TUSC

Monday, May 29, 2006

Hospital Trips: What we all need on Memorial Day



Of course, what else do you want to eat when you are under observation for a heart attack....? You guessed it, Dunkin' Donuts. Funny though it may be while posing for the picture, it's still pretty scary. I'm glad her spirits are high, but it is not a fun prospect to have your mom in the hospital. And why is it that whenever you REALLY want to get somewhere in a hurry, you are made to travel far SLOWER than normal? Between 95S and 9N, then trying to get through the Middletown section.... I wanted to RAM ever car in front of me. However, I just hummed along safely behind everyone. You'd never know I was in a hurry, it was only my internal monologue that was hurling profanities at the twits in their SUVs and mini-vans choking the road.

They had both left Brian's wedding reception early and quickly last night. I presumed it to be due to a not uncommon intestinal distress, perhaps from the food. But when I got home at almost 4 am I found out she had been having rather severe pain in her left arm. She had also felt disoriented. So they came home, she took some tylenol or aspirin and rested. Today I woke up at 1pm, because it's a holiday and I wanted to sleep in, dammit! So I came downstairs and the note left for me said they had gone out for brunch. Ok, no alarms there. It wasn't until just after 5pm, after driving all the way to Tori's, then Mystic and whatnot for Panera and Coldstone (yummy!) that I got a call from my dad saying they were at Mid-State and had been there since 9:30. I'm guessing we all want to look back at my last posting now in reference to Mid-State, don't we? So I just got back from being there. Again, she is in high spirits, has GREAT blood pressure (I mean, almost ideal at 127 over 74) and they are holding her until tomorrow to run stress tests and see what they can find.

I feel REALLY beat right now.

Mr. Brian James and Mrs. Priya White









It's done! Brian is married! Did we ever think that would happen? Two years ago I was worried because he never dated. Look at him now. =)

The wedding and reception were both held at the Wadsworth Mansion in Middletown. I have driven past it before, but never explored. It was very scenic and an entirely appropriate setting for yesterday's event. The wedding itself was interesting. The Hindu ceremony was a greatly shortened one consisting of just 30 minutes when some go on as long as a full week! You can see one picture where Brian is cupping Priya's hands and she is smiling. This is because the master of ceremonies (not sure the Hindu term) had to correct him about 5 times as to how to hold her hand. It was highly entertaining! No rehearsal there! lol Brian looked somber throughout the entire wedding and didn't come back to himself until he was off the stage. I imagine he was very emotional and trying to control himself. That, or wondering what he was doing. But they love each other, so I vote for the former. Priya was very emotional and after several close calls finally broke down for a minute and cried. It was really sweet. Then, after about 40 minutes of not understanding what was being done or said. And let me add that even those who were native to the religion were clueless because it was all being read in Sanscrit, "Sanscrit? You're majoring in a 1000 year-old dead language? Here's a paper on Latin, it's the best I can do. Get out of here." Come on, we all still remember P.C.U. right? =) So anyway, after admiring the ceremony, but not fully understanding the different rites, the Catholic priest did her thing with them and she added some humor which really elevated the setting.

It was a great time! Especially being able to see EVERYONE gathered in one setting. That never happens, and I enjoyed it a lot. Afterwards, everyone landed at Cannon's for drinks, but I skipped it and went to the shoreline to see my Tori. =)

Sidenote - of all of my friends? I am by far the one who is aging the best. By FAR. With possible exception of Jay, but only because of his tan. LOL

The dream I had last night was pretty cool. At first I was in space helping command a frigate, then I was in a fighter hurtling towards a planet. Once there, I got mixed up with these ... perhaps refugees? It eventually became clear that the setting was partly based on Star Wars and partly on.... Last of the Mohicans? Odd mix. But there was a large group of civilians being shepherded through a dangerous area and they were being tracked down by another force bent on destroying them. I hooked up with the group and began giving my full energy to save them. They didn't trust me and I didn't know why. Of course, I ended up falling for one of the young women in the group, though we weren't allowed much of a relationship since I was always out on patrol. At one point, I almost got taken out by what I realized were mercenaries or bounty hunters who were hunting us. I was on a canoe-ish boat and FLYING down a river to escape. Ditched it before a small waterfall and hid myself in some rocks and let them go past chasing the boat. Only then did I realize I had hidden myself within a group of natives, who took me captive. I was brought before whoever it was who was in charge of the government. He, in turn, waited for his lord to arrive. His word, not mine. Turns out it's Darth Vader. Cool. Turns out further that, hey! I'm his son! (No, I'm not Luke....) He chastized the guy next to me for failing his job, but didn't kill him. Then he spoke to me about expectations and my advancement in training. Somehow, it didn't matter that I was helping the Rebels. This was immaterial. Not a betrayal, not affecting anything. Like it was assumed and part of a calculated step. But then, this wasn't really Star Wars because Vader WAS the Emperor and I got the sense that the Rebellion here had no shot. The rest is fuzzy since I was waking up. But something to do with a hospital where I was in charge, but I had to be careful they didn't learn who I really was. But one of the nurses knew and blackmailed me into.... well, fun! =) The hospital was like Mid-State in Meriden, but connected to the mall? WEIRD. I preferred the Star Wars part of the dream. Running, adrenaline, attraction, and that feeling you get when you accept that you are going to give - but it's ok because it's to help others. Hard to explain, it's a sad feeling but a happy one. It's like feeling really ok with everything in the world.

Ah well. Dreams are nutty! Enjoy the pics!

Friday, May 19, 2006

New Roomies


Dolly!


Tori's best friend, Mo on our other best friend Leigh, the new roomie!


Gratuitous hotness.


One of my favorite pics. How do you do those self-portraits so well?! Mine always look like junk.

Thursday, May 11, 2006

And now..... the pics!



Three generations of wonderful women. Congratulations, Shelley. Good luck and Happy 21st, little sister! =) Go get 'em!



Koludj Gradumacate. Geez, what took you so long!? ;)



It wasn't just them. Rosa DeLauro held everyone in Gampel Pavilion hostage as she turned what had been quite a nice 7 minute commencement speech into a blatant and shameful 53 minute political ad. People actually started leaving. That's right, LEAVING their loved one's college graduation!!! Thank you, Rosa DeLauro. She commented at one point on how the current government is stagnant. Maybe if you TALKED less and ACTED more, we'd make some progress. I was ready to start harrassing her from the crowd. And she wasn't really making party comments one way or the other, she was just destroying the event for everyone. NO VOTE FROM ME, LADY!



It's official... I guess I'm lucky that this is the only type of stone she wants for now? ;) Awwww.... honey, I rock you too. Um, I mean... I plus you. Er.... you know what I mean! Lover you!



I just liked the layout on this one. It makes for a neat desktop. I love that shade of.... violet?



Seriously, I need a new wardrobe. I am running clear out of T-shirts lately. Someone take me to a concert! I need cool shirts!



Tori working the dramatic hair pose. You drama queen! lol Oh, Noooooo!



Dog + Attention = HAPPY!



This is pretty close to my dream house. I love it. From the look of it, it seems to be a newer house. That is, perhaps built within the past 20 years. No lines on the roof, the brass on the windows is not tarnished, etc. I like the general design, though I would have to incorporate larger windows in some sections. I love my sunlight!