Fascinating stuff that I feel compelled to share...

From "tricky foods" (from Four Weeks Magazine, where else?)

"Smaller containers of orange juice give you more vitamin C! That's because ready-to-drink OJ rapidly loses its vitamin C as soon as it’s opened, according to an American Dietetic Association study."

Well, I don't like orange juice--I prefer oranges themselves and have gotten out of the habit of eating them. But I figure most folks have OJ for breakfast and that this would be an interesting bit of info.

Another tidbit: in the 2nd week (8-13 days) a woman's sense of smell is heightened for three things: "roses, male sweat and male urine. You can thank today's high estrogen for your nasal ability. In early cave days, during this fertile high-estrogen phase of your cycle your nose was important for sniffing out a man's health through his excretions. And the roses? Obviously, even cave girls couldn't resist a pretty long-stemmed bouquet..." (also FWM)

Roses--wow, it's been a long time since I've had a real one (I sometimes buy the miniature roses at Whole Foods.)

I had bizarr-o dreams last night probably due to the fact that I forgot my bedtime meds.

Over and out...

The paradox called me...

So today I had a "life assessment." Basically, I got to sit in the only air conditioned office at the clinic and answer questions like, "how has your sleep been?" and "have you taken any street drugs?"

So here's the paradox. My life has improved considerably in the past month:

• Two out of three lost friends have been regained
• I'm sort of seeing a normal very nice guy
• I'm going on vacation in less than four days
• etc.

But the low grade (very low grade, I assured her) depression is due to the fact that I'm processing the fact that my life has improved.

And to her, I was just a number. She didn't want to know that this is the most stressful time of the year for Children's Librarians. Or that a cute guy paid for my grilled cheese sandwich on Sunday. Or that I'm off to Montana in a few days.

And I get to go back and see her (or someone like her) again in three months! Yippee! Does that mean the study is continuing?

Off to wash hair, do dishes (they smell RANK) and possibly throw a load of wash before I go to work.

I got miniature roses at Whole Foods. They are (of course) pink. They are staring at me on the desk opposite my computer. I love them. If my camera was communicating with my computer, I might take a picture. I'll get back to you on that one...

Third week--pre-PMS

WEEK 3: Cautious & Caring (from FourWeeks Mag.)

This week lasts from Day 14 (or ovulation) to Day 22 of your monthly cycle. Your estrogen and testosterone start off by dropping, but by Day 18, they rise again. Progesterone, a sedating hormone that also boosts the urge to nurture, rises steadily throughout the week. This week's hormonal combination is increasing your desire to be safe, improve your health, cook (or order in), eat comfort foods, shop for items that make your home more comfortable, budget, stick to what's traditional and do quiet-low key activities either alone or with a special friend.

***************

Um yeah. I'm all worried about packing but also about my diet (not losing weight, but what to eat so that the PMS and UMS* symptoms are less, as I'll be in PMS during the Montana trip and UMS during July 4th week, when my parents come to Pgh.)

So now is the time to re-evaluate my supplements, etc.

And I'd so much rather be at home curled up with a book or a movie, eating bon bons than be at work...

*UMS stands for Ugly Mood Swings and is my personal euphemism for The Red Tent.

Sarah Louise tries the 10 Essentials...

So Easter is almost over--I don't think I've had a more stressful Lenten season since--well, last year.

I take TriVita Sub-lingual B-12. It help n'stuff. I can't say exactly "it cured my eczema" or "I don't get depressed anymore" but I know that it helps. I was having all kinds of stomach stuff going on right around the time I started taking it and it helped.

I tend to stress. A LOT. And even though I know taking a walk in the morning is a great idea, I don't. I go straight to the computer. It's an addiction.

So, since the TriVita folks got my email addy a few months ago, I've started getting their newsletter on Saturdays. Usually I'm cataloguing and I don't have time to read (or I steal time to read, more likely, lately.) But today I'm on the reference desk without a definite project so I'm surfing, reading email, and yes, blogging.

So I surfed through the newsletter and found the TriVita 10 Essentials. (the title is a link, but here they are too):

1. breathe deeply
2. drink water
3. sleep peacefully
4. eat nutriously
5. enjoy activity
6. give and recieve love
7. be forgiving
8. practice gratitude
9. develop acceptance
10. develop a relationship with God

I was late today. I have no idea how I got my alarm clock to only work on Wednesdays and so I thought it would go off today--it DIDN'T.

A girl just came in with the most sparkly red shoes ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyways, I've been pretty much a grouch the past week. Ever since my parents left, I've been playing catch up and I've been hormonal and needing more anti-depressants and....

I WANT TO ENJOY MY LIFE!

I WANT TO GET PAST THE GLOOM!

I WANT TO NOT GET COLDS EVERY MONTH!

So...breathe deep--I have a real problem with breathing.

Drink water, I can do that.

Sleep--I've got that one down. It's 4-10 that I have problems with, you know, on a CONSISTENT basis.

Anyways...maybe I'll go try to find a project to work on.