TTAM #6 - Medical Appointments

Really??? OK, not really, but it does help pass the time to get a little giddy while you anticipate yourself being poked, prodded and generally embarrassed by all that is wrong with you.

My dad was a doctor and very brilliantly put a few decorations on the ceiling about the exam table for comic relief. A magnetic mouse was my favourite and there were also a variety of doctor related comics about. I had the best dentist in Toronto who chatted away with his hygienist about Mr. Bean at length and I swear I barely knew I was undergoing a filling at the time as I was laughing so hard.

So, yesterday I was delighted to see the lovely tropical pictures posted around the mammogram contraption. My brain: "Ahhhh... swimming in tropical seas while I ... what the?! Ow! Is that kind of pressure really necessary? Think daiquiri, think daiquiri! Stupid shark - let go of my boob!" Alright, half way there. Except the shark hit a nerve or something in the next round.

Technician: " How are we doing?"

Me: " Oh fine. Wait! Spinny. I think I might..."

Technician: "Crap! I'll grab a chair..... "

Me (dreaming): " I think I'll go for a snack before I go snorkeling with that handsome guide. The pineapple looks good. Wait! Aren't I supposed to be somewhere else? (waking) Hmmm. That's odd, I'm on the floor."

Me (talking): "Ooops, guess I fainted! So sorry. (How very Canadian of me to apologize for passing out!) .

Technician (who had caught me, bless her!): "No problem. It happens more than you think. Can I get you some juice?"

Ah, the things I do so I have something to blog about. Now what shall I try next for my attention -seeking-behaviour shenanigan?

....

Just going to add that regardless of how difficult any medical procedure may seem;

a) You MUST do it because a small discomfort may mean a huge benefit to your health and

b) That previous comment may have been better directed to men who are great at putting their head in the sand when it comes to their own health and

c) There is definitely lots of humour to be found, even in the most uncomfortable circumstances and it does help pass the time.

#5 – Knowing You Knowing Me November

Well thanks to our delightful Fairy Blogmother, I have something else to Easily Amuse me for day #5.  Here are my answers.  Do join in and link back to her Mr. Linky if you want to play along.

1) Last month I asked if you had started your Christmas shopping yet, this month I'm curious as to what's on your Christmas wish list.

The list is still ridiculously empty.  I just haven’t thought too much about me yet but am getting loads of ideas for others.  Hmmm.  “Slippers would be nice”, she thinks as her toes feel like icicles.  An iPad would be fun but certainly not going to happen.  I think I have some homework to do this weekend.

2) Do you have a hand held video game in your house?

Not yet.  Shhh, DS is asking for a “DSi” and will get one care of frequent flyer miles that are never used for flying but are great for shopping of free.
We’ve held off this long so that the kids would focus on other things for play time.  However, we’ll be doing a long driving trip in the spring and I think some hand-held distractions would be great for all our sanity.

3) Are you going to participate in the 25 Days of Christmas Challenge?

Looks intriguing.  I think I’ll adopt some ideas but not commit to an official challenge.  Maybe I’ll join the “Yes you CAN enjoy Christmas prep season Challenge” which has the reward of making me not turn into a puddle of stress by the time the big day arrives.

4) What is your favourite kind of cookie?

Do I really have to pick a favourite?  Pretty well any cookie that someone bakes me is  a favourite.  I could eat a tray of shortbreads before I knew it and cookies with chocolate are awesome too.  Maybe chocolate dipped shortbread would be the answer.  Yum!

5) Coffee or tea?

I’m all about the coffee 95% of the time.  Bridgehead Mayan Fusion is my brew of choice or Equator Freakin’ Good Coffee too.  Awesome.  Cappuccinos and Lattes are nice but only once in a while.  I do like a great cup ‘o tea too.  A nice Lemon Ginger tea when I’m sicky makes the world a better place.

Excuse me.  I have some brewing to do.  Cheers!

TTAM #4 – Hey baby, what’s your sign?

There are times when I wonder if my parents got distracted and simply made up a birthday for me.  It just doesn’t fit!  Apparently I am a Virgo.  The stars tell me that I am all this:

Traditional
Virgo Traits

Modest and shy
Meticulous and reliable
Practical and diligent
Intelligent and analytical

On the dark side....
Fussy and a worrier
Overcritical and harsh
Perfectionist and conservative

Bawhahahaha!  If you have the good fortune to know me, you would be scratching your head.  Sure, there was a period in my youth when I was modest and shy – tossed that out the window when I realized that didn’t get me anywhere.  I can barely spell Perfectionist, let alone be one.  And if I did misspell it, I would be very un-diligent about correcting it!  Of course, what does fit is that I am very intelligent and reliable (as well as drop-dead gorgeous and super nice) so some of this stuff works.

Just the same, I am happy to check out my horror-scope when it suits me.  Today, according to great star reader Rick Levine, it says:

You may normally be so logical in your approach to spending money that you're willing to pass up a bargain item if you don't really need it. However, today you could become so obsessed with something that you might not be able to talk yourself out of buying it. Even if you feel very strongly about it, wait a few days before making a final decision.

Yep, a perfect non-fit.  If I want something, I damn well will spend the money with no analysis involved.  Isn’t that what those shiny credit cards are for?  But I am perfectly happy to believe it the days that everything is supposed to be perfect for me.  Nevertheless, amusing.

Do you fit your sign?  Does it matter to you either way? 

TTAM #3 – The Post-Halloween Post

I can’t really call this a Wordless Wednesday post ‘cause I’m feeling to word-full.  It sort of fits in with the Things That Amuse Me theme as happy, sugar-filled kids are forever amusing, even if that is a stretch.  Anyway…

So it was a great Halloween weekend here in chilly Ottawa.  All things Halloween were on for three nights in a row.  (Now I’m in a great post-chaos sugar-low crash reaching for yet another java.) 

On the Friday, the school hosts a family Halloween dance.  Wouldn’t you know it, our DD, the lucky devil, won a prize yet again– a giant spider spinning his web around a bowl of candy.    She’s happy and I have one more Halloween decoration for next year.

 

 

 

On the Saturday we went to the National Arts Centre, “Trick Or Treat to a Wicked Beat” family concert.  This concert series is wonderful for everyone in the family for music appreciation and live orchestra fun.  Cool to see and hear “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” while dressed up in costume.  (Laura was a princess and Owen was a proud Ottawa Senator, delightfully coordinated in red.) Then it was off to a surprise birthday/Halloween family party.  A good feast and fun for the gang.

 

 

Sunday was the much anticipated Trick or  Treat day!  Not anticipated was the great layer of snow on the ground!  That just added to the kids happiness.  Snow shovelling and playing in October.  They were highly bundled and eager trick or treaters with too-cool-to-bundle–up-icicle-dad.

I found other things to amuse me -  pumpkin ale and way too much candy.  Traditions are good, even for grown-ups.

TTAM #2 – Duckies!

There is something about ducks that is SO amusing to me.  Especially when they look like this:  I laugh out loud almost every time they stick their little tushies up in the air.  They are too buoyant to dive down and they moon us all with nary a care in in the world and a happy quack.

They have both cuteness and attitude.  Like they might turn to you and say “What?  Are these no-name bread crumbs?  Well Quack-you!”  And who can resist adorable little ducklings?!  Totally makes my day. 

TTAM #1 – It Begins

Welcome to November!  To me, this month is the worst.  Lots of sh!t has happened to me in Novembers past and I generally like to burrow and eat lots of chocolate to console myself.  On top of the difficult memories, I get cold rainy weather and my family tends to come down with a virus from hell.  But before I go into hiding, I thought I’d try something new.  Living up to my blog name, I’m doing a series called “Things That Amuse Me “ – TTAM. 

Yep,I guess I am looking to find some happy yang to the crappy yin in this “No” month.  Each day I will post something that easily amuses me in my Pam-land.  Feel free to let me know what has amused you today.  I desperately need distractions and would love to hear about it.

#1 – Blog-hopping.  Is that the right term?  I LOVE checking out blogs of all sorts and occasionally I find one that makes me laugh so hard that I have to dash to the bathroom.  Like this one from 1000 Awesome Things or this one from Bibliomama or this one from Schmutzie.  There are so many more. Do let me know some of your favourite go-to ones for amusement.  I’d love to hop over to them. 

That’s NOT what I expected!

This is what I often hear from my little guy who loves routine.  Having Asperger’s Syndrome can be a lot to handle sometimes.  Routine or familiarity can make a world of difference in the day to day – one less thing to stress about while dealing with all the other input the world is throwing at you. 

When he was little and life was changing so fast, we heard this phrase often.  There were tantrums over the wrong peanut butter or an apple being cut up instead of whole.  Never mind EVER having a babysitter or driving a different way home from the mall – that would be traumatizing! 

It did get better.  When he could read, we made up social stories, walking through what to expect and if that didn’t happen, what was next.  And humour helped.  Helping him see how ridiculous it was to stress over whether he had an apple or a plum in his lunch when I was going to give him a pineapple instead.  Thank God for his great sense of humour!

What’s helped the most is having a strong foundation, a footing that let him safely take on the outside world.  For our DS it was a trust in his parents and more often now, trust in himself to be able to handle the unexpected.  We break it down and often say such things as “One of the great talents of our family is our amazing problem solving ability.”  or “This sounds like a job for Super-Kid!”  With this, he is getting better at how to deal with the unexpected – most days.

The funny thing is how much we say “That’s NOT what I expected!” to each other now.  “What?!  We’re out of coffee?! That’s not what I was expecting!!!”  It puts it all in perspective.   I think most people can handle the good, bad and ugly in life much better when they know what to expect.  We just do it more automatically than some people with learning challenges.