Eleven years ago, I embarked on a journey that serves as a turning point in the lives of most kids. 'Tis is a long and physically demanding odyssey that bleeds over into adolescence. There develops much pain and resentment over many years before the score can eventually begin to settle. Although the severity of any actions taken will vary from case to case, one thing is certain: There can be no turning back.
Unless you forget to wear your retainer.
Yes; Eleven years ago, my parents brought me to an orthodontist.
After six years of spacers, a pallet expander, retainers, and braces, the time came to free my pearly-whites. There may never have been a happier day in my life! Nary a day went by when I didn't wear my retainers as directed; I certainly wasn't going through any of that metal-mouthed nonsense again if I could help it.
And yet the day came, two years later, when my top retainer failed to adhere properly. After a few minutes of forceful pushing, it cracked clear in half.
Thus began a new cycle of pulling wisdom teeth, x-raying, examining growth plates, and finally, tragically, the diagnosing of my sad state. And so it came to be that I would undergo corrective Maxillofacial Orthognathic surgery.
You all know the rest of the story.
Last week I stopped wearing rubber bands and chewed my first solid food in ten weeks. Yesterday my orthodontist took the steel ties and surgical wires off my braces. I can speak, eat, and drink not only normally, but better than I could before all this. My only restrictions are on contact sports, but let's be serious-- I'm only an asset to you if I'm on the opposing team. Things are only getting better from here, and I couldn't be happier with all the different results of going through with the surgery.
I've experienced more change in the last ten months than I did in perhaps all my life before. For lack of having a way to say this without sounding cliched, we're finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. This whole ordeal has been many different things, but the most important is what a learning experience it's been. I've honestly discovered a lot about myself and about my small corner of the world. And so, here are the ten most important things I learned from having a broken jaw:
10) Hospitals Suck. Yeah, it's been a harrowing few months, what with surgical wires, drastic diet changes, and a ton of medication, but my 36 hours in the hospital were by far the worst of my life. They wake you up at uncomfortable hours of the night to take your blood pressure, you have to unplug an IV and an oxygen monitor just to go to the bathroom, the food is miserably tasteless, and the TVs don't even work. In my experience anyway. I hope with all my heart that you never need to be checked into one.
9) I love oatmeal. I don't know how this never came up before, especially since it's one of the best sellers in the mornings at Au Bon Pain. Oatmeal, as it turns out, is healthy, filling, relatively low in calories, and pretty good with some brown sugar sprinkled in. Who knew?
8) There is SO MUCH I don't know. My erratic sleep schedule when I first got home, thrown off by all the anesthesia, in addition to being unable to drive while my parents worked and my siblings were in school meant I had a lot of time alone to read, watch TV and movies, and explore the internet. The more I do all of that, the more I realize just how little I understand about the world. It's kind of liberating to know I'll never run out of things to learn about.
7) How I Met Your Mother is the most fantastic sitcom ever. There's nothing not to love. The characters are all witty and engaging, the content is a near perfect balance of entertainment and plot development, and the guest cast really pack a punch in star power (Try Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Lopez, Lucy Hale, Enrique Iglesias, Katie Holmes, Britney Spears, Heidi Klum, Regis Philbin, Alex Trebek, Tim Gunn, and Katy Perry!). I got my sister into it with me. It's cute because when something shocking happens we both pause it and stare at each other in jaw-dropped awe in perfect unison, or we both crack up at the same tiny details. Alas, I digress. This is an excellent show.
6) Liquid Dieting is a really successful way to lose weight. When I was living on one I didn't want to eat much anyway, but I imagine it's much harder to do when you have a normal appetite. On a related note, Trader Joe's has WONDERFUL low calorie, flavorful, organic soups that are worth checking out. Also, V8 is godly. This brings me to my next point. It's fine to want to get in shape or be more healthy, but...
5) Love yourself. Yes, I know this is cheesy and ridiculous. Yes, there will always be things I try to improve about myself: I wish I was a less ghostly color, I wish my stomach was more toned, and I wish my eyelashes were longer. Really though, I appreciate my self. I'm at peace with my petite stature, I love my curly hair, and, most importantly, I'm proud of the person I am. I enjoy my own weird taste in books and music. I can look in the mirror and smile at the person I see there. Life is just happier when you stop being so self-critical.
4) Food is delicious. Okay, maybe I didn't learn that by having a broken jaw. I learned that by being Italian, but I certainly was reminded of this life lesson by not having any for two months. My whole outlook on eating has changed. Eat more slowly and really taste what you're eating. Appreciate every bite. I'm serious. God forbid you find yourself in a position not to be able to enjoy food, but appreciate it while you can. My stomach has shrunken quite a bit so I don't eat nearly as much anymore, but that's okay because every bite is an adventure.
3) There are people who care about you. I've always counted myself blessed by the number of supportive friends and family in my life, but I can see more clearly now. No matter what your story is or where you're at in life, there will be people that love you and want to help you. Let them. I'm beyond thankful for all the people that were eager to check on me, you guys know that. (Just for the record, I started writing out the names of all the people that were most supportive, but the list was annoyingly too long for anyone to want to read.) I've also learned just how valuable communication is. Admittedly, I SUCK at keeping in touch, but I'm trying to be better now. For everyone who has cared about my welfare through all this, I want to be there for you too. I want to know what's up in your life, when you need me, and when you deserve accolades. Not only do I owe it to you all to support you as you've supported me, but I really want to do so. I will never stop thanking you.
2) Appreciate everything. There's always something to be thankful for. There is some glimmer of good everywhere you look. Don't roll your eyes. What am I consciously more appreciative of? Having fully functional senses, having fingers to play music with, my supportive and loving parents, the brother and sister who can make me smile without even trying, being being able to drive, owning a car, the invention of flip-flops, the creation of pasta, how beautiful my street is, and how nice a cold pool feels on a hot day, to name the first handful of things that come to mind. The world is big and complicated and difficult, but it is so beautiful.
1) This too shall pass. Everything--good, bad, and ugly--ends. If things are good, cherish them. If you're unhappy, make a change. If times are tough, grit your teeth and power through. There's nothing you can't survive. There are obvious exceptions to that rule, but not on the scale of an average day. I don't want to sound preachy, but take it from someone who experienced both extremes within a month of each other. One day I was studying what I love most in a beautiful city, living mere steps away from some of the best people I've ever had the fortune to meet, and two weeks later I was only leaving the house for doctor visits and was living on chicken soup and apple juice. Being pessimistic gets you nowhere. Sure, be realistic. But take a deep breath and stay optimistic.
I don't mean to sound pretentious, but I mean every syllable of every word on this page. I hope whenever you go through tough times, you can turn it into something good for yourself. You're strong. I have faith in you and I'll always be here for you.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Thursday, July 19, 2012
These Days of Summer
Generally, life just keeps getting exponentially better as time goes on since the surgery. I kind of just want to talk about all the happy things life has thrown at me lately.
Eric won three awards in two weeks! Star Student in Family and Consumer Science, and Excellence in Science and Orchestra!! Yupp, he's a superstar. I'm beyond proud. I also love that music runs in the family. I actually ran into someone I graduated with who saw Eric playing cello and arranging music. He laughed and said it was cute that Eric takes after me.
Soooo much How I Met Your Mother lately. I freaking love this show. I got Deels in on it too! It's nice because That 70's Show used to be our show, but it's not on so much anymore. They have guest stars like Carrie Underwood and Lucy Hale and Donna from That 70's Show and we get so nerdily excited together.
Some days, when the weather, my choice of hair products, and the stars align properly, I get really defined and pretty curls. Despite how happy they make me, no one else ever really notices because it's so dark. If hair coloring wasn't so expensive and risky I'd lighten it a little. Maybe do a dark auburn. It would just be nice to see the detail that goes into a fishtail or my curls or something.
Deels had her recitals last week! She was in Opening (for like 6 counts of 8 as a pipsqueak ballerina...), a BEAUTIFUL Haj Naranji pointe solo (the Genie Number), a Tap Dragon Dance (complete with chopsticks and fans), a stunning pointe Masquerade Waltz, a Matador-themed pointe Flamenco, and a fun jazz Conga. I'm so proud and happy that she has something she loves as much as I love music!
Marianna and Aunt Grace even came one night. We had the best time at the diner afterwards. It was one of those moments when you can't even keep track of why you're laughing anymore, and everyone else in the room is staring. It was perfect :)
I sincerely regret having to miss Andy's birthday bash last week, but hopefully now that I'm cleared for activities like Splish Splash and running (just no contact sports), we can finagle something for later this summer. We did, however, throw a wildly successful family BBQ. All the little cousins had fun and got along, and the food was delectable.
Although my job hunt was pretty much a bust after three solid weeks of applying and interviewing, I was happy to accept my bass teaching gig for the rest of the summer. It's what I love and what I'm good at, even if it's only 7 hours a week. AND THEN MUSIC & ARTS CALLED THIS MORNING. So hopefully I'll be getting started there next week!
Lots of fun quotes lately:
"I'm so hungry... but I want to wear clothes." Laura
"Billie Jean is not my mother." Delia
"Just because I don't know the cashier does NOT mean you have permission to dance." Also my loving sister.
"Mario? As in 'It's-a me, Mario!'?" Marianna, discussing Eric's Confirmation name.
To sum up my family's appreciation for Star Wars, much to my brother's dismay:
Eric: "Did you hear what he said?"
Nonni: "Something about trying hard?"
Eric: "No. He said 'Do or Do Not Do, there is no try.' That's a very famous quote."
"Eric, this movie is putting me to sleep again." Delia, who has a track record for falling asleep during Star Wars movies.
"Who's that? He looks like a bad guy..." Delia, about Darth Vader.
Two last things that make me really happy- THE NEW SONATA ARCTICA CD IS HERE! And it's just as good as I was hoping it would be! Also, A VERY POTTER SENIOR YEAR IS HAPPENING! I don't even know what could make me happier right now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fByY1OcHdk
Eric won three awards in two weeks! Star Student in Family and Consumer Science, and Excellence in Science and Orchestra!! Yupp, he's a superstar. I'm beyond proud. I also love that music runs in the family. I actually ran into someone I graduated with who saw Eric playing cello and arranging music. He laughed and said it was cute that Eric takes after me.
Soooo much How I Met Your Mother lately. I freaking love this show. I got Deels in on it too! It's nice because That 70's Show used to be our show, but it's not on so much anymore. They have guest stars like Carrie Underwood and Lucy Hale and Donna from That 70's Show and we get so nerdily excited together.
Some days, when the weather, my choice of hair products, and the stars align properly, I get really defined and pretty curls. Despite how happy they make me, no one else ever really notices because it's so dark. If hair coloring wasn't so expensive and risky I'd lighten it a little. Maybe do a dark auburn. It would just be nice to see the detail that goes into a fishtail or my curls or something.
Deels had her recitals last week! She was in Opening (for like 6 counts of 8 as a pipsqueak ballerina...), a BEAUTIFUL Haj Naranji pointe solo (the Genie Number), a Tap Dragon Dance (complete with chopsticks and fans), a stunning pointe Masquerade Waltz, a Matador-themed pointe Flamenco, and a fun jazz Conga. I'm so proud and happy that she has something she loves as much as I love music!
Marianna and Aunt Grace even came one night. We had the best time at the diner afterwards. It was one of those moments when you can't even keep track of why you're laughing anymore, and everyone else in the room is staring. It was perfect :)
I sincerely regret having to miss Andy's birthday bash last week, but hopefully now that I'm cleared for activities like Splish Splash and running (just no contact sports), we can finagle something for later this summer. We did, however, throw a wildly successful family BBQ. All the little cousins had fun and got along, and the food was delectable.
Although my job hunt was pretty much a bust after three solid weeks of applying and interviewing, I was happy to accept my bass teaching gig for the rest of the summer. It's what I love and what I'm good at, even if it's only 7 hours a week. AND THEN MUSIC & ARTS CALLED THIS MORNING. So hopefully I'll be getting started there next week!
Lots of fun quotes lately:
"I'm so hungry... but I want to wear clothes." Laura
"Billie Jean is not my mother." Delia
"Just because I don't know the cashier does NOT mean you have permission to dance." Also my loving sister.
"Mario? As in 'It's-a me, Mario!'?" Marianna, discussing Eric's Confirmation name.
To sum up my family's appreciation for Star Wars, much to my brother's dismay:
Eric: "Did you hear what he said?"
Nonni: "Something about trying hard?"
Eric: "No. He said 'Do or Do Not Do, there is no try.' That's a very famous quote."
"Eric, this movie is putting me to sleep again." Delia, who has a track record for falling asleep during Star Wars movies.
"Who's that? He looks like a bad guy..." Delia, about Darth Vader.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fByY1OcHdk
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Just remember, you're the one thing I can't get enough of.
Thank you to everyone who helped make me feel special on my birthday, even though I couldn't eat pastina or cake or swim or go to the beach or anything. I did at least get to hang out with Chelsea, Christie, Sarah D, Danielle, and Paige, who's my birthday twin! I then got to have our first girl talk in AGES with Meredith, Lauren, Laura, and Shannon. Long live the girl talk tradition. Also, my mom felt so bad about how poorly the doctor's visit went that morning (during which they told me it would be no less than 12 more days of the all-liquid diet) that I was allowed to drive myself to the library and Starbucks! I got to enjoy a delicious iced Caramel Macchiato and three fresh books--Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand; Life of Pi, by Yann Martel; and A Christmas Carol, the Dickens classic, because I have an off-kilter internal calendar.
To backtrack a few days, I got to see Kimmie for the first time in nine months. Conflicting school schedules, the fact that we have entirely separate groups of friends and commitments, and living irritatingly far(ish) from each other kept making it difficult to meet up. When she knocked on my door Wednesday as a surprise it was the most euphoric reunion. Since I'd literally just stepped out of the shower moments before, I left her to catch up with Deels and Eric for a few minutes. When I got back upstairs, she and Deels were talking dance and she was hugging Eric off his feet for being a Doctor Who fan. Here's to seventeen years of being in each other's lives and families, babe.
Also, it was the best when she called at 1:30 am the night of/morning after my birthday to talk about meatball marinara-scented things, Doctor Who, mashed potato sculptures, and to finish catching up on the personal details of our social lives.
I have now successfully turned my brother, father, and Nonni into avid Doctor Who fans! This does make it more difficult to watch episodes because we have to coordinate four people's personal schedules, but it's so worth it.
As the days of my liquid diet wind down (I've lost thirteen pounds!), we're continuing to get more creative with the recipes. Today I spent 45 minutes making myself an elaborate "entree" called Creamed Chicken. It was absolutely delicious, incorporating butter, flour, onion powder, chicken, chicken soup, milk, and other delicious things into the most convincing meal I've yet had to drink. We've also made milkshakes a nightly thing for most of the family. It's good, I feel like I'm useful instead of just prone to making messes in the kitchen. Nutella, peanut butter, all flavors of ice cream, and all cookies are being explored. It's not necessarily that bad an arrangement.
My brother gets a Star Student Award tomorrow! I'm so proud that I'm getting up early to go to the breakfast I can't even eat anything at!
Danielle came over this afternoon. We colored pages of an Alice coloring book, drank Nutella milkshakes, and listened to Disney princess music because we're sophisticated. We also discussed bows, the blessing that is the Asian community in Manhattan, and put plans in motion for a Disney animation sleepover to occur sometime before she leaves to be a camp counselor. It was the most lovely afternoon. One might even go so far as to say it was golden: "You can learn a lot of things from the flowers, for especially in the month of June, there's a wealth of happiness and Romance all in the Golden Afternoon."
The Dirty Dancing Legacy Edition Soundtrack is the CD of the day. Rest in peace, Patrick Swayze.
"I just cried sunblock." -Paige
"Poor skinny girls. They can't make this beautiful fat thigh music." -Paige
"...a pheromone-inducing poltergeist?" -Laura
"Hashtag bigboobproblems." Deels, discussing the dynamics of a bandeau.
To backtrack a few days, I got to see Kimmie for the first time in nine months. Conflicting school schedules, the fact that we have entirely separate groups of friends and commitments, and living irritatingly far(ish) from each other kept making it difficult to meet up. When she knocked on my door Wednesday as a surprise it was the most euphoric reunion. Since I'd literally just stepped out of the shower moments before, I left her to catch up with Deels and Eric for a few minutes. When I got back upstairs, she and Deels were talking dance and she was hugging Eric off his feet for being a Doctor Who fan. Here's to seventeen years of being in each other's lives and families, babe.
Also, it was the best when she called at 1:30 am the night of/morning after my birthday to talk about meatball marinara-scented things, Doctor Who, mashed potato sculptures, and to finish catching up on the personal details of our social lives.
I have now successfully turned my brother, father, and Nonni into avid Doctor Who fans! This does make it more difficult to watch episodes because we have to coordinate four people's personal schedules, but it's so worth it.
As the days of my liquid diet wind down (I've lost thirteen pounds!), we're continuing to get more creative with the recipes. Today I spent 45 minutes making myself an elaborate "entree" called Creamed Chicken. It was absolutely delicious, incorporating butter, flour, onion powder, chicken, chicken soup, milk, and other delicious things into the most convincing meal I've yet had to drink. We've also made milkshakes a nightly thing for most of the family. It's good, I feel like I'm useful instead of just prone to making messes in the kitchen. Nutella, peanut butter, all flavors of ice cream, and all cookies are being explored. It's not necessarily that bad an arrangement.
My brother gets a Star Student Award tomorrow! I'm so proud that I'm getting up early to go to the breakfast I can't even eat anything at!
Danielle came over this afternoon. We colored pages of an Alice coloring book, drank Nutella milkshakes, and listened to Disney princess music because we're sophisticated. We also discussed bows, the blessing that is the Asian community in Manhattan, and put plans in motion for a Disney animation sleepover to occur sometime before she leaves to be a camp counselor. It was the most lovely afternoon. One might even go so far as to say it was golden: "You can learn a lot of things from the flowers, for especially in the month of June, there's a wealth of happiness and Romance all in the Golden Afternoon."
The Dirty Dancing Legacy Edition Soundtrack is the CD of the day. Rest in peace, Patrick Swayze.
"I just cried sunblock." -Paige
"Poor skinny girls. They can't make this beautiful fat thigh music." -Paige
"...a pheromone-inducing poltergeist?" -Laura
"Hashtag bigboobproblems." Deels, discussing the dynamics of a bandeau.
Monday, May 28, 2012
I can't work in fast food all my life...
I kind of wanted to do a legitimate review of The Da Vinci Code because it was such a riveting read, but it's also a profoundly controversial one. I don't want to offend anyone, so I'll just touch on why I was so engrossed by it. The books I get most attached to make a point of developing characters and fostering all kinds of relationships between them. This did nothing like that. The only character that was developed at all was Leigh Teabing, and even that was only to heighten the intensity of a later plot twist. The only semblance of characters interacting in a way that wasn't directly necessary for the progression of the plot was a kiss between the two protagonists in the last chapter of the book. It's completely unprecedented. Readers may suspect this is coming because that's precisely what happened between Robert Langdon and Vittoria in Angels and Demons, which was Dan Brown's first Langdon-narrated novel. Nothing ever came of that from the first book to this one, and Langdon often reflects on being used to life as a bachelor. There's exactly one moment, when Langdon smells Sophie's perfume, that he appears to take any notice of her as a person. This lack of human development is something plenty of good books can have, but it's not something I've found in any of my favorite reads before. I guess I'm just shocked that a book with virtually no characterization or human element could hold my attention so strongly.
That aside, The Da Vinci Code is an eye-opening read because it's so rooted in facts and history. After finishing, I did a lot of reading into the Gnostic Gospels, the Merovingian dynasty, and the real Priory of Sion. There are varying amounts of historical evidence for all of these, which was intriguing to learn of. Despite conspiracy theories and pseudo-historical claims, I really recommend this book. Just go in with an open mind and be prepared to sort out your own thoughts afterwards.
Gosh, that took longer than I imagined it was going to for not even being a full review.
Now onto more mundane and happy topics!
Happy Birthday to my beautiful and beloved (and thoroughly missed) Shannon! Nineteen and Crazy indeed!
Saturday was also Sydney's Sweet Sixteen. I've been to precisely 13 formal Sweet Sixteens with ball-gown-and-tiara-wielding birthday girls. Generally, these are preppy occasions. I've seen dresses in red, orange, gold, green, aqua, teal, purple, fuchsia, hot pink, baby pink, and white. Girls usually walk in to pop songs like "Gotta Feelin'," "When I Grow Up," or "Party," or equally peppy songs related to the party's theme, like "Supermodel," (Fashion) or "Ever Ever After," (Disney Princesses). I hadn't been to a single party where the birthday girl didn't do a full or partial updo accompanied by curling iron curls.
I really have to commend Sydney on throwing a definitively Sydney party. Very few girls could pull off wearing black at their own parties, entering with a complete Thriller dance number, and requesting songs like "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and "Sell Out." Her hair was pulled back just enough that she wouldn't get sweaty on the dance floor, and it was her customary straight, dark red. I'm just very impressed by how atypically she designed her red, black, and gold Masquerade-themed party. I'm really proud of her. I remember the days when our parents would go out to dinner and leave Chelsea, Sydney, Deels, Eric and me at one of our houses and we'd be ridiculous and crazy together for hours at a time. Remember that time we heard Jake (their dog) running up and down the stairs, and we though he was a burglar? It was super S's to the rescue that day, armed with brooms and rakes against a cocker spaniel. Seeing Sydney all grown up and lady-like made me feel nostalgic, but also proud that our families have been so involved with each other for over a decade. That connection is really special, and I'm beyond honored that we were called up for a candle.
Basically, Sydney, I loved the unique quality of your party and I'm honored to have been a part of it. I love you guys a lot and I can't wait until Woodloch 2012!
On an even more mundane note, I today was lovely. We saw The Avengers which was stunning to watch, even if it didn't have the most clever or original plot. I say "stunning" because the graphics were unreal. If you plan on seeing it, it's worth spending the money to see it on the big screen. Also, Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans are wonderful to look at. A side note would be that I do agree with Andy: some of the dialogue was painful to listen to. Some though, usually any involving Iron Man (played by Robert Downey Jr., for those living under a rock), were witty enough. I then did like 10 minutes of Zumba to let off steam and then helped my sister with her Trig homework. I'm so proud of myself for recalling enough math to actually be helpful! Who knew?
In other news, I've lost 10 pounds on my all-liquids diet, and have reduced my Advil intake from 90 milliliters a day to 50. I'm allowed to sleep in my own bed again, and no more decongestants either! I still can't drive, speak properly, or eat regularly, but we're getting there. My next check-up is Thursday, which means that with any luck, I can progress to soft foods. Having pastina on my birthday would make my life much more pleasurable at this point in time.
I'm having video issues with my beautiful Boston friends, so I'm finishing this blog instead of hanging out with them in Google Plus for a few minutes to give my lazy computer a break. It should be good now, or so I hope. Until next time, my darlings.
That aside, The Da Vinci Code is an eye-opening read because it's so rooted in facts and history. After finishing, I did a lot of reading into the Gnostic Gospels, the Merovingian dynasty, and the real Priory of Sion. There are varying amounts of historical evidence for all of these, which was intriguing to learn of. Despite conspiracy theories and pseudo-historical claims, I really recommend this book. Just go in with an open mind and be prepared to sort out your own thoughts afterwards.
Gosh, that took longer than I imagined it was going to for not even being a full review.
Now onto more mundane and happy topics!
Happy Birthday to my beautiful and beloved (and thoroughly missed) Shannon! Nineteen and Crazy indeed!
Saturday was also Sydney's Sweet Sixteen. I've been to precisely 13 formal Sweet Sixteens with ball-gown-and-tiara-wielding birthday girls. Generally, these are preppy occasions. I've seen dresses in red, orange, gold, green, aqua, teal, purple, fuchsia, hot pink, baby pink, and white. Girls usually walk in to pop songs like "Gotta Feelin'," "When I Grow Up," or "Party," or equally peppy songs related to the party's theme, like "Supermodel," (Fashion) or "Ever Ever After," (Disney Princesses). I hadn't been to a single party where the birthday girl didn't do a full or partial updo accompanied by curling iron curls.
I really have to commend Sydney on throwing a definitively Sydney party. Very few girls could pull off wearing black at their own parties, entering with a complete Thriller dance number, and requesting songs like "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and "Sell Out." Her hair was pulled back just enough that she wouldn't get sweaty on the dance floor, and it was her customary straight, dark red. I'm just very impressed by how atypically she designed her red, black, and gold Masquerade-themed party. I'm really proud of her. I remember the days when our parents would go out to dinner and leave Chelsea, Sydney, Deels, Eric and me at one of our houses and we'd be ridiculous and crazy together for hours at a time. Remember that time we heard Jake (their dog) running up and down the stairs, and we though he was a burglar? It was super S's to the rescue that day, armed with brooms and rakes against a cocker spaniel. Seeing Sydney all grown up and lady-like made me feel nostalgic, but also proud that our families have been so involved with each other for over a decade. That connection is really special, and I'm beyond honored that we were called up for a candle.
Basically, Sydney, I loved the unique quality of your party and I'm honored to have been a part of it. I love you guys a lot and I can't wait until Woodloch 2012!
On an even more mundane note, I today was lovely. We saw The Avengers which was stunning to watch, even if it didn't have the most clever or original plot. I say "stunning" because the graphics were unreal. If you plan on seeing it, it's worth spending the money to see it on the big screen. Also, Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans are wonderful to look at. A side note would be that I do agree with Andy: some of the dialogue was painful to listen to. Some though, usually any involving Iron Man (played by Robert Downey Jr., for those living under a rock), were witty enough. I then did like 10 minutes of Zumba to let off steam and then helped my sister with her Trig homework. I'm so proud of myself for recalling enough math to actually be helpful! Who knew?
In other news, I've lost 10 pounds on my all-liquids diet, and have reduced my Advil intake from 90 milliliters a day to 50. I'm allowed to sleep in my own bed again, and no more decongestants either! I still can't drive, speak properly, or eat regularly, but we're getting there. My next check-up is Thursday, which means that with any luck, I can progress to soft foods. Having pastina on my birthday would make my life much more pleasurable at this point in time.
I'm having video issues with my beautiful Boston friends, so I'm finishing this blog instead of hanging out with them in Google Plus for a few minutes to give my lazy computer a break. It should be good now, or so I hope. Until next time, my darlings.
Monday, May 14, 2012
“Telling someone about what a symbol means is like telling someone how music should make them feel.”
I feel so loved lately. I want to thank everyone again for the cards, flowers, and messages I've been lucky to receive. This would be infinitely harder if I didn't know how much love and support my family, friends, and community have for me. Thank you all so, SO much! <3
So proud of my Blueshirt boys! Also, I want a Staal brother. My sister claimed Carl Hagelin back when he was still a draft, so any Staal that isn't already married, I'll gladly take.
Side note-- I feel WAY less bad about all the losing Northeastern did to Boston College since Kreider is now a solid rock on the Rangers. We'll get 'em next year, Huskies.
I can't wait to be back during hockey season at Northeastern. Pep band and hockey and then all may frandz hangin out an bein silly afterwards sounds delightful.
Besides the mouth situation (it feels like I'm walking around with a cinderblock clamped between my jaws), my days have been enjoyable. I've been watching lots of Friends, Seinfeld, and How I Met Your Mother. Additionally, I'm about a hundred pages away from finishing The Da Vinci Code, which is an utterly fantastic read. It's been a long time since I've read something so gripping. It's not my usual genre or style, so I'm intrigued by my own interest in the thing. It's a historical fiction novel that calls the Roman Catholic Church--not the Catholic faith, but the historical administration of the church-- into serious questioning via ACTUAL secret societies, historical events, histories of symbols and icons, and seemingly insignificant details in the masterpieces of Da Vinci. Where fact and fiction collide, I'm starting to wonder. I may do some research once I finish this thing. After this, it's back to Dante's Inferno, then a short novel by the author of Life of Pi, entitled Beatrice and Virgil. I'm interested since those are the names of Dante's (sort-of) lover and guardian angel, respectively. It's actually about a donkey and a monkey, but with a title like that, there must be some interesting connections.
Also, with so much focus on the Holy Grail in Da Vinci Code, I was inspired to watch Monty Python for the first time. It is very, very silly. I was caught off-guard by the "Sir Galahad, the Chaste." WHERE did "Why, Mister Galahad..." come from, Andy?! On that note, I love the titles of Andy's blog entries, even though (or especially because?) they don't make sense until you finish reading the blog. The most recent, entitled something to do with "48 Johannas" got me really excited momentarily. Having 47 other Sabrinas wandering around could be totally entertaining.
So with all this loafing around and having my butt planted in a recliner LITERALLY 18 hours a day, I'm still managing to lose weight thanks to the "chicken soup and chocolate milk" diet. I'm down six and a half pounds from Surgery Day! At roughly 1000 liquid calories plus about a liter of liquid medications dispersed over each day, I am starting to miss real food. Today was the first day I've been properly hungry since the surgery. I guess that means my body's that much closer to being normal again, but being able to WANT food again puts me no closer to being ABLE to eat food again. Other things are pretty much normal again-- swelling has gone down intensely, I can shower normally, no dizzy or light-headed spells, and I'm even feeling good enough to do my hair and makeup again. I'm thinking it'll get much better after this first week. Apparently during the surgery, my jaw shattered in an extra spot, meaning the process took an extra hour and I have one more titanium bracket than was planned. I should have come out able to open to my jaw but I've been instructed not to. I visit the doctor tomorrow, so we'll see what changes in my diet and abilities.
If I try really hard, smelling good food is almost as good as having some. For instance, last night we got Greek takeout for Mother's Day. Just sitting there and basking in all the aromas of what I'm sure was a delicious meal for everyone else without gorging on the exorbitant amount of calories I surely would have incurred if I'd been capable to eat was almost even refreshing! Even now, as Dad and Eric munch on Doritos during Period Three of Game One of the Eastern Conference Finals (Rangers and Devils at MSG), I can enjoy them without bearing the burden of 600 extra calories. I realize this is the flimsiest silver lining ever, but for a girl who has 44 more days until her eating habits can return to normal, it's the best I can do.
My biggest complaint after the pain, discomfort, and medication schedule is how removed I feel from real life. I haven't left the house or hung out with anyone in the last six days, save 20 minutes of catching up with Rebecca and a lot of time with my surgeon. I haven't seen anyone from Northeastern or Smithtown in person, giving me this weird sense of reclusiveness from everything. As soon as my face stops looking like a teenage mutant ninja turtle, I'm excited to reinitiate Google Plus video chats with my Tremont Street Raiders and future Suities and have all my beloved Smithtown sweethearts come visit me. Cheers, guys!
So proud of my Blueshirt boys! Also, I want a Staal brother. My sister claimed Carl Hagelin back when he was still a draft, so any Staal that isn't already married, I'll gladly take.
Side note-- I feel WAY less bad about all the losing Northeastern did to Boston College since Kreider is now a solid rock on the Rangers. We'll get 'em next year, Huskies.
I can't wait to be back during hockey season at Northeastern. Pep band and hockey and then all may frandz hangin out an bein silly afterwards sounds delightful.
Besides the mouth situation (it feels like I'm walking around with a cinderblock clamped between my jaws), my days have been enjoyable. I've been watching lots of Friends, Seinfeld, and How I Met Your Mother. Additionally, I'm about a hundred pages away from finishing The Da Vinci Code, which is an utterly fantastic read. It's been a long time since I've read something so gripping. It's not my usual genre or style, so I'm intrigued by my own interest in the thing. It's a historical fiction novel that calls the Roman Catholic Church--not the Catholic faith, but the historical administration of the church-- into serious questioning via ACTUAL secret societies, historical events, histories of symbols and icons, and seemingly insignificant details in the masterpieces of Da Vinci. Where fact and fiction collide, I'm starting to wonder. I may do some research once I finish this thing. After this, it's back to Dante's Inferno, then a short novel by the author of Life of Pi, entitled Beatrice and Virgil. I'm interested since those are the names of Dante's (sort-of) lover and guardian angel, respectively. It's actually about a donkey and a monkey, but with a title like that, there must be some interesting connections.
Also, with so much focus on the Holy Grail in Da Vinci Code, I was inspired to watch Monty Python for the first time. It is very, very silly. I was caught off-guard by the "Sir Galahad, the Chaste." WHERE did "Why, Mister Galahad..." come from, Andy?! On that note, I love the titles of Andy's blog entries, even though (or especially because?) they don't make sense until you finish reading the blog. The most recent, entitled something to do with "48 Johannas" got me really excited momentarily. Having 47 other Sabrinas wandering around could be totally entertaining.
So with all this loafing around and having my butt planted in a recliner LITERALLY 18 hours a day, I'm still managing to lose weight thanks to the "chicken soup and chocolate milk" diet. I'm down six and a half pounds from Surgery Day! At roughly 1000 liquid calories plus about a liter of liquid medications dispersed over each day, I am starting to miss real food. Today was the first day I've been properly hungry since the surgery. I guess that means my body's that much closer to being normal again, but being able to WANT food again puts me no closer to being ABLE to eat food again. Other things are pretty much normal again-- swelling has gone down intensely, I can shower normally, no dizzy or light-headed spells, and I'm even feeling good enough to do my hair and makeup again. I'm thinking it'll get much better after this first week. Apparently during the surgery, my jaw shattered in an extra spot, meaning the process took an extra hour and I have one more titanium bracket than was planned. I should have come out able to open to my jaw but I've been instructed not to. I visit the doctor tomorrow, so we'll see what changes in my diet and abilities.
If I try really hard, smelling good food is almost as good as having some. For instance, last night we got Greek takeout for Mother's Day. Just sitting there and basking in all the aromas of what I'm sure was a delicious meal for everyone else without gorging on the exorbitant amount of calories I surely would have incurred if I'd been capable to eat was almost even refreshing! Even now, as Dad and Eric munch on Doritos during Period Three of Game One of the Eastern Conference Finals (Rangers and Devils at MSG), I can enjoy them without bearing the burden of 600 extra calories. I realize this is the flimsiest silver lining ever, but for a girl who has 44 more days until her eating habits can return to normal, it's the best I can do.
My biggest complaint after the pain, discomfort, and medication schedule is how removed I feel from real life. I haven't left the house or hung out with anyone in the last six days, save 20 minutes of catching up with Rebecca and a lot of time with my surgeon. I haven't seen anyone from Northeastern or Smithtown in person, giving me this weird sense of reclusiveness from everything. As soon as my face stops looking like a teenage mutant ninja turtle, I'm excited to reinitiate Google Plus video chats with my Tremont Street Raiders and future Suities and have all my beloved Smithtown sweethearts come visit me. Cheers, guys!
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Every feelin', every beat, can be so very sweet, you gotta taste it.
I'm listening to a very feel-good playlist tonight. Let's Get Loud, We Got the Beat, Ladies Night, Dancing in the Street. No clue where this extreme optimism came from but I'll take it while it lasts... even though we're down to 9 days till Doomsday. I'll leave those thoughts for then there's like a day left.
Today was Eric's birthday! Most of my friends remember him like he's six. It's like all their last memories of him are when he crashed my sleepover party in sixth grade to be fawned over by all my girlfriends. Thing is, he's actually thirteen. Like, he's a teenager now. I'm going into my last year, he's going into his first. Time goes by so quickly.
Anyway, he his team won their dek hockey game tonight! They scored twice in the first period and the other team,l ast season's defending champs, scored twice in the third. They won in a shoot-out and it was super exciting! Can't quite say the same for my Blueshirt Boys, but it's only the second game of the series. There's time yet.
Eric and I spent the afternoon looking up and trying out glitches in Super Mario 64 for Nintendo. We got outsmarted the Never-Ending staircase in the 70 star room and got into the final Battle with Bowser with only 54 Stars! We're such badasses.
We also had delicious chocolate fudge and Banana Cream cakes. I love birthdays.
Two of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me are that I'm whimsical and that I have a sense of adventure. I'm rather pleased.
So despite my dread for Doomsday, I found an up-side. Scratch that, two. Well, two good outcomes from one crappy aspect of it all. Since I only have eight days left of being able to eat normally, mom's making every food I like between now and then. This includes prime rib, pasta with basil pesto sauce, Little Vincent's Pizza, chinese food, KFC, homemade chicken soup, and lambchops. I'm going to eat ALL the food this week.
Also, since I can only eat liquids after, I at least get to lose 20 pounds. Despite all the other crap, it could be worse.
It feels weird to be caught up on Doctor Who. I just finished Season Six. While it was fantastic, I can't help but be uncomfortable knowing I've watched all their is for now. I have to wait HOW LONG till Season 7??
"That's what monkeys do. When they smile, it's because they're about to KILL YOU!" Eric.
(After I just explained what a honey badger is to Deels and she blatantly didn't get it:)
"And the deer, Oh My God, it was like honey badger!" Deels.
"Woof." Eric.
"You couldn't handle a basilisk." Deels
"Well you couldn't get to the Department of Mysteries, let alone get OUT of it." Eric
And now for some Winnie-the-Pooh:
"An adventure is a wonderful thing!"
"In the printed word is where truth lies."
"I wonder if you're dreaming too, wherever you are."
"Perhaps the place you are is not on a map. How very nice for us!"
"You're braver than a bee, longer than a tree, and taller than a goose... or maybe it was a moose?"
"You're smarter when you're pink!"
"You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."
Thank you Pooh's Grand Adventure. I just found those pearls of wisdom hidden away in my phone. It was a truly pleasant surprise.
Today was Eric's birthday! Most of my friends remember him like he's six. It's like all their last memories of him are when he crashed my sleepover party in sixth grade to be fawned over by all my girlfriends. Thing is, he's actually thirteen. Like, he's a teenager now. I'm going into my last year, he's going into his first. Time goes by so quickly.
Anyway, he his team won their dek hockey game tonight! They scored twice in the first period and the other team,l ast season's defending champs, scored twice in the third. They won in a shoot-out and it was super exciting! Can't quite say the same for my Blueshirt Boys, but it's only the second game of the series. There's time yet.
Eric and I spent the afternoon looking up and trying out glitches in Super Mario 64 for Nintendo. We got outsmarted the Never-Ending staircase in the 70 star room and got into the final Battle with Bowser with only 54 Stars! We're such badasses.
We also had delicious chocolate fudge and Banana Cream cakes. I love birthdays.
Two of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me are that I'm whimsical and that I have a sense of adventure. I'm rather pleased.
So despite my dread for Doomsday, I found an up-side. Scratch that, two. Well, two good outcomes from one crappy aspect of it all. Since I only have eight days left of being able to eat normally, mom's making every food I like between now and then. This includes prime rib, pasta with basil pesto sauce, Little Vincent's Pizza, chinese food, KFC, homemade chicken soup, and lambchops. I'm going to eat ALL the food this week.
Also, since I can only eat liquids after, I at least get to lose 20 pounds. Despite all the other crap, it could be worse.
It feels weird to be caught up on Doctor Who. I just finished Season Six. While it was fantastic, I can't help but be uncomfortable knowing I've watched all their is for now. I have to wait HOW LONG till Season 7??
"That's what monkeys do. When they smile, it's because they're about to KILL YOU!" Eric.
(After I just explained what a honey badger is to Deels and she blatantly didn't get it:)
"And the deer, Oh My God, it was like honey badger!" Deels.
"Woof." Eric.
"You couldn't handle a basilisk." Deels
"Well you couldn't get to the Department of Mysteries, let alone get OUT of it." Eric
And now for some Winnie-the-Pooh:
"An adventure is a wonderful thing!"
"In the printed word is where truth lies."
"I wonder if you're dreaming too, wherever you are."
"Perhaps the place you are is not on a map. How very nice for us!"
"You're braver than a bee, longer than a tree, and taller than a goose... or maybe it was a moose?"
"You're smarter when you're pink!"
"You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."
Thank you Pooh's Grand Adventure. I just found those pearls of wisdom hidden away in my phone. It was a truly pleasant surprise.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
All Hail Northeastern
Friday night was my last night living in International Village. A lot of summer goodbyes were said, each of which was highly emotional. Shannon, Lauren, Sean, Iris, Chris, Alaric, Meredith, Sarah, Andy, and Tasha all left before Saturday.
It's more sad than I'd have ever conceived. Tasha's part of the room had been packed for a few days, but there were cardboard boxes and suitcases and food splayed across the desk. Once she really moved out, there was this pervading sense of emptiness in the room. I had to face my own wall when I was on the computer to avoid looking at the blankness.
Saturday morning was an early start to pack up the entire room. Lauren was up too and sat with me while it happened. I'm glad I didn't have to pack alone. She and Ryan left over the course of the day, and I helped Laura move into Smith for Prism. After these thirteen farewells, it got really lonely. My family packed me up and moved me out, and then I just had to empty the recycles and trash one more time. When I was standing in 933 IV for the last time, I got kind of overwhelmed. That room was my home for eight months. I had a really beautiful view of Roxbury everyday. I slept, studied, laughed, cried, lived, and grew in that room. To see it return to looking exactly as it did on Day One two semesters ago was beyond sad. I had one last view out the window, shut the lights, and left the room dark and empty.
What bothers me is that it looks EXACTLY as it did when we first moved in. This is exactly as it will look when the new freshies move in. My opinion when we first moved in was that the undecorated room looked a bit like a jail cell: it was a blank diary, waiting for Tasha and I to fill its pages. Now, I KNOW we've written all over every page of it, but the unforgiving white walls don't reflect that. It's like all our memories are erased. WE know those adventures live on, but not a single soul to live there next will. It's disconcerting.
What will I remember most about this year? Decorating the room that first night till 2 am, The Good, the Bad, the Weird in Andy's room, the time we watched Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure in Scott and Sean's room, Harry Potter Movie-thons, the time Tasha and I went Christmas shopping at Marshall's, the Doctor Who marathon, girl talks, girl talks accompanied by beverages, Christmas decorations for all of second semester, that time we all agreed that if I was a phone company I'd be Virgin Mobile, piecing together the previous night over a noon breakfast, Russell Brand tickets, Halloweekend, bringing home ABP goodies, The Vow for Valentine's Day, HUSKY HUNT, jamming in Ryder at 11 at night, lik-ing dis if u cry evertim, doing homework in the room of whoever's door was bolted, watching Thomas the Tank Engine, playing Kings, shooting A True Gentleman, Relay for Life, impromptu adventure in the North End, two ships passing in the night, cleansing my palate, stealing dining hall cookies, the midnight Hunger Games premiere, the Rageous War, family dinners, Snow Ball, ALL the That's What She Said and Sounds Like My First Time jokes, Grease-Sing Along, eating sushi in class, agreeing that Indian food is always a good idea, questioning each other's taste in fruit, maneuvering sailing/musical debris every night, surviving the Poltergeist, LOTS of tickling, that time we wrote a musical about dancing zombies, an eighteen page paper on Wicked, getting through Saint Patrick's Day, reading the Manual, CALL ME MAYBE?, suggestively reading Cosmo to each other, the Christmas Rager, fermenting yeast, the Hot Guy Wall, The Art Exhibit, long walks by the Charles, NUSO concerts, erratic sleep schedules, those times we shared all the details of all the stories, and most vividly, seeing each other off one by one.
Next fall as the Sexy Six of Six-Sixteen can't get here quickly enough Those I haven't hugged in person recently took some photo spamming to the wall, and I'm just more anxious to see your smiling faces. Come back, please?
THANK YOU. Everyone who played any small part in making my freshman year at Northeastern so fantastic deserves the most sincere thank you, from my parents, for letting me go, to the dining hall workers who didn't speak English. All the Tremont Street Raiders, all the music majors, the RAs, the Pep Band people, the professors, and every student I met helped make this the most epic year I could have dreamed up. There are things I'd do differently, and things I wouldn't change for the world. I'm just glad it all happened. I'm proud of who this year has helped me become, and I owe it to beautiful Boston, Northeastern, and every single Husky I've met for helping me grow so much.
I truly can't wait to see you all again soon.
It's more sad than I'd have ever conceived. Tasha's part of the room had been packed for a few days, but there were cardboard boxes and suitcases and food splayed across the desk. Once she really moved out, there was this pervading sense of emptiness in the room. I had to face my own wall when I was on the computer to avoid looking at the blankness.
Saturday morning was an early start to pack up the entire room. Lauren was up too and sat with me while it happened. I'm glad I didn't have to pack alone. She and Ryan left over the course of the day, and I helped Laura move into Smith for Prism. After these thirteen farewells, it got really lonely. My family packed me up and moved me out, and then I just had to empty the recycles and trash one more time. When I was standing in 933 IV for the last time, I got kind of overwhelmed. That room was my home for eight months. I had a really beautiful view of Roxbury everyday. I slept, studied, laughed, cried, lived, and grew in that room. To see it return to looking exactly as it did on Day One two semesters ago was beyond sad. I had one last view out the window, shut the lights, and left the room dark and empty.
What bothers me is that it looks EXACTLY as it did when we first moved in. This is exactly as it will look when the new freshies move in. My opinion when we first moved in was that the undecorated room looked a bit like a jail cell: it was a blank diary, waiting for Tasha and I to fill its pages. Now, I KNOW we've written all over every page of it, but the unforgiving white walls don't reflect that. It's like all our memories are erased. WE know those adventures live on, but not a single soul to live there next will. It's disconcerting.
What will I remember most about this year? Decorating the room that first night till 2 am, The Good, the Bad, the Weird in Andy's room, the time we watched Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure in Scott and Sean's room, Harry Potter Movie-thons, the time Tasha and I went Christmas shopping at Marshall's, the Doctor Who marathon, girl talks, girl talks accompanied by beverages, Christmas decorations for all of second semester, that time we all agreed that if I was a phone company I'd be Virgin Mobile, piecing together the previous night over a noon breakfast, Russell Brand tickets, Halloweekend, bringing home ABP goodies, The Vow for Valentine's Day, HUSKY HUNT, jamming in Ryder at 11 at night, lik-ing dis if u cry evertim, doing homework in the room of whoever's door was bolted, watching Thomas the Tank Engine, playing Kings, shooting A True Gentleman, Relay for Life, impromptu adventure in the North End, two ships passing in the night, cleansing my palate, stealing dining hall cookies, the midnight Hunger Games premiere, the Rageous War, family dinners, Snow Ball, ALL the That's What She Said and Sounds Like My First Time jokes, Grease-Sing Along, eating sushi in class, agreeing that Indian food is always a good idea, questioning each other's taste in fruit, maneuvering sailing/musical debris every night, surviving the Poltergeist, LOTS of tickling, that time we wrote a musical about dancing zombies, an eighteen page paper on Wicked, getting through Saint Patrick's Day, reading the Manual, CALL ME MAYBE?, suggestively reading Cosmo to each other, the Christmas Rager, fermenting yeast, the Hot Guy Wall, The Art Exhibit, long walks by the Charles, NUSO concerts, erratic sleep schedules, those times we shared all the details of all the stories, and most vividly, seeing each other off one by one.
Next fall as the Sexy Six of Six-Sixteen can't get here quickly enough Those I haven't hugged in person recently took some photo spamming to the wall, and I'm just more anxious to see your smiling faces. Come back, please?
THANK YOU. Everyone who played any small part in making my freshman year at Northeastern so fantastic deserves the most sincere thank you, from my parents, for letting me go, to the dining hall workers who didn't speak English. All the Tremont Street Raiders, all the music majors, the RAs, the Pep Band people, the professors, and every student I met helped make this the most epic year I could have dreamed up. There are things I'd do differently, and things I wouldn't change for the world. I'm just glad it all happened. I'm proud of who this year has helped me become, and I owe it to beautiful Boston, Northeastern, and every single Husky I've met for helping me grow so much.
I truly can't wait to see you all again soon.
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