Lest the recent pictures not make you realize...

...but the Geej? She is growing up fast. This Friday she will be officially 5 1/2. She loves listening to her "iPod" and claims that she's a "rocking girl". (Although, I'm not sure if the swill that is Miley Cyrus's music qualifies as "rocking" music, but it's what she likes so whaddaya going to do.) She's growing more and more independent. She's doing addition and asking questions about where babies come from. And oh my GOD she's beautiful.

How did this happen?!

Scenes from a Saturday in Salado (say THAT three times fast)!

Went to the charming little "Village of Salado", which bills itself as "the best art town in Texas" on Saturday to meet up with the in-laws. They just bought a new vehicle, and offered their very well-cared for 2005 Honda Passport Pilot (OOPS! I've been saying Passport for 2 weeks now) to us for a wonderful price. BH's 1997 RAV-4 has seen way better days, so we decided to take them up on their generous offer. So we went up to Salado to get our new car and spend the afternoon with them. I've zoomed passed this little town countless times on my way up and down IH-35, but never bothered to stop. It's a cute little community situated on the banks of a wet weather creek, and it's filled with friendly (and very Texan) people.

It's also filled with lots of shops that smell like a combination of potpurri and old people and offer products such as "Mr. Wigglesworth's Homemade Fudge", so you know, there's that.

The Geej and my in-laws Dixie (yes, that's her name) and Jim on a Salado stroll.

An interesting and creative way to use all those old, rusty saws you've got lying around.

And if you've got a bunch of old bikes lying around, you might want to do this with them.

The Geej and Jim skippin' stones in the creek.

One of the amazingly enormous old live oaks around Salado.

(By the way, I don't know if you've tried to upload photos and then arrange/comment on them since Blogger performed their last "upgrade" but it is a very tedious/frustrating process. Let me know if you've figured out any tricks because I'm about to throw this computer out in the yard.)

Rocks in my head!! Rocks in my head! Lookin' like a fool with the rocks in my head!

Since roughly mid-October, I've been having a really fun time with persistent dizziness and vertigo. It started out pretty strong--no matter which direction or how quickly (or slowly) I moved my head, I got SERIOUSLY dizzy and off-balance. It was scary and it made me super nauseated to the point that I felt like I was always on the verge of throwing up, but never quite able to seal the deal--a lovely, lovely feeling. I got some motion sickness medicine at the drug store, and although it helped with the nausea, it made me insanely sleepy. So yeah, not much help. After a couple of weeks of dealing with this bullshit and it only getting moderately better (i.e., looking side-to-side didn't bug me as much, and I wasn't about to puke all the time, but the rest of it was still present), I went to see my family doctor. She gave me a shot of steroids in my ass (to help with the nausea) and some well-known prescription meds for this type of thing that, guess what, make you sleepy as Hell and lists "dizziness" as one of its side effects. She also told me, "If this hasn't gotten better in a month, come back and see me."

Well guess where I was a month later. That's right! Back in her office where, this time, she prescribed some transdermal patch thing that they give to people when they're going on cruises to help with dizziness and motion sickness. The patches didn't do a damn thing for me except for accidentally dialate one (yep, just one) of my eyes for two days and make me look an awful lot like David Bowie and/or a psychopath.

So then in December, I go to my semi-annual cardiologist appointment and tell him what's going on and he(finally) refers me to an ENT who can help. But they can't see me until mid-January. Which was today.

The diagnosis: Begnign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo. It's basically caused when debris known by the highly technical name "ear rocks" that's supposed to hang out in one part of your inner ear, decides to get crazy and wander to another part of your inner ear and fuck around with your sense of balance and spatial relativity. It's awesome. The treatment? The ENT and an assistant put you in a chair and basically move you around and position you a dozen different ways in order to see how they can make you the MOST dizzy. Once they figure that out, they can guesstimate which ear and what part of that ear these renegade "rocks" are partying in, and then move you around/position you in a sequence that, hopefully, sends the rocks back to where they should be. And they hopefully get grounded.

So yes, I did this. And yes, it appears to have worked. However, I did barf (twice) at the ENT's office and must sleep on my back and elevated for the next two nights, and not bend down to pick anything up or lie on my side or do any sudden up/down or side/side head motions until Friday. Piece of cake.

The other things they discovered during my exam is that I have excellent hearing for someone my age (which is a minor miracle considering how I've totally abused my ears with The Rock and Roll for many years) and that I have a "nodule" on my thyroid (probably nothing) that I'm having ultrasounded on Friday morning.

So yay.

I have much, much more to tell, friends. However, I'm emotionally and physically sort of spent for the day. So I'm going to go read and listen to some music while I'm propped at a 45% angle in my bed.

More soon--including Intention #3--very soon.

Big haps!

Ladies! Gentlemen! Please feast your eyes on The Geej, who just lost her 2nd tooth in 8 days. I don't know about you, but everytime I look at this kid's toothless grin, I crack up. God, she's getting so big...

Setting Intentions: Intention #2

I am sitting at the H2O car wash, waiting to get my chariot saved from its dusty, dirty doom, and I'm typing this entry on my brand new netbook!! Yes, I splurged and bought myself an early birthday present, but there are actually legitimate reasons behind this computer purchase--my first since 1994.

First off, I have a goal of completely disconnecting from work while I'm at home, except for when I'm WORKING at home, of course. Having a small, portable computer to use for things like, oh, I don't know, blogging, means I don't have to haul my work laptop home with me every evening. And if it's not here, then I won't be tempted to "just log on for a minute" to check my work e-mail, which usually ends up with me getting sucked into actually working.

Second, with something this teeny, I can slip it into my purse and have it with me for situations when I know I'm going to have time on my hands...like when I'm waiting on my car at the car wash.

And both of the above reasons help support the biggest reason: Intention #2

I will write creatively and frequently.
I will do this by setting aside some time each day--even if it's just 30 mintues--to be alone and write.
I will revisit creative writing I've done in the past in order to remind myself of my talent.
I have an interesting and compelling writing voice.
I am in need of an outlet for my creative mind.
Writing is a way to relieve stress.
My writing muscle needs to be built up and toned.
I will find and join an ongoing writing workshop in Austin.
I will read more in order to seek inspiration and stay creatively engaged.
I will record every sentence and phrase that comes to me that may be used in new or ongoing pieces.
I will research proper venues, and submit some work for publishing consideration.
I will be bold and hopeful.
I will not be negative about my work.
Rejection is not fatal.
I will work toward eliminating my fear of others judging what I write.
I will write for myself.
I have many interesting and colorful stories to tell.
I do not need to try to be like another writer; I need to be my own writer.
I will not forsake my blog.

Intention #3 is up next...

Ladies and Gentlemen, meet Irene.

Irene, meet the ladies and gentlemen.

Setting Intentions: Intention #1

It's not resolution making. Not really. It's putting out there what it is you intend to accomplish and then articulating and visualizing what that truly means.

And now, in no particular order, my intentions for 2010:

I will actualize my love of performance/comedy/improv.
I will do this by connecting with my fellow UT Theatre alums that live in Austin. Presenting ideas. Workshoping ideas. Writing sketches. Improving with this group. Rehearsing. Securing a performance space/date/time. Kicking ass. Creating buzz. Having sell out performances. Filling the space with laughter and joy.
I am funny and clever.
I make people laugh easily.
I am quick-witted.
I am fearless.
I am good at bringing people together and getting them excited about an idea.
I love others, and others love me.
I have confidence.
It is not a big deal if I bomb a few times.
I can sing well and make up funny lyrics on the spot.
When I laugh, others laugh with me.
I am unique.
Laughter is a healing and important part of life.
Smile lines make prettier wrinkles than frown lines.
I am passionate.
Laughing relieves stress.
I can--and need to--make time for my creative endeavors.
Being goofy feels amazing.
Ausin is a great place to plant creative seeds.
I have awesome connections in the creative community.
I am the first Karla May.
My talent is limitless.

Stay tuned for Intention #2.

Oh hai. I can haz blog?

Dear Blog,

I'm sorry. I've been hiding from you. I'm not going to even try to pretend it's anything other than that. I'm feeling too boring and overwhelmed and fat to even check in with you. Why? I don't know.

It's not because I don't love you. I do. We go way back. We've got history.

And God knows I've got stuff I want to say. Is it important stuff? Interesting stuff? Most likely, no. But it's stuff that I am compelled to share for whatever reason. But lately? I don't know. I've been closed up like a fist.

I am hoping that as the days grow longer and warmer (it's actually been sort of cold here in Austin this winter, go figure), I will be able to think of you without flinching under the weight of a bizarre combination of enormous amounts of guilt and indifference. I like the voice I have with you, Blog, and I don't want to lose it. But lately, it's just harder and harder to hear it among the noise--joyful and otherwise--that fills the rest of my life.

I am coming back. I promise. But only if you promise to forgive me for my neglect.

Love,

Karla May