Time to vote for something important

Vote on something important and help out a fellow blogger at the same time.

After work today I went shoe shopping to find a pair of black dress pumps that would work with a pants suit going from office to an evening professional event... of course I spent way too much money on shoes and didn't even get a pair of black pumps.

Vote on one of the pairs of shoes below:

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I admit it...

I have unique taste in men.

Ok, ok... sometimes it is just down right weird. Not necessarily good or bad, just not always the typical. Not saying I don't likes me a pretty boy like this guy at last weekend's Spring Festival in Rittenhouse (otherwise known as the future Mr. ACG in the black shirt), but I tend to be drawn to men not considered typically "attractive" by mainstream standards.

But just cause I have different taste in what is attractive in men than the "norm", doesn't mean I have NO TASTE or any standards. Smiles has a friend who moved into our building (into Smiles old apartment I think). When referring to this friend of Smiles, I have been know to call him Putzy McPutz in place of his actual name. He earned this name by being a huge annoying PUTZ! Every time I am in his company, no matter what I say or who I say it to he must take a very verbal opposing stance.

We are polite when we see each other in the neighborhood and in the building. I do not find him attractive at all... he actually strongly resembles Milhouse from the Simpsons (I admitted to weird taste, not being BLIND)... and I have no desire to spend time with him. The only time we socialize is when mutual friends do something and we both just happen to be there and every time he has to disagree with EVERYTHING I say. He is just plain cocky and annoying.

So why did I get a really weird feeling last weekend when I saw him coming into the building holding hands with some girl? Why did I make faces at her after they got off the elevator? Why did I get all weird and goofy when I ran into her later in the lobby? Why did I ask if she moved in with him? What the fuck is wrong with me?

Ugh... maybe it's just the weather. Or temporary insanity.

I'm a slacker

I just haven't felt like sitting down and writing a post.

Here's some up-date in no particular order...

AnonymousFatCat is ok, but I am not sure. He goes back for another check up next week. Something still seems "off" and I am continuing to spend money hand over fist for vet visits and meds. I'm not upset about the money and I can afford it, but I hate to say, there needs to be a limit. If all he needs is an adjustment of meds, its all good, but if is indicating a steady decline I have some serious things to consider.

A week or so ago I started to get really stir crazy. I just wanted to get out of the city. I wanted to run and didn't care where, I just needed a change of scenery. I couldn't put something together so last minute (mostly because I didn't have anyone to give AFC his morning injections), but I did find a could of B&B's out of town and a pet sitting service for the next time I get the bug. A weekend without the phone, without the TV, without the computer... just me and a book on a porch in the middle of the country sounds like heaven.

Work is going well in the aspect of making strides in the eyes of the powers that be... but I have been pretty stress and frustrated in general. I think I just really hate managing people. I hold myself to a very high standard at work and have trouble expect less from my subordinates. Sometimes I think I would be happier to do all the work myself and not have to manage anyone.

For someone so disciplined and organized at work, I have no discipline in my personal life. I barely have any impulse control or will power. My stimulus check from the government will be going to a personal trainer to get my butt into shape... any other shape than its current shape.

Recently I went from stir crazy (see above) to full blow Spring Fever. I am crushing on guys left and right. Most recently getting a doe eyed at one of the members of our board during a meeting... hopefully he'll just think I am really happy to be working for the company. Except for today, the weather has been great giving me the opportunity to spend extra time outside... drinks with TheRussian at Valanni's, dinner with LadyAdmin at Mixto.

Well there's somewhat of an up-date. Maybe I should make this a q&a to make things easier.

A new take on the "drunk post"

If you look to the right of your screen you will see I have added the "Twitter" feature.

It being Cinco de Mayo and all, I figure now was as good as any to put a new spin in the drunk post (a semi-regular feature here)... drunkin' twitting.

Keep watching the Twitter section for updates.

and for the local folks... keep the bail money handy... enough tequila and I may start showing of my twits!

ACG to the rescue

Ok... that may be a bit of an overstatement.

Being that the weather has been so mild here, I have been keeping my windows facing the alleyway open. While listening to NPR this morning, I heard shouting in the alley. When I looked out at first I thought it was two student play fighting, but then realized it was a mugging (or at least an assault of some kind).

I immediately called 911 and described the scene below. Being use to a very slow response time, I contemplated grabbing a carton of eggs, climbing onto the fire escape, and lobbing them to the street below in hopes of at least stopping the continuing assault, but instantly 3 bike cops descended on the alley from all directions.

In seconds they had the "perp" handcuffed and the "victim" sitting on the ground... they moved swiftly and efficiently (and totally professionally). I went downstairs to grab a coffee and bagel from the deli at the corner. The number of officers tripled. They were talking to the two men involved (it may have not have been so much a random mugging from what I overheard). I quietly informed one officer I had witnessed the fight in the ally and called 911 and asked if any statement from me was needed . What I really wanted to do was kick the shit out of the handcuffed "perp" and scream "NOT IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD!"

In the end I was pretty proud in my part in stopping the assault and the PPD's quick response. It does make me feel a little better in light of some recent events in Philly.

What cures a stressful week?

A booty call (10 years my junior - yeah I'm bragging!).

:-)

Broken Pussy

This past week was interesting.

At 5am Monday morning, I woke to the sound of AnonymousFatCat barfing. It's not all that unusual, but seemed to sound different. I slowly woke up, turned on my bedside light, put on my glasses, and wondered around the studio to see if I could spy the location of the mess. Nothing. I wanted to continue to look, but since I just woke up my body insisted on breaking to pee. AFC wondered in, acting normally except for a smear of blood across his face.

I rushed out of the bathroom to finally discover the large pile consisting of partially digested food, bile, and blood. This can not be good. While I began clean up, AFC seemed completely normal, even finishing the food still in his bowl. I scooped up the mess into a plastic bag, assuming the vet may want to see it (and I thought my job sucked).

I called AFC's regular vet and hear an outgoing message saying he is on vacation until April 7th and if I couldn't wait till then, go to the University of Pennsylvania's Animal Emergency Room. Great. No back up doctor, but go to the place that is guaranteed to charge me at least 3 times for what can be done in a vet's office.

I called LadyAdmin and confirmed the name of the place her fluffy kitty was cared for. They gave me an appointment right away. Cleaned up AFC, got myself ready (including preparing for the worse), bagged up his morning poop (again my job may suck at time, but it never requires a stool sample), got him in the carrier, and into the cab.

If you have an animal, you need to check if you have a VCA Animal Hospital near you. I can not speak highly enough about this organization and the people working at the Philadelphia branch. They took excellent care of AFC. In the course of his visit it was determined that there was nothing life threating, but he did have very elevated sugar levels (over 5 times the normal level). He would need to start receiving twice daily injections of insulin.

I panicked. I tried to remain as calm as possible. Asking questions and if diet would make enough of a difference that insulin could be avoided. The vet agreed to try diet for one week, but stressed it was best to get him on insulin as soon as possible. I received a lot of information. AFC and I spent the rest of the day at home. Between working remotely, I researched everything I could. The more I learned I began to realize that AFC has most likely been suffering from diabetes for years. I presented the symptoms to his "regular" vet, but they were never followed up on. His excessive drinking/peeing. His occasional trouble with his paw. His sudden weight loss (while eating the same amount).

I realized that he needed treatment right away. I called the vet and we set an appointment for Friday for him to spend the day at there to figure out the exact daily dose he would need. I began to figure out how I would always make sure I could be home at 8am & 8pm every single day to deliver his injections. This would be a very big lifestyle change for me. I had no problem spending more than a months rent on doctor visits, insulin, and syringes, but having to run home or forgo evenings out to perform injections was a worry.

Friday afternoon I got a call at work from the vet. At first my heart sank. I was scheduled to pick AFC at 6:30pm, why would they need to call me at 4:00pm? The vet tech informed me that AFC was doing so well I could pick him up early. In fact, he responded so well that he only would need one injection each day. This was the best news all day! It would be a lot easier to work with this schedule rather than 2 injections per day exactly 12 hours apart, the same times every day.

So I arrived to pick AFC up and learn how to give him injections. OY. This was really freaking me out. The vet tech was great. Really put me at ease. She gave him an injection and he had no reaction. Nothing. I did the same, only a bit awkwardly. Nothing. Not a meow, flinch, turn, nothing. It felt weird, but wasn't as hard as I thought.

This morning I gave him his shot all on my own. I prepped the syringe. I put the food in his bowl. I held the syringe in one hand while I sat next to him petting him with the other. As smoothly as I could I pinch up a bit of skin, pushed the needle in, gently pulled back on the plunger (no blood, good that means it is in the right place), pressed the plunger down, and pulled the needle out. I continued to pet him. He never looked up from his food bowl. The first picture is before I gave him his shot, the 2nd picture is after I gave him the shot.



All and all I think it all went well and I think I can get comfortable with this routine. The next step is teaching LadyAdmin how to give the shots, so I have a back up in emergencies and for vacations.