NaBloPoMo- Week 1, Day 1 and 2

Hi Everyone! Long time, no see.

As is tradition with this here blog, I can't maintain it the way I want. I fall off the bandwagon during the summer when my life gets crazy and gravitate back when the weather starts to get cooler (and holy moses, it was cool this morning!).

But, I'm going to try and do NaBloPoMo and I've decided to try and use some of the blog topic suggestions that my friend Dayle created.

So, here's day 1 and day 2 because I completely forgot yesterday was November 1st.

Monday, November 1 Introduction – Tell us about yourself! Why did you decide to start a blog or share your blog with us?

I started LS&LG in May of 2009 after getting fed up with my old blog, Tales of a Twentysomething. The Diabetes OC was the reason I started blogging in 2007. I was thinking about what I was going to write my senior undergraduate thesis on and I decided to focus on media studies and representation. I analyzed several blogs and compared them to other media accounts of diabetes (i.e. Steel Magnolias and news reports). One of the things I learned was that to do proper research, you have to immerse yourself in the subject, so I started a diabetes blog.

But, about me! I'm 26 years old and live in the DC-area. I'm married to my high school sweetheart and we've been together for almost 9 years. My day job is working for a large health care non-profit in their government affairs and advocacy division(though on this blog, you won't find much information about my job- I'm not trying to get dooced or anything). In June, my husband and I bought our first house and have spent the last few month making it our home. I have a Yorkie-Bichon pup named Tucker who I have decided is the greatest, smartest, cutest damn dog in the entire world. I love carmel macchiatos, zumba classes, Mexican food, my family and Disney World. While I've admitted to being knee-deep in a quarter-life crisis, I remind myself everyday that I am truly blessed.

(I didn't mention diabetes, did I?)

Well, it's because in the grand scheme of life, it doesn't make the list of what makes Allison Allison! I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when I was 17 years old. I remember life before d, even though the older I get, the more memories I have that include a little black kit and glucose tabs. I currently rock the Omnipod with pride and use a Dexcom 7 Plus (a gift from my husband and his extra "life insurance" policy- romantic, right???).

Tuesday, November 2 Election Day – What issues are important to you? If you could tell your representatives one thing about diabetes, what would it be?

Issues that are important to me relate alot to funding. Funding for research (like the Special Diabetes Program, which will provide funding for type 1 research if it's reauthorized) and programs. I also totally support legislation like menu labeling. I love restaurants that have been early adopters (Hello Panera in VA!) who post the calories and fat (and will give you carb info if you ask) and allow people to make better choices (for example, should I get the panini that has 400 cals, or the soup and salad for 390 cals- duh, soup and salad!).

And if I could tell my respentatives one thing about diabetes, I would say that when people manage their diabetes really well, it looks easy and likes it's not important. But gosh darn it, it really is difficult. And it takes up some much time and energy. And will probably end my life prematurely. And I hate it. And I wish he/she would help reauthorize SDP. Or else.

And if I said everything like that, I'd likely get escorted out of my representative's office and their staff would think they let some girl out of the loony bin. But, they would probably say I have passion or something.

What bloodwork?

I went to the endocrinologist on April 24th and she wrote me a lab slip to get my bloodwork done at a lab closer to my house.

Have I done that yet?

Nope.

Do you know today's date?

July 27th.

My appointment was over 3 months ago. In fact, I'm supposed to go back to my doctor's in less than a month. I have a ton of excuses why I haven't gone and none of them are really good. (Yeah, moving, living 30 miles away, moving again, buying a house, doing house things, work, gym- all of those are pretty terrible excuses).

Why does this bother me, you ask? Because my morning numbers suck the big one. Like 300 mg/dl suck. I've tried adjusting my basals, but something isn't right.

I also own a Dexcom that I am out of sensors for. Again, bad excuses.

Well, excuses NO MORE. For the next month, I am writing down everything I eat and every blood sugar. And I am bringing it all to my appointment in August.

And by next Friday, I am going to get my lab work done.

And in other news...

So it's been awhile since I've written here and basically alot has happened since then. In fact....
- I bought a house
- I moved out of my apartment and into my in-laws
- I lived there for several weeks
- I moved into my new house
- I painted and decorated and continue to try and make our cookie cutter place look more like "us"

I also got the chance to attend the Children with Diabetes Conference, which was awesome (as always!).

Hopefully, I can get back to blogging and share with you more details about our new house and my life in the 'burbs!

Is it Friday yet?

This poem sums up my mood about work quite nicely. Is it Friday yet?

An Ode to the Job That's a Pain in my Side

My job is unfulfilling and I don't know what to do
Sometimes I think my office is more like a zoo

Hoping to pull myself out of a work-imposed funk
I filled my cubicle with smile-inducing junk

Minutes tick by and soon it is noon
I sit at my desk, and eat soup with a spoon

Dreaming of being on a beach or cruise ship
I would go for a less exotic type of trip

Doing anything but this, anywhere but here
Being a Starbuck's barista or serving drunks beer

My eyes, they glaze over, as I read some reports
And in my head I think of smart-ass retorts

"You think I'm not succeeding? And you want to know why?"
"Because in my car driving here, I break down and cry"

I don't play the game well and I don't pretend I do
But I want to feel like a person, not gum on one's shoe

Maybe I'm not cut out to be an office worker
Maybe I should just become a famous blog lurker?

Or maybe I should leave it all and go back to school-
I would be a theater major and be instantly cool

I would study acting and give 21 year-olds a run for their money
Because I know how to play a secretary, let me tell you, honey!

Or maybe I'd say "Screw it!", take math, and become a nurse
Because I know alot about diabetes & it didn't get me anything, except a big purse

But to have money to do that you have to work
Even if that turns you into a cold, heartless jerk

Being that way gets you to up the corporate ladder
But your employees are disgruntled, do you hear their chatter?

I work hard, try my best, and hope to strive
But, enough for today, thank God it is 5!

Not feeling it

I'm really not feeling the whole blogging thing right now.

And that's okay.

Because I'm out there living life and eventually I'll get around to writing about it, even if it's just for me.

January Wrap Up, even though it's almost March

I'm still trying to figure out where the heck February went. I'm pretty sure it's hiding in the 8 ft snowbank that's outside of my apartment, but I really can't be sure.

So, you know back in January where I decided to write down some of my goals for the month and I gave you updates each week? Well, over the course of the month, I did really well. I drank my water in my awesome Camelback bottle, made a birthday calendar and created an awesome card to send to my family, and visited NYC for the weekend. The whole water thing has stuck and I'm still trying to drink plenty of water each day. Also, I'm off Diet Coke (which for anyone with diabetes will tell you is tough to do). I actually got a DC last week when I went to get lunch and I seriously felt sick after drinking it. I'm not sure if it was the bubbles or not having had any in month, but it didn't sit well and is definitely motivation to stay "soda-free"

I'm happy that I completed these items from my list of 101 things and will start again with trying to knock a few off my list in March.

Happy Valentine's Day!