My Barrio Will Beat Your Neighborhood Anyday!

I've lived in the "barrio" for over six years now.  When I bought the house, I was dissuaded, people worried that it wasn't safe for a single woman to be living here.  It's definitely a low-income area.  There's a decent amount of gang activity, plenty of graffiti and random acts of vandalism, and it's not always the cleanest of areas.  As a white English-speaking woman, I'm also in a minority for the first time in my life.  But I wouldn't trade it for the world!

My neighbors are often outside chatting with one another, drinking a beer (or six).  You better believe I'll get offered one when I walk past!  They even will bear with me as I try to practice my Spanish and have to repeat things three times before I finally catch on.

Best yet, this is a neighborhood that looks after each other!  People know who lives where (even if they don't know first names), when they are usually home and when something seems out of place.  There's a sense of family.  If I need anything, from help carrying in the groceries to installing a new thermostat, my neighbors are here to help.

This morning I left for work (10 minutes late) to find that my car was driving funny.  Yep, you guessed it!  Flat tire.  A father and his adult son were standing across the alley smoking a cigarette and immediately ran over to help.  They pulled the spare and tools from my trunk, laid on the ground and got to work changing that tire lickety split!  I could have easily walked back inside and gotten some help from Kyle, but there was no need.  My neighbors were looking after me.  It wasn't even until after they finished the task that they finally introduced themselves.  Thanks, Omar and dad (whose name I didn't understand)!

So, while I may not want to go for a midnight stroll alone or walk barefoot down the street, that's a small price to pay for such caring people around me!  And the chocolate-covered homemade marshmallows at the Panederia three blocks down the street for 75 cents are to die for!  You can keep your manicured lawns in the suburbs.  I'll take my barrio anytime!

Help Me Stay Motivated!

I've been participating in Zumba or Zumba-like classes for a year and a half now.  It is the only exercise other than pole dancing (which my body forced me to quit after about a year) that I've been able to stay committed to.  However, my workout buddy is moving out of state, and I just committed to another six months of classes! 

Motivation has been poor lately.  Partly because my pain has been higher.  Partly because my exercise buddy (who shall remain nameless to protect the guilty) has been focused on other things and lost her motivation.  Partly because Kyle moved in a month ago and it's still fun and new.  And partly because I just always lose motivation eventually, and the time is now.

So help me out!  I've committed to 12 classes a month for the next six months.  That averages to three per week!  I've got Zumba and hip-hop aerobic classes to continue.  I'm also intrigued to try some kettle bell workouts and TRX.  I want to get strong and fit!  I also want to be as pain-free as possible.  Generally, when I work out more, I deal with the pain better and it doesn't flare as bad.  Finally, it would be great to be able to eat my cupcakes without feeling so guilty!

Let me know if you have any motivation techniques.  I'd love some suggestions.  If you're in Denver and want to help motivate me by coming along, that would be great too!

Maggie and Me--Who's Who?

Some people say that dogs resemble their owners.  Why does this happen?  I get the idea that someone who stays fit probably keeps their dog fit; someone who overeats may treat their dogs to unlimited food and treats.  But how do they take on our personalities?  What about our medical issues?  Can it really just be coincidence?

So, I got Maggie as an 8-week-old puppy over six years ago.  She was my first dog ever.  It was love at first sight, at least for me.  She's a little shy and tentative when it comes to new people.  Hmm...I've always been that way.  As much as my job forces me to be social and interact with many people, when you boil it down, I'm about as introverted as they come.  Sure I can fake it for awhile, but I'd much rather be with the ones I love than meeting new people.

Maggie as a puppy!

It's no surprise to you (if you've read more than one post or even just the blog info) that I deal with chronic pain and have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia.  Has anyone ever heard of doggie fibromyalgia?  I think Maggie might have it.  A few years ago she started limping after a day at the park.  Then I noticed that when the weather started changing she started limping more.  Sympathy pains?  I took her to the vet and while they did x-rays and tests of all kinds, they couldn't find any physical reason for her pain, though by her limping it was obvious.  Read the previous sentence and replace the word "vet" with "doctors" and it's the same story of my diagnosis.  With some supplements and rest, she feels better most of the time, but as the weather changes, I again notice my baby girl seems to feel how I feel.

Finally, she's incredibly empathic.  I've always been this way.  I tend to read people's emotions without even trying.  It's like they exude energy that gets translated to me and I just want to help.  She's the same way.  Between my pain and depression struggles, my emotions tend to be all over the place.  Most days she's kind of aloof.  She does her own thing, seeks out attention when she wants it, but won't let you pet her just because you want to.  However, when I'm sad or in pain, she's always right there with her head in my lap.  It's almost as if she's saying "It's okay mama, just pet me some and you will feel better."

I love this girl!

Gourmet Crock Potter

I never really intended for this blog to be so fibromyalgia-heavy, but the change in season brings an onslaught of symptoms, so it's what's on my mind most.  And while I may not often be able to stand for more than 5-20 minutes, I've learned I can still create some tasty dinners through the magic of the crock pot.

When I lived alone, I was hesitant to use it much because I didn't want to eat the same meal 4-8 times in a row.  However, now that I get to share dinner (and dinner-duty) on a regular basis, I'm discovering how wonderful this great little invention is.

Tonight's menu: Pork Ribs.  Yumm!  This will be my first ever attempt at ribs, but my uncle assures me that I can't mess it up.  Here's the instructions:  (I guess for those used to cooking more often, this might also be termed a recipe.)

• Put an empty bowl upside down in the bottom of the crock pot.  (This is to keep the ribs out of the juices while cooking.)
• Cut the ribs into pieces that will fit inside the crock pot.  (I quartered a full rack.)
• Put your favorite spices or dry rub on the ribs.
• Put the ribs inside the crock pot, on top of the bowl, making sure they won't land in the juices.
• Cook on low 6-8 hours.
• Heat up your favorite barbeque sauce to serve with the fall-off-the-bone ribs.

And now my homage to the crock pot.

Oh, dear crock pot
You make my life great
You cook dinner for me
And Kyle, my mate

You've been through a lot
In your thirty plus years
Cooking all sorts of things
From stew to pig's ears

Though harshly clothed
In 70's orange and brown
You may be ugly
But don't let that get you down

 
Your usefulness far exceeds
Any sacrifice of beauty
And you never hesitate
To fulfill your duty

So here's to you
Working late on a Sunday
I love you so much
That I'll see you again Monday.

Thanks to Uncle Jeff for the recipe.

Thanks to mom and dad for letting me inherit your wedding gift, the crock pot.

The Fibromyalgia Translation Service

Lucky you!  I'm here to offer you a service today, a translation service.  For the past six years, I've been living on my own.  I never really had to spend more than 6-8 hours with any one person on a regular basis (except for some trips), so I never realized that my interpretation of normal words isn't normal.  I mean, my dogs have done a great job knowing what I mean!  If the dogs can figure it out, I never thought that maybe other people would have trouble.

Ahh, but now I'm living with Kyle.  It's been great!  I can't believe how easy it's been to live with him after so long alone.  But I'm starting to realize that his normal and my normal are very different things.  Simple phrases like "I'm okay" or "I feel good today" are interpreted very differently.  So that's why it's your lucky day.  I'm here to translate for you.  You may want to take notes.

"I feel good today"

• I got more than four hours of sleep.
• I could work an eight-hour day without having to take pain medicine, and be able to come home and rest on the couch with the hope that tomorrow might also be "good." (Did you notice the couch time?  I do love me some couch time!)
• I can probably do somewhere between 45 minutes to 1.5 hours of aerobic exercise (followed by some time on the couch, of course)
• I have likely showered and brushed my teeth today.  Congratulations would be appreciated.
• I can walk without limping.  You likely didn't notice this.  You think it's normal.
• NOT I'm ready to go on a four-hour bike ride with you.
• NOT I can cook dinner, run errands and clean the house.  Are you crazy?

"I'm okay"

• I'm likely in an amount of pain that would cause you to be very whiny, but if I whined every time I felt like this, you wouldn't be my friend any more
• I would do well to be in a reclining position for the remainder of the day/night
• After some pain meds, I'd be willing to carry on a conversation with you, but right now I'd rather wait for them to start working
• I might be walking with a bit of a limp, but I can still get around.  Just think of this as your chance to stroll.  I can probably keep up with a casual stroll.
• This is not a good time to get frisky
• Get near me at your own risk.  I probably brushed my teeth, but likely haven't showered (it requires standing for more than two minutes)

"I don't feel well"

• My pain is likely above a seven on a 1 to 10 scale.  Don't ever accuse me of a low pain tolerance.  I'm still not whining.
• There's a strong chance I got less than two hours of sleep.  Of course, if you happen to live with me, you might have also gotten less than two hours of sleep.  Sorry!
• You likely don't want to try to talk to me because I'll probably be bitchy and/or grumpy and/or mean.  It will be directed at you but you won't have deserved it.  You've been warned.
• I have lots of drugs in my system and feel none of those wonderful side-effects that are the reason people get addicted to these drugs...they just take the edge off for me.  Talk about not fair!

It's hard for me to remember a time where I wasn't in pain.  It's just part of my life.  I've learned to deal with it and sometimes even accept it as my lot in life.  Sometimes, I'll get mad at my body, but the last thing I ever want is for you to feel sorry for me.  However, understanding my language is a great way to be supportive!

I Won the Bet

So this past weekend, i went with my boyfriend to VeloSwap.  It's a giant yard sale full of everything cycling.  He rented booth space to sell a lot of his stuff in order to afford to buy my engagement ring.  What a sweetie!  So, of course, I thought I'd tag along and try to help him sell stuff.  I mean, I can be persuasive if I want to be.  And you better believe in this case, I wanna be!

So as the day was winding to an end, Kyle turns to me with a challenge.  There was a bike stem that had been sitting on the table for sale all day for $5.  He said that if I could sell it for $1 or more, he'd propose by the end of November.  (We'd already sold his road bike and knew he'd made enough to completely pay off the ring.)  Up until this point, I'd gotten a promise of engagement by the end of the year, but it was looking like December 31 might likely be the day.  So, hell yeah, I took the bet!

Needless to say, it doesn't take a whole lot to convince a woman to spend a dollar to help a sister out!  That's right.  It took less than 5 minutes to sell that bike stem to someone who had absolutely no desire for it.  Take that, sucker!  So, within a month, I should be posting some exciting news and a picture of a beautiful shiny ring.  Can't wait!

What a Rush!

In the last few weeks, I've discovered a new high...ebay.  I know, it sounds strange, but watching the numbers at the end of the sale time is so exciting!

I've been selling Japanese toys on ebay for my boyfriend.  He recently moved in and "we" decided that he needed to grow up and get rid of most of his toys.  I also decided that I didn't want to have to wait years for him (with some poor money management skills) to have enough money to buy me a fantastic ring.  So, with all this money disguised as thousands (literally) of Japanese toys, I decided it would be my new project.

So each week, I get up the motivation to start photographing and pretending that I really care about Gundam action figures and Neon Genesis dolls and how sad I am to see them all go.  I post about 10-12 up per week (I know...it's going to take at least two years at this rate to get rid of them all!), and then wait the magic six days, 23 hours and 57 minutes and wait for that three-minute high.

3 minutes to go:  "Bummer!  Only one bid, and we're just going to get the minimum."
2 minutes to go:  "Okay.  We've got some competition.  It's only a few bucks more, but maybe we'll get a war."
1 minute to go:  "Damn.  It looks like $6 over minimum is where we'll stay."
30 seconds to go: "There we go, a couple more bids and we're up $12 now."
10 seconds to go:  "I knew you had one more in you.  $20 over.  Way to go!"
2 seconds to go:  "Holy Shit!  It just jumped up $60.  Whohoo!  Here comes the sparkly ring!"
5 minutes after:  "Hey baby, do you have any more of those boxes I could look at?"

So, we're on our way.  Thanks, ebay!