Freak Allergic Reaction

Yesterday morning, I woke up and suddenly thought "Hmmmm, my eye feels weird". I look in the mirror and realize that my right eyelid is swelling rapidly and I look scary. Really scary actually. My roommates take one look at me and they looked pretty freaked out. I call my boss and tell her I have to go to the doctor.

Bad news... I don't have insurance yet. Ironically, I have just become eligible for insurance - I have insurance paperwork, but no insurance. Crap.

I call clinics and friends who went through "no insurance" periods in their life in New York City. All the while my eye is swelling more and more. I look scarier.

Finally, I just decide to go to the clinic that I have a confirmed address for and seems the nicest on the phone. I walk about 2 miles because the subway and bus doesn't help me get from Point A to Point B.

I arrive at the clinic in extreme discomfort - I can only see out of one eye and I have a throbbing headache from the pressure being put on my eye. The clinic doctors take one look at me and tell me to go to the emergency room. I start to get very concerned about my health. Various people start telling me how to get to the hospital which is disorienting and no single set of directons makes sense. Finally one nice man (who doesn't even work for the clinic) takes me outside to the bus stop and explains how to get to the emergency room at Mount Sinai Hospital in Queens.

The bus comes immediately, thank goodness, and I get on the bus and stand next to the bus driver. I call my friend Evan who is one of the most comforting people I know in New York. We giggle nervously on the phone. The bus driver and I chat about the hospital. The bus driver looks at me, gets freaked out, and says "Yeah, you look really bad." AWESOME - even the bus driver is scared of my face.

I wait, I make some calls for work, I try and read with my one good eye in the waiting room. I see the doctor and she tells me I had an allergic reaction, but she doesn't know what it was, and she can't really do anything for me. She gives me some tips to reduce the swelling and I leave.

I go home, sit for 5 hours with frozen cucumbers on my eye, keep taking antihistamines, nap periodically sitting up (I was told NOT to lie down). I drag my sorry butt into Manhattan for the last of four focus groups for work.

I'm waiting to see how bad my bill is - if I have to pay 1200 bucks for some antihistamines and a light being shone in my eye, I'm going to apply for assistance and see if I can retroactively have my insurance cover this incident.

Anyways, all is back to normal... life was a little scary for a while. It was nice that people offered to come to the hospital with me, or meet me there, but I was pretty proud that I handled things ok. I did get a bit teary on the phone with the mom, but only her. I gave myself one minute to compose myself and then took care of some deadlines for my job. I think I might use my new insurance to go to the allergist and figure out which substances I need to avoid.

Making My Life Better One Step at a Time

1. Yoga
2. Blackberry
3. Smaller Digital Camera
4. Paint the apartment
5. Library Card
6. Dance Class
7. Stick to beer.
8. Count to 10 before speaking or typing on the G-Chat.
9. Coupons
10. More sleep.
11. Automatic Debit for Credit Card payments

1. I am in Yoga class.
2. Done.
3. Picked the camera.
4. Working on it.
5. I need to get mail to get the card. Send me mail!
6. Have class schedules.
7. Well...working on it again.
8. Probably won't get to 10, will settle for counting to 5.
9. I have scissors. Now I need some coupon inclusive publications.
10. I will do what I can.
11. Done!

So...not too bad.

We are so close we could spit on Home Plate.

I'm a newly minted real life baseball fan. I sat right behind home plate at Yankee Stadium via tickets courtesy of Pirates first baseman Adam LaRoche. We had to pick up our tickets at the VIP station.

Hot.

Beer, yelling, and crowds singing songs.....YAY baseball.

I Want to Leave My Fingerprints on You

This is a line from a song in Passing Strange which I saw at the Public Theatre tonight. I highly recommend it. I guess you could call it a rock musical...or a punk rock musical....

It is based on the life of Stew, a musician. He just goes by Stew, so all I can call him is Stew. I really wish they would make a cast album. I want to see it again.

So this random lady I met today gave me the cell phone number of a 28 year-old family friend that she thinks I might like... to date. It was one of the stranger moments of my day. I'll probably give him a call, since he is a theater person and is going to CMU. I like new people.

And I'm going to a Yankees game tomorrow.

Life is unexpected sometimes.

Sigh. I really enjoyed Passing Strange.

Yoga...aaaaaahhhhh.

I love Yoga. I forgot how wonderful and hard it is.

My body feels like jello.

When I did Yoga today for part of the class I only thought about what my body was feeling and how much I liked being still.

And that is a reason to say thank you.

Life Settles In...

I officially live in Astoria.

I was at work an hour early today for no reason except me and wanting to do random things.

I have summer plans and projects.

Word.

26 Hours of Free Music

Tonight I spent 5 hours at the Bang On A Can Music Marathon. This event has been going on for 20 years in New York City in various venues. At first I was skeptical because some of my experiences with contemporary music have not been pleasant, but I was amazed. The marathon took (and is still taking) place at the World Financial Center downtown. The musical groups/acts are from all around the world - when I left an ensemble from Uzbekhistan (FYI I know I totally spelled that wrong, but I'm real tired....) was playing.

The World Financial Center has a giant indoor courtyard with a glass ceiling and many palm trees. It seemed a bit strange and ironic to be sitting in a venue with a very "I'm at the mall" feeling to it. However, seeing the sunset through the palm trees was pretty awesome. One of ensembles also performed a horn piece spread throughout the multiple floors of the courtyard with the conductor in the middle of the ground floor.

I liked the casual feel of the whole event - I wandered off to find a bagel at one point and could still hear the music. The best act of all (that I have seen thus far - I want to go back tomorrow as well) was the band The Books from North Adams, MA. Incidentally this is where MassMOCA is - one of the largest spaces for contemporary art in the country and a really kick ass place to visit if you are ever in the Berkshires. The Books make beautiful music and found video art. They are smart and cheeky and I never thought I would say that one of the most incredible things I've seen lately included a home video of a boy on a trampoline.

I love that New York has these great events and for FREE too! At 4:30 AM you can see 18 people playing 18 pianos at the World Financial Center. I kind of wish I had the stamina to stay up all night for this event, but I have plans at noon tomorrow, plans I really can't skip. Tomorrow is the first Lebowski Sunday that has occurred for over a year and Michael is leaving town on Monday. Plus I am officially becoming a resident of Astoria tomorrow. All my stuff lives there, now it is time for me to go too.

I think the music of Brian Eno is currently wafting through the financial district.....awesome.

Tomorrow I get to see Yo La Tengo! Liz and I bought many CDs to share of new exciting music. We talked to a bass clarinetist named Evan for advice. I find Evans to be really solid, good characters and good for smart suggestions. I'm really excited about The Books DVD. Beautiful music and beautiful videos to share....