Just some quick pictures of the week. More to come (and a proper update covering Easter and the past few missing weeks in picture-town) once we return.
Here we go:
[nggallery id=25]
Catch ya later.
lotsa iguana
Aruba.
Each day so far has started early at the fitness center, which, actually, is really nice. And, with my back worse than it ever was hairy – all broken out in a blooming acne-like rash where the hair once was (read here if that makes no sense) – it’s occurred to me that the folks who see me in the gym at six o’clock in the morning and then later shirtless in the pool might think I’m a hardcore juicer. “Oh, there’s that steroid guy,” they’ll say… “I see him every morning in the gym and just look at that back acne.”
Sigh… waxing: for me, not a good idea.
So far the weather here in Aruba has been a bit overcast and cloudy, and we’ve got spotty Florida-like thunderstorms that come and go in a blink every day so far – although only lasting for a half hour at the most. Honestly it hasn’t dampened my spirits at all. Floating around the lazy river with Keaton has been a blast, and when the sun does peek out it feels wonderful on my jacked back. Keaton wore herself out yesterday, and as soon as the early morning rain breaks today I’m sure she’ll be more than ready to do it again.
We took a taxi into town yesterday to stock the kitchen in our room for the week. Spent a small fortune on groceries for our little room, but will still be cheaper than eating each meal out every day. Plus, it’s convenient and kinda fun doing meals in the room – especially with Keaton. The father-in-law and I got a small styrofoam cooler and a case of 10oz Budweiser cans and we save some money before and after happy hour quaffing cheap supermarket beers instead of the poolside marked-up versions of the same.
And, since sitting around writing on the computer isn’t really part of my planned vacation routine, I’m gonna sign off now and holler at you guys later. Hope work is treating you workers well.
See ya.
waxed & ready (& hurty)
Well guys, I’m ready.
Yesterday evening I went to my pre-Aruba “appointment.”
For those who don’t read regularly, a very succinct summary: I’m a totally hairy dude, hair all over my back and shoulders. And while I’m not ridiculously self-conscious about it, I made an appointment to get a waxing, something I’ve never done before, prior to our vacation in Aruba this coming week. Last night was that appointment.
First off, the process took seventy-five minutes start to finish. That’s an hour and fifteen minutes. Of waxing. Of ripping and tearing and pulling, over and over and over again… for more than an hour. By the end of the whole thing I was in a pretty irritable mood, and was, in general, ready to go. My “technician” was a nice Asian lady who was good at making conversation and asked me at every turn if I was “OK.” The “procedure” takes place in cramped coffin of a room, laying down on a towel-draped table while a woman slathers hot sticky stuff on your hair, presses a little napkin thing down on it, and then rips it off a lightning speed.
And, just to cut to the chase – yes, having your back waxed hurts. There is no denying that. However, having heard from folks just how much I should expect it to hurt, and having steeled myself against the immense pain that fear mongering had prepared me for – I have to say it wasn’t as bad as I’d imagined. No I didn’t cry, and only cried out once. I rocked it like Superman, if I’m being honest. But yes, oh yes, it hurt. I found that the worst of it was my shoulders, along my collarbones, and the very nape of my neck. In fact, the one time I had an audible reaction was on my left shoulder, where something must have went wrong because the pain was at least 2x what it had been for everywhere else.
Mmm hmmm there was blood too. Not at first though. My lower back went easy, very little “large” pain and Chong commented how well my skin seemed to be taking it. But, the higher she went on the back the more blood flowed and the more pain I experienced. But, reiterating, overall the pain was bearable – although surely unpleasant and uncomfortable and nothing I’d wish on someone unless they lie down on that table willingly. My main complaints would be the time it took, and the post-pain and problems… such as…
What I find upsetting now, however, is that today’s pain – post-waxing by about twelve hours – is worse than the pain I experienced during the actual waxing. I had hoped that the redness and irritation would subside, but if anything today it looks brighter and worse than last night. In fact, I’d be more self-conscious about going to the beach right now all red-prickled and mottled than I would as my former follicled self. I just hope my skin returns to normal before Sunday.
The pain I have now is more like a bunch of little pinprick needle sensations, as well as just a general sensitivity over my entire skin. Unfortunately I have a little dark red dot where each of my trillion hairs used to be, and my skin is hot to the touch and raised and mottled red in large swaths. I’m not sure if this is a rash/reaction to the wax, or just my skin reacting to the trauma, or a little of both. Either way, I’ve got crossed fingers for it to fade prior to getting poolside come Sunday.
And that’s it. Next time I’ll write it’ll be from the tropics. Take care internet.
Oh… you want pictures?! I’ll post some later today when I have time (that’s my shoulder up there accompanying this post). I’ll try to get the worst of it (how it looks now all red and pokey) and maybe follow up with a hopefully much less irritated “after” pic from Aruba.
muted and distant
Thursday now and Aruba is closer than ever. Let’s do this.
At work we’ve got these wireless headsets we all wear when we attend meetings over the phone. Most of our meetings are like this, “virtual” that is, as the teams we work with are spread all over the country and globe. So, if I’m not listening to music on my headphones I’m likely taking a meeting from my boom-mic earpiece thing. Either way, I have something on my ear nearly all day.
We didn’t use to have these nifty wireless things, used to be tethered to the desk by a line from the headset to the phone. Sometimes I forget how awesome the wireless ones actually are, and take for granted the freedom to wander they grant me. I can get about 50ft out of the thing before the connection back to the home base unit in my cube gets spotty. This works out great for ducking into a close conference room when a conversation becomes from-cube unworthy (happens often, actually). Additionally, it’s just about the distance from my desk to the nearest bathroom.
Now, my philosophy about using the headset in the bathroom has changed 180° over the past year. Previously, I was a staunch no-bathroom guy. I sometimes have this odd thing about taking an item into a bathroom, like just crossing the threshold somehow soils it. But, as I get older this concern continues to fade. Heck, it’s just another room… it’s only that people poop in it and not elsewhere. With maturity, I’ve broken down a lot of those notions… I mean I’m only using those paper butt-protectors like 75% of the time now (based on a very complicated need vs. time vs. concern algorithm that exists in my brain).
Anyway, I now gladly wear my headset into the bathroom (only for quick #1s, as I typically have my #2s planned a little better and the situation can be avoided altogether). It’s nice to not miss a piece of the meeting I’m on, and I’m not nearly as rushed to get back to the desk when nature’s call can simply not be ignored (coffee; I blame the coffee). And yes, the headset does have a mute button on it – so of course I utilize that. And, with that sentence now down I’m ready to type the paragraph that sparked this entire blurb:
Since the bathroom is at the working horizon of the headset’s range, I often get worried that, as the connection strains over distance, somehow the muting will be lost in the air. I often blow softly into the mic, listening for the sound of my own breath in my earpiece, to confirm I really am muted. For some reason, pressed up against the urinal with people bearing down in the stalls around me, I just panic that the distance is going to magically un-mute me and expose my in-meeting bio breaks to the world.
Hasn’t happened yet, but doesn’t stop me from irrationally worrying about it.
Goodnight.
not just for the clouds
Was a gloomy day over nearer the coast, and not just for the clouds.
Paid a visit to the Bay area today, all about getting some business done. It really is a shame about that whole business and pleasure not mixing thing, sure could make working less of a chore at times. But, the sawmill has been good to me, so I’ll continue to give it my time and effort in hopes of some small convalescence. And, while it makes for good writing (or reading, I’m never sure quite how to put that) to talk about work like it’s awful and painful – it’s not really. It’s a good job and I enjoy it almost all the time. But, do me a favor and pretend you didn’t read that the next time I prattle on about the sawmill as if it were Abu Ghraib, OK? Thanks.
I was actually fairly unmotivated today. I sat alone in a crowded café and worked from the laptop with a cup of coffee and my headphones on. I bought these particular headphones because they are the full sized over-ear kind yet they are foldable like an Autobot and can be packed easily into my laptop bag. The only issue I have with them is that they have this fake graffiti all over them, like the flowing spraycan script gangs use in the subway. Tell you what, sitting alone all dressed up manager style with your laptop, a coffee, and these ridiculously childish-looking headphones on makes a guy a bit self conscious. I powered through though, so don’t pity me.
And, if I’m being honest, I wasted a few minutes watching a Youtube video of the resort we’re staying at next week in Aruba. Maybe hoping seeing the place through the lens of a fellow tourist could transport my mind there for a while. It worked fairly well, I have to say. I could almost picture Keaton and I floating lazily down the lazy river, digging and building in the sand, and splashing around in the pool. Like I told my Mom today in an e-mail: If they called and told me I could go tomorrow I’d be on a plane.
I’ve decided I’m going in to get me a wax-job on Thursday. I’ve also convinced Sharaun to come along and take some before and after photos. And, since the wax lady seems really cool, maybe even some action shots to really make the story come alive. Some readers seem to think I’m gonna cry like a little girl, but I have faith in my strength. One way or another, I’m going through with it – so I’ll be as objective as possible when I rank the pain. Should be fun. Or not.
Until sometime later this week, from the precipice of our vacation, goodnight.
sweetening
Mmmm… what a Sunday.
After church I browned a couple chicken sausages for me (and one for Keaton) and had a manly kinda lunch at the table alongside her. I had designs on an afternoon bike ride to take advantage of the good weather, and was planning on a solo job with the iPod. Plans changed, though, when Sharaun called Melissa and she mentioned she was looking to get out on the bike too. We ended up teaming up and plotting a course on exploring one of the local trails neither of us had been on.
In the end we did a fifteen mile loop alongside a creek and turning around at the lake, after stopping for a granola bar and some water. Was a nice leisure ride, paced under 10mph and mostly flat. After getting back I told Sharaun we have to get her a bike so we can do rides like that; was great.
And, with the weather as great as it is, I’m firing up the grill for dinner. Making something tasty over an open flame to continue eating in a way that makes the alpha-male in me happy: fried sausage, fire-cooked meat – you get the idea.
The couple days I spent at Shasta were brilliant. Even though it rained for the first half of Friday, and despite the fact that I didn’t manage to wholly escape the trappings of work while there – it really was a respite. Played some poker, some pool, dominoes, enjoyed the mountains and took a couple quick hikes around to check the place out… tossed some horseshoes and ate a lot of good food. Actually, as the weekend before our coming nine day furlough in Aruba it served as a nice vacation “appetizer.” And man, am I ready to be on the island and away from the recent madness at work. More than you could know.
We didn’t get to do the fishing and boating planned as the coldfront and rain changed plans on the fly – but it didn’t really matter to me at all. Like I said in my short entry Friday – I needed to get away from work (and even though I escaped the venue, the problems tracked me down, bloodhound style, and will being re-plaguing me first thing Monday morning). But, enough negative…
Just five more days of work and we’re off. That, my friends, is enough to sweeten even the sourest week. So, I’ll be heads-down for those few short days and this time next week you should get a nice Monday entry from the sands and surf.
Goodnight.
runt away
Definitely doesn’t look like my cube, huh?
It’s not. I ran.
Had this trip to Shasta planned, but it couldn’t have come after a better day. Plan to hang out with some friends from church – no not awaiting the passing of some comet or anything – but fishing and just getting away. No wives allowed so it’ll be a steady diet of meat and carbs.
I’m ready for the weekend, and that sun peeping over that hill says that, for me, it’s just about to start.
See ya.
