Muscle Relaxers - Loopy!

Finally got into a doctor today - had 20 minutes to make appointment - so I hopped a cab and made it with seconds to spare. As always the case, you race there - but then are immediately sidelined with massive paperwork so you don't actually get in to see anyone for 45 minutes. Doctor asked all the appropriate questions, but she looked my age - which kind of freaked me out. [You know you're getting old when a) your doctors become younger than you, or b) professional athletes are way younger than you]. Anyway, Dr. Young Thang gave me a muscle relaxer prescription and referred me to an Otho. surgeon. The first available appointment for him was March 18th - ouch! I really hope my back corrects itself between now and then or I'll be in a world of hurt - and don't want to have to do an ER visit. Got my prescription filled, and headed home to let it ride. Popped it and passed out, and woke up feeling a bit better.
Got a fun call from my friend Jeff in DC tonight - which was nice. Can't believe I used to see him about once a week for more than 2 years - and now, just play catch-up over phone every 6 months or so. We took a trip down memory lane, recounting tons of nutty nights in the nation's capital. One of the funniest was when we solved nearly all the world's problems through debate and compromise over 8 margaritas each. He still says, "I can't believe we didn't write any of that down." Anyway, he's been working a ton, but hope he gets up for a visit soon, as there are always world problems to solve.
Shout out to Nicola & Jonathan for their newest arrival - a little boy born this morn. Hope they got my diaper genie.

Movie Buff

I did a lot of bed-rest today - putting a serious dent in Maureen Dowd's latest book and watching mind-numbing daytime television. I sure hope I start to feel better soon - as I don't know what's worse: looking like an elderly woman walking or not being able to accomplish anything because I'm not up to it. I had so much stuff I was supposed to do today - and feel a bit depressed since I couldn't even attempt a lot of it. I did break from the apartment tonight briefly - caught "Breach" at the movies down the block. Movie was alright - but I was constantly distracted because all the Catholic church scenes took place in an Episcopal church in DC - and I kept fidgeting to find a comfortable seating position. The movie trip did remind me though that "Blades of Glory" is getting ready to hit theaters soon - and I'm totally feeling that action.

Back Blues

Back still really hurts - but I've nursed it all day, so I'm still monitoring. Thanks to Alex for sending me NYC disc doctors - I have an appt. on Thursday. Ipod officially gone. Gym called and can't find it. Great.

My Skates, My Laces! - Seriously.

Think I'm in trouble. For any of you that don't know - a back injury can be quite serious. I re-injured my back recently - and this morning, I was unable to tie my left shoe without a massive shooting pain. Many of you might have had other injuries in your life - be it leg, knee, wrist, whatever... but you have never known the sheer pain of a back injury - an injury that effects every ounce of you - back, legs, hips, arms, shoulders, neck - everything really. I know this because I essentially broke my back when I was 14-yrs-old - and it left me temporarily paralyzed before an emergency room surgery to correct. So if you've ever heard pops or bangs in any part of your body, you have NEVER known waking up to the nonfeeling of your legs or feet or toes. I have lived it... and it humbles you to the core of your being.
Today, felt that sharp shooting pain down my left leg and knew I was in trouble. It became more agitated through the day - and my personal trainer Sonja noticed the wacky configuration of my back - saying it "definitely was not right." She thought my surrounding muscles were trying to compensate for the sciatic nerve problem - which was clearly the case in my mind. She massaged me out best she could - but still, the pain lingers. I am debating an MRI on Thursday - only because I had such a massive back surgery at such a young age and have never felt similar pain until now.
The other problem with my Sonja visit today was the fact that someone stole my ipod. Yep, the nano my baby brother had bought for me for my 30th birthday. Sonja had put it at the front desk at the gym - but as I was leaving - it was gone. I even called back later, and it still hadn't turned up. I had initially left the gym okay - confident that it would turn up. But it didn't an and after my follow-up call - I cried. It was a sentimental gift... with "My Skates, My Laces!" etched on the back. I was broken.
So here I am - with a "problem back" and a stolen ipod and a sentimental sadness. Sucks in the city.

Conversation with KFed

I just had a dream that I was getting the skinny on Britney and KFed's relationship from KFed himself. In this dream at a NYC bar, he told me when they met - they were on ecstacy all the time and couldn't shake it. He also told me that her umbrella-wielding episode was because she came over to his house for drugs but he wouldn't let her in because the kids would be too upset seeing their mother bald. Then I woke up and considered calling Star Magazine with this new bit of info. *On a related note - friends and I were discussing the fact that no one's seen Jayden James yet - he's still got a blanket over him most pictures. Could that mean that he's got a disability? Think about it - Britney and KFed split right after he was born. We all know that disabilities put tremendous strain on relationships. Also - I haven't seen ANY pictures of him - and he's getting to be photo-ready by celebrity standards. Just think about it...

Friday Night Lights

After visiting with Brandy around 5:30pm, I don't have any plans until 10pm - so I just kind of dip into Hell's Kitchen stores - browsing a bit and wondering why candles are so expensive these days. If anyone can enlighten me on the latter, I'd appreciate the insight.

I'm pulled away from the scented candle section of a home decor store by a text message from Heather: "At after-work drinks - go midtown east. Interested?"

I reply in favor and start to head east. Now, it's rush hour and I'm in the midtown - feeling the effects of workers escaping their weekday offices and tourists taking pictures and blocking traffic. It's like I've just been let out of a stadium, and I'm not making much progress on foot. So I hail and jump into a rickshaw. Yep, I became one of "those people."

The rickshaw ride is harrowing. My driver is ignoring every road rule and we're almost hit by a delivery truck. I hop out and throw him money - carrying on the last block myself.

Scene-setter: I'm in a tracksuit - straight from the gym. I walk in here:



So I get past the "I'm-Way-Too-Underdressed" feeling by quickly downing 2 vodka/tonics after finding Heather and her workmates. And let me tell you, her colleagues are crazy. First of all, EVERYONE had their blackberries plunked down on the table, which led to the inevitable "I-need-to-check-this-device-every-five-minutes" involuntary reflex.

One of Heather's bosses - Charles - has some serious ADD going on. This led to conversations taking on a certain "ping pong quality" which led to countless moments of confusion over topic, tone, and intention. When he got backed into a corner - forced to answer *2* questions on the same subject matter - he would start throwing things at people - like lime slices or salt or whatever was in front of him. Pretty soon, other people were throwing food at one another. Mind you, we are in fancy steakhouse and we are all adults.

The other boss - Peter - seemed easily offended by any comment made by anybody. I half-expected him to quote Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver: "You talkin' to me?" or go to blows with someone. He also had a "I'm-into-high-fashion-so-I'm-better-than-you" girl on his arm. I called out her snobbery when she told me she was from Virginia - and she didn't really like me for the rest of the night. Oh yeah, and she didn't even know who ABBA was. Lame.

Heather was inebriated after 2 martinis, and in a hug-fest outside the ladies room - she started crying. I didn't know how to respond, so I chalked it up to PMS and urged her to "pull it together." She also showed me how to walk a fashion runway and ran out of the place with a skullcap on.

Everyone discusses going to the next bar, but I'm still in a tracksuit and feel like funk. I decide to go home - and after an intoxicated shower where I struggle for balance, I'm dressed and back out the door in 45 minutes.

I meet up again with Heather's workmates at Back Fence in Village - and it's a dive. Peanut shells everywhere, 2 lame dudes horribly singing late 80s songs, and we have moved on to shots. Charles and I argued over greatest Hair Bands of all time, he kept requesting Poison, I painted Heather's eyelids with eyeliner, and yelled at some random guy for being mean to a girl in our group. We were a sad table.

I broke away from pack to hop in a cab to SoHo - to hit Anna's birthday party at M1-5. I was wasted, there were too many people, and I only stayed for an hour before back-track return to my new drinking buddy crew that is Heathers' coworkers.

We all picked up where we left off - Carey showed up like 3 hours late - and I think he was a bit surprised at how much alcohol was in Heather's system. Anyway, they retreated to a corner and did kissyface to really bad music. I told Charles that a girl in our group - Elena - was hot on his trail and was going to attack him once we left the bar... that led to people shoving her into a cab with me. Nice. Girl was insecure and kept asking me why her ex-boyfriend didn't want to take her back. She didn't have any cab money either. I was completely over her.

Stumbled to bed around 2am - forgot to take out my contacts - and woke up with a ripping headache. I sure hope Heather and her workmates invite me out again!

Friday Night Primer

I should have won an Endurance Award for yesterday:

1) Into work at 5:45am for a very busy Friday. Baseball team bus crash consumes us, as does AL Tornado aftermath. Tragedy at every corner, and very depressing news. On the up side, I did break my own editing record - pumped out 47 audio cuts on a regular shift. Felt accomplished, and added a skip to my step.

2) Train nightmares had me missing 2 locals because they were CRAMMED full of people. I emerge from subway and catch a cab home in a hurry - because I've got to change clothes and do quick turnaround for personal training session.

3) Personal training with Sonja is good for body and soul. At one point, when I was lifting weights in an awkward lunge position - my body asked me, "WHY are you doing this to me?" I ignored my body and pushed through what Sonja called our "Total Body Workout" - which today, has become "Total Body Sore"

4) Brandy's back in town for 2 weeks before her play goes on to St. Louis and Cincinnati. I got a snapshot of her when I stopped by a salon on my way back the gym. We caught up over her cuticles.

5) This is where the day/evening takes a turn. A time and place where madness and NYC moments enter the scene. Friday Night Lights deserves its own entry. Read on.