Five years gets me...

...cheese.  Allow me to explain.

Pdub is kind enough to recognize, with a selection of tangible goods, "career milestones" for every five years of blood, sweat, and tears you pour into the firm.  As of about a month ago, my internship time + a start date of June 2005 = five whole years of working away in the world of public accounting.  In my book, this is definitely something worth celebrating - many, many hours of, quite literally, blood (paper cuts hurt, you know), sweat (hauling boxes of tax returns down to the UPS dock drop is rough), and tears (busy season breakdowns, both in and out of the office - it's true).

So, it's time for my five year treat!  I might actually use/admire/enjoy several of the offerings, including the iPod shuffle or Nike iPod Sport Kit (which might be nice if they also provided the Nike Ready shoe and iPod nano required for it to actually function) or a Tiffany necklace.  Don't get too excited by the Tiffany necklace thing, people - we're not talking diamonds here.
 
Now, I realize we need to have a selection that appeals to a broad range of five year celebrators, but what use do I have for a golf bag or putter? None. Although one of my colleagues did suggest getting one or the other and selling it on eBay - could probably turn a decent profit that way.

Several of the options read like a wedding registry:  popcorn maker, coffee maker, fondue set, tea kettle, paella pan.  I'll pass.  Cashmere pashmina wrap or Kobe Bryant 81 points PhotoMint Framed Collage (??).  I'll pass.

Then comes another round of Tiffany...key ring (Texas Tech works just fine for me), money clip (gonna say this is male-focused and not really geared towards me), crystal bowl (do we have some kind of agreement with them about the number of products that have to be from Tiffany's?).

 

Two different Waterford pens (I'm partial to the Pilot G-2 07 myself - don't really need that fancy pen) up for grabs, along with a wine chilling carafe - but let's face it, I'm a planner and have that bottle of white in the fridge when I know I'm going to need it.

I also didn't necessarily want something tangible to remind me of work every time I look at it/put it on/use it in any way.

Cowgirl Creamery Seasonal Starter Kit.  Three seasonal cheeses.  Sign.  Me.  Up.

50+ years...Ralph Lauren domino set?  Fancy espresso machine?  Baccarat whiskey decanter?  Hmmmm....I don't necessarily think that's going to keep me around when I'm 73.  Actually, I really hope I'm not working when I'm 73.  Unless it's at my bakery.  Or cheese shop, at this rate.

Obvious winner in the five year category?  Cheese.  Nothing but cheese. 

Note: this post may or may not comply with my workplace's public communications and social networking policies.  I'll chance it.  Also...slightly concerned about stinkiness of one of the cheeses, which have actually made it here and are waiting in the fridge for their party.

They've gone city!

Not so very long ago, the intrepid conquerors of the vast, silent expanse of flat, arid land known as the Texas Panhandle (or as a normal person might call them...my parents) traded in their country life for a city adventure in the D of C.  Yay for vacations in my own city!  Also, a little more yay for the bounty of Texas goodness that my parents, knowing I'm yearning for a return to the motherland, hauled halfway across the country for me.  New Red Raider shirt, assorted "don't mess with Texas" goodies, a massive peanut patty in the SHAPE OF TEXAS, and.....tortillas from Rosa's!!  I used them to make breakfast tacos one morning, and I think Dad was pretty jealous of my morning meal.  Thanks for the goodies, parents!

After rescuing the parental units from the airport, we made our way to their hotel for a drop-off of the stuff, which was very quickly followed by a short drive over to Ray's Hell Burger for some much-needed sustenance in the form of massive, juicy, delicious burgers.  Super yum.  Long day of travel, so we called it an early night to be well-rested for our DC adventures the next day.

Thursday morning, Erin's Personal Taxi Service dropped off the parents at the Holocaust Museum so they could jump in the pre-opening line and snag tickets for us while I ditched the car at home and Metro'd back over to the museum.  Let the Metro adventures begin!  Mom did a pretty good job with the map and was much more with it than the horribly confused woman who kept asking me where the Vermont Avenue stop was.  Ummm...there is no Vermont Avenue Metro stop.  She could not be convinced of this, however.  I try to help when I can, but come on, people, work with me.  We did have a little Metro adventure of our own as I abandoned my parents on a bench at my home stop and ran home and back to drop off Dad's pocketknife (yeah, that pocket item wasn't going to go over so well at the Holocaust Museum, or really anywhere where you have to pass through the metal beepy gates and security of any kind - we're not in Texas anymore!).  They had plenty of people-watching to keep them entertained and stayed on their bench.  Good job, parents. =) Then we continued on over to Union Station for one of Mom's favorite ways to see a city - a Duck Tour! 

I've done these a couple of times in Boston, and Mom and Dad toured their way through Seattle Duck-style - it's really a pretty cool way to get a good overview of the major sights in DC.  We cruised up and down the National Mall and splashed down into the Potomac, where Dad got to take the Duck for a quick spin (photo captured by Captain Mike, who timed it to get the Washington Monument sticking out of Dad's head):

Even with the little kids spinning us in circles in the water and Captain Mike experiencing some close merge encounters getting on and off highways, everything was going wonderfully and we were all having a peachy time...until we paused outside the National Museum of the American Indian and the Duck...well, the Duck died.  As in, lost all power and could not be coaxed into restarting at all.  You know it's not a good sign when Captain Mike has to crawl out and pop the hood, hoping that whatever's wrong is one of the few things he knows how to fix.  Fortunately, we were stuck in the shade.  Doubly fortunately, the problem was some wire that just needed to be popped back into place, and we were back on the road in no time.  Well, we never left the road, actually.  Just blocked traffic for a little while.  Made it around the Capitol and back to Union Station, quacking all the way - woohoo!

After the Duck Tour we had one of Dad's favorites for lunch (can you say PIZZA?!?), and then we made our way over to the Holocaust Memorial Museum for an afternoon in pretty stark contrast to the jolly morning we'd had.  I'd actually done this one before when Diana and Trinity came to town last summer, and honestly didn't think I'd mind going through the exhibits again...but I think I'm done with that one now.  It's a very sobering experience and has definitely made a lasting impression on me.

So let's continue on to the next morning...which wasn't exactly uplifting, either, since it consisted of touring Arlington National Cemetery.  At least it was a beautiful day!  I also have to say that compared to my last experience in Arlington National Cemetery, which was about five years ago in blistering heat and suffocating humidity as Amy and I climbed hills and felt as though we might actually die, this time around we covered a lot more ground in greater comfort courtesy of the Tourmobile.  Best $7.50 you'll spend on the trip, trust me.  Now, if only the massive hordes of school children would pay attention to the signs asking for a little silence and respect.  Geez, kids, I realize this may not be the highlight of your week invading our nation's capital, but take it down a notch, would you? 

We made a stop at JFK and also witnessed the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unkown Soldier by members of the 3rd U.S. Infantry, all of whom could snap me like a twig if they so desired.

And look, a picture of the three of us!  This is from Arlington House (Bobby Lee's house), and we even managed to get the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and Capitol in the background behind us.  Thank you, kind soul who took the picture a couple of times to get it just right!

After our cemetery adventures we loaded up in the CR-V and began our journey to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, part of the National Air and Space Museum that's way the heck out by Dulles and is super-ginormous so that it can hold massive, massive things that stay up in the air through the magic of engineering and innovative thinking.  I'd actually wanted to go for a while, and not just so I could check if off my list of Smithsonianity list (only five to go!)...and I think I now know where I get my minor obsession with air and space things.  It's all Dad!!  He LOVES this stuff!

We probably could have used a little more time there - sadly, it really is a heck of a drive AND we spent a decent amount of time at the cemetery...but at least we didn't have to shell out the $15 bucks for parking (since we got there right after 4:00!) AND we got there just in time for me to make the last elevator run up the observation deck where you can check out all the Dulles airport action.  Which actually wasn't quite as cool as I was hoping, but I did make use of reflective surfaces for a self-portrait while you can see some random "mountains" off in the background.

We did see all kinds of cool things, like space shuttles...

Who can find Mom & Dad??

...and an SR-71 Blackbird, which apparently goes uber-fast and Dad was WAY excited about...

...and oodles and oodles of really cool flying things, like the Air France Concorde and the Enola Gay and many many many many many many many more.

And as a grand finale to the day....Harrison actually sat on Mom's lap.  Of his own free will.  For at least seventeen seconds.  It was kinda amazing.

Alllllll of the pictures are up here and here on Picasa, so feel free to browse away to your heart's content and see pretty much every airplane ever made.  I can't wait to see Mom's movies!

You're simply the best

I have the greatest friends - really, I do.  And I appreciate them more than ever when they do things like pick me up from the hospital with my favorite Starbucks beverage in hand so I can have the morning caffeine I missed out on in those pre-surgery fasting hours.  Oh, in addition to providing pre-surgery support and encouragement.  And actually taking me home and picking up delicious Potbelly sandwiches for lunch and generally being 100% there for me on surgery day.

And when they do things like leave comments on my ridiculous medical blog posts letting me know they're thinking about me and wishing me all the best.  Or call me, knowing I'm at home and in need of a little friend time, to chat for forty-five minutes and catch up on life and reconnect when we live 1,300 miles apart and miss each other.  Or send emails, texts, Blackberry messages (bring on the technology!) checking on me.

And when they do things like come over for a post-surgery check-up/catch-up dinner...and bring cupcakes!  All of you, and this person in particular, know how I feel about cupcakes, especially those with an alcoholic flavor profile.

You can detect evidence of frosting (and a little fat - necessary for a good cupcake, of course) on the sides of the lid, but other than that you'll just have to pretend there are two beautiful mimosa cupcakes nestled inside that box.

And who would have thought that a mysterious "FRAGILE LIVE PLANTS INSIDE PLEASE RUSH" box...

...would contain, along with the sweetest note, something so entirely cute and uplifting...

...that it had me leaving one mushy voicemail (for Kami) and carrying on another high-pitched-with-joy conversation (with Carolyn).  I truly couldn't ask for better friends, and it means a lot to me to know you're thinking about me.  That's not just the codeine talking, either.

Oh, P.S. - my family's pretty awesome, too, so I think I'm doing ok here in this world.

Not so loopy after all

 WOKE UP AT THE RIGHT TIME AND ACTUALLY DIDN'T CRAWL BACK IN BED!!

And now, here I am, completely lucid (well, as lucid as I normally would be) and chilling on the couch on a Thursday afternoon with just a little extra bandaging and alternating ice packs of frozen peas and pearl onions (which I have rigged in place MacGyver-style with a long scarf so I can actually sit up instead of balancing frozen veggies on my chest).  Everything went really smoothly this morning, and I was only in the OR for about 45 minutes under pretty light anesthesia (don't worry, not so light that I had any idea what was going on - isn't it amazing how you know where you are and then BAM!  You're completely out and have no recollection of what happened...miracle drugs...), so I moved through recovery phases I and II pretty quickly and was walking out of the hospital at 10:00.  I knew I was myself when the PACU (post anesthesia care unit - I learned new acronyms today) nurse asked me if I'd like to something to drink and my first request (denied, of course) was coffee.  Fine, fine, I suppose water and ginger ale will do.

Have to wear a largish patch/bandage thing for a couple of days, then I can finally take a real shower, then these paper steri-strip things will fall off in a week or so, and I go back to the doc on May 24 for a check-up and lab reports.  Tylenol with codeine at my disposal as needed.  Harrison makes a semi-competent nurse, even though he lacks opposable thumbs.  And I have my real "nurses" on call with a scheduled dinner check-up from Stephanie tomorrow night.  In good hands.

Also in Dr. Anita McSwain's good hands, as you can see from the "AM" scrawled across the appropriate side of my body - marked for surgery!  I didn't realize I was serving as a writing surface today.

And at least I got a sweet bracelet (and not-as-sweet rockin' bruise on my hand from that darn IV needle):

Thank you, everyone, for your well-wishes, kind thoughts, and always appreciated tidbits of humor (ahem, Trinity) - I'm a lucky gal to have such wonderful friends.

Under the knife I go

Almost done with this medical malady thing that's been driving me slightly batty for the better part of a month because tomorrow is...surgery day!  That's right, time to get this bad boy cut out and sent off to the lab to make sure there's nothing scary lurking in there.  I can't tell you how ready I am.  Ok, not overly excited about the whole surgery part, but just ready to be done dealing with it.  Although I'll still have to deal with it...post-op stuff and all...but one step closer, right?

That being said, I'm not exactly going to be celebrating Cinco de Mayo with the traditional adult beverages, but I'm hoping there might be a way to track down an orange Jarritos - those things are dang tasty.  I think it's probably in my body's best interest if my blood can actually clot tomorrow, so I'm skipping the margaritas and/or Mexican beer tonight.  That, along with the fact that I can't eat or drink anything after midnight, will also help me avoid any late night shenanigans.  Although since I need to be at the hospital at 6 AM and I have quite the track record for not really embracing the morning hours, it might just be easier to stay up all night.

For those of you who are into that whole schedule sort of thing and might want to be thinking positive thoughts for me (hint, hint), here's how the day's (theoretically) going down:

• 0515 hours - drag self out of bed, remember not to drink coffee, stumble through shower, remember to wear glasses, hug Harrison, remember not to wear makeup, valiantly keep eyes open
• 0545 hours - crawl into cab and mumble "23rd and I" while not falling asleep in said cab
• 0559 hours - arrive at hospital admissions one minute ahead of schedule (aren't I optimistic?)
• 0600 hours - get all checked in, sign various forms and fork over hefty deductible, change into what I'm sure is to be a lovely hospital gown complete with matching robe and slippers, get minorly freaked out about what is happening, listen to calming voice of anesthesiologist who (along with miracle drugs) will make me forget what I'm here for, receive reassurance from fine doctor
• 0730 hours - let's get this show on the road!  various things with scalpels and other instruments that I'd rather not know about
• 0830 hours - should be done with scalpels and other instruments that I'd rather not know about...to the recovery room we go!
• 0915 hours - amuse fellow recovery room occupants with my loopy rambling
• 1000 hours - my angel Dana arrives to check out my loopiness and make sure we actually understand the nurse's instructions
• 1030 hours - time to bust out of this joint
• 1045 hours - home sweet home and immediately to bed, hopefully with a content kitty curled up next to me while Angel Dana works away in the living room

For this privilege, I will be wiping out my HSA and using a chunk of my tax refund to meet my deductible on this lovely high deductible plan (which really is lovely until you actually need something like surgery, and then it's blown all to hell), but at least another chunk of my tax refund is being used to fund an amazing almost-two-week adventure in Spain with my very dear friend Darcy in September.  Keep earning interest, tax refund, keep earning interest!  Have to have something to look forward to, right?  At least I'll get credit card points for the massive payment I'm making tomorrow.

And for those you keeping score...my parents were in town last Wednesday through Monday, and we had a lovely time, which I'll tell you alllll about in the next few days.  Hopefully not while loopy from anesthesia or other miracle drugs.