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It goes on and on my friends
2008-08-01 05:07:00
OK, so where did we leave off In the Tale of Busy Mom's respiratory failure? Oh, yes, I was in Cincinnati, home of some delicious Graeter's Ice Cream. I tell you about that (I also still have to tell you about the rest BlogHer, but the statute of limitations in talking about that may have already run out) as soon as I can get my thoughts together, but overall, I was feeling pretty good, save a cough or two (or three, or four, or five...). OK, so you wouldn't have wanted to have been in the next hotel room over from me. Anyway, I came home Tuesday night and went to work as usual on Wednesday (yesterday) morning. I'm still a little wheezy in the mornings, but not too bad, so I felt fine to go to work. Actually, I've never really felt "ill" with any of this. I walked into my office, and started coughing, and pretty much never stopped. I went outside for a bit and felt OK, went back in and it started over. I called my doctor, and since Jesus Himself has to wait 6 weeks ...
More About: Friends , Sick

Still kickin'
2008-07-29 15:20:00
My wheezy self is still alive. I'm on the mend (mostly, I think). The party was a success, I did end up being able to go downstairs without dying, but I think you've probably figured that out by now. I'm out of town briefly and I'll Cincinnati is outside my window. More later on that. Other than that, I try to act like a normal human despite enough steroids in me to put Major League Baseball to shame.
More About: Sick

What now?
2008-07-27 03:44:00
Today's episode of "W.T.F?" finds your heroine, Busy Mom, unable to go downstairs in her own home without having an asthma attack. And her teenage daughter is in the middle of hosting a party. With boys. Let us go back in time: Busy Mom woke up this morning feeling none better, and set out to Doc In Ye Olde Box (no, smartass, not the "box doc") where, after a 3 hour wait, the nice doctor says, "Sick! You are..." She gave Busy Mom a breathing treatment, 2 shots, 3 medicines, a chest x-ray (clear) and the proclamation that, "asthma that just pops up like that in an adult can be serious, get thee to the pulmonologist at once." Busy Mom reminded her that Busy Mom was actually sick last week with likely bronchitis and the first dose of antibiotics probably just pissed off said bug and that Busy Mom probably didn't have a pulmonary embolus, or cardiac asthma (the heart thing, what is with the heart thing? Am I really "that" age?). Doc in the Box sort of agreed, but admonished ...
More About: Parenting

My Friday night. Yours?
2008-07-26 05:51:00
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More About: Night , Friday

Cause I can hear me breathe, it's time for me to leave
2008-07-25 01:17:00
Seems I didn't cough much after last night's post because, well, in order to cough you have to be able to move air in your lungs and all and the BlogHerbola virus doesn't let you do that. I went to bed around 11:45 or so and woke up 20 minutes later feeling mighty, mighty funny. And not in a blog with a lampshade on your head funny, either. My right lung felt very, very tight and I was making funny noises when I breathed. I have an inhaler, and it helped somewhat, but not for very long. I got out my stethoscope (I used to be a real nurse, I haven't always pushed papers, ya know) and decided, "Well, that ain't right." I tried to sleep some more, but no dice. Every time I did fall asleep, I'd wake up 15 minutes later gasping for air. I took a shower around 4am and drank some hot tea. At least I was clean and hydrated while I was dying short of breath. Thinking I might have pneumonia or fulminating pulmonary edema or something, I decided to go see the doctor around ...
More About: Time , Hear , Leave , Sick , Breathe

Vapo Feet
2008-07-24 07:25:00
As my Twitter peeps are painfully aware, I have a nasty cold and the coughing is out of control. It even caused me to lose my dinner, actually. You're welcome. I have ransacked the cabinets, and have taken pretty much one of everything I can find, including some 5 year old cough medicine with codeine. No idea why it was still in there, but I thought it was worth a shot. No dice. Time passed and things actually got worse. My coughing is now starting to make my brain rattle inside my head. In a fit of desperation, I just broke out the Vick's Vaporub and put it on my feet. I have coughed twice. ADDED: Sorry, had to close comments. Spam Dammers
More About: Parenting , Feet

Lands' End free shipping code
2008-07-23 06:28:00
The good folks at Lands' End have sent me a free shipping code for you, dear readers. They've got lots of cool stuff for back to school, and summer stuff is on sale. I don't get anything if you use it, but you are more than welcome to buy a gift for me if the spirit moves you. Anyway, here ya go: FREE SHIPPING CODE: Good from July 24-30 Code : BACKPACK PIN: 2784 ADDED: Sorry, had to close comments. Spam Dammers.
More About: Shopping , Free , Shipping

BlogHer 2008 - The San Francisco Edition
2008-07-21 21:47:00
I have opened and closed Movable Type several times, not being able to quite organize my thoughts about the weekend at BlogHer. Additionally, I thought about not even writing this because you can find any number of BlogHer 2008 recaps most anywhere, and I know from experience that it gets old to read about it when you weren't there. I thought long and hard, and then I thought some more. Then I remembered some words of wisdom I once heard: "Eh, screw it. I'm doing it anyway." Of course, those words were what landed that particular philosopher in the Trauma Unit at work, but that's neither here nor there. Last Thursday, Lindsay and I took our in-marginal-health selves to the airport, because nothing says, "Hey, new friends!" like hurling and wheezing all over them. We chatted the four hours to San Diego away keeping one eye warily out the window (it was her eye, because like I'm really going to put one of my eyes out the window at 10,000 feet?) for Arizona because the p...
More About: San Francisco , Edition , Francisco

Busy Extortionist
2008-07-11 18:17:00
Overheard upstairs at home last night: Busy Boy (age 11, until tomorrow) to Busy D. (age 6): "NO! I will not give you money to leave me alone!!"
More About: Parenting

BlogHer Bingo
2008-07-10 21:40:00
It's that time of year. Many blogs are abuzz with one thing - BlogHer. Some may find it interesting, others may not, That's not the point here. With more and more blogs talking about BlogHer, I've noticed a trend. There are common themes, words, phrases and ideas and I thought, "Hey, why don't we involve everyone?" Let's play BlogHer Bingo !* Print your Official BlogHer Bingo Card and cover a square each time you read the word or phrase in that square. When you get a whole row covered, stand up and yell, "BLOGHER!" Or not. It's up to you. * (disclaimer - I'm going to BlogHer and I'm really looking forward to it. I went last year and I liked it. I respect that people have lots of different feelings about it, this is a joke. Batteries not included. Professional driver, closed course. Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.)

Ending an e-mail
2008-07-09 05:09:00
I had to send an e-mail last week, and I stewed for the longest time about how to close it. It was a personal e-mail that needed more than a "See ya" or a, "Thanks" and a little less than "Love" but, not having a closing wasn't right either as I needed to convey the right balance of intimacy and casualness. Took me forever to decide. What do you use to close e-mails? I think "Best" or "Best Regards" is pompous, "Love" gives the wrong idea in certain situations, "Yours truly" sounds like a romance novel. "Yours 'til Niagra Falls?" "Smell Ya Later" works, but you know, not always. Am I the only person who over-thinks this stuff?
More About: Mail , Parenting , E-Mail , Ending

My weenie has a first name, it's B-U-S-Y-M-O-M
2008-07-08 00:24:00
July 7th, really? Seems that the globe-hopping lifestyle I lead cuts down on time to write at this here collection of pixels. Returned home from back to back trips, first to the beach and then to St. Louis for the Fourth of July. Oh, and I had a lovely dinner with the Linsdsay and my new friend, Tori in between trips. We made plans to paint San Francisco chartreuse during BlogHer next week. Next week? Um, yeah. Pack. Buy something to pack... Anyway, our annual visit to (sometimes reader) Fourladsnme's St.Louis home was a blast, as always. We went to a parade and party-hopped on Friday, eating more than our share of, well, everything. Saturday brought hurling (the game, not a consequence of Friday, silly) and a trip to Six Flags. More flags. More fun. More slaps to that guy in the commercial. The kids rode themselves silly on Batman, Mr. Freeze and the Ninja. The adults partook in a few rides, and I was very grateful that there were younger, less puke prone adults (...
More About: Vacation

Not a digital camera abuser, really.
2008-07-01 16:55:00
Knock on whatever, but our appliances have resisted their annual summer failures. There's every possibility that it's due to the fact we've had to replace darn nearly everything, but we'll take what we can get. However, the latest twist on busted stuff is that we've killed 3 digital cameras since last week. Seriously. No real explanation for any of them other than digital camera rapture. It was just their time to go, I suppose. I gots to have a point and shoot-ish digital camera before BlogHer. I have my lovely Canon Digital Rebel, but I'm not sure I want to carry that with me every day and I always keep a camera in my purse. I've taken to entering online contests to win a camera, but what is up with all of them being open to UK residents only? I don't live in the UK, but I take lots of pictures. Where for art the "Win a camera!" contests in the US? We didn't mean to kill them, honest. Great, now the digital SLR camera police are probably going to invest...
More About: Photography , Digital Camera , Camera

Scene from a long car ride
2008-06-30 21:21:00
Busy Boy: (Insert some injustice of life here, I don't remember what the problem was.) Busy D.: "Busy Boy, stop whining. You sound like me."
More About: Parenting , Ride , Scene , Long

Home again, home again
2008-06-30 02:27:00
Home from the beach. Yay. Despite a few missteps, a good time was had by all. One of the secrets of grown ups is that a vacation really isn't one when you're the parent, and double that when you're the Sandwich Generation poster child. The fun doesn't end, though, as the house is crawling with non-native children. Summer is exhausting for those of us who aren't teachers or students. Back to work tomorrow, as they are funny about wanting me to you know, be there.
More About: Home , Vacation

Vacation?
2008-06-21 22:28:00
Vacation. Our family, my dad AND my MIL. Started out with a flat tire on the Interstate. Beach house sort of not as expected. Send help alcohol.
More About: Parenting , Vacation

Need your help
2008-06-20 18:26:00
Hey, I need your help. I have to write a description of what my blog is about, and it dawned on me that I have no idea. How would you describe it? A little something for your trouble: Tiny Prints Discount Coupon Code: BUSYMOMREADER gets you 10% off your order Wedding Paper Divas Discount Coupon Code: BUSYMOM gets you 10% off your order
More About: Parenting

Can we get a napkin, please?
2008-06-19 13:29:00
I love Improv Everywhere. That's what I want to be when I grow up.
More About: Videos

What's the vector, Victor?
2008-06-18 12:32:00
I love flying, even though I don't get to do it too often. But, really, do you ever wonder why we put up with the stuff we do in the name of air travel? Herded about like cattle, walking around barefoot with our shoes clutched in our hands, looking for a place to get dressed again, the huddled masses crowding each gate waiting to be told that they're not really leaving at 7:13 after all? I did my part to ensure national see-cure-it-ee by dutifully placing my liquids in a quart sized Zip-loc bag. But, do you ever wonder if we are going to look back at this practice and laugh loud and long one day that we thought this would prevent whatever it's supposed to prevent? Then there's the whole baggage issue. Airlines charging for the first checked bag, geez. I was worried that it would cause even more idiots to try to bring all their luggage onto the plane with them, but I was glad to see that the carry-on limit was enforced pretty strictly at American. I also have to wonder a...
More About: Travel , Vector , Victor

Wrapped up like a deuce
2008-06-17 00:15:00
Hidee ho from Chicagoland. No, no, I'm not calling you a "ho". However? You over there? If the shoe fits... Apologies to any Heidi out there who's offended by the making of this post. I'm sure you are a very nice girl, it's just a saying. Anyway... I'm here in Naperville and I'll tell you more about why later, but, for the moment let it suffice to say that I just enjoyed a delicious dinner at Rosebud with my new friends Wisconsin Mommy and The Bachelor Guy and Patrick. Ooh, weird, I'm having a deja vu here. No, not Deja Vu the strip club, the deja vu that means I feel like I've done this before. Actually, it may just be the Chocolate Diabetes Bomb cake we had for dessert getting to me. We laughed, we spoke of Chuck E. Cheese, NASCAR, Dennis Rodman and song lyrics. (Confidential to Patrick's bosses: we talked business stuff, too.) Now I can't think of anything to write because The Bachelor Guy's room is right next to mine and I'm distracted by wonder...
More About: Blogging , Wrapped

And Leon is getting laaaaarrrrrger
2008-06-14 11:24:00
I was watching The Weather Channel (MTV for old people. Yes, I'll be eating dinner at 4pm before you know it.) and a young, very animated anchor was gesturing wildly about the possibility of a hurricane somewhere in the Atlantic. She was sitting at the anchor desk and the background behind her was open, showing the hustle and bustle of the busy news room. She was getting ready to go to break and excitedly said, "What are the possibilities?! Will there be a hurricane?!" At that moment, a guy was walking across the background behind her, looked at the camera with an exaggerated skeptical look, shook his head "no" and walked on, a la Johnny the Office Boy.
More About: Television , Leon

Tim Russert's death
2008-06-13 22:51:00
I am all kinds of broken up watching the coverage of (American journalist) Tim Russert's death, I'm not even sure why. One reason, is that I simply cannot imagine what it's like for these NBC people to have to immediately begin national television coverage of your friend's death right after it happened in front of you. From what I read, NBC let themselves get scooped by other networks in order to make sure that his family was contacted first. Tom Brokaw is killing me. I just can't stop watching it, though. I'm not a very political person, but if there was something I needed to know, I could understand what Tim Russert was talking about. But, man the things I've learned about him today. While people generally don't speak ill of the dead, today you can just feel that everyone who had come forward from all over the world really means what they say about him. I know a little about him because he spoke at an organization I'm involved with (I didn't get to see hi...
More About: News , Death

In which summer sneaks up on me
2008-06-10 22:34:00
Note to self: you're going to BlogHer next month. As in, in just a few weeks. It seems you've forgotten to either lose 100 lbs. or grow 2 feet taller. It wouldn't kill you to get a pedicure and do something about your hair, either. We won't even discuss the flip flops, but it'd be OK if you got some real summer shoes. And, by the way...about that money that you so blithely said, "Meh, I'll think of something..."
More About: Parenting , Summer

Spam of the Day
2008-06-09 19:31:00
Today's spam winner: "Update your penis". Yes, there is help out there for those with Penis 1.0. Not sure if you can move up from Penis Beta, though, without paying a fee.
More About: Spam

Lost weekend
2008-06-09 08:27:00
I'd love to tell you what I did over the weekend, but I can't really explain it, myself. I have no idea where the time went. On Saturday, I went to a luncheon with my dad and had my life flash before me, and later in the day, I came down with the Club Penguin Sleeping Sickness. I sat down on the guest room floor to (yet again) watch Busy play Club Penguin, and the next thing I knew Busy Dad was waking me up from said floor. I dragged my ass upstairs and slept 4 more hours. I NEVER nap during the day, it just makes me feel gross. I have no idea what that was about. Sunday was spent serving the pissy minions in the manner to which they've become accustomed, but I may have had a part in that. The day was all fun and games until Busy Boy thought it was a good idea to pour canned cat food over Busy Girl's head. Then the real games began. Otherwise, I can't explain what happened the past 48 hours or so. Man, the definition of a "lost" weekend sure has changed with...
More About: Lost , Parenting , Weekend

He's fun when the car breaks down, too!
2008-06-03 17:49:00
Last night, I was minding my own business in Sears, looking for a lawn mower blade. Because, God forbid, all the parts on the damn mower should work at the same time. As I was bemoaning the fact that the Super Duper Diamond Encrusted Extra Special Lawn Tractor Blades were the only kind they had in the size I needed, I looked up and noticed an acquaintance I hadn't seen in years, and we began to chat. He's nice enough, but he's also one of those over-eager social types. You know the ones, they seem (warning: adverb and punctuation abuse ahead) overly sincerely. interested. in. everything. you. have. to. say. yet, at the same time, you're pretty sure they don't hear anything you're saying. Now, I'm not knocking people who take the time to listen, and he's a really nice guy, but my suspicions were confirmed: Guy: "Blah, blah, blah, blah...Hey, what's Busy Dad up to?" Me: "Not much, I think he's at home throwing things, actually." (see lawnmower blade above) Guy: "H...
More About: Parenting , Breaks

Driving Miss Busy Girl
2008-06-02 18:23:00
I took Busy Girl to practice driving yesterday. Yes, yes, I know she's only 13, I was there when she was born. I may have gotten on my driving soapbox here before, I don't remember, so excuse me if I'm repeating myself. I firmly believe that a new driver should have as many hours behind the wheel as possible, and those hours need to start long before a permit is issued. My mother didn't drive, so I got a hardship license when I was 15 years old, but my dad taught me to drive long before that. I remember him taking me to the mall parking lot, back roads in the country, and eventually around town when I was about Busy Girl's age. Relax, back then there were still dinosaurs to dodge on the street, so I couldn't go very fast or anything. However, by the time I was issued a license I was a very, very good driver with a lot of experience. But, the one thing that sealed my belief in teaching kids to drive was an experience I had as a young teen. I was born in September...
More About: Parenting , Driving , Miss

Filed under: Poetic Justice
2008-05-31 23:39:00
So, guess who it turns out: a. has a kid in the same grade as Busy D. at our school (there are 3 classes of each grade, I had no idea they were there) b. lives right around the corner from us. (see also: bites, karma)
More About: Justice

Nice Marmot
2008-05-31 20:35:00
This morning: How much wood could a woodchuck chuck...
More About: Parenting , Nice , Marmot

Spam of the Day
2008-05-28 17:49:00
Spam subject line: "what a stupid face you have, busymom" My privacy has been invaded by the Internets. This blogging thing really is putting me at risk. What if someone photographed me? What if they know where I live? Oh, noes!
More About: Spam