grrlTravels

obsessions that have nothing to do with anything

Today we had our very last ever, ever, ever meeting with a social worker! I'm trying hard not to seem too overly excited. [How am I doing with that?] I mean, I think if we ever meet with another social worker it would mean bad things, including but not limited to the possibility that we decided that three children wasn't really enough to send me completely around the bend so we decided to adopt again.

Kidding. I'm kidding. But I do think we are finished with social workers. This is our ...let me think... ...just give me a moment... I'm going to say our fifth SW for two adoptions. It could be sixth, but I'm going with fifth just to be safe. We had one I really, really liked a LOT (she is now in Kenya or somewhere like that. Uganda? G., we miss you!) and two that I thought were passably good and then the others. Today's was passably good, but she was also just phoning it in (in a good way for us quite honestly).

Perhaps I should have something wise or informative or helpful to say about it all, but all I really want to talk about are bento boxes. Do you know what they are? I am currently obsessed with them. Yes, this non-cooking, lunch-challenged mother-of-three whose children would not even be alive if peanut butter had never been invented is in love with these clever, gorgeous, freaky time consuming little lunches.

Check these out on Flickr.
These are very, very cute too, but have all kinds of unrecognizable Japanese food items in them, so I cannot replicate. [Not that I could replicate anyway, but I really can't.]
Also, I must have THESE. (And I'm allowed to have them, right, because they are only $1.25? And, you know, $10 to ship probably.)
Also this. Just because.

Because I am unhealthily obsessed with bento boxes right now I bought myself two at the local Asian (Korean) grocery the other day. I am on a strict buy-only-necessities budget right now, so I must make the little bento boxes into a necessity soon, or I will suffer painful pangs of guilt and buyers remorse. I must make a bento lunch for someone. And soon.

In the spirit of being bored at the end of January I invite you to share your unhealthy and totally random obsession with me in the hopes that we can commiserate in useless passion together. And then go down two entries and leave a comment so that perhaps you can win a free cookbook, courtesy of me!

GO BENTO BOXES!

(Oh, and does bloglines recognize me as a person again yet? You can tell me the truth. I won't hold it against you.)

Happy Spring Festival!

Year of the Ox. Year of the Ox. Wikipedia tells me that the ox signifies prosperity through fortitude and hard work. I am going to take the fortitude and hard work to heart as much as possible. It seems like a fortitude and hard work kind of year, doesn't it?

I wish you the happiest of lunar new years. I hope your home is filled with flowering plum blossoms and the scent of tangerines and oranges. I hope you are given some lucky money. I hope that you have both happiness and a sense of purpose for the coming year.

Gung hay fat choy!

[Make your own little oxen family. Pattern.
Or a paper dragon, from the Southwest Airlines site.
How about a more challenging dragon?]

step right up, folks, don't be shy

I've been thinking and thinking about the theme for this second giveaway. I have dedicated hours of my life to coming up with The Next Big Thing In Random Blog Giveaways. Sadly all that brain power hasn't moved me from A to B very quickly, so I've just decided to make it about cooking.

I'm trying to cook more. Or to say it more positively, I'm cooking a lot more! K. is so very sweet and constantly tells me that everything is "really good, this is great Amy!" and I don't always believe him (since I do have taste buds of my own and I do use them) but I do always appreciate his enthusiasm. Especially since I'm not really a good cook. I can turn out a passable roast chicken or some pork chops in a pinch. But I clearly do not have The Knack in the kitchen. Which isn't to say I'm going to stop trying. There really is no stopping trying when it comes to cooking, right? Everyone has to eat. Every day. Seemingly three times, although there are days when three times seems rather excessive. Most days, honestly. But the people, their stomachs growl and then they look at me. And then I cook.

I have a good friend who frequently has dinner slumps with me. You know, the old "what are you making for dinner tonight?" "i don't know, what are YOU making for dinner tonight?" "i have no idea" routine. She makes me feel better about my own slumps, including the slump that has seen us eat curry chicken legs once a week for the past 471 weeks. They are good, but they aren't THAT good. That's just the slump talking. My only answer to the slump is the many, many cookbooks that I own (I know it's strange, seeing how I don't like to cook, but I love cookbooks), the Martha Stewart Everyday Food magazine, and Lo, the Great Internets. I will say that googling "quick easy tasty dinner with ingredients I have on hand right now" doesn't get you very far although I clearly wish that it did. Otherwise I wouldn't google it so much.

Back to the giveaway. It will include a cookbook to be determined by me. And some other kitchen related goodies. And hopefully something handmade if I can come up with a kitchen-y handmade thingy. The winner will be contacted by me and sent a brief questionnaire so that I do not send an inappropriate cookbook. If you hate Mexican I solemnly promise not to send you Recipes from the Regional Cooks of Mexico, so feel free to enter. To enter, leave a comment on this post before Friday, January 30. Comment about any aspect of making dinner, recipes, cookbooks or the like, or just say hi!

cancerland: the upper half

Today was my second cancer-related appointment this week. Two cancer appointments in one week seems like two too many, but this one really wasn't bad. I gathered together my 12 years of mammograms and popped off to see the breast specialist. It was a bit surprising to me as I never knew there was something such as a breast specialist but apparently there is and she is a kind woman who thinks I should definitely have the genetic testing performed.

I have been SO on the fence about the genetic testing. I am not quite sure that I am the type of person who can go happily about my life knowing that there are a LOT of mutant genes floating around in my DNA. But the good doctor had some very convincing points mostly concerning the fact that if I do test positive for the gene then there are more treatment options available to me. The most significant option is to have your ovaries removed, thereby significantly decreasing your chances of ovarian cancer as well as breast cancer. Now I certainly have not decided that I would have my ovaries removed but since I no longer have any need of them I would consider it. The prophylactic mastectomy would take a lot more thought.

I've decided that I will go ahead and contact a high risk program which will allow me to talk to a counselor and decide whether or not to go forward with the testing. I need to clearly know the pros and cons of a positive test result before I can move forward. I am working under the assumption that the result will be negative since my sister tested negative and many people with higher risks for breast cancer do not have the gene. But you just never know.

I feel better having had an "expert" look at the mammograms and tell me what the state of the art is right now. She sat and talked to me for 20 or 30 minutes and told me that she would follow up with me. A good doctor. I am fortunate. And thankful.

cancerland: documenting moles

Today I had naked pictures taken of myself. Totally nude. Yep.

Uh huh.

But seriously, before your mind starts going in a direction it's not meant to go in I was at the hospital, and it wasn't fun. (Some of you are thinking, "Of course it wasn't fun! You said naked photos!" while others of you are thinking, "Bummer dude. It should have been loads of fun." I myself am Switzerland, meaning I will not make my position clear.)

This is what I knew going in: I knew I was going to get my moles photographed at the Pigmented Lesion Group of one of the top ten hospitals in the country. (Posters all over the place informing me of such.) Such photographing would include nakedness on my part, and a paper g-string supplied by the hospital.

I was dreading it, but I also had a fool-proof plan. My plan was to rock that paper g-string as hard as a 42-year-old mother of 3 could rock it, whilst at the same exact time imagining myself to be anywhere but where I was. Shelba helpfully added that I should just act like I wasn't naked and I agreed that it seemed best.

The fool-proof plan proved to have a few flaws, the largest of which was that when it came down to it there was no paper g-string to rock. Just me in all my 42-year-old, not that fit, naked glory. The good news was that the whole thing took 10 minutes, and I think the young-ish female photographer was almost as appalled as I. She was completely matter-of-fact during the posing and shooting, which I think is probably the best possible way to be in the entire, whole huge universe.

So my crappy cancerous skin has been documented and now just for kicks we get to get the photos out each month and compare the moles, looking for changes.

I must add that the Pigmented Lesion Group holding area (a.k.a. the melanoma doctors) is not the cheeriest waiting room I have ever inhabited. The book on Mexico I read while waiting for my turn did nothing to make me think happy thoughts. I was the youngest person there by at least 15 years. The exam room was creepily reminiscent of a completely normal photography studio, but with the usual exam room medical stuff that I generally try hard not to look at when I am feeling vulnerable. Ten minutes can feel very very very long indeed. I practically ran out of there, yelling "thx so mch" on my way out the door.

This appointment is part of Amy's Grand Plan To Combat Cancer, which we will talk more about in the coming weeks. I did it. I'm lucky that I could, lucky that the Pigmented Lesion Group would even see me with my measly little almost-melanoma diagnosis, lucky that I have something to do to give me the teensiest feeling of control in an out-of-control situation. I'm lucky. I know I am.

you are all winners, just like in Kindergarten

You are all winners. But only two of you are getting the goods. I've used an online random number generator to choose the winners. They are:

Yay for them! If you've won, I'll be emailing you shortly to request a bit of information from you. Unfortunately my email isn't working quite right due to system upgrades. K. says I don't like change. Well, my OS was upgraded and now I do not have email. What's to like? Plus everything is just a tiny bit different on my computer right now and it's freaking me out.

I am hard at work on the next give-away. Planning-wise. I haven't actually done anything yet. But I am thinking. Planning to announce it next Friday.

a trampoline for your post-institutionalized children

We are now the proud owners of two trampolines—one indoor, one outdoor—and it's all thanks to Z.

Poor Z. She never really wants anything and it's very difficult to think of things to give her so we always resort to therapy related things. Big balls for bouncing on, blocks to stack, pegs to place on a peg board. And trampolines.

Z. exhibits a combination of sensory defensiveness and sensory seeking behaviors. Both of these are quite common in post-institutionalized children. Z. has always loved to swing—swinging gives her vestibular input which she uses to calm herself. (This is related to her sensory issues.) A trampoline is another great source of vestibular input and will help some children to calm, or self-regulate. I believe that trampolines are also helpful for children who have trouble self-regulating due to issues that are not sensory based.

I used to get stressed when the OTs would give us homework or throw one more thing out to me. It felt like a gigantic list I was compiling of things I must do for Z. But the list was getting so long that it was clear to me that I would never, ever, ever get through it in the course of a week, must less each day. I have a different view of it all now. I am a collector. It is as if I am walking through the woods collecting leaves, acorns, pebbles, bits of moss, whatever catches my eye. When I take my goodies home I may arrange them, add them to an existing collection, or put them away for safekeeping. And my list of "Things I Must Do To Help Z. To Heal and Thrive" has transformed into an odd collection of bits and pieces from here and there that I use when I need some inspiration or encouragement.

So this trampoline idea is something for you to put in your back pocket too. If your child has sensory issues or trouble self regulating you may want to try a trampoline. Our small indoor tramp. has games and a counter that will count up to 100 bounces (it's annoyingly loud even with two volume settings). It helps all three kids to improve their attitudes, burn off excess energy, get some exercise, and have fun. We spent around $60 for ours, but in the middle of a freezing, blustery January when everyone has cabin fever that feels like a bargain.

Google "sensory seeking" for many, many lists of sensory seeking behaviors (some may surprise you)
Also try: "sensory defensiveness", "sensory integrative dysfunction [SID]", "self regulation strategies", "vestibular input"

More vestibular input stuff: swinging, rocking chair, big balls to bounce on, Sit 'N Spin, spinning chairs (office chairs), running in circles, cartwheels or somersaults, heavy work (taxing muscles)

Added: The indoor trampoline is called the Jump Smart Trampoline by Kid-Riffic Toys. [There is some wacky dealer on Amazon that has this listed for $300. Ignore that. We paid something like $50 and $10 shipping.]

[I hope this makes sense. I'm very tired tonight! I can't make my brain go. "Go, Brain, go!"]

free stuff. all year long.

2008 was not a fabulous year at casa de grrlTravels. It wasn't all bad, but there was enough bad that K. said, "Goodbye 2008! Don't let the door hit you on your way out!" There was the lengthy, overwhelming, ongoing adjustment of adding R. to our family, my did-she-or-did-she-not cancer scare (still rippling), and a slam to our company from the tanking economy that is stressful and very, very sad.

But more importantly there was the economic downturn, the bailouts, and the stunning, gigantic admissions of corruption and fraud. I am sickened by the GREED I see at every turn. I am worried that the checks and balances that should be in place do not seem to be checking or balancing. And I'm afraid of the prophesies of doom with respect to the economy.

What's a grrl to do? I confess I must not be a Big Idea Girl, because I have not come up with a single useful thing that I can do to express my displeasure and my hope that we can pull together, sacrifice as necessary, and get this thing turned around. That obviously takes a bigger brain than mine.

Instead of thinking big I've decided to think small. And that's why I'm giving away

Yep. Free stuff.

Think kindness to strangers. Think random acts of kindness (not the sappy version). Think small gestures. Think this stuff while I continue to work on a name for my 2009 blog giveaways, because I haven't struck gold yet.

I'm giving stuff away. To make someone's day a little brighter. I've giving because when I get afraid I want to clutch at stuff and that isn't healthy. I'm giving because I love this crazy virtual world. I'm giving to have something to do to strike at the darkness.

I'm going to commit to 12 giveaways (one per month), but I'm hoping for 2 per month. It's going to be small stuff--little handmade things, random stuff that amuses me, things I find here and there. I hope to enlist help from people eventually too, so that not everyone is subjected to my loopy inclinations.

First Give-Away
The first one is going to be a bit different. I'm giving away a $25 Kiva Gift Certificate. This gift cert. will allow the lucky recipient to "lend to a specific entrepreneur in the developing world—empowering them to lift themselves out of poverty". I love the whole concept of microlending, and I love Kiva. You are notified when the money returns to your account and you can re-lend it. Lovely. So the first give-away is about giving you the opportunity to help someone else. It's fun too. I promise!

To enter, just leave a comment on this blog entry by 8 pm EST on Monday, January 5, 2009. Any comment you like. Say hi. Share a goal or change you hope to make this year. Let me know how you are coping with the economic junk. Tell me if your Christmas tree is down already. (Nope.)

Go ahead. Leave a comment. Don't let me stand here all alone in the freezing cold!

happy, happy, happy 2009, some how, some way

This rather goofy gang is wishing you and yours
a fun, healthy, and satisfying year in 2009.

Plus, if you survived the annoying animated gif (don't ask what possessed me) and got this far you now know that there will be an exciting blog announcement tomorrow. Stay tuned!

*********************
Lest the anticipation build too much, I must inform you that I am currently regretting the use of the word "exciting". I may rephrase that to: "...there will be a small item of interest to some of you on the blog tomorrow." We are not adopting, pregnant, about to become pregnant, changing our family in any remarkable way, moving, going to be on tv or even the local paper, publishing a book, going on safari, meeting the president, going on or off medication, or filing our tax returns early. Just so you know. The anticipation should be LOW.