Back on the Home Front
Dec. 7th, 2006 04:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cleolindaAll right, now that I've cleaned out my linkspam pile, back to shenanigans chez Cleo:
After some discussion with my psychiatrist, we've decided that I've done well enough on 75 mg Lamictal for a month that I'm going to go ahead and go back up to 100 mg. Remember, the last time I did this--except that it was a jump from fifty to a hundred--there was itching and existential despair. This time, I was very, very cautious. Also, we talked about decreasing my Zoloft from 150 to 100 in January, and after I got off the phone I thought better of it--I decided to immediately drop down, so that basically I was exchanging one medication for the other, kind of like Indiana Jones with that golden idol thing. And so far, it's worked: I have noticed absolutely no side effects at all, which is astonishing. I mean, usually there's any kind of medication change, I at least feel a little dizzy or flushed or buzzed for a day or so. This time? Nothing. Outstanding.
Meanwhile, my mother is stroking the hell out over the 556 packages due at the house. Never mind that the UPS guy is here every single day; he's not bringing enough. ("More boxes, mule!" WHP-CHAAA!) I mean, yes, we have two birthdays coming up, plus Christmas, but emailing me every six minutes to see what's arrived isn't going to make them get here any faster, for God's sake.
Most of the stuff coming in has been for my sister, who wanted "a knife and a dog" for Christmas. The latter is actually a point of great controversy, as she wants a husky and my mother most emphatically does not. And since Sister Girl's on the verge of moving out but not quite ("roommate" problems yet to be sorted out), Mom is dead set against getting the dog, because she's convinced it's simply going to be living with us, and since we have two pomeranians already, she'd rather we had something the size of, say, a Norwich terrier, not a puppy that's already bigger than Sam. There have already been several fights on this subject, and what I'm really afraid of is that Sister Girl's just gonna up and get the dog for herself.
As for the knife, it's a ten-inch Global. She's in cooking school, as you'll recall. Maybe this means something to you; all I know is, she chose a Global over a Wüstof (pronunciation: WOOSTOFF. Roll it around for a moment: WOOOOOOOSTOFF), which makes me sad, because "Wüstof" is a fantastic word. ("Oooooh, say it again!" "WOOOOOSTOFF!" "Oooooh!") Actually, we're probably supposed to be saying it "Voostoff," but I kind of don't care. I put the umlaut in--what do you want from me?
Anyway, it arrived yesterday, and she was so excited that she ran past me and opened it, even though it was her big Christmas present (Woostoffs: not cheap), and took it to school to show off. So I was extra-careful to hide the martini glasses she wanted for her twenty-first birthday, which is on the 17th. She also wanted some chocolate from Vosges, particularly the Volcano Island honey truffles, which I got her last year as well. Going to cooking school apparently gives you extremely expensive taste.
Me, I'm waiting for a package I ordered for someone else, and we still have a couple of Amazon things outstanding, I think. Meanwhile, we are at a complete and total loss as to what to get my stepfather for Christmas. He does like books about politics (he's an anti-Bush, anti-O'Reilly Republican) and recent military history, but he needs them in large print; he likes WWII movies, but we've pretty much run out of those; he likes musicals on DVD, particularly stuff like Smokey Joe's Cafe or Phantom of the Opera, but we're running out of those, too. He'd like some live performances on DVD, but again: running out of those. (Anyone know if there's a DVD of Swing?) He's really not very fond of Christmas in general (whereas we backstroke through the ornaments and the decorations and the presents like those Disney executives in their money), and he's just not very into stuff. "I've got everything I need, and there's nothing I want." ARGH. How are we supposed to keep the economy going without the wanton, unnecessary acquisition of goods? I ask you.
Finally, from![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
stardustshine: "I just noticed there is a link at the very bottom of the news story regarding James Kim: http://jamesandkati.com. It includes a link for monetary donations, an e-mail address for thoughts, and a physical address for other donations people would like to make to the family."
After some discussion with my psychiatrist, we've decided that I've done well enough on 75 mg Lamictal for a month that I'm going to go ahead and go back up to 100 mg. Remember, the last time I did this--except that it was a jump from fifty to a hundred--there was itching and existential despair. This time, I was very, very cautious. Also, we talked about decreasing my Zoloft from 150 to 100 in January, and after I got off the phone I thought better of it--I decided to immediately drop down, so that basically I was exchanging one medication for the other, kind of like Indiana Jones with that golden idol thing. And so far, it's worked: I have noticed absolutely no side effects at all, which is astonishing. I mean, usually there's any kind of medication change, I at least feel a little dizzy or flushed or buzzed for a day or so. This time? Nothing. Outstanding.
Meanwhile, my mother is stroking the hell out over the 556 packages due at the house. Never mind that the UPS guy is here every single day; he's not bringing enough. ("More boxes, mule!" WHP-CHAAA!) I mean, yes, we have two birthdays coming up, plus Christmas, but emailing me every six minutes to see what's arrived isn't going to make them get here any faster, for God's sake.
Most of the stuff coming in has been for my sister, who wanted "a knife and a dog" for Christmas. The latter is actually a point of great controversy, as she wants a husky and my mother most emphatically does not. And since Sister Girl's on the verge of moving out but not quite ("roommate" problems yet to be sorted out), Mom is dead set against getting the dog, because she's convinced it's simply going to be living with us, and since we have two pomeranians already, she'd rather we had something the size of, say, a Norwich terrier, not a puppy that's already bigger than Sam. There have already been several fights on this subject, and what I'm really afraid of is that Sister Girl's just gonna up and get the dog for herself.
As for the knife, it's a ten-inch Global. She's in cooking school, as you'll recall. Maybe this means something to you; all I know is, she chose a Global over a Wüstof (pronunciation: WOOSTOFF. Roll it around for a moment: WOOOOOOOSTOFF), which makes me sad, because "Wüstof" is a fantastic word. ("Oooooh, say it again!" "WOOOOOSTOFF!" "Oooooh!") Actually, we're probably supposed to be saying it "Voostoff," but I kind of don't care. I put the umlaut in--what do you want from me?
Anyway, it arrived yesterday, and she was so excited that she ran past me and opened it, even though it was her big Christmas present (Woostoffs: not cheap), and took it to school to show off. So I was extra-careful to hide the martini glasses she wanted for her twenty-first birthday, which is on the 17th. She also wanted some chocolate from Vosges, particularly the Volcano Island honey truffles, which I got her last year as well. Going to cooking school apparently gives you extremely expensive taste.
Me, I'm waiting for a package I ordered for someone else, and we still have a couple of Amazon things outstanding, I think. Meanwhile, we are at a complete and total loss as to what to get my stepfather for Christmas. He does like books about politics (he's an anti-Bush, anti-O'Reilly Republican) and recent military history, but he needs them in large print; he likes WWII movies, but we've pretty much run out of those; he likes musicals on DVD, particularly stuff like Smokey Joe's Cafe or Phantom of the Opera, but we're running out of those, too. He'd like some live performances on DVD, but again: running out of those. (Anyone know if there's a DVD of Swing?) He's really not very fond of Christmas in general (whereas we backstroke through the ornaments and the decorations and the presents like those Disney executives in their money), and he's just not very into stuff. "I've got everything I need, and there's nothing I want." ARGH. How are we supposed to keep the economy going without the wanton, unnecessary acquisition of goods? I ask you.
Finally, from
stardustshine: "I just noticed there is a link at the very bottom of the news story regarding James Kim: http://jamesandkati.com. It includes a link for monetary donations, an e-mail address for thoughts, and a physical address for other donations people would like to make to the family." 
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
I like Wusthofs!
Date: 2006-12-07 10:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-07 10:55 pm (UTC)And more than a little crazy. :x My significant other graduated from the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute in '03, and, well, teh crazy continues. He just got out of the business, thankfully, after many heart-wrenching months of wanting to chuck hot pork at people's heads.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-07 10:56 pm (UTC)Mufasa! Gods, that was one of the few bits out of The Lion King that I actually liked. So delightfully random.
Good luck on the medication front!
no subject
Date: 2006-12-07 10:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-07 10:57 pm (UTC)You'd think any anti-Bush anti-O'Reilly Republican worth his salt would know better. (As proof, may I present my own father? He's in that camp too, and his opinion is that the man with the most toys wins.)
no subject
Date: 2006-12-07 11:08 pm (UTC)I was rooting for them, and am very bummed the father didn't make it. But thankfully mother and children did.
*Searches through funds*....maybe I'll write them a poem...
cheers here's to the sorrow of loss, and the thankfulness of friends
no subject
Date: 2006-12-07 11:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-07 11:14 pm (UTC)WWII movies, heh?
If he doesn't have it already, "The Young Lions" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052415/) is interesting.
And while it's not really a musical, "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0301126/) is flippin' hilarious.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-07 11:15 pm (UTC)When I was last in Barnes & Noble their large print selection had a couple of books on WWII. You may want to check them out for anything. I can honestly say their delivery is awesome and their guarantee impeccable.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-07 11:20 pm (UTC)Globals are all cool and stuff with the young chefs, probably since Tony Bourdain mentioned them favorably in Kitchen Confidential. Watch Top Chef and the knives they show in the opening credits with what look like perforated handles will be Globals.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-07 11:20 pm (UTC)WOOOOOOOSTOFF.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-07 11:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-07 11:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-07 11:27 pm (UTC)... Sorry, had to comment on the icon.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-07 11:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-07 11:35 pm (UTC)I was going to rec. Five Guys Named Moe for a musical, but Amazon has the VHS as $35 "used and new" only.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-07 11:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-07 11:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-07 11:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-07 11:45 pm (UTC)I like your stepdad. :)
And WOOOSTOFF!
no subject
Date: 2006-12-07 11:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-08 12:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-08 12:21 am (UTC)I've wondered why your doctor seems so determined to get you to 100mg Lamictal. I remember you saying you felt pretty good back when you first started on it with a low dose, so you were upped to 100mg. Then you were brought back down when things went badly, and now things are going well again at a low dose, so you're being brought back up. I have no clinical training (I'm *thisclose* to my PhD in Neuropsych, but it's in a Basic Research program) so I'm just confused about why you're not being kept at the low dose if it's working for you. Isn't the lowest dose possible usually preferable?
Sorry, I'm just really curious.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-08 12:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-08 12:24 am (UTC)That is made of 100% pure Grade-A awesome.