As Promised

I woke up strangely aggravated yesterday so I just stayed away from people. Weird for me because I'm usually pretty mellow and difficult to bother but I was like bothered by default all day. Side effect to lack of blood, lack of sleep and bad news maybe? Repressed aggravation from never letting people aggravate me typically? I don't know. I'm feeling a lot better today.

2 bags of M&M's later, I'm feeling a lot better.

I had a neat dream. It had to do with having magical powers, secret agents, great escapes, and basilisks... if I recall. If I went into it I'm afraid this would turn into a small novel rather than a quick blog before I go hunt for food. So, you'll have to just use your imaginations.

So about the stuffs I promised to mention and then delayed!

While in Michigan not only did we get super plastered, find a Kerropi, hang out with bands, and go on a shopping spree. But I also ran into a dude I apparently knew way way back when. He was working as a clerk in one of the shops I went into and when I was checking out with copious amounts of imported candy he says, "You look familiar." At first I'm thinking, cheesy pick-up line, but then I look at him again and I'm like huh...

So rather than shrug it off I ask if he went to such-and-such a high school, which he didn't but then he asks, "Did you hang out on Biddle?"

Holly! Biddle. We spent like 90% of our life there growing up, you and I. So I am a little surprised and confirm. It turns out he was one of the boys who hung out skateboarding behind the club down there and had the hugest crush on me back then. He was the kid who bought me the smiley-face ring in like 7th grade but I wouldn't date him because I was too busy not caring about boys. Haha. I honestly couldn't believe he remembered me let alone what I looked like enough to recognize me 15 years later.

I thought that was pretty awesome. He was bummed I live far away now, but made me promise to come buy more imported candy next month when I'm in Michigan again. Cool conversation and half-off candy? I'm so there.

Conveniently next month when we go my little brother is getting married. Siblings getting married is always odd because I still think of them as we were when we were kids. Thankfully it's not an overly formal event, because as I was telling Holly, I don't think I own a dress. You couldn't catch frogs in them. Actually, I take that back. I believe I have a dress and it's worn for every event that requires girls in dresses. Yes, there are "black tie" events that literally require all women in a dress. No slacks and a blouse but an actual dress or you won't be let in. Same events require men in a jacket and tie, a dress shirt and slacks is insufficient. It's ridiculous.

More art will be done and uploaded soon. Mostly the stuff I mentioned in the previous blog, that I have you guys trying to figure out what goes with who. I also drew a Maelin on a piece of loose leaf paper while away from my sketch pad that I really need to put into the sketchpad before I lose her and forget. Look forward to that.

My internet where I'm staying has been super craptastic lately. I don't know what the deal is. There is construction happening down the street, perhaps it's that. I get disconnected or super laggy at random times throughout the day, which is pretty frustrating if I'm trying to do anything. So if I'm talking to you through whatever medium and randomly disappear, trust me, it's more obnoxious for me than it is for you. The internet is all I have for amusement up here! When it's gone entertainment consists of sketching things I can't upload, watching the hands on my watch go round, and playing with Lego.

Lastly, people have noticed I've been blogging more recently than I usually do. That's because there is little else to do where I'm stuck and my friends are so spread out right now keeping them all up-to-date can be difficult. Writing one blog update is far easier than telling the same story a million times.

Torture Round 3

Back from the doctor again. As you can see by the obscenely long visitation (5 hours) this one was particularly terrible. More stabbings especially. Also, more blood drawn. Rare tests that aren't usually done and will take weeks to see results because they have to be shipped out to such absurd places. Seven vials this time, though they were considerably huge ones, so I suppose it may as well have been more.

The woman who drew my blood this time was 92 years old. I kid you not. I was so worried she was going to gouge me with shaky old woman hands, but she had a surprisingly steady grip. I was pretty amazed, or my amazement could have just been lack of blood. She was amazed by me because I watch my blood draws. Like a hawk. I can't explain why I do this, but I find looking away to be more unnerving than seeing the blood.

It's been concluded that I have a neuropathy, but no one can yet figure out what caused it or how to prevent it from getting any worse. Which can only mean one thing: more torture! Unfortunately given how long this has been going on already it's unlikely the damage can be reversed. The idea will be to just stop it from getting any worse. I see another doctor, outside of current neurologist and my normal family doctor, on August 12th. After that guy's poking and prodding it'll be back to my current neurologist.

Having various sharp objects stabbed through your body isn't bad when you can't feel it, except to determine precisely where and when sensation becomes normal again I have to be stabbed in places I can feel it too.

The extensive tests already done have also managed to conclude that I don't absorb several key vitamins from food. This means I get to go once every couple of weeks to have vitamins injected into my hip with a needle. Oh yay. Torture on top of my torture.

I'll talk about the other stuff I promised yesterday later. I'm going to go drown my pain in cupcakes.

Back

I made it safely back to Ohio.

I have a ton of stuff to yap on about, but I'll save it for tomorrow after my doctor's appointment.

In the meantime:

Kerropi happened!

Drunk Shoes

Pardon vagueness, inebriated Inari is inebriated. Spell check to the fking rescue like a champ.

Riley spilled my rum and coke. Better yet she spilled it into someone's shoes while they were gone. Even better yet is Charlene picked up the ice cubes and added them to the mix. So the shoes were full of ice, rum, coke and a straw. I have pictures. They are MAGNIFICENT.

Off to see the blues band at the pub! Why do I have a flashlight in my pocket?

Arrival

I've arrived safely. I am coming to you once again courtesy of Starbucks, though consumption of alcoholic beverages has not yet commenced.

Michigan, I have learned, is home to the Beef Jerky Outlet. A warehouse shop full of nothing but miles and miles of beef jerky. I wonder if there is an included beef jerky museum? I think I may have to stop on our way back home to sate this hunger for knowledge.

I missed taking a picture of the "Bridge to Canada" sign, looked aside without thinking and said, "I'll just get it one the way back." You know... when I'm headed away from Canada. Genius I tell you. Genius.

P.S. Dark spiced rum is dark and deliciousssss.

lol (Now With Translation)

weres o dersnk its funny. I gots stuck insmy shirt and couldn't gte outs because it was a knot and all of us otgethser took like forever to get out of ist. We hung out with the band and hy made me sing was funny. Now wev'e got to gt up an like 5 hpurs! Sooooooooooooooooooo fail. I apolgsie for the drnkese. Trnsaltion omorrow if I rememmember.

Edit: Oh man, why did I not log out to prevent this sort of thing? Let me try to figure out what I was saying.

"We're so drunk, it's funny. I got stuck in my shirt and couldn't get out because the tie was in a knot. It took all of us to try to get the knot undone before I was finally able to take off said shirt and put on my pajamas.

We ended up hanging out with the vocalist/guitarist for the blues band between sets. He was a really nice guy and the band itself was pretty awesome. When they got back on stage for another set I got attacked with the mic to sing the chorus. I'm not shy! Especially not with a 5th of rum in me +2. Yeah, we finished a whole bottle and then had several more at the bar. It was one of those situations where you are already drunk so drinking more seems like a super fun idea. "

Is what the previous contents were in reference too, but these other fun bits were brought to light!

I got lost going to the restroom (I had already been to once before mind you) and wound up in the men's john curious as to when they had put urinals in the women's. That was a fun adventure.

We ended up staying until the bar closed, despite having to be up early today -- and the bar closed late. Then we hung out with the band outside the bar for a while before finally going back to our room and passing out. In the middle of sleep some random person called asking about our shoes. If you read the previous blog, you'll understand our drunken confusion thinking that someone else in the world had somehow heard about the shoe incident and knew how to contact us in regards. I'm not sure who was more perplexed, us or the guy talking to us about our shoes?

Then we wake up at 8:00am, exhausted. Good exhausted though. No hang over, which is amazing considering the obscene amount of liquor we drank. Complimentary breakfast was tasty. Hashbrowns galore, scrambie eggs, bacon, bacon, bacon, and french toast. Mm...

Check out is in a few minutes, but then we'll be headed out for fun times in the city for a while before leaving. We'll probably head home around 5pm, which would put us home at 8pm give or take a bit. I may make it to monster killing after all!

Gamer reference, sorry.

See You Soon (or Later)

Suppose it depends on location. Those of you in Michigan: soon. Those of you elsewhere: later.

/dap