Amore di Pasta!

I stumbled upon this great pasta chart & figured I would slap it up here. (click on the picture to make it large enough to read)  


What kind of pasta is on your plate? by Charming Italy
Mangia!

Its been awhile...

I've neglected my blog again.  Been in a funk for a few weeks and just not motivated to do much at all.  I have been thinking about a lot of things and evaluating my situation.  I'm definitely NOT happy the way things are right now.  I just haven't figured out exactly how to change it.  However, the good news is that by starting my job recently, I'm heading in the right direction.  The pay is barely above minimum wage and its only about 30 hours per week-but its something.  Never did I think I would be living in the situation that I am at 42 years of age.  Things happen, the economy sucks and the jobs just aren't there.  It DOES seem to be slowly improving, though.  

I complain about my living situation but it could be MUCH worse.  I want to make that clear.  I occasionally stop and think about how grateful I am for what I DO have.  It has taught me that material things isn't everything.  Emotionally I'm a train wreck.  I'm miserable in my personal relationship...and I use that term VERY loosely.  We do nothing that the average couple does.  The only thing that we do together on a regular basis is going to the grocery store!  (I am NOT exaggerating this in the least bit)  I have voiced my concerns over and over to the point where I'm tired of trying.  Nothing changes and it never will.  He has proven that time and time again.  The communication is even horrible.  It usually ends up back on me somehow and how I'm insensitive, negative, etc.  Well, certain life events and people have made me this way.  I'm not like this with everyone or every situation.  Only with people who refuse to communicate and compromise.  And I can't say this enough, its NEVER a good idea to live with other family members.  Especially a very nosey, nibby, stubborn and ignorant person.  

So what's my plan?  Well, for now to keep working.  I'm enrolling and starting back to school in the Fall and I'm signing up for income based housing.  The apartments are in the town where my youngest lives with my dad.  I'm tired of being without my kids...even though they're almost all but grown.  I refuse to make my son change schools.  He just finished his first year of high school.  Its a small town and he has oodles of friends.  I'm not really a "small town" person but I can tolerate it for a few years.  

Hopefully I will get financial aid for school in the Fall.  God knows I can't afford it otherwise.  There shouldn't be a problem at least getting a Pell Government Grant.  The last time I attended in Columbus, my GPA was decent and I was on the Dean's List a couple of quarters.  I might be able to find some small scholarships that I qualify for.   Speaking of quarters, the state of Ohio has made it mandatory that all universities go to semesters.  I'm not sure how I'll like that.  I get bored easily.


I'm also going to call around and see about getting back into therapy.  I have to talk to somebody...and it sure as hell isn't going to be anyone here!

Monday Movie Challenge

Week 17 - A Movie that disappointed you the most.

This is actually one of my favorite movies.  Well, maybe not what I would consider a "favorite" but probably in my top 50 movies.  Dying Young with Julia Roberts.  Its actually a very lovely story and very much the tear-jerker.  Its the ending that sucks...very disappointing.  With that being said, I would still recommend the movie.  ;)

 

Song Challenge Saturday!

Week 24: A song that gives you a feeling of wanderlust. 

This would have to be Stayin' Alive by The Bee Gees.  It automatically makes me want to take off for New York City!!

Song Challenge Saturday

Week 23: One of the sexiest songs you can think of.

I think that I'm biased on this one since I think the singer is sexy ;)  This song never really went mainstream because of the cursing in it.  I think the music is awesome, though.  Its when Cornell collaborated with Timbaland.  Which many Cornell fans HATED!  I loved it.  I enjoy almost all genres of music.

I'm Too Young for This Shyte!

Or am I?  Apparently not.  What am I talking about?  The dreaded "M" word...MENOPAUSE!  Not PERI-menopausal, I'm in full blow menopause and apparently have been for a few years now.  I have been going through it for the last 3 or so years meaning it started in my late 30s.  Good thing I had my kids at a young age since the baby factory decided to shut down early.  

Well at least one good thing about this, it explains a lot of the symptoms that I've had over the years.  My gyn is calling in an HRT prescription for me.  Not exactly sure which one it is yet.  God knows there's a plethora of them out there.  As I've done research about HRT (hormone replacement therapy)-I've always struggled with the pros and cons.  A few years ago it was highly suggested that I never take HRT "when the time comes."  This is because of my strong family history of breast cancer.  (My mom died of breast ca at the age of 47-just five years older than myself)  However, more current research shows that estrogen doesn't so much cause breast cancer but accelerates it once diagnosed.  Who knows what the real story is.  I've decided to go on HRT for now.  The symptoms that I am having are maddening.  I'll take the risk, for now.  I don't plan on being on this indefinitely.

Hopefully my doc orders something with estrogen and progesterone.  Apparently taking estrogen without progesterone puts you at high risk for uterine cancer.  This is obviously only if you haven't had a hysterectomy.  I still have all of my girly parts.

 I had noticed some physical and mental changes in myself over the years.  I guess they just came on so slightly that I didn't make the connection.  Now that its more pronounced, I knew something was up.  I'm almost always hot!  I haven't really gotten the "hot flashes"-its just that I get overheated easily and then its hard to cool down.  My skin looks like shit, I'll tell you that!  Dry and just blah!  That's from a huge loss of collagen.  Hopefully the HRT will improve that.  And my hair!!  Oh my poor, poor hair!  It has literally been falling out in clumps.  Hopefully the HRT remedies that also.  I'm still going to get most of it cut off.  Nothing looks worse than someone with long, stringy, thin, lifeless, dull, dry, brittle hair.  My daughter, the cosmo, doesn't want to cut it.  She says she loves my long hair.  Ugh!  It looks like shit!

I have a lot of the other symptoms of menopause.  Absence of a period being the most obvious.  Now that is a plus! No more annoying time of the month, cramps, bitchiness...well, I'm still bitchy but again, hopefully the HRT helps. 

I really don't have anyone to chit-chat about menopause with.  Most of my friends are around my age but they still have their cycles.  Obviously my mom and grandma are gone.  I could mention it to my step-mom but she and I aren't exactly chummy.  I do have a friend who is scheduled for a hysterectomy next week.  This will throw her into menopause but I don't know if we'll have the same symptoms since hers in surgically induced.  

So, I supposed I'll troll the Internet and find a menopause group.  Oh joy.  Eh, its not that big of a deal and I'll get over it. A lot of women totally freak out about menopause and insist that their sex life is over, etc.  I just don't give a rat's ass about my sex life...or lack thereof.  But, I guess that's part of menopause.  The libido tanks.

Regardless, its not the end of the world and I'll get through it.  On to a new phase of life... 

Such a procrastinator!

I neglected my Saturday and Monday blog entries.  Kinda been in a pissy mood here lately and when I get like that, not much gets accomplished.  I need a routine, though.  I've always been spontaneous but am the type of person that needs at least a little bit of structure.  I hate it but I do need it.

So, rather than go and backdate the challenges-I'll just post them this coming week.  Just skipping a week, no biggie.  

Just signed up to start back to school for the Summer term.  Gotta say "term" or semester now.  The state of Ohio has made it mandatory that all universities go to the semester system.  I've always been used to quarters so this should be interesting to see how I adjust.  Of course I haven't been in school for so many years-adjustment is such a relative term.  

Also, I recently found out that as of 2013, RNs in the state of Ohio who want to become a Nurse Practitioner will need a PhD!  Didn't see that one coming at all.  RNs with an MSN and currently licensed as a practitioner are grandfathered into his/her job.  I was seriously toying with the idea of obtaining my MSN for the purpose of becoming a practitioner.  Not now.  I'm not investing time and money (both of which I do not have) into a 10-year PhD.  Think I will stick with the original plan and become a traveling nurse.  Hella good money, get to see the various states and work in Florida when its too damn cold up here!