Sometimes I just say "no!"...

Last night was one of those nights. Last night, I had crazy fluctuations of hormones (thank you menstrual cycle...) and I was very snappy and kinda exploded on my boyfriend. (Thank goodness he's patient with me!) It's really weird too, because while I'm exploding, I can at the same time think to myself "Whoa. I just totally shifted gears right there. I was happy about 2 seconds ago. I'm being so mean without warning!" and yet, it seems there's nothing I can do to stop myself. I see it happening, I can tell I've shifted into pi.ssy mode, but it just keeps going. And then, I get really upset at myself (and the boyfriend for no reason) and cry. RAH!! This is so annoying. And, because I'm so upset/frustrated, I don't do my Vest. Great, right? Last night, I looked at it and told it "no" because I "just couldn't". Given, I am not a fan of the Vest (....) on most occasions and would love to never do it, but I know the consequences. But last night, I just couldn't bear to make my evening any "worse" by doing it. So I skipped. I did all the other treatment stuff, just not the Vest. So, here I sit doing an extra Vest session to make up for last night. *sigh*

As least I'm in a better mood now.

Here's to the guys who put up with us PMS girls on a regular basis: Thank you. Y'all are patient, loving, and have the unbelievable ability to just let us rant and cry and not take any of it personally because you know we're crazy. So thank you, guys.

Oh, and we're sorry. And we love you. :]

What a week!

This really has been one of the worst/longest weeks of this quarter. And I'm so glad it's over.

Monday- A day off and I spent it doing homework.

Tuesday- I did my presentation and took my test. I did fairly well on both of them. I went to my lab, but due to a mix-up, came in late and got yelled at and kicked out. I cried because those lame miscommunications, when concerning school, don't happen to me! Luckily, I contacted my TA and got it all worked out. That night I played some soccer and came out with a bunch of bruises and a limp.

Wednesday- Didn't make it to my 8am (so tired...) but drove in for my doctor's appt. (summary after this). I went by Casey's house to visit her new puppy, which made me really happy! Drove back and went to a self-defense class that night. After that, I studied with a friend for a few hours until around 10pm. I was so tired.

Thursday- Went to my two morning classes and went to the lab right after that (on time!). Right after that, I had a soccer game and then studied until 11pm for a test the next morning.

Friday-8am bio test. Then I went and napped until noon. At 1:30, I did yard/house work to prepare for Sigma Kappa Parents Weekend, until 5pm. I ate dinner at my Big Sis's house and we watched a movie until 9:30. Then I cleaned my apartment until a friend called me to talk faith. We talked for an hour or so and I realized it was 1130 when I got off the phone. I still had to finish cleaning the apartment since the rents were coming at 10am.

Saturday- 10am: Desserts with Mom. 12-3: Bowling with Dad. Then we drove out to my local church so they could meet some of my friends. Then we went by my great-aunt's house here because we haven't seen her in a while. Banquet then from 6-8. I then spent from 9-12am comforting a friend through a hard time. Then Casey spent the night with me.

Sunday- I got up for church at 9. Cooked lunch and went to choir at 3:45-4:45. Meeting at 6. And now, I'm watching the Saints game.

*deep breath*

I'm still really tired.

I'm supposed to go play soccer tonight at 9:30, but I think I'm gonna pass this week. It's been too much and I need some sleep. Some serious sleep.

Ok. Doctor's appointment. I lost 3lbs (grrr) but my PFTs were up! My FEV1 was 71% (Up from 64%) and another thing... (the FFV? Or something?) was 94% (up from 70%). The peak flow results are up from always around ~510 to 540 EU. It's always good when, as the CF Dr. looks over my results, she smiles. They are letting the slight drop in weight slide this time, but they just don't want to see it continue. She is so proud of me because of the life-choices I'm making and the good head I have sitting on my shoulders. She gave my mother and me high-fives and asked if she could clone me and have a whole clinic of me because "it's refreshing to see CF patients getting out from Mama's wing and still taking care of themselves because THEY want to and they know they NEED to."

So last week was rough, but this week will be better. And thank goodness. I need it.

-Annie

Drinking and Smoking

I've been asked a lot recently what I think about drinking or smoking. I've also been offered a lot of alcohol and usually get asked why I've turn it down. So I've decided to lay it all out on the table.

These are my opinions, take them or leave them. But don't argue with me about them.

SMOKING-

Clearly, this is bad for my health. I have a disease that affects the lungs, I don't need smoke messing them up too. However, what do I think about others smoking? I can't stand it. I h.ate walking to my class in the morning and having to walk through clouds of smoke. With all of the clear evidence that smoking is bad for you, people still pick it up (people my age!) and s.crew their lungs over. You were blessed with a HEALTHY pair of lungs. Why are you BUYING things to ruin them?! The older generations who smoke, I let it slide because they knew nothing about what it did to their lungs. But for those who are younger, as my dad puts it, "smoking should be a sign to the rest of population that those people are idiots and we should avoid them." While that's a little bit harsher than I would put it, it gets the point across.

DRINKING-

I do not drink, but I am in no way against people drinking alcohol. I am against underage drinking and excessive drinking. Underage drinking annoys me because that's a blatant violation of the law and has health risks that older drinkers do not have. The law was not placed (changed, and then changed back) for no reason. So props to people who wait to drink until they're 21. However, I have a problem with too much alcohol. Getting drunk allows for stupid mistakes to be made or rude things to be said and embarrassing situations that could have easily been avoided by a fewer number of shots or not drinking that last margarita. It's foolish and immature to think you have to drink to have fun. And it's even more foolish to arrive at that point where the only time you have fun is when you've had a little "liquid courage." Drinking and enjoying time with people is fine. Getting smashed, trashed, ****-faced, or wasted is a different story. Especially if you do it regularly. There are health risks with that too (direct and indirect). I choose not to drink because 1- I don't know how all the meds will react with alcohol 2,3,4- See paragraph above.

And lastly, to sum it all up,

^"19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; ²⁰you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

-Annie

Busy busy busy!

This MLK day break will be nice tomorrow (already is nice, seeing as I'm normally in bed by this time) because it's going to be a super busy week!

Monday: finish my Kines 290 project, finish studying for my Kines 292 test (both due Tuesday)

Tuesday: Present project and take test. SLEEP. Go to the lab between 3:30-6:30 to run another test, soccer game that night at 7.

Wednesday: Go to biology at 8, drive home, eat lunch, go to the doctor (GET A GOOD REPORT), visit Casey's new puppy, head back to college-town, mandatory self-defense class at 7. Study for bio test Friday

Thursday: Soccer game at 6. SLEEP MORE. Study for bio test Friday

Friday: Bio test. Sleep a whole lot more. Busy weekend ahead!

WHEW!!! I've got to be careful with my time-management this week so I can get ample amount of sleep for all the running around I'm doing. I live a crazy life! (Take THAT, CF!)

I finally went to the "big church" service at the church I've been attending. Before, I had only gone to the college Sunday school and college worship. I found out last week what time the real service started and made a point to go today. So I spend from 9-12; 3:45-5 at the church now (I joined the choir too, so that second chunk is singing!). That really makes me happy. I had been missing that greatly and I adore my church here in college-town. I feel at home. :]

When I have time to take a breath, I'll give the report on my doctor's appt. from Wednesday. Cross your fingers, your legs, and your heart that it's a good report. My January resolution was a bust, but I'm hoping my PFTs will still be good enough!

-Annie

Last couple of days

Shame on me for not posting, but I have been really busy. My excuse for the weekend: I didn't take Lappy home. My excuse for Monday/Tuesday: I've been super busy! But here I am again!

This weekend was a good friend's birthday, so I drove home to go celebrate it with him. We were going to celebrate here in college-town but his parents wanted him home. So home it was. We had a nice little double-date dinner/movie outing on Saturday. On Sunday, I drove my friend Tiff to college-town so she could catch another ride to the next city over to pick up her car. Legal hitch-hiking.

Monday is my busy school day. I have my biology in the morning and then bio lab that afternoon. In between, I'm doing homework. That evening, I had to prepare for my community group (college bible study) because I was teaching Chapter 10 of the book "Crazy Love." I spent a large chunk of time preparing, went to community group, and then hung out with the boyfriend for a little while.

Tuesday was one of the best days I've had in a while. I went to my first kines class but not to the second. Instead, one of my very best friends from high school came to visit! He goes to college in Vermont so I don't see him often. Him and his friend drove over to see me and one other friend from high school. We spent about 5 hours just talking, baking, and hanging out. I had a ton of fun. Then, I did more homework and played soccer that evening!! Sigma Kappa played Temple Baptist... battle of the roommates. Yep, my roomie is on the Temple indoor soccer team (along with a few other of my good friends) and we played each other last night. And, to make it EVEN BETTER, more good friends from high school (one goes to Texas A&M and one goes to LSU) that I don't see often came to visit other friends! So they were at the soccer game last night. My evening ended with those 2 friends from the soccer game, my roomie, and another friend hung out in my apartment for a while. It was great. We all went to high school/church together so it was a nice reunion.

Wow, that probably got really complicated, but I understand it. lol!

-Annie

A Full Day of Sub-Freezing Temps

Wow. Just wow. For Louisiana, this is COLD! I can't remember a day when it was below 32 all day long. There are ice patches all over campus. When I walked to class this morning for my 8am, it was 18 degrees, 10 mph wind, felt like 6 degrees. Let me see if I can explain this... I DON'T DO COLD. I am not a cold-weather creature, by any stretch of the imagination. I have been wearing full-body underarmour as a base layer of my warmth. But the wind is unbearable. Southern cold is different from northern cold, and I've been in both more than once. Northern cold is dry. Southern cold has humidity that sticks to you and "chills you to the bone" (as I heard from a Northern lady visiting). Today, the humidity ranges from 60+% to about 30% throughout the day. That's enough water in the air to make anyone very very cold, without wind. Then add in the 10-12mph winds... ugh... needless to say, I didn't want to leave my covers this morning.

On a different note, it was roughly 2 days until I heard my upstairs neighbors use water again. And since my bathroom is not a rainforest anymore, I'm assuming it has been fixed. Yay!

Oh!! Last night was the College Football National Championship game! I cooked dinner for the boyfriend and his best friend (came out HORRIBLE. The recipe was just awful; not my fault. Never cook 3-cheese pasta bake from Campbells recipe book EVER. Smells good, but don't be fooled.) as we cheered on Bama (Sorry Anjea!! Nothing against Texas, but I like Bama more) as they won the National Championship! Roll Tide! It was a fun game to watch.

After I finish this post, I'm going to wash all the dishes from last night (and the tray we cooked the pizza on afterwards), load up Dora, and head home! Celebrating boyfriend's best friend's birthday tomorrow.

So I've been unable to run all week. For the first few days, I had a random hip-flexer injury where I couldn't even walk well. Once that healed, I now have very sore quads from my kines 292 class where we've been doing muscle strength trainings and workouts. So I still can't walk well. *sigh* Maybe Monday will be better.

-Annie

A New Precipitation

The snow has come and gone (but it supposed to return on Thursday!), but that hasn't stopped the water from falling!... through our ceiling. Something happened and between the time my roommate left the apartment and I came back, our bathroom was FLOODED. It came from our neighbor's bathroom above us. We're not really sure what happened, but water came pouring out of the ceiling on the back wall, into the bathtub with enough force to soak the edge of the mat closest to the bathroom door (and everything in between). I even found water droplets on the door frame. I called housing and they came pretty quickly. They went upstairs to "have an eyeball" at it. I heard really loud metallic noises from inside the ceiling, water running, loud banging, and then silence. Nothing since, either. I never heard back from the guy, but I haven't heard the people above us use any water either (which we normally hear... loudly). So I still don't know if it's fixed, and that was a few hours ago.

I just really don't want to be in the shower tomorrow morning and get showered on with a different, unwanted water source too. Hopefully it's fixed and that will be the end of it.

Here are two pictures. Our bathroom after I've hung up the mats to dry and put towels down to soak it all up and another one of where the water came through.

-Annie

Louisiana Blizzard!

Kinda.

It's more snow than we're used to, at least. It's been snowing for the past 2 hours outside and I'm loving it. It doesn't stick, but who cares?! It's snowing!!!!!

I'm so excited!

-Annie

Twenty-ten or two-thousand-ten?

Happy New Year to everyone!!!

So I had planned on a huge "2009 Recap" but I'm not really feeling it. I'll do a baby "2009 Recap" though!

• Finished up my high school soccer season
• Had sinus surgery....
• And then got pneumonia
• Placed in state science fair
• Graduated high school with honors!
• Finished up my work in the lab (and got my soul back)
• Went to Colorado on LBASYC
• Went to Myrtle Beach with family
• Went to Boston with my high school choir
• Went on Senior Trip all over the southern east coast
• Went through Rush and joined Sigma Kappa
• Started classes in college!!
• Turned 19!
• My nephew was born!
• Learned a new nephew/niece is being baked!
• Rung in the new year with friends

I think that's it when it comes to touching on the high points. It was a pretty great year, looking back. Here are some predictions for 2010:

• Anjea has a boy
• I turn 20
• I go to Panama over the summer
• I don't have to go to the hospital for anything (*crosses fingers*)
• I finish out my first year of college strong
• I get into a habit of running every day
• I get a job to finish out the school year or a summer job (or both!)

Some of those are already guaranteed things, but hey! I have to get something right!

I don't have a New Year's resolution, but I do have a January Resolution: before my dr. appt on the 20th, run every single day starting Jan 4. If I can do that, I won't have to worry about my lung functions when the appt rolls around.

It's 10:30, I'm tired, but before I hit the sack, it's time to start packing!! I'm heading back to college town tomorrow afternoon-ish. While I have greatly enjoyed my break, it's time to go back.

Best of luck to my high school friends who have midterms in a few days. Relax, eat lots, take naps when you can, and study smart. You'll do fine.

GOOD NIGHT!

-Annie