Just A Little Off Kilter....

Happy Easter!

Note...Going forward in this post, fart will be referred to as flatulence, its biological term. It's human to be flatulent. Girls are human too. I was discussing this topic with a friend of mine the other day. "Men don't like their girl to be human", she said. Girls shouldn't burp. They shouldn't flatulate. They can't scratch their head or itch their thighs. They should have their arms and legs cleaned till the last hair has been pulled out and their eyebrows nicely arched. Only then they are humans. Rather, attractive humans. If you flatulate and you are a girl, you are not an attractive human. But if you flatulate and you are a man, you are perfectly human...attractive or not is a different case here, but human none the less! This issue of flatulence has been a grey area for lot of couples. Some are highly comfortable in breaking the wind in each other's presence, for others its a strict no-no! For some its a step towards increased intima...

Eight, huit, ocho, acht...this is the number of pregnancy announcements I've heard in the last two days.  I am thrilled for Every. Single. One...of those eight beautiful announcements and those eight beautiful women.  I just wish that I was one of those eight. Stacked eight track tapes by Pretty Petal Studio via Etsy

“Tattoos have a power and magic all their own. They decorate the body but they also enhance the soul.” Fineline Tattoo  - East Village, New York

My trip to New York City was completely amazing but I'm not going to lie....the re-entry to life has been difficult this past two days. After 5 days away I thought I'd return refreshed and ready to jump back onto the work/life wagon...I was wrong. Is it Friday yet? The highlights of my trip were many. But first...I had a moment. When we made it to the hotel, the emotions that had been building the entire day and week came bursting out and I cried and cried. Oh, how I cried! Uncontrollable, sloppy, snotty bawling that pretty much claimed an entire box of tissues. You see, the morning that we left my period started...a full 5 days early. I was crushed. I was sure that this was THE cycle. My emotions got the better of me but I quickly re-grouped and a little voice chimed up saying, “Go splash water on your face and get out! Go and tackle your NYC bucket list head on” And tackle we did! In short, we took in two shows on Broadway, made a visit to the 9/11 Memorial, saw the Statue of...

All good things must come to an end...I arrived home from New York last night. Trip report soon. Typographic wall art by Patti Home Decor via Etsy

Where Pasta Shells Come From by Terry Border @ Bent Objects

Definition of GETAWAY... 1: an act or instance of getting away - a getaway from the stress of life and work 2: a place suitable for a vacation - In this case New York City 3: a vacation especially of brief duration -  5 glorious days with my Mom, sister and Aunt I'll be absent for the rest of the week...although I'll try and squeeze in a Wordless Wednesday and Funny Face Friday! New York City...here I come! New York City Skyline by Going Underground via Etsy See you on the flip side!

I went out drinking last night to celebrate St. Patricks Day, so I took a bus home...That may not be a big deal to you, but I've never driven a bus before. by Jezebel Treasures via Etsy

Happy St. Patrick's Day Weekend!

"Something wonderful happens when you use a Cyclo-Massge health appliance by Niagara...daily"  If you recall, a few days ago I posted that I had somehow injured my back and I say "somehow" because I have no earthly idea what I did. At any rate...I left work early and popped into the clinic. Apparently just a bad strain. Some TTC friendly pain meds, a heating pad and a prescription for some massage therapy later...I was home on the couch. I relayed all of this to my boss that night and he excitedly told me that he had this awesome massage pad/hand held thing-a-ma-jig he would bring into work for me to try. And bring it he did... It comes in a medium sized suitcase. The size of suitcase I plan on taking for my trip to New York City next week "A wonderful new experience awaits you. Your purchase of a Cryo-Massage appliance by Niagara opens up a whole new vista of glorious living for the entire family. The action produced by ...

I bet snowmen think it's weird that the ground is completely covered in their skin. Snowman by Jude McConkey Photos via Etsy

Competition is everywhere. That's the world – winning and losing in the big game of life. The video I'm about to show you was taken without my knowledge... I noticed the video a few days later while flipping through my phone. Then the wheels starting turning. Shall I take part in a competition? What are my chances? How do I control my nerves? What is the best repertoire? Do I convey the image a successful performer, a winning attitude? My best assets?  A singer must find a solution to these questions. What do we look for in a winning singer?  great voice with personal timbre  solid vocal technique  musicality: sense of rhythm, clean intonation, good legato and phrasing  total performer package with the look, physique and voice suitable for the part if you sing opera  posture, poise and control of body movements ability to sing with nervousness and in spite of it  temperament and intelligence to interpret ...

Hello lovely peoples...I need advice, specifically TTC advice.   Today I'm 6dpo *ovulated Cycle Day 12 instead of the usual 15-17 if the good ol' OPK's can be trusted (post for another day)* Anyway...this morning I woke up with incredible spasming back pain in my lower right back and it's gotten worse as my day has gone on. Why? What's it from? No idea! It wasn't there and then it was.  Advice is needed in regards to what I can take to help ease my agony. I know that ibuprofen is a no no while pregnant so I am going to assume the same is true for the two week wait and I recall that during my IVF and FET that it was also a no no. What about Voltaren or some other such muscle rub? Tylenol hasn't helped at all and I'm feeling kind of desperate. Advice anyone?

It’s always fun to start out a new cycle hoping things are going to be different in a better sort of way. For at least a week into a new cycle, I'm usually full of resolutions and aspirations, welcoming positive change and temporarily sloughing off bad habits for the good of my body. Now - thanks to this amazing discovery - making it all a little easier is the Good Karma Medium Wand (apparently good karma is no longer good in large wand formats). The wand influences certain planets in thrilling and unknown ways, creating a “positive bubble” around the wearer. Sadly though, instructions on the proper wearing techniques for wands not included. The manufacturer also sells acceptance wands, courage wands and attraction wands in the standard medium size. The clarity, confidence and communication wands, on the other hand, can be purchased in large sizes. Fearlessness and forgiveness are also available in large, whereas the happiness, hope, inner peace and letting go wands don’t come in ...

This post was not meant to start like this. It was supposed to have a brilliant opener, and an even more impressive second line, leading seamlessly into a paragraph full of insight and wit. The topic was fascinating, and I knew it would be received quite rapturously by readers around the interwebs. There was just one small problem when I came to write it down. I couldn't remember the damn thing at all. I think of memory as being like a virtual computer, in which each piece of information is an individual file. But it's a faulty computer, because time and time again, files that I know are in there are suddenly inaccessible. So why is my virtual computer so faulty? Do I have early onset dementia? Or is my level of forgetfulness completely normal? Twice in as many months, I have driven right past my exit going to work. I'm daydreaming, mind elsewhere and all of a sudden I realize that something is just, well, wrong. It takes me about 10 seconds to figure it out, mutter...

If I ever wake up miniature I’m going to use a ravioli as a pillow and just go back to bed.

As I was deciding what to wear this morning, searching for exactly the right undergarment for my chosen outfit (a lovely new dress), it occurred to me that men have it easy. At whatever age they answer the cosmic Boxers vs. Briefs debate, they’re good to go, like, forever. We are faced with a vast sea of daily options, from the thong - that doesn't work for everyone...If you’re under 22, you might pull this one off. For some of us, it’s an all-day wedgie and looks like dental floss wrapped around the bottom of a Weeble, the French-cut brief (okay, if you don’t mind panty lines rippling diagonally across your backside like a geographical fault line), the full brief (the most flattering under your clothes, but in the laundry pile, look like Grandma Bertha’s undies. I fold my own), or finally, Spanx.  When I started my first IVF cycle in May 2011 I bought my first and only Spanx in the anticipation of the bloat I was told was coming. I also had a wedding to attend in the m...

For those of you playing along at home, here is the annotated version of last weeks results: FSH: 20 - This is 3 points higher then it was five months ago. Dr. Google in his deep, authoritative voice, “Anything below 6 is excellent.”. We know 20 isn't good. Just like we knew that 17.91 and 17 weren't good. LH: 9.4 - Dr. Google shifts uncomfortably in his chair. “As you see here , I prefer an LH below 7. It was 6.96 five months ago. TSH: 0.55 - The good Doctor gives a brisk nod...normal. DHEA: 8.5 - A small smile appears at the corner of Dr. Google’s brow....normal. E2: 118 - A small furrow appears on Dr. Google's brow "This is too high for Day 3" I do know that a high E2 level will artificially suppress FSH so my level of 20 in all likelihood is higher. Day 5 Antral follicle count: 2. Yes, 2. This is 4 less than five months ago and for a 37 year old...it's dismal.  Day 5 Endometrial thickness: 7.7mm. Way too thick for Day 5....

I'm not going to let a rough week prevent me from having my Friday Fun!