Week 2: Where's mouse At?

Dear Friends and Family,

Following thyroid issues can make even the most sane person into a hypochondriac. The symptoms are subtle and open to interpretation. On top of that, it's easy to attribute them to things not related to your thyroid. A pound weight gain could be eating too much or it could by your thyroid. Being cold could be the weather or it could be your thyroid. Dry skin could be winter or it could be your thyroid. Rinse. Repeat.

So, how am I doing? Nothing noticeably different from last week. I have woken a few times before my alarm. I'm not passing out as often the second I get home. My internals seem to be going a bit faster. Yesterday, I felt my pulse race when I had an Almond Joy. I can drink caffeinated teas without much concern. I've stopped the steady creep in body weight.

All in all, I guess that all equates to feeling better. Two weeks down. Two more weeks until my next check-in.


Cheers!
mouse

52 Things Will Leave the Mouse Pad (Round 2) Update

Dear Friends and Family,

It's a new year. And, I'm beginning another round of my clutter diet. The goal? I am going to try and have 52 things meaningfully leave the mouse pad this year. It's a purposeful decision to remove something that has found a home in our home. I'm evicting unwanted tenants.

There's different questions different people use to gauge what should stay and what should go. There's do I still love it, does it serve a purpose, when did I last use it, etc. My guiding light question will be knowing what I know today, would I buy this today?

The List (most recent departures listed first):

1. Mr. mouse is going on a business trip that brings him within a short drive of my sister so we're doing another scrub of the basement for stuff that P is done with. The biggest and bulkiest would be the five baby gates that my sister needs that P is done with. We took the last ones down late last year so I'll be glad when they're out of the house. Three made it on the flight. Five was too bulky.
2. There's five books that P never really took a liking too. Two have licensed characters. Two we got as gifts, but P had moved beyond those books before we got them. And, one, kinda got lost in the basement. Apparently Mr. mouse took down more than five books. No definite number, just more than five.
3. There's three noise makers. P got them for her first Christmas. He took down two.
4. There's Mr. Potato Head. My friend at work got it for P. It was a life saver on our first trip with it when I had P with me in a middle seat. We played with it for hours. She's since outgrown it. Apparently she hasn't outgrown Mr. Potato Head. She was very sad to hear about it and pointed out that Mr. mouse had seen her playing with it last night. So, Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders went down instead.
5. There's a pull toy elephant that my best friend gave us. The one time P got attached to it was when we put it out during her second birthday party and Little Miss I Haven't Learned to Share Yet lost it and started crying about the elephant. The elephant went.
6. There's a peg puzzle with farm animals. P liked it, but she's outgrown it. The puzzle went.
7. Last, but not least, there's a bag of blocks. I think P might at some point develop a greater interest in blocks. But, I'm hoping the five bags of blocks we have will be plenty to build to her heart's desire. One more box of blocks went for a total of two sets of blocks. So, ultimately, some changes in what went, but I'll keep the tally the same.
8. We have four plants in the house. We are not plant people. Three were gifts, one is a basil plant gone wild. They don't bother me. But, given what I know now, would I buy them today? And, the answer is no, outside of the basil. So, I'm giving one of them a home with a friend. I told her not to tell me if the plant dies. Somehow that would make me sad. It's hard letting go of things. But, I feel like I need to be brave or be okay with a house full of stuff that makes me feel like I have no control of my life. I will be brave.
9. My colleague at work wants an exercise ball. I have an exercise ball that needs a home. I still love the concept of an exercise ball, even if I haven't used this one ever and I've had it for close to five years now. If at some point in the future I become enamored again with the concept of an exercise ball, I will buy a new one. The going rate is $25. One down. 51 to go.

The tally from 2012?

1. junk: 15
2. useful, just not for us: 14
3. toys: 11
4. baby gear: 7
5. odds and ends: 3
6. books: 2

We'll see if I can get to 52 this year. I'm cautiously optimistic.


Cheers!
mouse

52 Things Will Leave the Mouse Pad (Round 2) Update

Dear Friends and Family,

It's a new year. And, I'm beginning another round of my clutter diet. The goal? I am going to try and have 52 things meaningfully leave the mouse pad this year. It's a purposeful decision to remove something that has found a home in our home. I'm evicting unwanted tenants.

There's different questions different people use to gauge what should stay and what should go. There's do I still love it, does it serve a purpose, when did I last use it, etc. My guiding light question will be knowing what I know today, would I buy this today?

The List (most recent departures listed first):

1. Mr. mouse is going on a business trip that brings him within a short drive of my sister so we're doing another scrub of the basement for stuff that P is done with. The biggest and bulkiest would be the five baby gates that my sister needs that P is done with. We took the last ones down late last year so I'll be glad when they're out of the house.
2. There's five books that P never really took a liking too. Two have licensed characters. Two we got as gifts, but P had moved beyond those books before we got them. And, one, kinda got lost in the basement.
3. There's three noise makers. P got them for her first Christmas.
4. There's Mr. Potato Head. My friend at work got it for P. It was a life saver on our first trip with it when I had P with me in a middle seat. We played with it for hours. She's since outgrown it.
5. There's a pull toy elephant that my best friend gave us. The one time P got attached to it was when we put it out during her second birthday party and Little Miss I Haven't Learned to Share Yet lost it and started crying about the elephant.
6. There's a puzzle with animals. P liked it, but she's outgrown it.
7. Last, but not least, there's a bag of blocks. I think P might at some point develop a greater interest in blocks. But, I'm hoping the five bags of blocks we have will be plenty to build to her heart's desire.
8. We have four plants in the house. We are not plant people. Three were gifts, one is a basil plant gone wild. They don't bother me. But, given what I know now, would I buy them today? And, the answer is no, outside of the basil. So, I'm giving one of them a home with a friend. I told her not to tell me if the plant dies. Somehow that would make me sad. It's hard letting go of things. But, I feel like I need to be brave or be okay with a house full of stuff that makes me feel like I have no control of my life. I will be brave.
9. My colleague at work wants an exercise ball. I have an exercise ball that needs a home. I still love the concept of an exercise ball, even if I haven't used this one ever and I've had it for close to five years now. If at some point in the future I become enamored again with the concept of an exercise ball, I will buy a new one. The going rate is $25. One down. 51 to go.

The tally from 2012?

1. junk: 15
2. useful, just not for us: 14
3. toys: 11
4. baby gear: 7
5. odds and ends: 3
6. books: 2

We'll see if I can get to 52 this year. I'm cautiously optimistic.


Cheers!
mouse

01.21.13: Partied Out

Dear Friends and Family,

Our winter cabin neighbors got in Friday along with Joey, a close friend we've known forever.

The house was cleaned. The food and drinks were purchased. Decorations were put up. And, we got a chance to enjoy a fun evening with our friends. And, then, two evil colleagues started a drinking game. Before I knew it, it was 2AM, and I'm not 100% sure where the time went. I'm getting too old for this.

P enjoyed herself and was a great hostess, sharing toys and snacks and getting juice boxes for her friends. She was a little sad going to sleep, but enjoyed gorging on the shrimp chips enough to make up for the shortened story time.

Sunday, in a spurt of productivity, the men swapped out the garbage disposal and fixed the hose drain for our dishwasher. We can now use both sinks. Nicely done!

We also took Joey to church where the theme was around using our talents. For me, that's an easy one. I need to work on my idea. That's my road ahead.

Still, it's not all simple. I also need to get through the next month. The road ahead is littered with the final to dos for school applications and with a couple of trips we MAY take if we can figure out the trip logistics.


Cheers!
mouse

Lovely Friday Feeling

Dear Friends and Family,

Each Friday I get that lovely feeling of having made it through another week. Our list of school to dos is getting shorter. It's slowly shifting out of our control and into the school's control.

We're continuing to tread water on our to dos.

We're still gainfully employed.

I'm still making progress on my idea.

See what I mean, that lovely feeling of having made it through another week?

Mr. mouse is off today. I've got a busy day at work after missing one and a half days to school interviews and a broken retainer.

New retainer this afternoon.

Friends are coming in town tonight.

Party this weekend.

It's not too late to come and do reports from here, my friend.


Cheers!
mouse

Another Day, Another Interview to Bomb

Dear Friends and Family,

I didn't have a chance to write about it on Tuesday, but we had a bad interview on Tuesday. We clearly did not have the correct answer for the first question. The interviewer asked it multiple times. We answered multiple times. It was not good.

We built no rapport with the interviewer. The interview ended at least 20 minutes early. It doesn't get worse than that.

I don't know what to say. She wanted to know what differentiates her school. We told her the curriculum since it's an IB program, the teachers since they rotate every three years, the flexibility which we brought out an example from the school tour, the facilities which are all new, the fixed costs since the school does no outside fundraising, and then we ran out of answers. Honestly, to this day, I have not a clue what she wanted to hear.

Well, we have another parent meeting today. And, after that, I'm going to begin researching houses in the suburbs. I feel like I'm up to my eyeballs in craziness.

I don't want to rant, but she's a good kid. It's not like I'm trying to move damaged goods at clearance prices, here. I've seen the gnomes and trolls, and P's not one of them.


Cheers!
mouse

52 Things Will Leave the Mouse Pad (Round 2) Update

Dear Friends and Family,

It's a new year. And, I'm beginning another round of my clutter diet. The goal? I am going to try and have 52 things meaningfully leave the mouse pad this year. It's a purposeful decision to remove something that has found a home in our home. I'm evicting unwanted tenants.

There's different questions different people use to gauge what should stay and what should go. There's do I still love it, does it serve a purpose, when did I last use it, etc. My guiding light question will be knowing what I know today, would I buy this today?

The List (most recent departures listed first):

1. We have four plants in the house. We are not plant people. Three were gifts, one is a basil plant gone wild. They don't bother me. But, given what I know now, would I buy them today? And, the answer is no, outside of the basil. So, I'm giving one of them a home with a friend. I told her not to tell me if the plant dies. Somehow that would make me sad. It's hard letting go of things. But, I feel like I need to be brave or be okay with a house full of stuff that makes me feel like I have no control of my life. I will be brave.
2. My colleague at work wants an exercise ball. I have an exercise ball that needs a home. I still love the concept of an exercise ball, even if I haven't used this one ever and I've had it for close to five years now. If at some point in the future I become enamored again with the concept of an exercise ball, I will buy a new one. The going rate is $25. One down. 51 to go.

The tally from 2012?

1. junk: 15
2. useful, just not for us: 14
3. toys: 11
4. baby gear: 7
5. odds and ends: 3
6. books: 2

We'll see if I can get to 52 this year. I'm cautiously optimistic.


Cheers!
mouse

Week 1: Where's mouse At?

Dear Friends and Family,

I've been on my new medication dosage for a week now. I've had a couple of scare moments. There was one when I noticed hand tremors on Saturday at lunch and another when I noticed palpitations on Saturday at dinner.

I'm going to chalk up dinner to whatever I ate at the restaurant because I've had that happen before and because I wasn't under any stress (physical or mental) when it started.

The hand tremors? Not sure what to make of it. Will have to watch it for now.

Still a little sensitive to the cold. Still weighing myself every day to manage the weight gain associated with high TSH levels.

All in all, I'm glad I went on the medications. Still, I'll be glad once I'm off of them again.

We have a parent meeting this afternoon, another parent meeting on Thursday, a kid screening on Thursday, coupled with a new boss, a broken retainer, and our annual new year's party.

Let the chaos begin.


Cheers!
mouse

01.14.13: Sad, The Weekend Was a Blur

Dear Friends and Family,

It's Monday and I'm tired. The weekend was a blur of activity and now it's Monday.

We took P Saturday morning for a play date for school. The teacher told us she did great playing with the toys and volunteered to help clean up. She got an orange star that she saved from the morning.

The afternoon involved a long car ride up to P's friend's house to celebrate her fourth birthday. It's odd seeing kids turn four. That'll be P soon. Wow.

Sunday morning we sent our Christmas tree off with a wave and got ready for church. We went for brunch afterwards and hit the department store to restock on makeup. P fell asleep on the way home which makes for a very abbreviated Sunday.

I had work to do last night. And, now it's Monday.

Truth be told, I'm not motivated about this week. Work just feels so underwhelming. Friday was fire drills. Today is a useless exercise in useless reporting of useless details in a witch hunt for dollars that will not lead to me. But, I need to complete the report anyway. Sigh.

On a more exciting front, I wrote three people about my idea in the hopes of lining up my first customers. I also picked a company for payroll and worker's comp insurance. They do payroll roll taxes and sales tax on top of that.

Time for me to write a job description and think about hiring my first employee. That has me jazzed.

This week will be a blur as well. Parent meeting tomorrow. Parent meeting and kid meeting on Thursday. Party this weekend. Friends in town as well so the basement needs to get cleared.

Happy Monday!


Cheers!
mouse

Losing People Left and Right at Work, Gaining Momentum at Home

Dear Friends and Family,

It's Friday. I made it through another week at the office. Another person is leaving work. We're losing people left and right. It's beginning to get a little lonely.

I also faxed in my paperwork for my application for worker's compensation insurance. Hopefully that goes through okay. Which leave me with three more tasks, figuring out general liability insurance, hiring my first employee, and reaching out to friends to find my first batch of customers. I feel like this is all so much easier once you get some amount of momentum. After all, I don't want customers without an employee and I don't want to start payroll without any customers.

I guess I will have to work on it simultaneously and hope for the best. It's beginning to feel almost real.


Cheers!
mouse

Week 0: New Medication Dosage

Dear Friends and Family,

I went in Tuesday for some lab tests to gauge the progress of my thyroid. And, in true mouse form, it's swung radically in the other direction. From 0 to 15. Keep in mind the normal range is 0.3 to something like 3.0. Yep.

My doctor told me to halve the dosage of my medication. And, to check-in with him in four to six weeks. So, last night, I didn't take my medication and this morning I will.

I'll consider it progress of sorts.


Cheers!
mouse

52 Things Will Leave the Mouse Pad (Round 2)

Dear Friends and Family,

It's a new year. And, I'm beginning another round of my clutter diet. The goal? I am going to try and have 52 things meaningfully leave the mouse pad this year. It's a purposeful decision to remove something that has found a home in our home. I'm evicting unwanted tenants.

There's different questions different people use to gauge what should stay and what should go. There's do I still love it, does it serve a purpose, when did I last use it, etc. My guiding light question will be knowing what I know today, would I buy this today?

The List (most recent departures listed first):

1. My colleague at work wants an exercise ball. I have an exercise ball that needs a home. I still love the concept of an exercise ball, even if I haven't used this one ever and I've had it for close to five years now. If at some point in the future I become enamored again with the concept of an exercise ball, I will buy a new one. The going rate is $25. One down. 51 to go.

The tally from 2012?

1. junk: 15
2. useful, just not for us: 14
3. toys: 11
4. baby gear: 7
5. odds and ends: 3
6. books: 2

We'll see if I can get to 52 this year. I'm cautiously optimistic.


Cheers!
mouse

01.07.13: Weekend of the Epiphany

Dear Friends and Family,

Sometimes events happen and in isolation they don't amount to anything more than one of a million and one things that can happen to you on any given day. And, other times, they build to something more. I had one of those moments.

First, there was an article I read and a line near the bottom that said God is experienced in family and community. This is a central tenet of Buddhism, but I had never applied it to Catholicism.

Second, there was a discussion with a friend, about Mormonism. I told him I actually agree with a lot of the teachings on lifestyle (like you should have an adequate amount of savings), but I don't buy into the theology. And, he pointed out that it's because I'm objective driven.

Third, I went to mass this weekend. Originally because P is applying to a school and I told the Admissions counselor that I am open to attending mass and seeing if there is a fit. Masses I remember were stuffy affairs in dark churches full of incense and theology. But, I went. And, I enjoyed it. The homily focused on asking what are we searching for. And, that's a question I can ponder for a long time in a good way.

I think, I enjoyed it enough to go back next Sunday and give it a second try. I'm still not interested in the theology of it. I'm not going to try and convert Mr. mouse or P. I'm not going to change my beliefs on marriage equality. But, I am open to the idea of improving my lifestyle and I do believe much of what I seek is seen through interactions with family and community. Perhaps I'll find something I didn't expect.

We'll see where this leads.

The rest of the weekend? We took down the tree decorations. I helped a friend with business school applications. And, that was the weekend, as far as I can recall.


Cheers!
mouse

Glorious Friday Feeling

Dear Friends and Family,

See, I'm alive. Yeah!

It's been a busy week kicking off the new year. I made a lot of progress on Monday on my idea. I've been trading emails back and forth with a couple of agents who may be able to get me some of the insurance coverage I need before starting my business.

We submitted one more school application - seven down, one to go. We've scheduled most of our parent meetings and play groups - two done, six scheduled, four to go. We submitted one of the financial aid applications - one down, one to go.

We returned ALL of the things we needed to return from the holidays.

The tree will be coming down this weekend.

It feels good. For all the cold weather, I like January. It's like that new car feeling without a new car. And, it's free.

We made good progress on retirement in 2012. Each month at work, I mentally tick off that this is my last of that particular month, for me, at my current work. I plan on either working on my idea or taking some time off or switching jobs once we hit the fall.

I'm feeling better too. I need to go in for new labs between now and Tuesday.

I'll continue to savor that new car feeling a little longer.


Cheers!
mouse

I Have Not Forgotten You

Dear Friends and Family,

I've just been swamped. I'll be back tomorrow. I promise.


Cheers!
mouse

12.31.12: Getting Ready to Say Goodbye to 2012

Dear Friends and Family,

It's nice to have time off, not because I hate work because I don't really hate work. But, I do hate my commute. And, not driving for a week has been nice. And, sleeping instead has been great.

We spent a couple of days at home before leaving for the holidays which translated into a little less chaos when we got back. We spent a couple of days with each set of grandparents and P got to spend some time with my brother. By the end of the trip, we were all ready to come home.

And, now, today, we're dropping P off at school today while I get some much needed time at home without P. On the list? Insurance for my new company, clearing out portions of the basement, and finishing another school application.

Yesterday, we took down one of the railings on P's bed converting it from a crib to a daybed. She handled the change fine. I think I'm the only one who got sentimental over it. I know she's closer to four than three, but it was one of the last vestiges of babyhood we still have in the house. I didn't realize when I picked her up out of it yesterday morning that it would be the last time I was picking her up out of her crib. Fortunately, I've been savoring it since I knew the end was near, so I wasn't completely crushed by the change.

I looked at my master "to do" list now vs. two months ago and we've made progress. I look forward to the day when I can convert it into a largely discretionary list of fun to dos instead of the current mundane list of required to dos. Progress.


Cheers!
mouse

Goal: 52 Things Will Leave the Mouse Pad Update

Dear Friends and Family,

I just dropped three books into the recycle bin. Three books so unworthy they didn't even make it into the donate pile. Junk fiction. I had forgotten I had even purchased them. Done.

And, that, my friends, brings me to 52. I did it!

Now to dwell on my thoughts.

Do I miss anything I got rid of? No. Did I need anything I got rid of? No. Does the mouse pad look any neater? A little. Does the mouse pad feel any better? A little.

Am I done? No. That was just the tip of the iceberg.

There's still plenty more that can leave the mouse pad. We have a pile of toys P picked to get rid of on the family room floor. These will go to either to family or Goodwill. But, I'm getting ahead of myself.

Today, I bask in the glory of 52 things that have left the mouse pad.

The final count?

1. junk: 15
2. useful, just not for us: 14
3. toys: 11
4. baby gear: 7
5. odds and ends: 3
6. books: 2

Now that we're done with the first 52. Guess what?

I am going to try and have 52 things meaningfully leave the mouse pad in 2013. What do I mean by meaningfully? No, it doesn't mean I'm giving away things loaded with meaning. It means it's purposeful decisions to remove something that has found a home in our home. In other words, clearing out old bananas doesn't count, they never found a home. Clearing out old toys counts since they would linger in the basement given no active actions on our parts.


Cheers!
mouse

Last Day of Work for 2012

Dear Friends and Family,

Funny. I found out recently that my boss will be leaving. And, I'm going to miss him. Now, I'll be headed into 2013 with a new boss. They won't be back filling my boss so I'll report to his boss.

I'm not optimistic that I'll be staying at work much past when P starts school, if she gets in next fall. If I do, I'll be more surprised than anyone else. If I make it through today, that'll be my last December at my current work.

Somehow that feels good.


Cheers!
mouse

Drats! Water, Again

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Torturing a Tired Kid

Dear Friends and Family,

No. No need to call Child Services. It's not really torture.

P was tired last night and fidgety and didn't want to write the last card for her teacher. I had been bugging her to do them since the weekend, so I didn't have a lot of pity for her last night.

I told her sometimes even when you're tired you still need to do things.

Now you might think this is a cruel and unusual discussion to be having with a three year old, but it's not. Even if she's tired, she still needs to do things. She still needs to have a bath. She still needs to brush her teeth. She still needs to put away her toys. Tired might mean you skip some activities (we only read two books last night instead of three), but it isn't an excuse to not do something you don't want to do.

So, yes, we made her finish her card. We'll let her sleep a little longer this morning. It made for a long night of waiting out the tantrum, but it was worth it. I think it's important to teach her that procrastinating has consequences and being tired isn't an excuse to let something slide past its deadline.

P's three and a half, hurtling towards four. Time to teach life lessons. It's so much easier to spoil a kid and give them everything they ask for and just hug and cuddle them all the time. But, unfortunately, then, your kid grows up to be a monster instead of a well-functioning adult. There's definitely joys to parenting, but make no mistake, there's work involved.

More mail to pick up tonight.


Cheers!
mouse

Thyroid Check In: Week 1

Dear Friends and Family,

I've been on methimazole for a week now. How's mouse doing?

I'm enjoying the freedom of slowly expanding my diet to include normal foods again. I'm noticing a drop-off in the number of heart palpitations although it should be noticed they still exist. My eyes don't bother me as often. I still get hand tremors when I'm close to my next dose of medicine, but my hands are more steady than they were.

In summary, I still have some symptoms, but they're not as pronounced as they were a week ago. I'm supposed to keep taking the propranolol for a week longer and then discontinue its use.

As scared as I was to get back on the medication, I'm glad I did.


Cheers!
mouse

12.17.12: Five More Days

Dear Friends and Family,

It's Monday.

We got a ton of stuff done over the weekend. And, like it or not, a ton of stuff will get done over the week. And, by Friday, our list will have whittled down to almost nothing.

Wishful thinking if I ever heard it.

We spent the weekend trying to help P write her Christmas cards. We enjoyed the grey, but warm Sunday to take P out for a bike ride. She's beginning to balance now. We got out our new year's party invitations. I ordered P's gifts. We made a sizable dent in our Christmas card process.

Like it or not, a ton of stuff will get done over the week. And, by Friday, our list will have whittled down.

I'll be glad when it's Friday.


Cheers!
mouse

Goal: 52 Things Will Leave the Mouse Pad Update

Dear Friends and Family,

I am going to try and have 52 things meaningfully leave the mouse pad this year. What do I mean by meaningfully? No, it doesn't mean I'm giving away things loaded with meaning. It means it's purposeful decisions to remove something that has found a home in our home. In other words, clearing out old bananas doesn't count, they never found a home. Clearing out old toys counts since they would linger in the basement given no active actions on our parts.

The List (most recent departures listed first):

1. Bionicles Tahu is back in the basement where I am sure we will age it another batch of years. But, we made a smidgen of progress in the kitchen. There was a food drive at the library. We dropped off some rice milk, vegetable broth, garbanzo beans and British beans. The British beans are P's favorite and Mr. mouse wanted to make sure she knew we don't just donate things we don't like. I do, but apparently he doesn't. There's plenty more in the pantry. But, I'm still counting the little that did leave the mouse pad. 51 down, 1 to go!
2. Originally I was going to list Lego Bionicles Tahu, but apparently that's worth $20 and now Mr. mouse is considering selling it on eBay. Now, we're bringing three PS2 games to drop off with my friend, Ben, the collector of all oddities.
3. My favorite time of year. White elephant gifts. I'm bringing in a set of glass globes. You insert them upside down in your plants to water them. Mr. mouse got them, but agreed, we don't have plants, so glass globes aren't the most useful thing to keep. Unfortunately, I only got him to gift one box so you'll be hearing about another box in the future.
4. This one's a surprisingly tough one. Four reels of LED lights. I don't like to color they emit. I'm going to go out on a limb and assume I probably won't ever like the color they emit. Three of them are unopened. I have no recollection of what I paid for them. They're labelled $40 each. I don't think I paid $160 for lights. But, perhaps I did. And, now, that's why I'm having trouble leaving them. It's as if, by keeping them, I'm justifying myself in having spent $160 on them (if I truly spent that much). But, today, I'm going to be brave and let them leave the house. Remember, mouse, you don't even like them and never will. Keeping them will not get your money back. Donating them lets another family enjoy them. Right?
5. Back in 2007, five years ago, I was in a store and saw a Christmas tree marked down to $5.99. And, I couldn't resist. And, I bought it. Since then, it's sat in our garage as a reminder that $5.99 spent on something else would have been a better use of $5.99. I'm bringing it into work today for our office decorations. My colleague has promised to drop it off at Goodwill once we're done with it.
6. Not sure how to count these. But I took two bags of old clothes (either too big or too small) out to the garage for donation.
7. More not glamorous adds. I had "take down umbrella" on my list of to dos. Funny, that's the one winterizing thing I feel compelled to do. I went up the deck and the umbrella was knocked over. I tried to pull it out of the stand. I broke it in half. I considered repairing this old, faded umbrella. A week later, I asked Mr. mouse to throw it out.
8. It's not a glamorous add. A cookie sheet. It's old and stained and apparently we have a new one that's nothing short of amazing. So, I discreetly put the cookie sheet by the garbage and so far Mr. mouse hasn't objected.
9. You thought I had forgotten about you, didn't you? Actually, I've just been too busy. This one is a simple one. One evening, I needed a hangar to hang up some pants. There were no obvious empty hangars. I think Mr. mouse had brought them all down to fold laundry. So, I took three t-shirts that were languishing in our closet and took them down to the donate bag in the garage. Three down. Something like twenty or forty more t-shirts to go.
10. This one hasn't been in the house all that long. But, minus active actions on our part, I could see myself having to deal with it sometime in the far future. It's an umbrella. I bought it for P for her third birthday because that's what she wanted for her birthday - chocolate cake and an umbrella. But, it turned out to be much too big for her. Since I bought it from some small store in Oregon (online), returning it seemed like more bother than it was worth. Our friend, Gracie, said she would take it. She likes it. Win. Win.
11. junk: 27" tube TV
12. junk: expired stuff from under the bathroom sink
13. junk: more expired stuff from under the bathroom sink
14. junk: empty containers from under the bathroom sink
15. baby gear: burp cloths
16. baby gear: diaper bag
17. odds and ends: stairs to the deck
18. junk: old swimsuit
19. baby gear: 2 old breast pumps, one box
20. junk: peg toy we inherited (missing pegs)
21. toy: set of giant pipe cleaners
22. junk: Halloween themed cup and five empty boxes
23. baby gear: two booster seats
24. book: Cooking for Baby
25. toy: toy computer
26. toy: baby animal puzzle
27. toy: bird house with four plush birds
28. toy: Mega Blocks table and blocks
29. junk: 4 planters, 1 watering can
30. useful, just not for us: 1 hose reel, 2 hoses
31. useful, just not for us: P's toddler pool
32. junk: 2 rusty lounge chairs, 1 stool
33. junk: 4 solar lights that no longer light
34. junk: a bucket and a lid
35. useful, just not for us: a basket
36. books: Gone with the Wind, Brave New World
37. toy: Mr. Potato Head MLB edition
38. baby gear: the Boppy
39. odds and ends: new drawer used for kitchen towels
40. odds and ends: guest bathroom counter
41. useful, just not for us: crock pot
42. useful, just not for us: hurricane with almond candle
43. junk: old bath salts and perfumes
44. baby gear: foam roll
45. baby gear: 256 2 oz breast milk storage containers
46. toy: truck (combo riding and push toy)
47. toy: dog security blanket
48. toy: battery-operated toy train
49. toy: stacking pyramids
50. toy: hammer and eight nails
51. useful, just not for us: cane

We'll see if I can get to 52 this year. I'm cautiously optimistic.


Cheers!
mouse

Goal: 52 Things Will Leave the Mouse Pad Update

Dear Friends and Family,

I am going to try and have 52 things meaningfully leave the mouse pad this year. What do I mean by meaningfully? No, it doesn't mean I'm giving away things loaded with meaning. It means it's purposeful decisions to remove something that has found a home in our home. In other words, clearing out old bananas doesn't count, they never found a home. Clearing out old toys counts since they would linger in the basement given no active actions on our parts.

The List (most recent departures listed first):

1. Originally I was going to list Lego Bionicles Tahu, but apparently that's worth $20 and now Mr. mouse is considering selling it on eBay. Now, we're bringing three PS2 games to drop off with my friend, Ben, the collector of all oddities.
2. My favorite time of year. White elephant gifts. I'm bringing in a set of glass globes. You insert them upside down in your plants to water them. Mr. mouse got them, but agreed, we don't have plants, so glass globes aren't the most useful thing to keep. Unfortunately, I only got him to gift one box so you'll be hearing about another box in the future.
3. This one's a surprisingly tough one. Four reels of LED lights. I don't like to color they emit. I'm going to go out on a limb and assume I probably won't ever like the color they emit. Three of them are unopened. I have no recollection of what I paid for them. They're labelled $40 each. I don't think I paid $160 for lights. But, perhaps I did. And, now, that's why I'm having trouble leaving them. It's as if, by keeping them, I'm justifying myself in having spent $160 on them (if I truly spent that much). But, today, I'm going to be brave and let them leave the house. Remember, mouse, you don't even like them and never will. Keeping them will not get your money back. Donating them lets another family enjoy them. Right?
4. Back in 2007, five years ago, I was in a store and saw a Christmas tree marked down to $5.99. And, I couldn't resist. And, I bought it. Since then, it's sat in our garage as a reminder that $5.99 spent on something else would have been a better use of $5.99. I'm bringing it into work today for our office decorations. My colleague has promised to drop it off at Goodwill once we're done with it.
5. Not sure how to count these. But I took two bags of old clothes (either too big or too small) out to the garage for donation.
6. More not glamorous adds. I had "take down umbrella" on my list of to dos. Funny, that's the one winterizing thing I feel compelled to do. I went up the deck and the umbrella was knocked over. I tried to pull it out of the stand. I broke it in half. I considered repairing this old, faded umbrella. A week later, I asked Mr. mouse to throw it out.
7. It's not a glamorous add. A cookie sheet. It's old and stained and apparently we have a new one that's nothing short of amazing. So, I discreetly put the cookie sheet by the garbage and so far Mr. mouse hasn't objected.
8. You thought I had forgotten about you, didn't you? Actually, I've just been too busy. This one is a simple one. One evening, I needed a hangar to hang up some pants. There were no obvious empty hangars. I think Mr. mouse had brought them all down to fold laundry. So, I took three t-shirts that were languishing in our closet and took them down to the donate bag in the garage. Three down. Something like twenty or forty more t-shirts to go.
9. This one hasn't been in the house all that long. But, minus active actions on our part, I could see myself having to deal with it sometime in the far future. It's an umbrella. I bought it for P for her third birthday because that's what she wanted for her birthday - chocolate cake and an umbrella. But, it turned out to be much too big for her. Since I bought it from some small store in Oregon (online), returning it seemed like more bother than it was worth. Our friend, Gracie, said she would take it. She likes it. Win. Win.
10. My college graduation gift from my parents. Actually, it might also have been a house warming gift from my parents for my new apartment, my first home outside of theirs. Sounds like something you should keep forever, doesn't it? Except, it's a 27" tube TV that we no longer watch. We finally recycled it this weekend when our friends were over, since we could fit it in their truck.
11. junk: expired stuff from under the bathroom sink
12. junk: more expired stuff from under the bathroom sink
13. junk: empty containers from under the bathroom sink
14. baby gear: burp cloths
15. baby gear: diaper bag
16. odds and ends: stairs to the deck
17. junk: old swimsuit
18. baby gear: 2 old breast pumps, one box
19. junk: peg toy we inherited (missing pegs)
20. toy: set of giant pipe cleaners
21. junk: Halloween themed cup and five empty boxes
22. baby gear: two booster seats
23. book: Cooking for Baby
24. toy: toy computer
25. toy: baby animal puzzle
26. toy: bird house with four plush birds
27. toy: Mega Blocks table and blocks
28. junk: 4 planters, 1 watering can
29. useful, just not for us: 1 hose reel, 2 hoses
30. useful, just not for us: P's toddler pool
31. junk: 2 rusty lounge chairs, 1 stool
32. junk: 4 solar lights that no longer light
33. junk: a bucket and a lid
34. useful, just not for us: a basket
35. books: Gone with the Wind, Brave New World
36. toy: Mr. Potato Head MLB edition
37. baby gear: the Boppy
38. odds and ends: new drawer used for kitchen towels
39. odds and ends: guest bathroom counter
40. useful, just not for us: crock pot
41. useful, just not for us: hurricane with almond candle
42. junk: old bath salts and perfumes
43. baby gear: foam roll
44. baby gear: 256 2 oz breast milk storage containers
45. toy: truck (combo riding and push toy)
46. toy: dog security blanket
47. toy: battery-operated toy train
48. toy: stacking pyramids
49. toy: hammer and eight nails
50. useful, just not for us: cane

We'll see if I can get to 52 this year. I'm cautiously optimistic.


Cheers!
mouse

Why I Chose to Get Medicated

Dear Friends and Family,

I figured out why I chose to get medicated. The hyperthyroidism is making me tired. I sleep a lot. I feel like I'm missing out on quality time with P because I'm sleeping so much. If the medication can relieve some of the tiredness, I'll be able to spend more time with P.

And, that's why I chose to get medicated.


Cheers!
mouse

Medicated

Dear Friends and Family,

I went to the see an endocrinologist yesterday and he recommended I get on thyroid medication. While my thyroid levels themselves didn't seem to really concern him, my antibody levels were apparently rather alarming. What is a puzzle is why my thyroid levels weren't even higher.

We quickly ruled out radioactive iodine. And, we just as quickly ruled out doing nothing. The former because my case wasn't bad enough to warrant radioactive iodine. The latter because my case wasn't likely to improve without intervention and doing nothing has risks as well.

This left two options, methimazole and PTU. Since I'm not pregnant, nor trying to become pregnant, and since I've taken methimazole in the past, we decided to go that route.

I'm taking 20 mg a day of the methimazole and 20 mg a day of the propranolol. I have a follow-up lab in 4-6 weeks. We'll go from there. Between now and then, I need to get a better handle on my stress and I need to add iodine back into my diet. Soy sauce is my goal for this week.

I've come to the realization that I'm sick and treating myself is better than sitting in semi-denial. Here's to getting better!


Cheers!
mouse

12.11.12: Busy Weekend

Dear Friends and Family,

Want to hear about our weekend?

We got a haircut. We dropped off dry cleaning. We packed our bags. We went to the symphony. We went for a walk in the rain. We went to lunch. We went to the airport. We went to have dinner with a friends. We went to the hotel to check in.

That was Saturday. Sunday?

We went to the hotel pool. We went to a friends' house for lunch. We went to another friends' house for the afternoon. We went to a third friends' house for dinner. We went to the hotel to crash.

Monday?

We went to the dentist. We went to lunch. We went to the airport. We picked up last minute presents. We unpacked and played.

Exhausted? Yes, it was good sleeping in our bed last night. But, even if it was exhausting, it was absolutely great catching up with all of our friends. I'm not as anxious about school. I'm not as anxious about my thyroid. And, I'm several days closer to 12/21 when, by definition, the holiday rush will be behind us.


Cheers!
mouse

Goal: 52 Things Will Leave the Mouse Pad Update

Dear Friends and Family,

I am going to try and have 52 things meaningfully leave the mouse pad this year. What do I mean by meaningfully? No, it doesn't mean I'm giving away things loaded with meaning. It means it's purposeful decisions to remove something that has found a home in our home. In other words, clearing out old bananas doesn't count, they never found a home. Clearing out old toys counts since they would linger in the basement given no active actions on our parts.

The List (most recent departures listed first):

1. My favorite time of year. White elephant gifts. I'm bringing in a set of glass globes. You insert them upside down in your plants to water them. Mr. mouse got them, but agreed, we don't have plants, so glass globes aren't the most useful thing to keep. Unfortunately, I only got him to gift one box so you'll be hearing about another box in the future.
2. This one's a surprisingly tough one. Four reels of LED lights. I don't like to color they emit. I'm going to go out on a limb and assume I probably won't ever like the color they emit. Three of them are unopened. I have no recollection of what I paid for them. They're labelled $40 each. I don't think I paid $160 for lights. But, perhaps I did. And, now, that's why I'm having trouble leaving them. It's as if, by keeping them, I'm justifying myself in having spent $160 on them (if I truly spent that much). But, today, I'm going to be brave and let them leave the house. Remember, mouse, you don't even like them and never will. Keeping them will not get your money back. Donating them lets another family enjoy them. Right?
3. Back in 2007, five years ago, I was in a store and saw a Christmas tree marked down to $5.99. And, I couldn't resist. And, I bought it. Since then, it's sat in our garage as a reminder that $5.99 spent on something else would have been a better use of $5.99. I'm bringing it into work today for our office decorations. My colleague has promised to drop it off at Goodwill once we're done with it.
4. Not sure how to count these. But I took two bags of old clothes (either too big or too small) out to the garage for donation.
5. More not glamorous adds. I had "take down umbrella" on my list of to dos. Funny, that's the one winterizing thing I feel compelled to do. I went up the deck and the umbrella was knocked over. I tried to pull it out of the stand. I broke it in half. I considered repairing this old, faded umbrella. A week later, I asked Mr. mouse to throw it out.
6. It's not a glamorous add. A cookie sheet. It's old and stained and apparently we have a new one that's nothing short of amazing. So, I discreetly put the cookie sheet by the garbage and so far Mr. mouse hasn't objected.
7. You thought I had forgotten about you, didn't you? Actually, I've just been too busy. This one is a simple one. One evening, I needed a hangar to hang up some pants. There were no obvious empty hangars. I think Mr. mouse had brought them all down to fold laundry. So, I took three t-shirts that were languishing in our closet and took them down to the donate bag in the garage. Three down. Something like twenty or forty more t-shirts to go.
8. This one hasn't been in the house all that long. But, minus active actions on our part, I could see myself having to deal with it sometime in the far future. It's an umbrella. I bought it for P for her third birthday because that's what she wanted for her birthday - chocolate cake and an umbrella. But, it turned out to be much too big for her. Since I bought it from some small store in Oregon (online), returning it seemed like more bother than it was worth. Our friend, Gracie, said she would take it. She likes it. Win. Win.
9. My college graduation gift from my parents. Actually, it might also have been a house warming gift from my parents for my new apartment, my first home outside of theirs. Sounds like something you should keep forever, doesn't it? Except, it's a 27" tube TV that we no longer watch. We finally recycled it this weekend when our friends were over, since we could fit it in their truck.
10. I don't even know where to begin. It started this morning, when I went upstairs to put the floss away and I realized the area under our sink was a disaster. First, there were the seven plastic bins, packed with stuff, piled up to the top of the cabinet, three on one side of the sink and four on the other side of the sink. Then, there was stuff wedged on top of the bins and piled all around the bins. I can't count each individually or this list would grow well beyond the 52 goal, but it seems like it should count for more than one entry. I know, I'll count it by the bagful of junk I threw out. The first bag was filled with expired stuff like sunscreen and eye drops.
11. junk: more expired stuff from under the bathroom sink
12. junk: empty containers from under the bathroom sink
13. baby gear: burp cloths
14. baby gear: diaper bag
15. odds and ends: stairs to the deck
16. junk: old swimsuit
17. baby gear: 2 old breast pumps, one box
18. junk: peg toy we inherited (missing pegs)
19. toy: set of giant pipe cleaners
20. junk: Halloween themed cup and five empty boxes
21. baby gear: two booster seats
22. book: Cooking for Baby
23. toy: toy computer
24. toy: baby animal puzzle
25. toy: bird house with four plush birds
26. toy: Mega Blocks table and blocks
27. junk: 4 planters, 1 watering can
28. useful, just not for us: 1 hose reel, 2 hoses
29. useful, just not for us: P's toddler pool
30. junk: 2 rusty lounge chairs, 1 stool
31. junk: 4 solar lights that no longer light
32. junk: a bucket and a lid
33. useful, just not for us: a basket
34. books: Gone with the Wind, Brave New World
35. toy: Mr. Potato Head MLB edition
36. baby gear: the Boppy
37. odds and ends: new drawer used for kitchen towels
38. odds and ends: guest bathroom counter
39. useful, just not for us: crock pot
40. useful, just not for us: hurricane with almond candle
41. junk: old bath salts and perfumes
42. baby gear: foam roll
43. baby gear: 256 2 oz breast milk storage containers
44. toy: truck (combo riding and push toy)
45. toy: dog security blanket
46. toy: battery-operated toy train
47. toy: stacking pyramids
48. toy: hammer and eight nails
49. useful, just not for us: cane

We'll see if I can get to 52 this year. I'm cautiously optimistic.


Cheers!
mouse

One Down, Two to Go

Dear Friends and Family,

One down. Two to go. Regardless of what happens, it is guaranteed that two Fridays from now we will essentially be done with December. I just need to keep reminding myself of that fact.

I will be beat, but I will recover.

mouse, the phoenix.

Cheers!
mouse

Goal: 52 Things Will Leave the Mouse Pad Update

Dear Friends and Family,

I am going to try and have 52 things meaningfully leave the mouse pad this year. What do I mean by meaningfully? No, it doesn't mean I'm giving away things loaded with meaning. It means it's purposeful decisions to remove something that has found a home in our home. In other words, clearing out old bananas doesn't count, they never found a home. Clearing out old toys counts since they would linger in the basement given no active actions on our parts.

The List (most recent departures listed first):

1. Back in 2007, five years ago, I was in a store and saw a Christmas tree marked down to $5.99. And, I couldn't resist. And, I bought it. Since then, it's sat in our garage as a reminder that $5.99 spent on something else would have been a better use of $5.99. I'm bringing it into work today for our office decorations. My colleague has promised to drop it off at Goodwill once we're done with it.
2. Not sure how to count these. But I took two bags of old clothes (either too big or too small) out to the garage for donation.
3. More not glamorous adds. I had "take down umbrella" on my list of to dos. Funny, that's the one winterizing thing I feel compelled to do. I went up the deck and the umbrella was knocked over. I tried to pull it out of the stand. I broke it in half. I considered repairing this old, faded umbrella. A week later, I asked Mr. mouse to throw it out.
4. It's not a glamorous add. A cookie sheet. It's old and stained and apparently we have a new one that's nothing short of amazing. So, I discreetly put the cookie sheet by the garbage and so far Mr. mouse hasn't objected.
5. You thought I had forgotten about you, didn't you? Actually, I've just been too busy. This one is a simple one. One evening, I needed a hangar to hang up some pants. There were no obvious empty hangars. I think Mr. mouse had brought them all down to fold laundry. So, I took three t-shirts that were languishing in our closet and took them down to the donate bag in the garage. Three down. Something like twenty or forty more t-shirts to go.
6. This one hasn't been in the house all that long. But, minus active actions on our part, I could see myself having to deal with it sometime in the far future. It's an umbrella. I bought it for P for her third birthday because that's what she wanted for her birthday - chocolate cake and an umbrella. But, it turned out to be much too big for her. Since I bought it from some small store in Oregon (online), returning it seemed like more bother than it was worth. Our friend, Gracie, said she would take it. She likes it. Win. Win.
7. My college graduation gift from my parents. Actually, it might also have been a house warming gift from my parents for my new apartment, my first home outside of theirs. Sounds like something you should keep forever, doesn't it? Except, it's a 27" tube TV that we no longer watch. We finally recycled it this weekend when our friends were over, since we could fit it in their truck.
8. I don't even know where to begin. It started this morning, when I went upstairs to put the floss away and I realized the area under our sink was a disaster. First, there were the seven plastic bins, packed with stuff, piled up to the top of the cabinet, three on one side of the sink and four on the other side of the sink. Then, there was stuff wedged on top of the bins and piled all around the bins. I can't count each individually or this list would grow well beyond the 52 goal, but it seems like it should count for more than one entry. I know, I'll count it by the bagful of junk I threw out. The first bag was filled with expired stuff like sunscreen and eye drops.
9. The second bag was filled with stuff we don't use anymore like (expired) rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide.
10. The third bag was junk junk like plastic bags, leaking mouthwash, empty containers. And, what's left looks so much better. Three plastic bins on the left (from bottom to top): teeth, first aid, travel. And, on the right hand side: bathroom supplies, more unopened supplies, and more unopened supplies. In the middle? One open bin with the remaining partially used, not expired, still useful supplies, like sunscreen and bug spray and lotion.
11. baby gear: burp cloths
12. baby gear: diaper bag
13. odds and ends: stairs to the deck
14. junk: old swimsuit
15. baby gear: 2 old breast pumps, one box
16. junk: peg toy we inherited (missing pegs)
17. toy: set of giant pipe cleaners
18. junk: Halloween themed cup and five empty boxes
19. baby gear: two booster seats
20. book: Cooking for Baby
21. toy: toy computer
22. toy: baby animal puzzle
23. toy: bird house with four plush birds
24. toy: Mega Blocks table and blocks
25. junk: 4 planters, 1 watering can
26. useful, just not for us: 1 hose reel, 2 hoses
27. useful, just not for us: P's toddler pool
28. junk: 2 rusty lounge chairs, 1 stool
29. junk: 4 solar lights that no longer light
30. junk: a bucket and a lid
31. useful, just not for us: a basket
32. books: Gone with the Wind, Brave New World
33. toy: Mr. Potato Head MLB edition
34. baby gear: the Boppy
35. odds and ends: new drawer used for kitchen towels
36. odds and ends: guest bathroom counter
37. useful, just not for us: crock pot
38. useful, just not for us: hurricane with almond candle
39. junk: old bath salts and perfumes
40. baby gear: foam roll
41. baby gear: 256 2 oz breast milk storage containers
42. toy: truck (combo riding and push toy)
43. toy: dog security blanket
44. toy: battery-operated toy train
45. toy: stacking pyramids
46. toy: hammer and eight nails
47. useful, just not for us: cane

We'll see if I can get to 52 this year. I'm cautiously optimistic.


Cheers!
mouse

Officially Hyperthyroid

Dear Friends and Family,

Just got back my lab results from Tuesday and I need to resign myself to the fact that I'm hyperthyroid again. I've got an appointment with an endocrinologist on Tuesday. I hope I feel comfortable with his treatment recommendations.

If not, I'll be headed out to see my old endocrinologist. Happiness and joy.

On a positive front, I've got an add to my clutter diet list.


Cheers!
mouse

One More Item to Add to the Verboten List

Dear Friends and Family,

Well, yesterday's doctor's appointment went about as planned. I have a follow up appointment with an endocrinologist next Tuesday. I have a prescription for propranolol (no, Google, not provolone) to help with the heart palpitations. And, I have a host of questions on if I want to pursue treatment of the hyperthyroidism or try to get back to normal on my own.

I think my BATNA, if I don't like what the endocrinologist tells me on Tuesday, is to set up an appointment with my endocrinologist by the mouse winter cabin. I know him. I liked the way he treated me last time. Most importantly, I trust him.

Between now and next Tuesday, I'll take the propranolol and skip the wine and beer. Here's to feeling better soon.


Cheers!
mouse

Goal: 52 Things Will Leave the Mouse Pad Update

Dear Friends and Family,

I am going to try and have 52 things meaningfully leave the mouse pad this year. What do I mean by meaningfully? No, it doesn't mean I'm giving away things loaded with meaning. It means it's purposeful decisions to remove something that has found a home in our home. In other words, clearing out old bananas doesn't count, they never found a home. Clearing out old toys counts since they would linger in the basement given no active actions on our parts.

The List (most recent departures listed first):

1. Not sure how to count these. But I took two bags of old clothes (either too big or too small) out to the garage for donation.
2. More not glamorous adds. I had "take down umbrella" on my list of to dos. Funny, that's the one winterizing thing I feel compelled to do. I went up the deck and the umbrella was knocked over. I tried to pull it out of the stand. I broke it in half. I considered repairing this old, faded umbrella. A week later, I asked Mr. mouse to throw it out.
3. It's not a glamorous add. A cookie sheet. It's old and stained and apparently we have a new one that's nothing short of amazing. So, I discreetly put the cookie sheet by the garbage and so far Mr. mouse hasn't objected.
4. You thought I had forgotten about you, didn't you? Actually, I've just been too busy. This one is a simple one. One evening, I needed a hangar to hang up some pants. There were no obvious empty hangars. I think Mr. mouse had brought them all down to fold laundry. So, I took three t-shirts that were languishing in our closet and took them down to the donate bag in the garage. Three down. Something like twenty or forty more t-shirts to go.
5. This one hasn't been in the house all that long. But, minus active actions on our part, I could see myself having to deal with it sometime in the far future. It's an umbrella. I bought it for P for her third birthday because that's what she wanted for her birthday - chocolate cake and an umbrella. But, it turned out to be much too big for her. Since I bought it from some small store in Oregon (online), returning it seemed like more bother than it was worth. Our friend, Gracie, said she would take it. She likes it. Win. Win.
6. My college graduation gift from my parents. Actually, it might also have been a house warming gift from my parents for my new apartment, my first home outside of theirs. Sounds like something you should keep forever, doesn't it? Except, it's a 27" tube TV that we no longer watch. We finally recycled it this weekend when our friends were over, since we could fit it in their truck.
7. I don't even know where to begin. It started this morning, when I went upstairs to put the floss away and I realized the area under our sink was a disaster. First, there were the seven plastic bins, packed with stuff, piled up to the top of the cabinet, three on one side of the sink and four on the other side of the sink. Then, there was stuff wedged on top of the bins and piled all around the bins. I can't count each individually or this list would grow well beyond the 52 goal, but it seems like it should count for more than one entry. I know, I'll count it by the bagful of junk I threw out. The first bag was filled with expired stuff like sunscreen and eye drops.
8. The second bag was filled with stuff we don't use anymore like (expired) rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide.
9. The third bag was junk junk like plastic bags, leaking mouthwash, empty containers. And, what's left looks so much better. Three plastic bins on the left (from bottom to top): teeth, first aid, travel. And, on the right hand side: bathroom supplies, more unopened supplies, and more unopened supplies. In the middle? One open bin with the remaining partially used, not expired, still useful supplies, like sunscreen and bug spray and lotion.
10. burp cloths... Ask me why it was so difficult letting these go and I will not be able to give you a good answer. They were piled on P's dresser. I internally debated giving them to my sister. I kept them in March. This time, I bit the bullet and put them in the bag for my sister. I kept 4. I gave her 8.
11. baby gear: diaper bag
12. odds and ends: stairs to the deck
13. junk: old swimsuit
14. baby gear: 2 old breast pumps, one box
15. junk: peg toy we inherited (missing pegs)
16. toy: set of giant pipe cleaners
17. junk: Halloween themed cup and five empty boxes
18. baby gear: two booster seats
19. book: Cooking for Baby
20. toy: toy computer
21. toy: baby animal puzzle
22. toy: bird house with four plush birds
23. toy: Mega Blocks table and blocks
24. junk: 4 planters, 1 watering can
25. useful, just not for us: 1 hose reel, 2 hoses
26. useful, just not for us: P's toddler pool
27. junk: 2 rusty lounge chairs, 1 stool
28. junk: 4 solar lights that no longer light
29. junk: a bucket and a lid
30. useful, just not for us: a basket
31. books: Gone with the Wind, Brave New World
32. toy: Mr. Potato Head MLB edition
33. baby gear: the Boppy
34. odds and ends: new drawer used for kitchen towels
35. odds and ends: guest bathroom counter
36. useful, just not for us: crock pot
37. useful, just not for us: hurricane with almond candle
38. junk: old bath salts and perfumes
39. baby gear: foam roll
40. baby gear: 256 2 oz breast milk storage containers
41. toy: truck (combo riding and push toy)
42. toy: dog security blanket
43. toy: battery-operated toy train
44. toy: stacking pyramids
45. toy: hammer and eight nails
46. useful, just not for us: cane

We'll see if I can get to 52 this year. I'm cautiously optimistic.


Cheers!
mouse

12.03.12: Now Is Your Time to Push

Dear Friends and Family,

Now is your time to push. That's one of our favorite lines from auto racing.

I know it might seem as if drivers are driving as fast as they can for the whole race. After all, isn't that the point of driving in a race? But, it turns out, even if they're going as fast as they can, there's moments where their crew will tell them, now, you should try to go even faster.

Where does that extra come from?

I don't know. But, I do know, Mr. mouse and I need to find it for the next three weeks.

This weekend, we finished off three more school applications for P. I took advantage of the unseasonably warm weather to take P out to the library, brunch, and park to give Mr. mouse time to work on the applications. I swear, if anyone can procrastinate, Mr. mouse can procrastinate.

Sunday, I took a break and let Mr. mouse take P out for bagels and a bike ride.

Now, it's Monday and we have one more application due in a couple of weeks. If you add holidays on top of that, January begins to look like the promised land.

Top Three for December?

• two more school applications, one more school tour, our first parent meeting, and whatever else we need to do for school
• holidays... holidays... holidays... tree, presents, cards, invite for our January party... we need to do our tree this week
• my health, I've got a doctor's appointment tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

Now is your time to push.


Cheers!
mouse

Thinking about Life after Work

Dear Friends and Family,

Yesterday, I found myself thinking a lot about life after work. I think the first thing I would do on day 1 is go for a walk. And, perhaps I'd go for a walk the next day. And, perhaps I'd go for a walk on the day after that. And, after a week of walking, I may decide to continue walking or not. I think the time walking would be valuable to wrap my head around everything. There's a lot to wrap my head around.

But, I think it'd be a good thing - for me, for Mr. mouse, for P.

I went to bed early. My eyes were bothering me. My heart was bothering me. But, I woke up feeling better, for today.

Let's see what my thyroid levels are next week when I have my doctor's appointment. Perhaps I'll stay at work. Perhaps I'll go for a walk.


Cheers!
mouse

Probable Inflection Point

Dear Friends and Family,

I'm feeling worse today.

I have my presentation tomorrow. I found out there will be changes in my management structure. I have sadly come to the realization that one of my partners is completely useless and he's essential to making my work happen.

What I am sadly realizing is that my current job will eventually drive me back into full fledged hyperthyroidism. Is my current job worth getting back on medicine?

No. My current job is not worth getting back on medicine. If that's what my doctor says, I will hand in my resignation.

On a positive front, I got insurance today! Well, I asked them to start the policy on 1/1/13. And, I still need to find worker's compensation. But, I have general liability and that's a step forward on my idea.

Perhaps this is all a good thing.


Cheers!
mouse

More Ugh

Dear Friends and Family,

Team presentation tomorrow. Senior leadership presentation Thursday. Not ready.

Ugh.

To do list is a million miles long. Mr. mouse is working late twice this week.

Ugh.

I crossed off one item on the list yesterday. I took the umbrella in from outside. I broke the umbrella in the process. I need to throw the umbrella out. Yay. Not really crossed off of the list.

Ugh.

I tried to cross another item off of the list. But, all I ended up doing was requesting a pin that takes 5-10 days to be mailed to me. Excellent. Not really crossed off of the list.

Ugh.

Tonight, while I have P on my own, and my work piles up, I will try to cross two more items off of my list. We'll see.


Cheers!
mouse

11.26.12: Ugh

Dear Friends and Family,

It's great to have almost a week off. It's nice to relax and sleep and play with P and eat and enjoy the unseasonably warm weather. And, then, reality strikes.

Applications. Holiday prep. Race to the end of the year.

Unfortunately, I need to head out early today so I can't really write. And, I'm sure it's going to be an obnoxious week at work. There are no words.


Cheers!
mouse

Goal: 52 Things Will Leave the Mouse Pad Update

Dear Friends and Family,

I am going to try and have 52 things meaningfully leave the mouse pad this year. What do I mean by meaningfully? No, it doesn't mean I'm giving away things loaded with meaning. It means it's purposeful decisions to remove something that has found a home in our home. In other words, clearing out old bananas doesn't count, they never found a home. Clearing out old toys counts since they would linger in the basement given no active actions on our parts.

The List (most recent departures listed first):

1. It's not a glamorous add. A cookie sheet. It's old and stained and apparently we have a new one that's nothing short of amazing. So, I discreetly put the cookie sheet by the garbage and so far Mr. mouse hasn't objected.
2. You thought I had forgotten about you, didn't you? Actually, I've just been too busy. This one is a simple one. One evening, I needed a hangar to hang up some pants. There were no obvious empty hangars. I think Mr. mouse had brought them all down to fold laundry. So, I took three t-shirts that were languishing in our closet and took them down to the donate bag in the garage. Three down. Something like twenty or forty more t-shirts to go.
3. This one hasn't been in the house all that long. But, minus active actions on our part, I could see myself having to deal with it sometime in the far future. It's an umbrella. I bought it for P for her third birthday because that's what she wanted for her birthday - chocolate cake and an umbrella. But, it turned out to be much too big for her. Since I bought it from some small store in Oregon (online), returning it seemed like more bother than it was worth. Our friend, Gracie, said she would take it. She likes it. Win. Win.
4. My college graduation gift from my parents. Actually, it might also have been a house warming gift from my parents for my new apartment, my first home outside of theirs. Sounds like something you should keep forever, doesn't it? Except, it's a 27" tube TV that we no longer watch. We finally recycled it this weekend when our friends were over, since we could fit it in their truck.
5. I don't even know where to begin. It started this morning, when I went upstairs to put the floss away and I realized the area under our sink was a disaster. First, there were the seven plastic bins, packed with stuff, piled up to the top of the cabinet, three on one side of the sink and four on the other side of the sink. Then, there was stuff wedged on top of the bins and piled all around the bins. I can't count each individually or this list would grow well beyond the 52 goal, but it seems like it should count for more than one entry. I know, I'll count it by the bagful of junk I threw out. The first bag was filled with expired stuff like sunscreen and eye drops.
6. The second bag was filled with stuff we don't use anymore like (expired) rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide.
7. The third bag was junk junk like plastic bags, leaking mouthwash, empty containers. And, what's left looks so much better. Three plastic bins on the left (from bottom to top): teeth, first aid, travel. And, on the right hand side: bathroom supplies, more unopened supplies, and more unopened supplies. In the middle? One open bin with the remaining partially used, not expired, still useful supplies, like sunscreen and bug spray and lotion.
8. burp cloths... Ask me why it was so difficult letting these go and I will not be able to give you a good answer. They were piled on P's dresser. I internally debated giving them to my sister. I kept them in March. This time, I bit the bullet and put them in the bag for my sister. I kept 4. I gave her 8.
9. diaper bag... This one is comical because my sister gave me the diaper bag when we were expecting P. Now that P is potty trained, we've been using a smaller bag. And, even if it was from my sister, I put it in the bag for her.
10. random pile of stuff on the stairs to the deck: put the gardening tools and extension cord back in the garage, put the slippers with the other slippers, brought down an anonymous faucet head for Mr. mouse to assess, left the flashlight, and last but not least, threw out a pair of old shoes and a bag of rusty nails.
11. junk: old swimsuit
12. baby gear: 2 old breast pumps, one box
13. junk: peg toy we inherited (missing pegs)
14. toy: set of giant pipe cleaners
15. junk: Halloween themed cup and five empty boxes
16. baby gear: two booster seats
17. book: Cooking for Baby
18. toy: toy computer
19. toy: baby animal puzzle
20. toy: bird house with four plush birds
21. toy: Mega Blocks table and blocks
22. junk: 4 planters, 1 watering can
23. useful, just not for us: 1 hose reel, 2 hoses
24. useful, just not for us: P's toddler pool
25. junk: 2 rusty lounge chairs, 1 stool
26. junk: 4 solar lights that no longer light
27. junk: a bucket and a lid
28. useful, just not for us: a basket
29. books: Gone with the Wind, Brave New World
30. toy: Mr. Potato Head MLB edition
31. baby gear: the Boppy
32. odds and ends: new drawer used for kitchen towels
33. odds and ends: guest bathroom counter
34. useful, just not for us: crock pot
35. useful, just not for us: hurricane with almond candle
36. junk: old bath salts and perfumes
37. baby gear: foam roll
38. baby gear: 256 2 oz breast milk storage containers
39. toy: truck (combo riding and push toy)
40. toy: dog security blanket
41. toy: battery-operated toy train
42. toy: stacking pyramids
43. toy: hammer and eight nails
44. useful, just not for us: cane

We'll see if I can get to 52 this year. I'm cautiously optimistic.


Cheers!
mouse

11.23.12: Oops

Dear Friends and Family,

It's Friday. Where did the week go?

First, let's start with the weekend. We flew down to see old friends and a new auto race. The weather couldn't have been better. The race was well run. It was fabulous seeing our friends. I ate too much barbecue.

Monday, we spent the morning with our friends. Afterwards, we went to a park to let P play. We went for ice cream. Then, we drove to the airport to fly home.

Tuesday, Mr. mouse dropped P off at school and I spent the day home. What'd I do with my free time? I continued looking for insurance. I cleaned house. I read. I watched a little TV. I got my nails done. Not a stunning day, but nice to not go to work.

Wednesday, I stayed home with P. We made bread. We ate breakfast. We fixed her crown. We bought a microwave. We bought groceries. We ate lunch. We went to the park. We napped. A most excellent day.

Thursday, poor P. Mr. mouse and I tag teamed playing with P and cooking. She didn't have much interest in the food and got a little bored.

Unfortunately, the list of things that need to be done this weekend is long and most of it isn't stuff P's interested in. And, in the mean time, I feel work piling up. I'm afraid of Monday, partly because I didn't finish up stuff that needed finishing up before I left on Friday.

Last, but not least, I'm not feeling well. The stress of work and the stress of cooking and the heat from the oven and eating out over the weekend have all combined to make me feel like I'm hyperthyroid again. I had the shakes on Tuesday. I had the shakes on Wednesday. And, Thursday and Friday, I'm feeling hot again. Phone calls last night for work sitting next to a hot oven probably hasn't helped any.

Time to take a step back and relax. In a simpler world, I would have slept in this morning instead of crawling out of bed for a 3:30 conference call. I just need to remind myself, that, hopefully, by this time next year, I will be living in a simpler world.


Cheers!
mouse

PS: What am I thankful for? P (it goes without saying) and Mr. mouse, the health and happiness of my friends and family, Baby Preston, being able to save for retirement, being able to tread water, President Obama getting reelected, and my trip to Easter Island.

Puzzled

Dear Friends and Family,

They just announced a new room at P's school. I'm stumped. The infant rooms are at 50% capacity. The older rooms are all right at capacity. Where are all these new four year old kids going to magically come from? And, even if they did appear out of the woodwork, what's wrong with the current two rooms?

I guess we have four teachers in the three year old rooms, while the four year old rooms only have three teachers, so perhaps that's why. But, not sure now's the time to be adding cost into the system. The school's been struggling financially which is why they opened it up to the community.

I think the former center director would have shuffled kids and teachers around to make it work. Like do you move one of the three year old teachers up with the kids to a four year old room? Just saying. I'm not crazy about the new director. She's passable, but taking a while to warm up to.

All in all, one more reason we need to get P into a new school.


Cheers!
mouse

Slowing Experimenting

Dear Friends and Family,

Never one to leave well enough alone, I'm now slowly adding back in the things I eliminated from my diet. I'm beginning to feel cold and I'm beginning to feel tired so I don't want to diet myself into hypothyroidism.

Yesterday, I tried caffeine and I definitely felt a little bit of the shakes last night at dinner. So, I may have to resign myself to staying off caffeine. Honestly, the thing I miss most is soy. Not all soy. I miss:

1. soy sauce - it's in almost all Asian food
2. soy paper - because it's a sushi alternative to seaweed, it allows me to have vegetarian rolls
3. tofu - I don't eat it often, but it's something I like occasionally
4. miso - again, something I don't eat often, but something I like occasionally
5. soy milk - opens up the world of decaf cafe drinks since I'm caffeine free

So, perhaps I add soy sauce back in and limit my intake of the other soy products and see if I still feel okay.

I'm mentally wrapping my head around if this is cheating. I'm not allergic like people who are on a no gluten diet. My body still needs some iodine. I'm trying to convince myself this isn't weakness or lack of discipline. This is me trying to figure out what the right level of iodine is to feel good.

I know. I'll add soy sauce without adding anything else and I'll see how I feel.


Cheers!
mouse

School Tour This Morning

Dear Friends and Family,

We've got another school tour this morning. One more in December and then we're done with the school tours. Then, go through a marathon of applications and begin the parent meetings. I really do hope all of this is worth it.

Sometimes, when I see P sleeping in her crib (yes, she's still in her crib) with her legs tucked under her and her butt in the air, she's still my baby. Then, I see P in the mirror in my car as she's explaining some new solution to a problem she wants to solve, and then, she's my big girl. Somewhere in between those two, or maybe really, combining those two, is my kid.

Fingers crossed for this morning.


Cheers!
mouse

How Is It Thanksgiving Next Week?

Dear Friends and Family,

You blink and it's Thanksgiving. I don't know how that happens.

P is three and a half now. And, the time is beginning to fly so I'm going to take a moment to capture life today.

What do I love about having a three year old in the house? I love when P looks me in the eye and says I'll love you always and forever no matter what and then adds you'll always be in my heart and gives me a hug and a kiss. I love when I tell her that I can't carry her anymore because my back hurts (fabricated) and she rubs my back and asks me if it feels better. I love when she tries to problem solve - I told her the alleyway was full of glass and she offered up parking in the front in the evening to avoid the glass. I love her good manners. I love her smile. I love how proud she is of her accomplishments. I love listening to her sing in the car.

I know I'll miss being in the potty with her the few times she lets me accompany her. I know I'll miss the few times we have hydrolisys together since that's usually her time with Mr. mouse. I know I'll miss watching her slowly step out of the car when we get to school. I know I'll miss the happy face waving at me from the window when I drop her off at school. I know I'll miss the random games we play at night on the carpet and the negotiating to get her to the dinner table. I know I'll miss writing her name together at the end of the day. I know I'll miss the story before brushing teeth and the story after brushing teeth. I know I'll miss the tears when she's sad.

It happens so quickly. One day she'll be four and then she'll be five and then before we know it she'll be all grown up. Where does the time go? I'll have to enjoy every moment.


Cheers!
mouse

11.12.12: Survival Mode

Dear Friends and Family,

We went on a very quick trip this weekend to celebrate Mr. mouse's birthday. We flew out Saturday morning and flew back Sunday morning. In between, we had a ton of fun seeing old cars, letting the kids run around, doing block puzzles, and eating grilled meat.

All of the kids did a great job sharing their toys. I'll consider it a success.

Now, I just need to survive the next five days. Technically, I'm on vacation all of next week. We'll see if I can get enough done, or if I end up working next week.

Cheers!


mouse

Our Daughter, the Terrorist

Dear Friends and Family,

P has turned into a terrorist. When she doesn't get her way, she throws a tantrum. When she realizes I'm going to ignore her or that Mr. mouse is going to give her a time out, she stops. We've been trying to figure out how to prevent the onset, but as of now, we haven't solved that formula. We only know what to do once it's here.

I refuse to negotiate with her in the midst of her tantrum. I refuse to acknowledge her in the midst of her tantrum. I think it upsets her, but at some point the tantrum is over and she verbalizes whatever it is that she needed to get out. It's annoying as all get out to wait it out, but I refuse to give in.

I hope this phase passes soon.


Cheers!
mouse

Goal: 52 Things Will Leave the Mouse Pad Update

Dear Friends and Family,

I am going to try and have 52 things meaningfully leave the mouse pad this year. What do I mean by meaningfully? No, it doesn't mean I'm giving away things loaded with meaning. It means it's purposeful decisions to remove something that has found a home in our home. In other words, clearing out old bananas doesn't count, they never found a home. Clearing out old toys counts since they would linger in the basement given no active actions on our parts.

The List (most recent departures listed first):

1. You thought I had forgotten about you, didn't you? Actually, I've just been too busy. This one is a simple one. One evening, I needed a hangar to hang up some pants. There were no obvious empty hangars. I think Mr. mouse had brought them all down to fold laundry. So, I took three t-shirts that were languishing in our closet and took them down to the donate bag in the garage. Three down. Something like twenty or forty more t-shirts to go.
2. This one hasn't been in the house all that long. But, minus active actions on our part, I could see myself having to deal with it sometime in the far future. It's an umbrella. I bought it for P for her third birthday because that's what she wanted for her birthday - chocolate cake and an umbrella. But, it turned out to be much too big for her. Since I bought it from some small store in Oregon (online), returning it seemed like more bother than it was worth. Our friend, Gracie, said she would take it. She likes it. Win. Win.
3. My college graduation gift from my parents. Actually, it might also have been a house warming gift from my parents for my new apartment, my first home outside of theirs. Sounds like something you should keep forever, doesn't it? Except, it's a 27" tube TV that we no longer watch. We finally recycled it this weekend when our friends were over, since we could fit it in their truck.
4. I don't even know where to begin. It started this morning, when I went upstairs to put the floss away and I realized the area under our sink was a disaster. First, there were the seven plastic bins, packed with stuff, piled up to the top of the cabinet, three on one side of the sink and four on the other side of the sink. Then, there was stuff wedged on top of the bins and piled all around the bins. I can't count each individually or this list would grow well beyond the 52 goal, but it seems like it should count for more than one entry. I know, I'll count it by the bagful of junk I threw out. The first bag was filled with expired stuff like sunscreen and eye drops.
5. The second bag was filled with stuff we don't use anymore like (expired) rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide.
6. The third bag was junk junk like plastic bags, leaking mouthwash, empty containers. And, what's left looks so much better. Three plastic bins on the left (from bottom to top): teeth, first aid, travel. And, on the right hand side: bathroom supplies, more unopened supplies, and more unopened supplies. In the middle? One open bin with the remaining partially used, not expired, still useful supplies, like sunscreen and bug spray and lotion.
7. burp cloths... Ask me why it was so difficult letting these go and I will not be able to give you a good answer. They were piled on P's dresser. I internally debated giving them to my sister. I kept them in March. This time, I bit the bullet and put them in the bag for my sister. I kept 4. I gave her 8.
8. diaper bag... This one is comical because my sister gave me the diaper bag when we were expecting P. Now that P is potty trained, we've been using a smaller bag. And, even if it was from my sister, I put it in the bag for her.
9. random pile of stuff on the stairs to the deck: put the gardening tools and extension cord back in the garage, put the slippers with the other slippers, brought down an anonymous faucet head for Mr. mouse to assess, left the flashlight, and last but not least, threw out a pair of old shoes and a bag of rusty nails.
10. What do you call an old swimsuit missing one underwire? Junk, that's what you call it.
11. useful, just not for us: 2 old breast pumps, one box
12. junk: peg toy we inherited (missing pegs)
13. toy: set of giant pipe cleaners
14. junk: Halloween themed cup and five empty boxes
15. baby gear: two booster seats
16. book: Cooking for Baby
17. toy: toy computer
18. toy: baby animal puzzle
19. toy: bird house with four plush birds
20. toy: Mega Blocks table and blocks
21. junk: 4 planters, 1 watering can
22. useful, just not for us: 1 hose reel, 2 hoses
23. useful, just not for us: P's toddler pool
24. junk: 2 rusty lounge chairs, 1 stool
25. junk: 4 solar lights that no longer light
26. junk: a bucket and a lid
27. useful, just not for us: a basket
28. books: Gone with the Wind, Brave New World
29. toy: Mr. Potato Head MLB edition
30. baby gear: the Boppy
31. odds and ends: new drawer used for kitchen towels
32. odds and ends: guest bathroom counter
33. useful, just not for us: crock pot
34. useful, just not for us: hurricane with almond candle
35. junk: old bath salts and perfumes
36. baby gear: foam roll
37. baby gear: 256 2 oz breast milk storage containers
38. toy: truck (combo riding and push toy)
39. toy: dog security blanket
40. toy: battery-operated toy train
41. toy: stacking pyramids
42. toy: hammer and eight nails
43. useful, just not for us: cane

We'll see if I can get to 52 this year. I'm cautiously optimistic.


Cheers!
mouse

Four More Years

Dear Friends and Family,

I fell asleep in front of the TV so I missed the moment when Ohio was called for President Obama. But, I awoke to hear Mitt Romney's concession speech and I stayed awake for Obama's speech. I'm tired this morning, but it was worth it.

I'm glad that the Affordable Care Act will go into effect. I'm glad that we're willing to discuss raising taxes to pay for the deficit. I'm glad that women's health won't be relegated to odd people who say very odd things about things that don't impact their health directly. I'm glad that there's a decent likelihood that President Obama will get to name another justice to the Supreme Court.

And, I'm glad I didn't lose faith in 2004 when I awoke to a second Bush victory.


Cheers!
mouse

Hodge Podge of a Day

Dear Friends and Family,

What to write about today?

Mr. mouse and me? I don't know. I don't think it's healthy to dance around issues, let off steam by fighting, and then go back to "normal." It goes against everything I learned as an engineer. You know there's going to be repeat events.

The election? We voted early. The rest is in the hands of our fellow citizens. I'll be watching the news intently tonight. In case it's not obvious, we're a Team Obama household.

My thyroid? I had some lab work done over the weekend. I wasn't expecting news so quickly. But, the doctor's office called yesterday with my results. It's not a complete picture in that my first tests done in October only included one test, TSH, which measures your body's instructions to the thyroid. Higher TSH indicates the body is requesting more thyroid production. Lower TSH indicates the body is not requesting more thyroid production.

In my case, my TSH was rock bottom low. What happens next? The doctor then requests T3 and T4 level checks. That measures how much thyroid hormone the body is actually producing. The expectation is that T3 and T4 will either be normal in which case it's odd, but not a problem. Or, T3 and T4 levels will high (if the body is producing the hormone even if no one is requesting it) in which case it's most definitely a problem.

With me so far? I've had thyroid problems in the past. And, historically, when my TSH has been low, my T3 and T4 levels have been VERY high. I know what hyperthyroidism feels like. This time, when I measured my TSH levels in October, I was expecting it to be low, and it was low. Based on my symptoms at the time, I was expecting my T3 and T4 levels to be high, but since it wasn't tested I don't know if they were high.

Lately, though, I've been feeling somewhat better. And, when I went in for my tests this past weekend, I didn't know what to expect. Well, this time, my TSH is still low, although it's not as low as October. And, my T3 and T4 levels, while high, are within the normal range.

I need to call today to make a follow-up appointment. I guess I'll stay on my low iodine diet a little longer.


Cheers!
mouse

11.05.12: Angry

Dear Friends and Family,

When two people with strong personalities live together things are bound to get ugly sometimes. And, last night, it did.

I'm not going to go into the specifics of it here since I know it will come across as biased with me clearly in the right.

But, when we have arguments like these, I wonder, why are we together? Do other couples fight like we do? I thought I had married my best friend. But, sometimes it feels like I'm married to a complete stranger. Is this normal?

I know we're both under an extraordinary amount of admittedly self-induced stress. I know most normal people would have cracked long ago. I foolishly believe there's hope around the corner - that if we can get through whatever it is we're currently trying to get through, that peace and happiness and joy will come and blanket our lives in serenity.

Yet, when we get around the corner, I always seem to find another mountain to climb. This time it's school applications. Next time it'll be something else, like work. I know I'm in for a change once P starts school.

So, I'm angry and tired and bitter. Last night I felt my heart racing and I know that's not good for my health. And, I know I'll be angry for awhile.

Perhaps I'd be happier without Mr. mouse.


Cheers!
mouse

Delinquency Unit, Department of Revenue

Dear Friends and Family,

It's never a good thing when you get a letter in the mail with the line, if you do not act now, we may take collection action without further notice to you. Never a good thing.

So, I called to find out what I had done wrong. The person on the phone was very helpful. I filled out the paperwork online last night. Except, by accident I filled out Q1 2011 and Q2 2011. Then, I realized I was in the wrong year and I filled out Q1 2012, Q2 2012 and Q3 2012.

I'll call today to find out what I should do about Q1 2011 and Q2 2011.

Learning by doing.


Cheers!
mouse

Progress, Of Sorts

Dear Friends and Family,

After four drafts, we submitted P's first school application. We need to call today to schedule the parent interview. One down, six to go.

Halloween is behind us. Goody bags distributed. Candy collected. Dogs avoided. Pictures taken. It was fun.

P's shoes, winter coat, and snow pants arrived in the mail. Disaster averted.

Sneakers are on order. Ink is on order.

What's ahead of us in November? Two more school tours. Three more applications. Snow tires. Soap.

Hmmm... This is beginning to feel suspiciously like a Top 3 Update. Except, I don't think I have time for a full fledged update.

1. school admissions
2. winter/holiday preparation
3. November weekends

That's it. That's all I can handle. I'll assume low iodine is a priority, but doesn't take any additional work on my part outside of the blood work and potential endocrinologist visits.


Cheers!
mouse