Just another day.

Michael and I have both been feeling really tired and sick lately (i.e. sore throat, swollen glands, a tiny bit stuffy) and he just found out one his coworkers as mono. We were talking about it at dinner tonight and decided it would be really hilarious if we also had mono. I'm not sure how likely it is that he got it from his coworker, but it would be pretty funny nonetheless.

P.S. I am still eating way too many donuts.

My very first Valentine. Ever.

I have never before had a Valentine---somehow I managed to be single every year when the holiday came around (not to complain because that meant I never had to waste money buying something for someone I wasn't going to be dating much longer anyway). Therefore I am not in the least bit disappointed that my first Valentine will be my only Valentine---Michael.

Saturday night we went out to a restaurant called Gentelin's in downtown Alton...the food was SO GOOD!!! On Sunday, Michael woke me up with some dark chocolate filled with raspberry something-or-other (best way to wake up, EVER!), and had flowers delivered to the apartment (which you will see pictured below). Not too shabby for my first celebrated Valentine's Day. And, needless to say, I am feeling especially grateful for my husband.

Now here are some pictures for your viewing pleasure:

My flowers



Michael and I on Valentine's Day



A picture of Michael that I love because I love him and he's my favorite.

Oh, funny rib bone: Part 2

Happiness = going back to the chiropractor and finding out your rib went back into place on its own so it doesn't have to be shoved back.

Oh, funny rib bone.

Story of my life: For a few years now (how many exactly is not important) I have been experiencing near constant pain in my head, neck, shoulders, upper/lower back. I have been to all sorts of doctors, have tried a myriad of medications, and have been disappointed by them all. At the invitation of one of Michael's co-workers, a few nights ago Michael and I went to a dinner/presentation at the Golden Corral here in Alton for a chiropractor in the area---Dr. Speh (pronounced "spay," and a discussion of how disappointing that meal was could be another blog entirely). We listened to the presentation and decided to give the good doctor a try. He offered all those in attendance a consultation, a few x-rays, and another visit to discuss the x-rays and possible treatments, for free! I went on Wednesday of this week to get the consult and x-rays, and returned earlier today for the review.

I guess because I've been in pain for so long, I have just come to expect that my body is a little messed up. I mean there must be some physiological reason for why my body hurts the way it does. My lovely x-rays showed a few things, all of which could very nicely explain the pain. Here's the list:

1. My neck curves the wrong way, and the individual cervical vertebrae are twisted slightly to the right.
2. Looking at me from the front, my thoracic spine (neck to bottom of ribs) curves...sorta like scoliosis but not too severe. It should be straight.
3. I have an extended lumbar curve---as in, my lower back curves too far in the right direction.
4. I have a displaced rib between my shoulder blades (my personal favorite)
5. My lower back right around the sacrum and a few vertebrae up from there are tilted and curve. Again, from the front, they should be straight.

Basically, because my spine is twisted, and curved, and tilted it ways it should not be, I experience pain. Makes sense, no? Anyway, I'm actually quite amused by the whole thing and relieved that there is physical evidence suggesting that I should be in as much pain as I feel. It's nice. I'm thinking I should give this chiropractor a try and see where it goes. He says putting my rib back in place and fixing my lower back shouldn't be too difficult. What will take a bit of time and could be quite tricky is my neck.

My new mystery: How did all this happen? I asked how things like that can happen and Dr. Speh said it was typically caused by an accident (falling down the stairs, car-wreck, etc.) or repetitive motion over time can cause that kind of damage. I wonder.......

Questions for whomever...

I am now an insomniac I think. It's 3:30 in the a.m. and I am not in the least bit tired. Crazy. Sad. At 1:30 I made myself a bowl of chili and started the movie "Star Trek" which I have now seen about 7 times (including the 2 times I went to the theater by myself to see it). I'm now listening to my "Owl City" station on Pandora Radio while contemplating what to blog about. I had an idea before I started typing and now it's gone. Bummer. See, if I had actual hobbies I could be doing one right now. I would play the piano, but that would wake up the old lady who lives in the apartment beneath us (side note: she's lived there for 13 years. Michael suggested we try to beat her record. My response: heck-freakin'-no).

I love my life. Why: today I got to clean the bathroom, do some laundry, read, play the piano, and eat Jimmy John's (the Beach Club...oh so tasty). What's not to love there?

Am I going crazy? I think so. OH!! OH!! My questions for everyone who may or may not read this: 1. Should I dye my hair back to blonde or should I keep it dark brown? 2. Should I cut my hair really short again?