Small pleasures, lost to greater information

I picked up a bottle of Nantucket Orange-Mango Nectar to drink on the bus yesterday (also a cup of tea, which was acceptable but unspectacular). After drinking part of it, I read the ingredients list, out of idle curiosity (and the same motivation that led me to read cereal boxes, in the days when I had cereal in boxes on my breakfast table). At the very end, it had elderberry and chokecherry extracts, added for coloring. I was fairly sure I'd never had chokecherry before until I googled while writing this entry, and discovered it's the same wild cherry (Prunus virginiana) we had growing in my back yard when I was a teenager, which my brother was fond of and I found too sour.

Ah, well. I liked the thought of having added a new food to the list of things I've tasted. I think I was thinking of pokeweed, though, whose only value is as a dye.

Small pleasures, lost to greater information

I picked up a bottle of Nantucket Orange-Mango Nectar to drink on the bus yesterday (also a cup of tea, which was acceptable but unspectacular). After drinking part of it, I read the ingredients list, out of idle curiosity (and the same motivation that led me to read cereal boxes, in the days when I had cereal in boxes on my breakfast table). At the very end, it had elderberry and chokecherry extracts, added for coloring. I was fairly sure I'd never had chokecherry before until I googled while writing this entry, and discovered it's the same wild cherry (Prunus virginiana) we had growing in my back yard when I was a teenager, which my brother was fond of and I found too sour.

Ah, well. I liked the thought of having added a new food to the list of things I've tasted. I think I was thinking of pokeweed, though, whose only value is as a dye.

Inspected, I hope thoroughly

I have had a mammogram and an ultrasound (after last time, my doctor and I agreed that it made sense to assume the right breast ultrasound might be needed, and get it at the same time). The mammogram was slightly more annoying than usual, because of the sore right shoulder; ditto the ultrasound (which last time wasn't annoying at all). By the time I got home from that and some fairly minimal grocery shopping, both my shoulders hurt: I have since put everything down, iced the right shoulder, and taken 400 mg of ibuprofen, and am feeling a lot better.

Also annoying, Inter-County Imaging says they don't have the MRI films and report, my doctor does. So I get to either make her office find it and pick it up along with the referral to the radiologist, or let them play ping-pong until someone admits to having it, because I am not paying a $75 fee for duplicate records. If the ping-pong takes long, I will have to reschedule the orthopedist appointment, which does not appeal to me.

Inspected, I hope thoroughly

I have had a mammogram and an ultrasound (after last time, my doctor and I agreed that it made sense to assume the right breast ultrasound might be needed, and get it at the same time). The mammogram was slightly more annoying than usual, because of the sore right shoulder; ditto the ultrasound (which last time wasn't annoying at all). By the time I got home from that and some fairly minimal grocery shopping, both my shoulders hurt: I have since put everything down, iced the right shoulder, and taken 400 mg of ibuprofen, and am feeling a lot better.

Also annoying, Inter-County Imaging says they don't have the MRI films and report, my doctor does. So I get to either make her office find it and pick it up along with the referral to the radiologist, or let them play ping-pong until someone admits to having it, because I am not paying a $75 fee for duplicate records. If the ping-pong takes long, I will have to reschedule the orthopedist appointment, which does not appeal to me.

To Do

Some of this is picked up from last week's list

• Call GP and get orthopedist referral and MRI films and report (the MRI place having said that they sent same to the GP)


• Call Land's End (do not try Web chat a third time, it crashed my computer)


• Try on the light purple silk salwar kameez.


• Write to the maker of the salwar kameez that doesn't fit (this requires some measuring, and possibly cattitude's help with same)


• Reread The Fortunate Fall


• Write at least a brief review of Amy Thomson's Storyteller


• Go through dresser, try on iffy things, and discard what I don't like or doesn't fit


• Put together Fresh Direct order, iff they'll deliver things like big sacks of rice so I don't have to schlep stuff with my sore shoulder

To Do

Some of this is picked up from last week's list

• Call GP and get orthopedist referral and MRI films and report (the MRI place having said that they sent same to the GP)


• Call Land's End (do not try Web chat a third time, it crashed my computer)


• Try on the light purple silk salwar kameez.


• Write to the maker of the salwar kameez that doesn't fit (this requires some measuring, and possibly cattitude's help with same)


• Reread The Fortunate Fall


• Write at least a brief review of Amy Thomson's Storyteller


• Go through dresser, try on iffy things, and discard what I don't like or doesn't fit


• Put together Fresh Direct order, iff they'll deliver things like big sacks of rice so I don't have to schlep stuff with my sore shoulder

Not even difficult

I came home from Arlington and found email about the alt.polycon fan fund. I checked the dates, and sent email declining the nomination, because I already have plans for that weekend. alanro, after verifying his travel dates for me, said he was sorry about the conflict, but there is no conflict: I know what I want to do--have him stay with me and cattitude, so we can spend time together in New York--and I'm doing it.

Not even difficult

I came home from Arlington and found email about the alt.polycon fan fund. I checked the dates, and sent email declining the nomination, because I already have plans for that weekend. alanro, after verifying his travel dates for me, said he was sorry about the conflict, but there is no conflict: I know what I want to do--have him stay with me and cattitude, so we can spend time together in New York--and I'm doing it.

Good news

Yay Canada!

And points to the CBC for saying "same-sex marriage" rather than "gay marriage": some of the people who this bill will benefit are bisexual.

Good news

Yay Canada!

And points to the CBC for saying "same-sex marriage" rather than "gay marriage": some of the people who this bill will benefit are bisexual.