Day is done...

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East east east.

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I am as far east as the US goes...

Point Udall
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Point Udall.

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Heading east...

:D

Shoys Beach

Shoys Beach

Today I'm touring the island, remembering why I love it here.

Good Morning Iguana.

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Tonight...

Okay. So the turnaround is mostly over, to celebrate such a feat I attended dinner with some wonderful folks. *sigh* I'm going to miss them all (except for the 2 wonderful folks who live here, them I will see more of). Anywhoodle. Here's what I learned tonight.
1. Drinking is good except after turnarounds when you can't get to that relaxed state. *shrugs* although I tried.
2. Random horses on the side of the road here REALLY like Kashi granola bars. I had 2 new best friends and since the one horse was still a baby I was all "wanna take him home and make him my horse I promise I'll walk him and love him and hug him and I shall name him George".
So. Not too bad all things considered. Today, I had a great meal with great people and then on the way home I got to feed horses. And then when I arrived home my dogs smelled the horses and looked at me with a 'what the HELL' face which I always find funny.
Goodnight all!
Muah!
-H.

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Ack.

*whimper*
It's. Not. Over. Yet.
May. Have. To. Work. Sunday.

The End.

*deep sigh* this time tomorrow people I am planning upon being mid celebration. Why? you ask...because
THE TURNAROUND IS OVER.
I may get to have a life again.
*happy snoopy dance*

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Good Morning to Me!

Woke up. Ugh.
Grabbed diet coke. Yum.
Got in truck. Drove said truck. Said....hrmmmm, mushy. Stopped truck. Got out.
EXPLETIVE!!!!!!!!!!
Flat tire. Not low. FLAT.
Son of a.......
Ok. On a hill. Got out of truck, brought diet coke, sat on deck, sent boss an email--gonna miss the meeting. Then grabbed neighbor lady and we began tire change attempt #1.
Fail.
Obtained pineapple juice.
Grabbed other neighbor and began tire change attempt #2.
Win.
Now to get the friggin' railroad spike out of my tire.

Stuff I miss...

So. last week due to a rush of depressed homesickness I was sad. Not even just sad but S.A.D. However then I got some rest and felt much better. You all know I miss my friends and family and most of all my husband (no, still have no answers for you yet regarding him moving here. yes, he wants to be here. yes, we still love each other. no, this is no way to have a marriage. yes, it *does* suck, thank you for noticing. all we need to do is win the lottery and all will be well.) but this is a list of the material items I miss from the states.

1. my dentist--I haven't had my teeth cleaned in over a year. It is driving me nuts. I am looking for a dentist on island--just haven't found one yet.
2. taco bell--seriously, you don't know how much you miss convenient drive thrus until you don't have them anymore.
3. dunkin donuts--*sigh* the coffee...the donuts...what more could you ask for?
4. Chicago Water--just the water from the tap--yum. with flouride. double yum. Don't get me wrong, I have enough gut bacteria now that I am fairly certain I could digest bone and get nutrition out of it. mmmmm, bird poop/lizard poop/frog eggs = well populated gut. For those of you unaware I use cistern water. I used to drink it. But now I just use it in applications such as toothbrushing, showering, pasta cooking, or anything thing I'm boiling and oh yeah, ice cubes--because they are conveniently made in my freezer. See, one day I thought, huh...cistern water. Then I called someone up in the environmental department and said, "so...do you drink your cistern water?" The answer was a stringent "NO". Then I said, "but hey--you have an automatic icemaker too." She answered, "yeah, but I usually only add ice to alcohol and other than that I just don't think about it." Okay...a scientific approach I can get behind.
5. Any store other than Kmart. I do, I used to LOOOOOOVE going shopping at Target. So much crap, so little time.
6. Thai Food -- okay, in theory there is a thai restaurant on island, I just haven't gone there yet. But in Chicago, there was thai every other street over. I also miss good Chinese Food--that's right Moon Temple in Berkeley, IL--I miss you AND your Sinagpore Noodles!

See, nothing too drastic. :)

Gawd I can't wait for this turnaround to be over so I can enjoy some of the reasons I LIKE being here.

muah!-H.

Monday

Hello! Happy monday. Yes, still working hours of insanity. And yes, it is sucking my will to live.
Actually felt homesick last week. Got all sobby at some pictures of friends online.
So. Medical Monday--take care of yourselves people. One of my favorite relatives (stepfather) rushed (okay, Should have rushed--what he did instead was wait. *growl* then sort of amble) to the ER due to horrible chest pains. They treated him for a heart attack although thankfully it seems to be something else. So. Yes, new rule: no-one is allowed to get sick while I'm living on this rock. 'Kay?
On another note: Rum = stool softener.
Enough said.
Much love,
-me.

Okay. It happened.

I'm officially fussy in regards to work. I just want to be able to DO THINGS. Tonight the lovely new neighbors fed me. Bless them. It was wonderful but I kept thinking, I gotta hurry up and go to bed. Then I came home, watched 1 tv show and I'm already up WAY past my bedtime.
*fuss* *whine* *fuss*
8 more days.
Just 8.

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updates

Here are a few updates of things going on in my life.

• 8 Days Left of this turnaround. Holy spam on a cracker people, I'm wiped out. My job isn't even particularly tough these past couple days. But I have ceased to have a personality anymore. Although I am getting more secure in my job...which usually tends to mean sometime soon I will make a mistake and feel like the slow 3rd cousin who wants to play with the cool kids but doesn't fit in. (next morning update: it happened. I *AM* the slow 3rd cousin who doesn't fit in. Not only did my counterpart on nights bust out with a splendiferous statistical analysis with pretty graphs but I have to order a re-test on my proficiency stuff cause I counted too many fibers. *sigh* I was feeling pretty good there for a bit.)

• I live on an island and yet I am freakishly pale. I find this annoying, just sayin.


• At the end of March two of my friends are coming to visit! YAY! And I am attempting to take the entire time they are here off. I need a vacation like...I'm too tired to come up with an analogy that is how much I need a vacation.


• I have new neighbors (crap, did I say this already, I think I did...?) anyway, they are very nice people. (okay, just went and looked and no, I have not told ya'll about my new neighbors) The guy is in the military doing something military-y and his fiance and daughter are with him. So, know how normally I don't so much like kids mainly because I don't know how to deal with them. Well this kid is nice--she likes my dogs. It turns out I can put up with pretty much anyone if they like my dogs. Anyway, the same neighbors are attatched to me, these new neighbors are in the 'main' house. *shrugs* everyone is fairly nice but this leads to drama regarding the landlord cause he doesn't have a place to stay when he flies on island. This leads to drama at a friends house and gosh darnit--other people's drama is always funnier than drama in your own life.


• Speaking of drama in my own life: 1. the houses' septic system backed up. It was....unpleasant. However I did learn that showering outside (yes, there is an outdoor shower) is not entirely unpleasant. It is kind of fun to look up at the stars while rinsing out your hair. and 2. equally shitty (didya like how I tied it all in there? didya? ;) ) I offended people. I know, I know. I cannot live my life this mouthy and not expect to piss a few people off. And the more comfortable I get in a place the mouthier I get (just ask my old co-workers). Sure, most of the time when you call someone a jackass to their face it is taken in stride...here's the thing, not. always. :) *deep sigh* So, yeah--I was dealt that blow which is the social equivalent of a professional blackballing--The Facebook Deletion

(please go to the widget on the top right and click Play)

Anyway, live and learn and really all is going fairly well. I'm tired...but nothing a week off in the sun can't cure.

*hugs*

-H.

Medical Lecture

Vitamin D
Okay, to begin this little lecture let me tell you a little more about me; I'm broken, in fact I may be more issue than person. That said, not all of my issues are bad ones. For example, I have an odd ability to recall medical-related knowledge. Looking back on my time here on earth I probably should have gone into the medical field, that being said...meh, I'm happy doing what I do. But that doesn't stop the constant influx of random sometimes useful, most times useless information into my bean (aka head). Another one of my issues is gadgetry, Lawdy do I love my toys. Give me a gizmo, a doodad, even a thingamagig and if it is well marketed, out of my way--I must have it. My beloved husband, knowing of such issues gave me for our Yule present exchange, a portable sirius satellite radio and I don't know how I've lived without it. Why? you ask--because there is Doctor Radio. Yes, that is what I said, Doctor Radio. Where every night they talk about a new medical topic. *happy snoopy dance of joy* In all honesty some nights I say, *yawn* and switch over to Raw Dog comedy or something along those lines. Sometimes, if I'm feeling nerve-y I will put it on spa radio which knocks my butt out every time. But sometimes I get sucked into Doctor Radio pretty darn hard. The other night was Vitamin D chat, and let me tell you-- WE ARE ALL DEFICIENT IN VITAMIN D AND IT IS KILLING US ALLLLLLLL!!! Okay, perhaps a tad melodramatic...but still, the premise is there. Based upon my listening here is what I gathered:

• Fish including herring, catfish, salmon, mackeral, sardines, tuna, and eel provide some vitamin D.
• A whole egg provides 20IU of Vitamin D.
• Beef Liver and irradiated mushrooms will give you some...but really? ew... ;)
• The current USDA level for adults is 400 IU of Vitamin D but that has been found to be woefully low. It will be raised eventually per every article I have now read (being the freak that I am). The NIH set the safe upper limit at 2000IU per day but acknowledges studies stating that up to 10,000 IU per day could be a safe upper limit.
• Yes, they put vitamin D in milk. No, it's nowhere near enough.
• What happens if you don't have enough? Well, the obvious is rickets, osteoporosis, etc. But there have been numerous studies linking our lack of vitamin D to a lot of other diseases. You are all adults--google it. :)
• I am now taking extra supplementation of vitamin D.

Okay, lecture over. Hugs!

Stuff...

• I need stuff.
  :)
  Now, I have a really good friend who is sending me stuff. But this is the same really good friend with whom I embrace slacker birthday and yule gift giving when a. we see each other or b.we find somthing the other person loves. This often led to me getting birthday presents in April (as opposed to my actual birthday in July) and her getting stuff sometime around Halloween (her birthday is the end of December). So you see--these things may not arrive in a timely manner.
  
  So here goes...I need care packages people. Help. Now, none of you are obligated in any way to send me things...and yes, I am aware I have a husband who *should* be on top of care packages. Needless to say, he is crap at it. I still love him though. :)
  
  Here is a list of stuff I need:
• Crystal Light peach mango green tea loooove this. Originally found it at Target when I was back stateside over Thanksgiving. However, (shockingly) this flavor is not available here on island.
  
• Crystal Light in any other wacky flavors you can think of. I'm trying to cut down on diet coke.........
• Other stuff cause I'm lonely and want care packages.
  
  So, this is not an extensive list and I will pay anyone who wants to actually mail me a package of such items. I highly reccomend the flat rate shipping boxes from the United States Postal Service. They will ship as much as you can fit into it regardless of weight. Very convenient. :)
  Here is my shipping address:
  
  Heather Wilkes
  PMB 273
  6002 Diamond Ruby Suite 3
  Christiansted, VI 00820
  
  Now, should anyone be interested in a care package exchange rather than me giving you money for the items I will happily put together an "island" care package. Local hot sauces and other items are a fun thing to get especially during winter.

**Update** would you believe I just got some crystal light mix?!? The dude (IH here for the turnaround) had his wife ship some in a care package. YAY!!!! So, I'm good for a while but will still happily get into an exchange of package program with you. :)

Work update...

Remember Tweedledum & Tweedledee? aka the interlopers or the dude and the lady. Well, the dude is alright. I've been working with him on days for 23 days now. And I am definitely pro-dude. Tomorrow night however I start a weekend of night shift with the lady. I forsee...really good bloggable stories where I am being *totally* bitchy. Failing that, I forsee me being increasingly fussy--but that also usually leads me to good stories.
Alrighty, back to the land of "I need another diet coke or I ain't gonna make it".

News!

I have completely irrelevant news! And it's exciting! Not really! Sorry, I have been noticing an increased use of RANDOMIZED CAPITALIZATION and over-use of !!!! points lately in my work emails. Not *my* work emails, but emails I receive at work. I find it...tedious.
Anyway, back to my (seriously lame) news. I have calluses. I've always had them but lately I have noticed my left hand is decidedly more calloused than my right. Odd, since I am right-handed. So, I started to wonder...where am I getting these from? I figured it out yesterday. My car. My car is causing my darn calluses. It turns out that I drive with my left hand; probably due to years of driving a manual transmission. So, one mystery solved. Now onto cold fusion. ;)

Dean Koontz

I know this will come as a shock to everyone who knows me but I have always been a big reader AND I was an overly emotional teenager. This led me to a love of Dean Koontz books. I always thought of him as a great author and should he read this (so doubtful) he should know he played a major role in my emotive late teenage years. Sure, he had a fixation on Glock guns and sodium vapor streetlights as both items appeared in every book; but I never held that against him. Recently, due to a trip to the resale shop here on island I picked up a couple of his books, figuring what the heck? I love having books around and with hurricane season a'comin you never know how long you will get between kindle (electronic book) chargings.
Well, in a minor fit of boredom I picked up one of the books and started reading. All I could say was, what the fuckity fuck?

normal human: "it was a dark and stormy night"
book I am trying to get through's version: "the twilight had a deep azure quality and the heavy rain clouds filled the sky with a.....zzzzzzzzz".
uh, sorry, that was me snoring at the end there. Now, this man's work is good. I am just an impatient pain in the ass who, as she get's older, likes things written succinctly. It was freakin' dark and stormy. Sheesh.

Anyway, not really much else to say about this man. Hope he is well and happy and I will make it through this book.

Week Off

So, my business has caught up with me and I am taking the rest of the week off. I will post as soon as I have time. :)
Muah!
-Heather