defeat the purpose of a blog), I'm finally healthy (or at least much healthier) after being ridiculously sick. The final diagnosis was out of control asthma that took only eight clinic visits, two blood draws, and more than ten prescriptions to arrive at.

Also, I took my oral exams for my masters program, which I passed. Fun times.

January hasn't been my month

After spraining my wrist and catching the flu from my brother, I got a sinus infection and bronchitis. Apparently I can't do anything halfway. Since I still have a fever over 99 F (that's in the 101 F range for all you people with normal body temps), I went back to the doctor today.

The PA decided she wanted blood work and a chest x-ray. I hadn't had my blood drawn since I was ten. It's not that I have a problem with blood or anything, but they simply can't find my veins. I tried giving blood multiple times only to be sent away with pity cookies and "maybe you should enjoy other people to give". With the help of an infant heel hot pack, the nice tech stuck my once, only positioned twice, and got barely enough blood. She was so flustered that she forgot that about the x-ray.

Armed with new antibiotics and a Hunchback of Notre Dame bandage (Mom, that movie came out in 1996 - maybe time to clean out the first aid box), I know sit and surf the web waiting for new Psych. I can only pray that I have the mental capacity to do homework tomorrow, because today's two questions isn't going to cut it.

Wrist Braces and Towing Notices

Well, I'm tired of snow. This week we had I think the fourth weekly blizzard since I came back to SD. Tuesday, Eric and I ran to Sioux City to beat the storm and pick up a few things. Eric was going to play DS and somehow dropped his stylus after hitting himself in the face with it (we're a very talented family). He couldn't find it while to car was moving, so while he was picking up some stuff from his dorm, I reached under the passenger seat to try and find it. I think I went wrong by doing this while seated in the driver seat, because my hand got stuck - my right hand. There was a moment when I thought my hand was going to brake, but I pulled my hand out, scrapping the wrist, bruising the back of my hand, and (as I now know) spraining my wrist.

Then the storm hit, effectively trapping us at home again. By Thursday morning I realized I needed a brace, but the entire town was shut down.

Friday I finally got a brace, but when I got home, there was a nice orange sticker on my car. My car was flagged as potentially abandoned and had to be moved by Sunday night or it would be towed. My dad's first thought was that the people who live across from where I park reported it because they don't like me parking there - a real possibility, despite it being a public street (seriously, people, you don't need the entire width of the cul-da-sac in order to back out of your drive, and if you do, you need to practice backing up). I called the police department to determine what was going on and found out there is an emergency decree that all cars must be moved every 24 hours so that the streets can be cleared. I don't know when they expected cars to be moved, considering school was still called off Friday. I think a lot of cars were flagged yesterday.

The current temp is -17F. The car has been moved, the brace is on, and now I'm on my second mug of tea, still trying to get warm.

Merry Christmas, a little early

Mom: Do you need more socks?

Me: I have plenty of socks, they're just lighter weight than I need here. So I've been wearing two pairs at once the last few days. I might need some heavier socks.

Mom: Or we could just get you some slippers

Me: You already did, but they're a Christmas present. Remember, from Yonkers? That's why I was going to buy them.

Mom: Oh, I forgot about those. Want to open a present early?

So now my feet are very warm.

Stuck in STL

I was supposed to be home by now.

Monday I made the trek north to visit some friends I know from home who now live three hours north of STL. It was great seeing them, despite the continued "when are you getting married" talk. Karen is more concerned about my future prospects than my own mother. Let me work on where I'll be living in a month, OK?

Then Tuesday it was time for the going away lunch. It being STL, it was pouring, and I was running late due to traffic. However, that ended up not being an issue because Teal was running much later than I was, having gotten a flat tire on the side of the interstate. We went on a rescue mission, two of us having knowledge of how to change a tire. Forty-five minutes later, we were finished, if very wet. My total now is helping with ten flats in the past eleven years. I think I've now not only surpassed most people's lifetime totals, but lapped them as well.

While I was drying out at my place, I got a call from Mom. A storm was moving through the upper Midwest, causing even Yankton to call off school. Driving conditions looked to be hazardous for my trip.

I woke up yesterday morning to sun streaming through the window. It was mocking me. The storm was so bad that I-29 was closed - not just covered, but closed - pretty much the entire way home. I've learned not to tempt fate when it comes to my car, so no drive home. I had to unload clothes, some books, and the TV from my car in my pjs. I'm sure I provided some lovely entertainment to the neighbors at 7:30 AM.

This morning it was pretty much the same song, second verse - road conditions were better, but not great. So the move has been postponed two days. A some point tonight I will reload the car, ready to make the likely ten hour drive home.

In which I nearly reenact a scene from Gilmore Girls

This morning I started out on my voyage south one more time back to STL, this time with my brother who needed to be dropped off back at school. Near the Dakota Dome, not thirty minutes into the trip, a buck comes streaking across the highway. I hit the brakes, narrowly missing the buck by mere feet. Now, I asked Eric's opinion and he agrees, if I had not braked the deer would have hit me. I may love the episode of Gilmore Girls when Rory gets hit by a deer, but have no desire to relive it. And I still had almost nine hours of driving left.

The rest of the trip involved long conversations with Crystal, a soggy sandwich from Hardees, the failure of my cigarette lighter/charger, and witnessing the mass exodus from STL. I70 westbound looked at nearly a standstill from Columbia onward. If an evacuation ever happens somewhere I'm traveling to, someone needs to call and let me know so I can turn around, because obviously otherwise I will just keep going.

Real World Tetris

Tonight I took a break from research to go get my laundry out of the dryer only to be greeted by a mattress in the stairway. Last week, the mattress and box spring were delivered for the new housemate. The delivery guy (who happened to have a degree in theology - the things you learn while moving furniture with people) and I moved the mattress fine but were unable to get the box spring up the stairs due to geometry.

Apparently deciding that we simply didn't try hard enough last week, the house owner and his friend could get it up to the second floor. Now, the guy would delivered the set sells and delivers furniture for a living. He does this all the time. And while I don't move furniture on a daily basis, I have helped multiple people move, and have moved myself three, soon to be four, times in the past two years. Needless to say, I can play real life Tetris. So when tonight the friend said, "We're just doing man stuff," (referring to physical labor, I guess?) I'm pretty sure I snorted before saying, "right."

I tried to let them know what all we did last week, but it was pretty clear that they were not going to listen to me. I headed back to my room for a bit. A little while later, I went downstairs, finally able to get my laundry, and the box spring is back in living room.

I look out the window this morning to see this sight

I live in a metropolitan area, even if it is in the county not the city proper. Yet, by moving 30 minutes last May, I went from watching for muggers to watching for deer. I have seen more deer in the past sixth months than the rest of my life, excluding the rather stressful drive to the FCB Spring Retreat my senior year. A word of advice - never tell God that the "topper for the week" would be hitting a deer. He has a sense of humor.

Proof Positive

"Good job getting the printer fixed. Even if you did use magic." - My boss, via email yesterday

Save Robin

My cousin Ben just turned four. Last Christmas, he received the whole Batcave thing, complete with a Robin on his bike. However, he doesn't have any villains. Therefore, Robin goes to jail. A lot. Mom tried to find him some for his birthday, but she couldn't find any in the greater Siouxland area. Right now, Batman has a dragon he can fight.

As a fan of Robin, I can't have this. I made a special trip to Walmart this morning and found a Penguin. I will continue to search the greater STL area until Mr. Freeze and Joker are also found. If I come across Superman, he'll be picked up too.

Hasn't stopped raining for days

It is, once again, raining in STL. Actually, it might have finally stopped, but I haven't seen the sun since Sunday, so it doesn't actually count yet. Apparently I have selective memory, because it took me a while to remember that, yes, it rains a lot in STL in the fall, so much so that I bought rain boots last October.

The rain outside was not the only water I dealt with today. Some time in the past week, a very important hose was moved at work. Rather than directing water from the ice cream machine into the drain, it sent the liquid out over the floor. I mopped every half hour on the half hour all afternoon, spreading the water out so it would dry. Good thing the air was nice and dry so it evaporated quickly, right? Oh wait....

Other typical minor crisis occurred throughout the day. I think the best analogy to my position out in OF is that I am Cam when she first started on Bones. The store runs alright, although not as efficiently as it should. My job is apparently to clean up the store, without actually working with other employees. My boss must think I have magical powers.

The weather forecast has given me hope. The sun is supposed to be out on Thursday. ON MY DAY OFF! I can go hiking and try to photograph the beautiful colors. Fingers crossed and prayers sent up.

More real life movie scenarios

So while craziness has continued, it been confined to school life, preventing all attempts at blogging. But Saturday at Cold Stone was too story-ful to not talk about it.

First, the day wasn't terribly busy, and people were tipping again (possible sign of the end of the recession). By three I had already made almost $10 after multiple shift of no to $1 in tips. Unfortunately, some teenagers came in and stole my tips. These teens are making it a Saturday habit, and it's getting ridiculous. The owner has advised to pocket tips as we get them, which strikes me as awkward to do. Also, people tip more when there is money in the tip jar.

I thought that was going to be the story of the day. Then a couple came downstairs after finishing their ice cream and headed back to the bathrooms. They didn't come out for quite a while, long enough for me to consider going and checking on them, when they both came out of the women's bathroom. Now, I can't know for sure what they were doing in there, but I can make some pretty good assumptions based on what I had to clean up. As my coworker Emily put it, "It's one of those things you hear about happening but never think will happen where you work" (to which Crystal added "or where you use the bathroom").

Just a typical Wednesday

The internet failed to work last night at home. I guess I wasn't supposed to work on homework, right? Here's a summary of my day, surprisingly not all that unusual for a Wednesday.

It was payroll day at work, and (surprise, surprise) the computer program was not fixed. That means manually entering everyone's hours for the past week in to a spreadsheet and sending it to the boss. We also got a truck, and the weather was nice, so the store was pretty hectic without that little wrinkle. I also took a bunch of cake orders. I'm one of two people regularly at that store who know how to build/decorate cakes, so I had my hands full on that front. As I was leaving, tech support called back, and I had the privilege of reprogramming a register. This was what tech support suggested we do two weeks ago, but last week they decided that wasn't the problem. Turns out they were looking at a function that has always worked, not the time keep. I ended up working an extra hour. Also, a lady ate an entire quart of ice cream in less than thirty minutes.

On my way home, the frying pan lady called back. The first thing out of her mouth was "I hope I have the right number this time". It took me a few tries to break through her speech to tell her that, no, she did not have the right number. I hope she gets her frying pan.

Wrong Number

I had a message on my phone last night after the World's Largest Ice Cream Social. The lady went on for over a minute about this frying pan, how she was all excited about getting this frying pan, and if I could please call her back soon because she was really looking forward to getting this frying pan.

I checked the number, and it was from SD. I felt bad that this lady wasn't going to get her frying pan, so I called the number back. She answered, and I nicely told her that she had the wrong number and I couldn't get her a frying pan. She was pretty embarrassed.