Done! (Sort of)

On my way to school, I thought listening to some classical music would help me memorize better for the final exam. Imagine my surprise when I scanned for 105.1 KKGO...just to hear country music?! When did that happen?

Then as a special pre-final treat, I stopped (and studied) at Starbucks. I even went the whole 9 yards and got an iced venti soy white chocolate mocha. Yummers! I haven't had an iced one in years and 1) I've forgotten how delicious it is iced and 2) I remember why I don't usually get it iced. When I get it iced, I gulp it down like I've been dehydrated for days b/c it's that good.

I am so happy that the final exam is over. Life can return to somewhat normalcy. I.e., the dining table can be returned to the dining room. (I persuaded the BF to move our dining table into the bedroom so I could study on it.)

Time to catch some much needed beauty ZzZ's. :)

The Second Resurrection: Another Lazarus Update

Wow, Lazarus and Lil F are really vying for attention on my blog! I may have to create a label for Lazarus.

Yesterday, my bro went to Ama's without me. I called him to ask a few questions and after I gave him a whirlwind ketchup and unpragmatically ended with "The End," he said in a serious tone, "So Daddy called last night." I have to admit, I got a little nervous. Judging from my bro's tone, I thought I was about to get an earful. This was the convo that took place last night when my Dad called Ama's:

D: Mom, what's Ben doing?
A: Oh, he's just reading.
D: Okay, lemme talk to him.
B: Hello?
D: Ben, what are you doing?
B: Just reading.
D: Ben, I think my betta is blind. I've been trying to feed it, but it won't eat. I think it can't see its food so it's not eating. What should I do?

Dude, I was LMAO when my bro told me that convo (and relieved that I wasn't getting in trouble for anything).

Then, just a few minutes ago, I got the "what are you doing" phone call from Dad.

Dad in a serious tone: Hey, what are you doing?
Me: Studying. What's going on, Dad?
D: So, you know my fish? I thought it had died (again). I gave it food, but I think it's blind b/c it's not eating. So I thought it had died b/c it hadn't eaten b/c it can't see. So, again, I crushed up some Move-Free and other vitamins and dropped it in his bowl last night. This morning, I woke up and checked on him and now he's all "energy" and moving around again. It's like a miracle, huh!
Me: (Stifling laughter) Yes, Dad, [Lazarus] is truly a miracle.

I LOVE getting "what are you doing" phone calls from Dad. :) In fact, I hope Berkeley cousin (a.k.a. Future M.D. Cousin) gets a "what are you doing" phone call from her uncle. Somehow, she was special enough to get a crazy "Pet Star: The Smart Pig" forward from my dad, sent only to my bro, her, and me.



P.S. I think my dad resurrecting Lazarus twice makes up for the 10 bettas that died in my care...=X

Spring Forward, Fall Back

On Thursday, I had a conversation about Daylight Savings with one kiddo. This kiddo holds a special place in my heart for many, many reasons that I cannot disclose.

Anywho, I told him that something called Daylight Savings happens this weekend and that we basically need to turn our clocks one hour ahead. He smugly said, "Well, we don't." I explained that everyone has to turn their clocks forward one hour. He insisted, "No, we don't. Not in our house. My mom's not going to." I kinda gave up b/c I figured, the small potatoe's little and what difference would it make for him when he's asleep and his mom changes all the clocks and he wakes up at 8AM? It's not like he's an adult that will lament about losing an hour of sleep -- or an hour studying for finals. =P

This morning, BF woke up and called his homie up. I overheard him lamenting about how this Daylight Savings thing is really throwing him off. I wondered, wth is he talking about? When he got off the phone, he directed to me, "Dang, hunny, this Daylight Savings is really [messing] me up!" I said, "hunny, what are you talking about? The time change happens tonight; it didn't happen last night." Dude, hasn't Daylight Savings ending/beginning always taken place between Sat and Sun? LOL

The only explanation I could think of is that he was thrown off b/c I was home yesterday (Friday) so he must've thought yesterday was Saturday and the time change took place last night. That is called, giving him the benefit of the doubt. ;) Thank goodness it takes place before he begins his new job; otherwise, he'd really be in a doozy.

Back to the grind.

Because We Do

So, I probably ask BF at least once a week if we can get another turtle or turtles. He usually responds with:
A. No!
B. Only if we can trade this crazy one in.
C. No, you're crazy! What are we going to do with [absurd # of turtles I am requesting for]?!
D. (All of the above)

But really, the big problem is that Lil F is too spoiled. We tried getting her playmates in the past, but she thought they were food. So, if we were to get another turtle or two, we'd have to get a separate tank. Now, an initial tank set-up can cause quite a dent in one's wallet. For a decent one, it'll run at least $150 for initial set-ups. For a more bougie one, it can run $300+. I haven't calculated monthly costs b/c I typically buy things in bulk (kind of like how I buy our food and necessities from Costco!).

Then there are the expected unexpected expenses. For instance, yesterday, Lil F splooshed so wildly in her "feeding corner," as usual. The unusual thing is that a drop of water hit her second basking bulb and it popped and blew out! Dude, we just replaced that $9 bulb! (But I got it for $6 b/c I purchased it online.)

So, BF did say in a serious tone that we would have to get a separate tank. Of course I said, Yeah! Put it in the bedroom! I don't think he was sold on that idea. He did seriously consider moving her into a bigger tank (hm, wouldn't that mean we could move her current one into the bedroom? Of course we'd have to get rid of our dresser. Who needs clothes anyways!)

So tonight, BF said, "Tell me why you NEED another turtle." At first, I just kept saying, "Because we do!" Because we do.

Per BSILF's request, here are my 5 reasons why BF should rescue another turtle:

1. BF won't be home to keep her company from ~9:30 AM - 7:30 PM. Ever since she came home with him in December '04, he has kept her company for more than half the day.
   
2. I am not home to keep her company for most of the day, too.
3. BF usually keeps her company well into the night (like 3 or 4 AM); he won't do that any more since he will have to go to sleep at a "decent" time.
4. If she had a playmate, perhaps she wouldn't be so "bored" as to devour her basking dock.
5. We just do need another turtle. Preferably a Yellow-Bellied (to which he responded, "our turtle already has a yellow belly" to which I responded, "but I want one with yellow ears."
   

Maybe he struck my 5 reasons down because they could all be summarized under one reason: she will be extremely lonely. I think deep down, he fears that I am too obsessed with turtles...and he certainly does not want to add fuel to the fire!

Clearly, I am just procrastinating studying for dysphagia. Back to the grind...

Red Letter Monday

Today is what BSILF would call a Red Letter Day.

The first bit of good news came last night, when MC1 left me a VM saying she's calling in sick today and that I could have the day off to study for "whatever big ol' exams" I have. They aren't just big, they are ginormous exams. Well, at least the Praxis. So I've tried to study, but as usual, it is a sloooow process.

The bigger good news is that the BF sealed a full-time employment contract! He has been a one-man company for over 2 years now. Since he left his last corporate gig, he has worked hard at establishing himself and his career. In the process, he has also steadily freelanced for two studios with substantial qualifications. Both studios and other clients have offered the BF F/T positions, but BF has continued to hold out. That's why I was quite surprised when he unexpectedly went for two interviews last week.

(Fast forward past interview and counter-offer details...)
Drum roll.....

In two weeks, he will begin working as an Art Director at HHM! I am extremely proud of him and obviously very excited for him. It sounds like a fabulous move for him. He will have total creative control and an assistant to do production work. He will also have the opportunities to dabble in motion graphics and a bunch of other good stuff that I can't wrap my head around. Most of all, I think he is completely hyped b/c the office is 2 miles away!

Our routines will once again be switched up, but that's quite alright. I think the only one that will mind the routine switch-up is Lil F. She is so used to the BF being home all day and night. I am working on the BF to spend his first paycheck on getting our turtle a yellow-bellied playmate. He wants a good reason why and I've given him at least 5, but he has accepted none. This is proving to be more challenging than I thought.

It's not even Thursday

BF hates it when I tell people about his Burger Day, but I think it's adorable. Since the Bagley apartment days, every Thursday has been Burger Day because according to him, Burger Days are the best days (talk about superstitious). On the rare occasion that he does not have a Burger Day, Murphy's Law always kicks in full effect. It's the strangest phenomenon.

Today, I accompanied BF to a brief meeting (I sat at his former co-worker's desk and studied) and then we came to FBM's house. I was gonna go off to Sbux to study but they told me to just set up shop here, while they go out for a little bit. Since we hadn't eaten yet, but they were going to eat at FBM's Wife's BIL's, I had to fend for myself.

For the first time ever, since BF and I have been together, I had a burger all by myself. This is momentous b/c 1) I haven't had a burger by myself since college; 2) he usually pressures me into eating burgers and I still resist; 3) having a burger without him is like an unspoken sin because he worships the burger. He even gets jealous when I have a burger with my friends (which also doesn't happen very often).

Not only that, but I ate it fast (believe it or not)...and I had a side of onion rings. Good grief! And it's not even Thursday.

Stress + hormones make me do uncharacteristic things. It's gonna be wild when I'm pregnant and working.

I'm tempted to categorize this as a Rarity.

Turtle Rescue

On occasion, I read on turtle forums how people rescue turtles. People either find them on the roadside or become foster parents who nurse turtles back to health.

Although I will never have the delightful opportunity of seeing a turtle on the roadside here on the Westside, I did rescue a turtle today!

After my lovely enzymatic facial from Peponi (last one in my b-day gift package -- it was so good while it lasted!), I went next door to the pet store to visit the turtles. Last Friday when I found the area where the turtles were, I snuck a paparazzi shot w/ my camera phone and captured a photo of 12 turtles stacked and basking! Today, I went back and saw 13! It's amazing to see that many basking and stacked on each other. They are like natural yoga masters and gymnists. However, my pseudo-paparazzi personality didn't come to the forefront because I was too preoccupied with one of the turtles.

I noticed that there was a juvenile wedged completely vertical between the large basking rock (that had the 13 turtles) and the side of the aquarium. I was certain it was stuck because I had stared at it for 5 minutes, peeked under and over it (as much as I could see), and a bigger turtle climbed onto the log and totally "palmed" the helpless turtle's face in the process, oblivious to his helpless brethren.

I finally went to tell an employee, I think there is a turtle stuck. He said, "let's see" and grabbed a net and pushed the turtle gently at first. Then he pushed with so much force that the turtle went "tumbling" hard in the water. At last, it was free! I saved a turtle!

True, I did not "rescue" a turtle by the typical definition. I wish I could have. All of them looked really sick by the looks of their shells. :(

I told BF that I rescued a turtle, but not in the real sense -- but I am still proud of saving one. :) When I got home, he said, "well, we did rescue that one." Oh, Lil F, how we love you!