I’d say my weekend really started on Thursday night when I went to a wine tasting for charity that my friends were hosting. I didn’t think that I wanted to go because logistically it meant that I’d have to board the dog in order to get there in time (I had to go straight from work from my office on the western outskirts of the city to the wine place on the eastern outskirts of the city - during rush hour = nightmare long commute).
But I boarded the dog and left work early and that meant I made it just in time for the wine tasting!
I sat at a table as the only female in a circle of gay men and that was fun because I always seem to make super inappropriate funny jokes about men when I’m in the company of gay men and they love it so much! They also usually love what I’m wearing (wore my giraffe print fitted shift dress with super high spiky animal print pumps), and the night was no exception.
AND for some reason the guy leading the tasting took a shine to my weird tasting comments. I think what he really liked is that my friends were asking me about my Champagne Campaign and if I was a snobby bubbly connoisseur and I was all, “No! I drink whatever makes me happy. It’s more the sentimental value of the wine as well as who I’m with and what the situation is.” That answer made the leader happy, so he wanted to hear my thoughts on ALL of the wines. I did not hesitate to oblige!
After the wine tasting, it was around 9pm, and even though that’s normally my bedtime, I decided that I just wasn’t quite done with the evening. I mean, I’d already boarded the dog and I was going into the office late on Friday because I had an appointment to have my botox injections the next morning, so… I kind of wanted to make the most of the evening after getting warmed up by the wine tasting.
So I decided to take myself to the fancy-pants newly renovated Champagne bar in one of the ritzy hotels very close to my apartment. I was feeling just saucy enough to have it in my mind that I could meet some handsome strangers and have a few drinks sent in my direction.
Let me tell you - there is NOTHING like the POWER OF MINDSET.
First of all, I walked in like I owned that bar. I don’t know why - this is one of those high-powered places where huge deals get made and the wine-ing and dining, high-rolling crowd goes . I suppose that’s why - it’s like a ridiculous fantasy and I was having fun.
So as soon as I walked up to the bar, these two awesome men (who I could tell just wanted to have some fun yet innocent banter) started asking me about my handbag. Which, of course, is SUCH a perfect opening line! So I asked if I could join them and they were all HELL YES!
And we were off to the races…
Turns out, one of them was married and nice as could be and his buddy was this older gentleman who was in town to do business with the owner of [my city’s] football team. They were wonderful company and they bought me champagne and let me do a Scotch tasting with them (football guy was drinking $100/oz whisky and having me taste each one first!). What fun!
Of course, we ended up talking about why I don’t have a boyfriend and football guy was feeding my ego, telling me what a catch I am… of course, I ate that up like a delicious dessert, but all too soon the bar was closing and we said our goodbyes without even telling each other our last names.
But that’s okay because I truly did feel like I got my little itch scratched - you know, like, I can still get mens’ attention and have them surround me and buy me drinks and laugh at my stories and make me feel like a catch. Maybe it looked ridiculous to an outsider, but I don’t care. I had the time of my life.
I will say that I was hurting on Friday morning. I hadn’t felt a hangover in months and that’s what this was: a few too many and a lack of hydration and a severe lack of sleep. Nope. Not smart, Ginger. But it wasn’t that bad and I certainly could function even though I was hurting. I was very, very glad that I didn’t have any weird symptoms like a headache. That would have really scared me. I just felt tired and somewhat woozy and knew that I wasn’t going to be able to sleep it off until that evening.
Friday was a blur and I really didn’t do anything on Friday night because sleep deprivation.
Saturday was early dog walk, then mani-pedi, then brunch club!!
Brunch club was a fun, small crowd. We drank Bloody Mary flights and talked about our recent goings-on and boys and work and other baloney. It was nice.
I was happy to go home, though, and start watching the docu-seriesBroken Brain, suggested by our own [Athena] and very timely for me (read my last couple of entries). There was some special internet deal where you could watch the first part, 8 hour-long episodes. Her summary is perfect and sums up what I got out of it (and I hope you don’t mind me quoting you, A):
“The bottom line over and over is that processed food and sugar are killers, fresh fruits and vegetables will save your life, your brain needs fat, your muscles need protein, and you need to get off your phone”
Exactly.
You know, right after my injury I started reading How Not to Die, also recommended by our dear [Athena] and took it to heart and ate as close to Dr. Greger’s (the author) recommendations. I truly believe this is one of the main reasons why my vascular surgeon personally called me after I had a 6-week follow up CTA scan to tell me that he was “pleasantly surprised” with my healing (this type of injury normally takes about a year to heal). The information in this book is very similar to the Broken Brain information in that it’s essentially YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT (and how you handle stress and how you sleep) and I believe it 100%. There are so many horrific things we do to our own bodies without even realizing it. The thing that we were taught from elementary school and beyond was wrong…the food pyramid was a lie!
Now. Does that mean I’m eating perfectly and getting enough exercise and figuring out how to lower my stress? Not quite yet. But y’all…I’m working on it! I’m absolutely not perfect and sure, I go out and drink sometimes and I attend chocolate festivals with my friends (and do chocolate and cheese pairings!). But I’m arming myself with some great info and I spent hours chopping veggies yesterday to create the world’s biggest bowl of tabouli salad (substituting quinoa for the bulgar and red pepper for the tomatoes).
I’m also signed up for my first restorative yoga class on Wednesday and I’m so looking forward to that.
Anyway. Yeah. Broken Brain marathon on Saturday and then dog walk and dinner with my friend Karl, which was quite fun and a really good talk. He walked us back to my place which was so nice of him.
Called my mom when I got home and she was upset because my bro and SIL and their daughter had been visiting and apparently my niece had gotten herself into a nest of FLEAS in my parents’ storage area and my brother went ballistic!
And this is where I am going to get misty. My parents. My sweet, wonderful and perfectly imperfect parents are only going to go downhill from here. And I know - that’s what we do…but I don’t want them to suffer!!
Both of my parents are having issues with their eyes and it’s all culminated into a perfect storm this past week. My dad is having double vision and my mom had her 5th eye surgery a couple of weeks ago. Neither one can see well enough to drive and they have to go to doctor appointments and other important events and my brother - the oblivious one - the one who said that mom and dad will take care of everything for the rest of his life is starting to open his OWN eyes and realize that our parents are getting old and having trouble!
Bro called me Sunday morning to tell me that he is concerned and I was annoyed by this…annoyed because he’s been SO BLIND to this for such a long time - and he and his family were LIVING with my parents!! How could he be so fucking…dense? He was right there until a month ago when they moved out because Bro got a new job. Anyway, I told him that I knew what was going on and that I was working on a solution to the concern of getting mom to her doctor appointment on Tuesday.
I’m scared for both of them. But I know that this is the natural progression of things. I just don’t want to see them suffer. Please don’t let them suffer.
I had a really good conversation with my mom last night. You know we’re talking every night now, right? And I told her how scared I was for them. And her answer was very calm and rational. She said that they’ve lived a wonderful life and that they are just starting to wind down and this is just what happens. They will take things one step at a time and deal with them however they can.
I let the tears well up in my eyes and even felt a teardrop on my cheek. This is my second tiny cry since my injury.
Anyway. Sunday morning I took a long walk with the dog and ran into a couple that I know from Orangetheory and their new dog. It was a nice chat. It was a wonderful walk.
Then home to rest and change into something cute and on to the Farmers Market. Martini did NOT want to walk in the afternoon heat so I let her sit in my shopping basket that I have rigged on my wheelie cart. It looks totally ghetto because I put this really beautiful hand-woven shopping basket from Central America onto this cart and then I have bungee cords holding the thing in place and I don’t care because it keeps me from having to carry too much weight. I’ve done that before and nearly had a stroke doing it! I’m not going to experience death by produce!
Everyone ooh’d and aaaah’d at the “little dog in the basket” so that was fun. I only found good cukes and a red bell pepper at the market this time. The place was full of Mexican stuff because they were having some kind of Mexico festival - which, fun - but not what I was hoping to find to create my tabouli I was wanting to make. But at least I left enough room in the basket to keep the little dog in there!
On the way home we ran into the cutest little Chihuahua/Pomeranian mix named Yoshimi… I sang, “she’s a black belt in karate…” and her dad, Rico was totally impressed with my Flaming Lips knowledge.
Home, but then I needed to go to Whole Foods to get all the rest of my ingredients for my giant tabouli bowl.
Back home, turned on Broken Brain and cooked quinoa, chopped parsley, mint, red pepper, garlic, cucumbers and scallions - oh, and I shredded a rotisserie chicken. Took me two hours to complete my chopping, mixing, blending it all together.
Also talked with a dude I was trying to meet on Hinge. Long story, but he’s a ranch hand in Colorado, doing a search in my neck of the woods. Huh? I thought he was local but he explained to me that he wanted to meet a “gal” from this area. He’s super cute, but…
I DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THAT. In fact, you know who he reminded me of? The Scot. Yes - the guy who met me in New York and then bailed on his half of our bargain. I bet you anything if we keep this conversation going he’ll ask for me to fly him out to visit. He did ask me if I wanted to come visit him, but I said, “I’m not looking for a long distance relationship.” I can’t spell it out any clearer. What is happening here?
Okay. It’s taken me all day popping on and off this entry so I better run. I’m possibly meeting a Bumble dude tonight and honestly not looking forward to it. Not sure what will happen, but I need to finish some stuff.
So to recap: all-in-all, a decent weekend. Still need to finish my container hotel story as well as put my Life Plan together, but… this is what you get for now.
OH. One other quick thing and we’ll analyze it later: Doctor D has reappeared via text. Just today. Hm.
Okay, later!
GS
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