a mediocre dreamer: September 2006

Saturday, September 30, 2006

toys for grown-ups

Lost that loving feeling? Find it at the Nivea Touches New York event. Enjoy a complimentary massage in the Touch Temple, learn to see your skin in a whole new light at Skinscapes, and sample the latest Nivea products. You can even enter to win a complimentary spa day. Ah, there’s the rub.

September 27, 2006

Oh, Chute

Oh, to be a kid again.

How we would eat, play with, and wear lunch. How we would show off our sneakers with wheels. And how we would nap or run around naked whenever we felt like it. (Without fear of getting thrown into Brooklyn lockdown.)

Throw caution to the wind with Power Chute, a silly-looking adult toy that’ll have you squealing with absolute delight.

In theory, the colorful resistance chutes are a fitness gadget for serious athletes. In practice, some good sneaks and a stretch of turf (far from the Hudson River sunbathers and the Central Park tourists) transform them into an absurdly good time.

Here’s how it works: Attach the Power Chute belt to your waist and rest the chute on the ground (just imagine it’s a kite). Take a running start; the chute will inflate, creating a drag effect. Release the chute to get an insane surge of speed — not to mention a heady hit of adrenaline.

It’s a thrilling way to be active in the crisp fall weather. And, of course, to unapologetically break wind in public.

Oh, don’t be so childish.

Available online at power-systems.com.

# posted by karen : 5:43 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

admit me

I spent two and half essentially useless minutes lecturing a UPS customer service agent that she needs to educate her incompetent and very misinformed employees about their pick-up policies. Then, I spent an additional five minutes yelling the story to my friend, all the while turning the heads of dismayed pedestrians along Park Avenue. Many of my psychiatric patients get admitted for bizarre public displays and disruptive outbursts. I need serious anger management classes.

On another note, I apparently am in denial about school having started. It's already been three weeks and I continue to insist on not studying. When you have two exams coming up, one of which is set to post online in 7 hours, this is not a good thing.

# posted by karen : 2:18 AM 0 comments

Friday, September 22, 2006

a constant battle

...with myself, that is.

Papers
The thought of having to write one or anything else that comes remotely close to articulating my thoughts into coherent words - e.g. personal statements - gives me an instant anxiety attack. I do anything and everything on the computer besides it, hence, this post. Transcribing a conversation with a schizophrenic patient is impossible.

Pressure ulcer; Bedsore; Decubitus Ulcer
A pressure ulcer is an area of skin that breaks down when you stay in one position for too long without shifting your weight. This often happens if you use a wheelchair or you are bedridden, even for a short period of time (for example, after surgery or an injury). The constant pressure against the skin reduces the blood supply to that area, and the affected tissue dies.

A pressure ulcer starts as reddened skin but gets progressively worse, forming a blister, then an open sore, and finally a crater. The most common places for pressure ulcers are over bony prominences (bones close to the skin) like the elbow, heels, hips, ankles, shoulders, back, and the back of the head.

If you ever decide to become a nurse, you'll never hear the end of pressure ulcers. They are usually associated with the elderly and/or immobile, but I'm certain that were I to drop my pants and take a glance in the mirror, I would find the textbook redness to accompany the complete numbness in my arse after countless hours of sitting and NOT writing the papers I am supposed to be writing. How ironic would that be if I got a pressure ulcer from studying pressure ulcers. Ha.

My failing body
I am not immortal. I usually get more frustrated at the pain than anything, but I have recently begun to wonder: If my wrists hurt this much at 23, will they end up contracted and totally non-functional later on? Will my deformed feet morph into those of my patients and leave others wondering, 'how did you ever let them get that way?' Will my poor posture leave me hunchbacked for good? OMG. Occupational therapy doesn't help and I don't have time to keep going back for referrals to my physical therapist. The American healthcare system is screwed up and I am a non-compliant patient. Is it wrong for me to want to check out before I am unable to do anything at full capacity?

A jog
I needed to clear my head. I supplemented the brief stint with a meager total of 70 crunches and now I'm dying. I am perpetually out of shape.

Yes, it's Friday night.
I don't feel like going out or doing anything, and yet I'm lonely. That combination always leaves an awkward feeling in the pit of my stomach. It doesn't help that my schedule screws with my head - school on Saturdays, working the night shift, lab one week and not the next... I can't seem to get it together. Crap.

# posted by karen : 9:09 PM 0 comments

Thursday, September 21, 2006

a notable moment

Today was the first time I ever had ice cream in a waffle cone. Actually, it was a waffle bowl, but waffle nonetheless. The splurge was quite tasty, indeed, but it's just not in my nature to opt for such extravagance. It seems my plain vanilla and strawberry days growing up have trained my eyes to tend toward the lower-tiered prices of any given menu. I am not ashamed of that one bit. In fact, I treasure the lessons my parents taught me, be they explicit or not, about the value of self-sacrifice and prudence.

# posted by karen : 12:15 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

a few pics from Ivy's trip

our touristy route around boston

SO much cleaner than NY subways

USS Constitution... on the move!

around our hotel at night

Boston Harbor

near Paul Revere's house

Beacon Hill

around Harvard

Quincy Marketplace

Ivy loves pugs.

yeah...

The incredibly moving Holocaust Memorial.

I heart boston!

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an AWESOME show

at the Guggenheim

wandering about

Cafe Wha?

Norma's and their $7 orange juice

the plush seating at Fat Black Pussycat

sunday brunch @ Sushi Samba

Ivy's obsessed with taking pictures in cabs.

La Traviata in the park.

2 out of 3 Lee sisters paint the town.

# posted by karen : 5:47 PM 0 comments

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Autumn in New York

Along with my favorite season, comes my favorite seasonal beverage. Since I've been painstakingly separated from my beloved California-based Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, I've succumbed to my cravings at, oh, cringe at the thought, Starbucks! Rest assured, however, that my weakness is only temporary and I will soon return to supporting the local mom & pop type cafes and coffeeshops.

Besides, at $4.12 a cup, my tall, skim Pumpkin Spice Latte doesn't come cheap.

# posted by karen : 3:36 PM 0 comments