Elevators

This morning I got stuck in the elevator at work :( I got in just like any other morning, pressed the button for the third floor and when I got there, the doors started to open and then stopped. They opened just enough for you to put your fingers in between the doors.

I stood there for a moment to sort of assess the situation and to make sure I didn't panic. I pressed the door open button and nothing happened. I was about to call my work to tell them I was stuck and would be late, when I saw some men on the other side of the door trying to open it. The only problem was, there was so much noise we couldn't hear each other. I am not sure why it was so loud, but it was.

When they couldn't get the door open, I just started hitting all the buttons. I figured I would make every effort to get out on my own before I had to pick-up the red phone and make a call. I am not even sure who is on the other line? Firemen? Dang...maybe I should have called...j/k Teddy.

Anyway, after all the buttons were pushed the two men were able to push the door open. Funny thing is, they weren't even elevator repair men. They were there picking up someones recycle bin....

The funny thing is...this lasted all but 5 minutes. I sure felt like forever being trapped in an elevator. Well, this is how my day began....I wonder what else will happen.

Radishes

Eating radishes again today...boy are they spicy!!! Sorry Teddy, no kisses tonight.

Blisters

My cousin Lindsay and I started our first day of walking. We used to do this a few years ago, but stopped. And boy do I show it. Anyway, in an effort to get in a little more shape before my big day (10/24/09 for those of you who might have forgot) we started walking.

As I detailed in one my earlier posts, my dad got me a pair of MBT walking shoes. They are really good, and boy can I feel the burn when I wear them but I need different sock. I have the worst blisters on my heels and on my big toe!!! Have you ever heard of such a thing...anyway, I have another pair of socks that I am going to try tomorrow.

Hello My Nemesis

As many of you know, I have an issue with choking. I have decided that choking has become my nemesis. Dictionary.com defines nemesis as the following:

nem⋅e⋅sis  /ˈnɛməsɪs/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [nem-uh-sis] Show IPA
Use nemesis in a Sentence
–noun, plural -ses  /-ˌsiz/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [-seez] Show IPA . 1. something that a person cannot conquer, achieve, etc.: The performance test proved to be my nemesis.
2. an opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome.
3. (initial capital letter) Classical Mythology. the goddess of divine retribution.
4. an agent or act of retribution or punishment.

I believe that each of those definitions describes my relationship with choking. Even though many of you are laughing or scratching your heads wondering how I can have a "relationship" with choking, it is real and it can happen to anyone.

For the past few years, I have had to make sure that I don't have anything edible (i.e. food or medication) in my mouth when I'm: walking, running, laughing, or talking. To be honest, I can't do anything other than sit there or there is a chance I will choke.

People always wonder why it takes me so long to eat, well I realized that I don't touch my food while I am talking because I will choke. I would rather be the last one eating so that I can have a conversation with someone without the anxiety of another "incident".

Which leads to me to the point of this entry, tonight, while telling my dad how the funeral went I had to take some vitamins. They are the size of horse pills and I have to cut them in half. I almost had a close call while trying to take them whole and I was by myself the other day, but I was able to cough it up and spit it out. While my dad is taking to me, I try to hurry up and take one of the halves, so I can respond to my dad. I should have taken my rushing as a sign, but before I knew it...disaster struck.

I started to gag, and I told my dad I was choking. He responded with "your fine, just breath and swallow." I was able to talk and swallow, but then it really did get stuck. I started to grab my neck and run towards my dad. He got behind me and tried give me the Heimlich. Mind you, he had to get in a big sigh of annoyance before doing so. He got behind my and gave a little squeeze. I was still gagging, started to cry and my face started to turn red. Before my dad could really do anything, the pill started to move down. Then I was fine. We both stood in the kitchen in silence just to make sure I was ok...

Alyssa always tells me I need to relax when I feel like I am choking, and if I wasn't sick I don't feel it would have been an issue. But I promise, this time it really did get stuck. Ask my brother, he really had to give me the Heimlich after I choked on a chicken finger after I got my braces on, so I do know what it feels like to really choke. That time I let it go so long my face started to turn colors.

I cut the remaining half of the pill in half, meaning I have to now cut them in fourths to make sure this "incident no. 200" doesn't happen again. :( Oh, to be a fly on the wall...but at least vegetables don't come out of my nose when I eat them...

Good Looks, Honesty, and Warnings

I want to start this entry off with a reminder that I drove my mom and my grandma to the funeral of my sister-in-law's grandmother....and I am sick. Or it's allergies, I can't quite tell.

Anyway, by the time we left the funeral it was around 8:30 at night. I was a little loopy because I was tired and it had been a long day. But for some reason, my Grandma was cracking me up. I don't know how often anyone really sits down and listens to what she says, but by golly, I finally figured out where I get my quirkiness from. SHE IS A HOOT!!! What initially set it off was, my Grandma was telling me and my mom where the reception for the funeral had been. She just kept saying it over and over again, when I finally asked her what the heck she was talking about, she replied with "I am telling you where the reception was," "I know Grandma, I was just there you don't need to tell me where it was at." "Stacey, I was saying it out loud so you could tell me if I was correct. Arlinda is going to ask me where I went tonight and I want to be sure to get it right." That was the first time I busted out laughing.

The second time was when we were on the freeway, and I was driving in the HOV lane. My grandma asked me what the lane next to the HOV lane was, and I told her it was the shoulder. She responded with "Okay, so that is where people go when they have car trouble..." Then she looked at the road in front of us and said the funniest thing....wait for it...."and this is what you drive on."

At that point, I couldn't hold it back and I was laughing so hard. Grandma, of course, didn't appreciate that and started to explain what she was saying. After her explanation, which was ok, I told her to think about how someone on the outside might have taken that. With that, we both laughed.

Then, that is when it happened....the flashing lights appeared out of nowhere and I look down at my speedometer. I pull over to the right and waited. Grandma only made one comment....in the beginning. When the officer came up he asked me if I knew the speed limit....I did (65 mph)....then he asked me if I knew how fast I was going....I did....."When I saw your lights come on, 80." That is when Grandma reacted...she didn't like hearing my speed. I could only respond with "I know Grandma."

When the officer walked away my mom, oh yeah she was in the car the whole time and didn't say a peep until, "I don't know why you told him the truth." I responded with, "I am going to get a ticket either way, so I figure, why not go down with a clean conscience...."

All the while I am hoping that he will give me a warning, but remembering that I only have luck on getting through on radio shows. The officer returned and did give me a warning!!! Can you believe it. He told me that I need to pay more attention and be careful. Then Grandma told him it was her fault, we were just coming back from a funeral and our minds were elsewhere. Plus it was her car and she should have been keeping an eye on me.

I leaned over and told the officer "You might have given me a warning, but I am going to hear it all the way home. And when my cousins find out, I met be better off getting a ticket :)" He thought it was really funny and even proceeded to tell Grandma that it is good to let her hair down and feel the need for speed. I wanted to make a comment that he just pulled me over for speeding, but I didn't want to risk it. I had already made two jokes with a good result, I didn't want to press three.

After we pulled away and continued our journey home...I told Grandma that I think the officer gave me a warning because he thought I was good looking. She responded by laughing really hard, and "No, I think it was because you were honest." If that isn't a hit below the belt....But my mom came back with, "No, I think it was how respectful you were to your Grandma and you apologized."

P.S. If you ever want to hear Grandma really bust a lung laughing, make a joke at how good looking you are....Apparently that is her weakness ;)

Radio Head

KMLE Country 108 is a local radio station here in Arizona, and they have a contest every Monday called "I had the best weekend!" Listeners call in and explain why they should win a certain prize by telling what they did over the weekend and why it was the best. Well, I took a chance on calling in and made it through!!! I explained to them that my family and I tried out for the "Family Feud." They were full of questions and they were very excited for us!!! Tim and Willy even asked me to keep them posted on whether we made it on the show!!!! How exciting!!!

P.S. I apparently have a knack on getting through on radio stations, hence, Cosmo Radio and now this!!!!

Dipolma

Adam came over to my house tonight with a little package.....my diploma!!!!! I need to get a formal frame from Phoenix College so I can bring my diploma to work. Then eventually I am going to get another copy of my diploma and hang it up next to Adam's in the condo.....

They Try To Make Me Go To Rehab.....

Each staff member has to come into my office to sign in every morning. Well, this morning I was in talking with my boss and I didn't get to see anyone come in. After my talk, I walked to the back to say hi to Courtney and Jacob....but when I turned the corner I didn't see Courtney, I saw Amy Winehouse!!!!!!!

SD

My sister and I are going to San Diego this weekend for a little r&r. I am sure there will be plenty of things to blog about when I get back as I am sure a few of you remember the last time I went to SD with my sister.....it was very eventful.

Bad Day

I am having a really bad day today...I haven't had a day like this in a long time...but all day I have been listening to Sirius Hits 1 and they have played "I Gotta Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas three times now and everytime I hear it all I think about is my cousin Stephanie doing the robot on Cousin Day. It puts a smile on my face everytime....thanks Stephanie.

Gatorade

I really love Gatorade but I feel that it gives me really bad heartburn....the worst heartburn in fact.