Glitter

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I've never been a big fan of glitter until I saw the high end glitter offered by the Art Institute Glitter - probably on The Carol Duvall Show is where I first saw it. They offer something like 375 colors and an ultra-fine metal tip applicator, which allows for some very fine detail. The butterfly on the left is beautiful but add the glitter, on the right and you've got wow. (Photo from their website.)

I was poking around their website today and found this product called Fantasy Film. Nine glorious colors that will bring spark and pop to all your projects. Crush it, sew it, press it, cut it, wash it. Transparent, luminous, radiant and unique. I'm not sure I have a use for it just now but it sure is a cool thing to know exists.

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So last week was the week from hell. Work stuff and Steve has family stuff going on. The week even started out bad, in that I found myself with some PMS tendancies - insulted a friend on Saturday, screamed at Steve (yes, screamed) on Sunday and Monday I got so mad at something at work I was ready to quit that committee I told you I've loved serving on. I haven't had PMS in years so it took those three events to happen before I even recognized it. Kinda freaked me out, it did. I thought those days were over.

I thought maybe it was menopause related, whacked out hormones or something, so I called my gynecologist. I'm seeing her at the end of April but I decided I couldn't wait that long - so I ended up seeing the nurse practicioner on Wednesday. We discussed current medication, mood swings, etc. She sent me for bloodwork on Friday to see if we can determine exactly where I am in the menopause cycle since one of the medications I'm on masks the symptoms. And get this, she suggested I talk to my counselor to see what else is going on. She means, Debbie, the counselor I've seen on and off for 14 years. I saw her for a little less than a year when I was divorcing my husband and then mostly just once a year for what I jokingly refer to as my "spring tune-up". The nurse practioner thought maybe I even have some Seasonal Affective Disorder going on. It doesn't feel like that to me, but maybe it's time to admit there might be something to that. I was looking in my checkbook and I see that I typically see Debbie in March or April of each year.

I love Debbie, I love talking to her - I learn something from her every time I see her. I'm usually the first one to go running to her when I feel "stuck" on something. I couldn't figure out why it surprised me that it was suggested I speak with her. Then I started listing all the stress that finds itself in my life right now. It's not stuff I can write about on the Internet (nothing serious, Mom, Dad & Gretchen - I'm fine, Simon's fine - just life stuff).

I left Debbie voice mail on Wednesday - she hasn't returned my call - probably on vacation since it's Winter Break week here. Once I settled in on the notion of talking to her, I'm very much looking forward to it. I realized I've been in plate spinning mode. I'm doing fine if I keep moving, but if I slow down, the plates will all crash.

You know that burnout prevention thing I've been doing because I've been working so many hours? Guess I need a little more of that. Here's the part about work that I can talk about. Remember I said my accounts receivable counterpart is out on indefinite medical leave? Finally got a date when she might be back. May. Yep, May, as in 3 more months. She needs another surgery for her eyes. She stopped in Friday - she's not happy about it either - she's going crazy at home - but she has bad double vision so she can't work, even if her doctor allowed her to return to work. After she left, my boss stopped in to see me. I told him we have to do something and he said I can hire a temp but he wants to run it by the CEO first. I'm sure it will be okay but you better believe I'm going to be in his office first thing Monday morning, making sure we move on it. There will, unfortunately, be a long learning curve with our accounting software but better to bite that bullet sooner rather than later. My insidious plan is to hire someone so crackerjack that we need to keep her on even when my co-worker returns to work. We'll see.

So next week? Not so many hours, no matter how nice the money is. More paper art, less desk work.

Friday night? I had an hour massage right after work. It was the best I've had in years - literally! This is only the second time I've gone to this woman - but I bought a 6-hour package at a reduced rate - so I guess I'm stuck going to her 5 more times, darn it. She's the one that uses hot stones. This time, she did this thing called Vibration that I've never heard of before. She said my back was full of knots so rather than working forever on some of them, she places a hot stone over the knot and bangs it, pretty hard, with another stone. It sounds really loud, like you're being stabbed to death, but damn, it works great. I like it because it's so serious - "Knot - get the hell out of here!" She also does Reiki, which I'm going to try sometime. Like on a vacation day (which I'm determined to take sometime before May, believe you me!) - I'll get a morning appointment and get the Reiki treatment.

On my way home I stopped at Cole & Parks and picked up my dinner to take home. I had a BLT Pannini, the same sandwich I had when Mom & Gretchen and I had lunch there a couple of weeks ago. And . . . a slice of Chocolate Obession. Magnificent! It's a small, dense piece of dark chocolate torte.

Now that is a Stefani Night!