Crapsman... said the blind woman

I say A+ for my title.

Anyway, I had a very interesting couple of days. It all begins about 2 weeks ago when I thought I felt and noticed my driver's side front tire getting low. Not being one to procrastinate, I waited until 2 days before our drive to Portland to fill'er up.

[Justin and I, we like to be prepared, even though we have roadside assistance through our insurance. Why wait two hours for something you can do yourself? So, we have spare tires, jumper cables, a jack, and air compressors for flat tires. I don't want that fix a flat shit. That's in emergencies when you know something punctured your tire and you're going to replace it. A slow leak is different. And once, I filled it up with air just to get it to Les Schwab.]

So, we have an air compressor in each car. In Justin's, the cheaper Craftsman model that gets about 150 PSI and takes forever to blow up a tire. In my car, a more expensive 300 PSI Craftsman that's much better. So on Thursday after work, I pull out my compressor, and what's this? The 12V d/c adapter is in pieces. (I learned later on the Sears website that this is quite common. WTF?). I try to piece it back together, but I must not have all the pieces. So, I say screw it, and go grab Justin's compressor. I plug it in, and nothin. Nada. Zip. I'm already about to bang my head against the wall but wait, it gets better!

I had never looked inside a 12V adapter before, but I got my chance with the broken one. I realize that maybe I can take apart the crappy compressor's adapter and see what I'm missing, you know, since it's obviously broken anyway. Turns out, I'm missing a glass tube. I take it out of that one (which by the way looks really growdy and unusable from some kind of corrosion) and put it in the good compressor. Plug it in. Nothing. (And yes, everything I tried in my car, I tried in Justin's.)

So now, apparently, I have two broken compressors.

The next day I go to work and begin doing research. I need to buy a replacement compressor immediately because I'm going on my trip on Saturday. And we all know what happens when you go on a trip ill-prepared. I obviously want to avoid Crapsman, as my dad says, so I'm trying to find something else. And I've been chatting on and off with my dad this whole time. I get on the Sears website, click on a compressor to see if it's available at the store, and see this:

Directions: To replace fuse, unscrew tip of plug, remove fuse and replace with like amperage.

Say what? Those things have a FUSE? Is that what that glass tube was? Hello!

I call dad immediately.

"Have you ever replaced a fuse in a 12 volt thingie?"

"A 12 volt what?"

"...a thingie."

"Yes, I've replaced many fuses in 12 volt thingies."

After work, I head to Schucks - sorry, "O'Reilly" Auto Parts to find a replacement fuse. I'm hoping this is the problem, as my Crapsman at Sears will cost me about $50 to replace. The guy says I need to know the Amps the fuse is. Since I don't have the compressor with me, I'm forced to go home, and call my dad again.

"Can you tell when a fuse is broken?"

"Yes, unless it's broken where you can't see it. But, you can wrap it in tinfoil and it will work regardless."

Ah, you learn something new every day. This was the info I was fishing for. So, I rap it in tinfoil, and of course, nothing. So, it's not the fuse.

[At this point, I should have known what the real problem was. But I was blind to it.]

Finally giving up on my Crapsman, I drive out to Autozone to buy a replacement. (They have the Slime brand. Sounds trustworthy, don't it?) I drive home (stupid) and attempt to plug it in. Nothing. I growl and stomp over to Justin' car. I know what's wrong now, but I want conformation. I plug it in, and nothing. I wiggle it, and it comes to life. A-ha. (Side note: Justin's car is an '89 Chevy Celebrity. The d/c adapter is a little roomy and the connections don't sit right. I'd forgotten this fact since I no longer drive the car.) I stalk up to the house, grab the Crapsman, and plug it into Justin's car with a wiggle. It comes to life.

So, I was right. It was the fuse. Just not the one in the d/c adapter.

I attempt to plug in my GPS charger, which has an indicator light and get nothing. And, this is now the 2nd time my cigarette lighter fuse has burned out. I drive back out to Autozone and tell him "I need to trade this for a 20 amp fuse." Problem solved. I'd learned about the fuses in my trunk from a similar experience about a year ago, probably trying to do the same thing. I was able to say, charge my phone, but anything requiring a lot of power would flat out not work. Believe it or not, there is a fuse specifically for those two cigarette lighters alone. At least they're cheap. A hell of a lot cheaper than a Slime Air Compressor!

Look at it. I trust this brand completely.

Most Foodies Aren't Snobs

I feel I need to point that out, because I've become a foodie over the last couple of years, and although I may sound "elite" when I speak to others about food, I'm really not a snob, and I don't think most other people are, either. And by snob, I mean be so picky about certain foods that we turn our nose up at things.

In fact, I'm the exact opposite. Whether it's my ever expanding, "advanced" palate, or the fact that I'm just older now, I love a lot more foods than I used to. I used to turn up my nose at avocado if it wasn't guacamole. I used to hate coconut and pineapple. Tea used to be untouchable (that one I just discovered a couple days ago. My new favorite beverage is green tea with splenda and non-fat milk flakes.) And I believe that because I've been giving all these "weird" new food combinations that are usually found in "foodie food" (think Iron Chef America) a try, I've been liking a lot more stuff in general. I just ate an Asian Citrus salad for the first time today, and you know what, it was pretty good. I would have never thought that I could eat pineapple and red onions in a salad but I enjoyed it. Being a foodie opens your mind to the possibilities - it doesn't make you close-minded like a lot of people think.

I'm not an elitist. I will still eat at McDonalds. I love McDonalds. In fact, I've learned that I can have homemade burgers as long as the only things on them are ketchup, mustard, chopped onions, pickles, and cheese (best thing is american "cheese" or something else suitably non-greasy.) But I also avoid processed foods when at all possible. And I don't necessarily mean cheez-its and potato chips, but things like frozen meals. Being a foodie has made me turn up my nose at those things, but only because I've also become aware of how bad they are for you.

Yeah, I'll be a little snobbish about "well, if you would make it instead of buy it, it would taste better", but that's the Good Eats child in me. Being a foodie is about exploring combinations of flavors that one may have never thought of before. Regular food may end up tasting bland in comparison, but you should never let it go to your head. I wouldn't turn down a Shari's if I was hungry and I won't say it tastes disgusting because I'm used to "high-end cuisine". Shari's is what it is. I will say that my palate has become fine-tuned to flavors now that I never would have imagined. I can finally understand ICA judges when they say things like "the spice overwhelms the subtle flavor of the fish".

Being a foodie has opened up a whole new world for me. You should try it some time. :)

See, doesn't that look delicious?!

I'm Tired of Being Cold!

I'm cold a lot. I'd say maybe 80% of my day. Of course if I'm sitting in 85 degree weather, or in the shower, I'm good to go (btw, I take my showers very hot, and usually stand there until all the hot water is gone). I've noticed that my basal temperature (that's right before you go to bed) is about 96 degrees on average. Maybe 96.5. I have my personal heater on me, even when it says it 70+ in the room. 

What I've begun to realize is that my temperature drops when I drink cold water (not ice cold, but fridge cold). Enough to where I am shivering and I feel as though I've stepped out into cold weather. I've been wearing an undershirt to work in my climate controlled building in order to stay warm, because my jacket isn't enough.

Right now, I have my leather jacket on and my heater pointing at my legs, because 10 minutes ago, I drank some water. I've been taking my temp via under my tongue, which probably isn't the best place because I'd just been drinking water... but it was 95.9.

I really think there might be something wrong with me. My temperature shouldn't drop so drastically that I need a coat and a heater to warm up. Sometimes in winter, my socks, shoes, sweater and blanket aren't enough, because I need to raise my CORE temperature, and that's much harder to do. I'm cold on the INSIDE. (haha). I can sit in front of that blasted heater all day and not ever get too hot. In fact the only reason I move away is because my butt falls asleep (and I realize I must be racking up the heat bill). The only thing that truly helps me is a hot bath. And I mean hot to the point where I'm lightheaded. 10 minutes in there and FINALLY I'm warm again. 

The only references I find online is "a fluctuation in temperature is normal" and usually when people are complaining of a low temp, they're sick. I'm not sick. I've been like this for years. I had my TSH tested at my routine physical and it was fine, which is kind of too bad, because it seems as though I might have a couple symptoms of hypothyroidism. 

When I kick my blanket off at 2am after my body gets too hot, I'll try to remember to take my temperature and see if it's "normal". Too often when I feel too hot, it's because my body temp is around 98.6 :P

When I had my random attack of hives, I developed a fever. The funny part was that when I finally went to the PCP and told her I needed steroids for my hives and I had a fever, she checked it and said "99. That's not a fever." I was GOING to tell her "Heck yes, that's a fever to ME!" I felt flushed and hot, and considering my temp is usually around 96, that's quite a spike :P

I'm not quite sure what to do about it... there's not really any supporting evidence online that a low temperature is a bad thing, or that being cold means something bad. I have a feeling I'd be brushed off by doctors just trying to figure this out; which really sucks, because I'm tired of being cold!!

We are Becoming a Cohesive Unit

Yeah it's a strange title, but it's true!! Our marriage is coming back from the brink, as it were. Justin's change is helping me to change from the nagging, overbearing wife, to the caring person that I truly am. Yesterday was a great day for us. Justin spent the day cleaning the apartment for our guests tomorrow. I am cooking a late birthday dinner for Justin's dad and his girlfriend (fiancee?). While Justin does the parts that I hate - mopping floors, vacuuming etc, I do the clean up. Justin doesn't touch the junk because he doesn't know where to put it. In truth, I just look around, find a spot, and stick it there lol.

When I got home from work, Justin was already ready for our walk. I'm trying to get him to exercise more, and it's a way we can spend time together without having to spend any money - not even on gas, because there's a nice walk right out of our apartment. I usually go the full length - 2.3 miles, in about 40-45 minutes. Today we walked only half that, and Justin is much slower than I am. That's okay. For his effort and my thanks, I took him out to dinner. (That sounds funny, like we're dating lol. What I mean is, I said let's go somewhere and chose a place.) He thought Skippers for their clam chowder, but honestly, I don't enjoy fast food fried fish and shrimp.  And the closest one was probably over 30 minutes away. I said he should try Duke's Chowder House, so we went there. And I told Justin: No phones. Let's TALK. (oooooooh.)

Duke's is very cool for its fresh, local, organic and sustainable faire. I know, those are all buzzwords, but really, it's quite nice to see. (And we got a view of the water! The restaurant is literally on the water.) 

They're pretty expensive of course, but I could almost taste the difference. Their chowder (with which they serve 4-5 varieties) is really good. Could've used more clams!! I got mine in a bread bowl, which was the best part. It was a meal in itself. Justin got the Crab "un"-cake, which is more crab than cake, and I got the salmon sandwich. I could only take a couple bites of the sandwich because I was already full, but from what I had, it was super delicious. I'd never really thought of salmon being on a sandwich, but it totally works. I did however, eat all the sweet potato fries, which I didn't even know the sandwich came with (otherwise I might have subbed them for regular fries. That's one gripe I have about the menu... they don't tell you much.)

[Quick note: I've only had sweet potato fries once in my life. A co-worker ordered them from the hospital's cafeteria, which is not really known for its outstanding food. I asked to try one, made a face, and then said "Are sweet potato fries always supposed to taste like this?" She said yes, and I was like "ewww".]

But these... wow. Call me a foodie and I'll be proud, and this is why. I could tell that they used sea salt to flavor the fries, and believe it or not, that made them awesome. I was just as shocked as you are lol. Using sea salt, which has huge flakes, gave a sense of a salt "pop" of flavor occasionally. It didn't overwhelm the flavor of the fries themselves at all. They were cut fairly thin and fried well, where they weren't too crunchy. I was amazed at their flavor. They tasted nothing like those "other" fries! I had to eat them all, and then regret it [my full stomach] for the rest of the night lol.

Justin and I talked, we had a good time, and he really liked the food. We never went on "dates" because I was always worried about money. And I still am, but I can't let it screw up our relationship. I just need to back up a little bit, let loose; not nag about everything, and Justin will relax a bit more, and the arguments will flow less naturally. It seems to be working! Wish us luck! :)

Scardy Cat

Sammy was a rescue, sort of. More like, I stole him and no one ever claimed him so I kept him lol. I was working up in Auburn at the time (2008), at the edge of town. Our warehouse was located down at the end of a dead end street and a few houses. One day, a hungry cat made his way up to our open shipping door, as it was probably 75-80 degrees and we needed the airflow. I was prepping the shipments when I heard the cat's loud meowing. He was able to jump up into the bay, which was quite a feat in itself. The poor guy/girl (None of us being vets, we thought most likely male, probably fixed later in life as he was so big) was looking malnourished. Our office already had a cat - Captain, who I believe had also been a stray that had happened upon us one day. So, we had cat food to feed this one. However, our bosses decreed that we weren't allowed to keep this one at the office, so he would need to find a home. A couple days passed, and no one wanted to claim him as their own. (Also, no one seemed to put up signs looking for a missing cat). Instead of making him go to the pound, I decided to take him in. I knew the apartment I was at allowed small pets, and I've always been a cat person. This one seemed very friendly and sweet, if not entirely huge for a cat.

 There's not many pics that show how big he is. I tried using

one of the biggest books that I have as a guide.

Rick, our Warehouse Manager, was planning on putting up signs for a found cat to see if he belonged to one of the people down the street. We didn't think that was the case though, as he was malnourished almost to the point of starving. We thought maybe that he was abandoned. Rick held off on putting up the signs until he saw that I was a "fit parent" for this kitty, who I named Sammy because it was uni-sexual name (I wasn't 100% if it was male yet). So then he became mine. So, I don't know his age, or the type of cat he is. I assume he's around seven years old now, but I have really no idea.

According to wiki, though, I think he's part or half Maine Coon. Look at this:

Maine Coons are known as the "gentle giants"[4] and possess above-average intelligence, making them relatively easy to train.[3] They are known for being loyal to their family and cautious—but not mean—around strangers, but are independent and not clingy.[26] The Maine Coon is generally not known for being a "lap cat" but their gentle disposition makes the breed relaxed around dogs, other cats, and children. They are playful throughout their lives, with males tending to be more clownish and females generally possessing more dignity, yet both are equally affectionate.[25] Many Maine Coons have a fascination with water[26] and some theorize that this personality trait comes from their ancestors, who were aboard ships for much of their lives.[5] Maine Coons are also well known for yowling, chattering, chirping, "talking" (especially "talking back" to their owners), and making other loud vocalizations.

Along with his size, this description is spot on. He doesn't have a massive aversion to water like most cats, probably because he is very tolerant. He'll let you do most anything to him, as long as it doesn't hurt - baths included up to a point. He is very loyal to us but scared of strangers, and man he's got a set of lungs on him. He's also quite independent - until he's hungry, that is. Then he loves on you in every way.

Yeah, he's begging for food. Who can say no to that?!

Oh, and the point of this post? Despite Sammy's size, he's quite overweight (sometimes it's really hard to know, since he's such a large cat anyway. He's like the size of Cocker Spaniel or something similar.) And he's also lazy. Of course we try to play with him, but he only lasts about 5 minutes before he looses interest completely. He's on diet food already, and we only feed him twice a day. He's pretty much constantly hungry (or says he is. Mrrrow!!) and is still overweight. So, I decided to teach him to take walks. He's been an indoor kitty all of his life with us (which is going on past 4 years now!) So he's afraid of the outdoors. Justin and I have wanted him to be, because the last thing we need is him bolting for the open door. And that's the same reason I didn't want to walk him... up until now. I think Sammy and I both need to go for walks, so I'm hoping to ease him into it.

It might take him a while. Scardy cat. =^.^=

Gold Star Award

I have mentioned on occasion, about the doctor I work with. I have a job in medical records (the most important position, I think! *wink*) and work with one of the best doctors in the state. Or probably, in the country! I have worked with some very pompous, arrogant, smart-alicky doctors before, and when I first started my job working with Dr. Saffari, I was afraid of more of the same. I came from a place where I was worried that if I accidentally opened his mail, I would get a tongue-lashing. Dawn, one of the receptionists, told me that Dr. Saffari was not like that. It took me a long time to get over my fear of just talking with him, because I had learned that Doctors are above every one else, and can not be bothered with anything trivial, or be interrupted from their tasks. Doctors should be respected and treated with high regard, of course. They help save lives. But that doesn't mean that they should put off an air of "I can't be bothered with you, you're not important", either.

A lot of patients may see one side of a doctor, while the staff sees something else completely. That's not true with Dr. Saffari. What you see with his compassionate, caring nature towards his patients, you still see towards his staff. Everyone loves working with him, because he is such a joy. Rarely does he get angry, and never does he raise his voice. He's a work-a-holic, and while we probably see more of him than his family does, they know his job is important and that he cares deeply for the patients that he treats.

This is why he was presented with the Gold Star Award. Dr. Saffari has won recognition in the past (most recently was in South Sound Magazine for being voted The Best doctor in the South Sound) but this award was a bit different. CHI (Catholic Health Initiatives) dignitaries flew in from across the country to be there when this award was presented. The president of our company gave this award to him. It had to be a surprise, and it was difficult for our manager to get him to come to this "meeting", partially because he had a surgery to do on a patient who needed it so badly that he'd scheduled it on one of his two clinic days, because his surgery schedule was booked up for weeks.

This is the kind of man he is.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dS-JFOrcMrI&feature=youtu.be  - Link to the video of his award

From left to right: Stacy (MA), Michelle (PSR), Dawn (PSR), 

Me (Med Recs), Dr. Saffari, Stephenie (RN) and Julie (ARNP)

That's our whole office.

You will never meet a man more caring about the job that he does, or a staff more willing to go out of their way to make a patient feel comfortable and secure. This is the best doctor and clinic to work for, bar none. I love it here, and I hopefully will never have to leave.

A little info:

Dr. Bahman Saffari is the only Gynecologic Oncologist (Woman Cancer) south of Seattle. He treats everything from Ovarian, Uterine, and Endometrial Cancer, to Vaginal or Cervical Cancer and beyond. He is one of the few licensed doctors to use the da Vinci robot for his surgeries, which reduces recovery time and scarring. 

Retweeted Again... this time it's good!

Short post today. Not used to those. But had to share this for anyone that likes Alton Brown. (And c'mon, who doesn't?)
[Also, don't answer that if you don't. I've dealt with enough hecklers lol]

If you'd like to watch the video, here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80ZrUI7RNfI

If you like that video, I would HIGHLY recommend the one with Bob Ross. I listen to it almost daily:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLO7tCdBVrA