Tag: Friday Five

DBlog Week: Misc. Mom Hacks

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Today’s Topic: Let’s round out the week by sharing our best diabetes tips and diabetes tricks. From how you organize supplies to how you manage gear on the go/vacation (beach, or skiing, or whatever). From how you keep track of prescription numbers to how you remember to get your orders refilled. How about any “unconventional” diabetes practices, or ways to make diabetes work for YOU (not necessarily how the doctors say to do it!). There’s always something we can learn from each other. (Remember though, please no medical advice or dangerous suggestions.)

I don’t have too many “pin-worthy” hacks to survive as a T1; particularly ones that are deemed medically sound. (Such as refilling my pump cartridges before the 3-day mark, rage-bolusing, how to use the same lancet for over a year…)

But I have plenty of mom with diabetes suggestions that will keep both me and Bean happy while out and about. (There are also five of them – so, Friday Five!)

  1. Currently pregnant? Here is a link to a sample of a birth plan I wrote for a medicated birth with possible c-section option. Use the template to build your own.
  2. If you are breastfeeding a new baby, keep all of your “one-handed snacks,” juice boxes, and water in a “station” where you prefer to breastfeed at home. I have a few more tips here.
  3. Your strip container, glucose tablet roll, and/or your Dexcom receiver make awesome distractions/toys in a pinch.
  4. Most likely, you will pack two of the same snack while out on the road. This will save a lot of time during a meltdown or hypoglycemic event.
  5. I wear a lot more dresses now. I love my Girly Go Garter (reviewed here) to wear my pump and keep my Dexcom receiver near by while wearing dresses. This also hides my pump wire much better. (Less pulling, getting tangled in toddler feet, etc.)
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Friday Five: WTF Happened This Week?

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It’s Friday y’all. So much happened this last week that didn’t involve a certain reality TV star getting the GOP nomination. Here are some of the highlights and things to look forward to.

  1. United Healthcare teams up with Medtronic to only offer their insulin pumps and supplies to their subscribers. The Diabetic Online Community is buzzing about this. There is a lot of GOOD commentary about why this is a strange and somewhat scary decision and how all of this effects PWDs. Especially for the future of finding better care and solutions to simply exist as a normal person. I’m not going to throw more opinions out there since I’m still trying to formulate my own, but here are some  links/blogs to check out to get a background:
    Storyfy – the series of tweets, Facebook posts, and other social media tidbits from all parties involved to get the gist of the story from a facts perspective.
    How is Milk like Insulin Pumps? – Christel/ThePerfectD’s analysis of what this means in a real-world example.
    Choice is Necessary – Stephen/Happy Medium’s thoughts on the new relationship and how this helps showcase their parent company’s mission statement. (Spoiler alert: it doesn’t.)
    I Could Be Mad – Test Guess and Go’s feelings are similar to mine and I share a lot of Laddie’s thoughts. This one hit home.
    A Chain of Thoughts – Scott/Rolling in the D doesn’t post as often anymore, but I wish he would. I agree with him on the call for government oversight to end insurance companies acting like medical professionals. I also wish to use this post to squash fear that Big Government Run Health Care will act as a “Big Brother,” collecting and storing your data, so you may or may not get the care you need. Hello! This already happens in the private sector.

  2. Along these lines of healthcare, my podcast addiction, Pantsuit Politics, is actually covering the Affordable Healthcare Act next week. Between all of my Bernie Sanders friends touting  universal, single-payer, healthcare vs. my conservative friends pushing for the return to the free market for health insurance, I’m actually really anxious to hear what the hostesses have to say in their analysis. Given that this topic is hot and constantly thrown in my face, I’m struggling to figure out what the hell I want in my ideal healthcare system. Currently, the ACA IS my ideal choice, pending it actually worked properly. (Yay, public sector technology!) It’s a faux free market, which allows me to shop for a plan with a pre-existing condition, but I still (for now) can get a plan which will cover a multitude of diabetes durable medical equipment based on what my priorities are. (E.G. do I want one option for my insulin pump supplier at 100% coverage, or can I managed 80% coverage but switch pump companies as I choose?)
    Anyway, Beth, the conservative leaning hostess, posted a Primer on the ACA in preparation for Tuesday’s podcast. You can check it out for a very brief overview.

  3. It’s Spring Show Week! Quite possibly, my last Spring Show in a pro-am partnership since my instructor is moving across the country this summer. But, I’m not saying this is DEFINITELY my last showcase, because I said that one year and it didn’t actually happen. Anyway, I ran into another PWD performer during dress rehearsal. Meeting dancers with Type 1 diabetes is a rare occurrence – meeting them at your studio’s showcase is probably a 1 in 1 million shot. But, there we were, discussing where we could possibly put insulin pumps while wearing spandex and then performing.
  4. Capsule Wardrobe Related. Yes – I still have a small-ish selection of clothes to chose from in the morning and still plan on maintaining it for the remainder of the year. There have been a few hiccups lately when I realized that I didn’t keep a lot of my sparkly, trendy items in my ballroom costume bin, which probably would have helped when I was figuring out an alternative costume for my Spring show piece. (I didn’t need it, but I would have liked the option.) But I’ve moved from keeping only a certain number of items in my closet at once to making sure that what I have in my closet actually works, and that new pieces I purchase are from places with good sustainability practices. (And that my discards get recycled rather than tossed out.)

    I have been following a group on Facebook that focuses on Ethical Shopping . I don’t think I have the lifestyle (or the size) to dive into that kind of shopping head first. (Especially when simple t-shirts can cost $18+ and I have a messy toddler.) But, I figure I can do what I can by seeking out USA made items, or supporting a local business (part of the reason why I like Golden Tote so much). Second hand shopping online is super cheap and easy. And, I’ve reached a point where I don’t feel like I NEED anything in my closet – at least until the weather changes again. So – no shopping equals more money in my pocket for our vacation in November. Win win.

  5. Happy Mother’s Day! Which is Sunday, by the way. Make sure you call your mom, your grandma, or other maternal/parental figure this weekend to say “you’re awesome!”

Friday Five: Busy Weekend Edition

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I realize I haven’t done a Friday Five in a LONG time. This week in summary…

1.| So this happened.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BDBOhctiMSO/

Don’t get me wrong. I love my Dexy. Except when it doesn’t work. At all. Clearly, Dexy enjoyed too many St. Patrick’s Day Green Beers a day early. (I removed it and enjoyed too many Irish Shortbread cookies without it screaming at me.)

2.| My monthly Stitch Fix, Golden Tote shipment, and Trunk Club trunk are ALL coming at the same damn time. Fantastic timing, because I’m supposed to be figuring out my seasonal wardrobe around now. I might write summaries about all three of them in one post rather than individually. Because, tired. And Fuller House is on Netflix. (Priorities!)

3.| I’ve never really taken an interest in politics until recently. Maybe it’s the whole, being a staff member under a lobbying firm thing. I can’t make sense of the circus, even being a left-leaning centrist who prefers science over woo. A friend of mine recommended a Podcast that has been helping guide her in discussions. It’s Pantsuit Politics – or a conversation between two female friends with different political views. Their podcast began last November, but they’ve been covering more and more of the election process. (Because even they admit, they can’t escape it.) But it’s just refreshing to hear both perspectives of the political spectrum without all of the Facebook drama and subsequent unfriending. (Speaking of, post-Primary, I may retreat to Instagram. This is getting ugly, y’all.)

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4.| I’m ridiculously excited for some time to be an adult this weekend. It’s been far too long. M and I got tickets to a local craft beer festival and we’re seeing “The Book of Mormon” as well. Sitters (and grandma) are all lined up to watch Bean. The sad part was finding out how out of touch from the local scene we are. I don’t know if we ever really were in tune with it, but now we’re so far gone, it’s analog. Thank God I have savvy friends who can tell me what’s happening.

5.| I used my travel time last week to start (and finish) listening to an audiobook for the first time. I had 6 hours, one way, to kill, so I figured I’d try it. One thing is for sure – the new Apple earbuds are NOT made for extended wear. And, Girl on the Train was a really depressing read. But I’ll give myself kudos for picking it up before it was released as a movie.

 

 

Friday Five: Good Things Edition

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A few notes just because I just got back from work travel and don’t have a ton of energy left. I ate horribly for the last 3 days, not really by choice, and my blood sugars are paying for it. (And my arms are really sore, so I don’t want to be on a laptop for very long.)

1) MY DEXCOM IS COMING! I got a call from my rep at Diabetes Specialty that my pre-auth was finally signed by my doctor after three freakin’ weeks. My doctor didn’t really seem to know where the authorizations went, but was ready to sign them whenever… so they were probably getting lost in someone’s inbox. Bah. This is why our insurance industry is so slow, kids! Anyway – it should be here next week.

2) My guest blog is out. I did a guest post for Stefanie over at Biggest Girl in the Ballroom and it was released yesterday. 🙂 It rambles a bit, but mostly covers all things dancing with diabetes entails. (Without being too long.)

3) I was contacted by my area t:slim rep shortly after I posted my blog, and I may get a proper demo after all. However, time is running short on my warranty, so I need to make a decision rather quickly. (Especially if it takes three weeks for my doc to sign off on anything.)

4) The Spare a Rose, Save a Child campaign is BACK! Use your V-Day dollars for something more useful than overpriced and soon-to-be-dead flowers! ‘Nuff said. (And they updated their campaign marketing and logo. Way more awesome.)

5) Kind of excited for the Superbowl this weekend. I am not rooting for any team, nor do I really enjoy football. But there is always a ton of food and I love watching the ads. Let’s hope they don’t disappoint. 🙂

Friday Five*: Insulin Pump Shopping

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I thought this would be more exciting, but it really isn’t. I haven’t really been swayed by any of the brands out there 100%, but – after my Paradigm decided not to recognize the battery change yesterday morning, I’m thinking I need to make a decision fairly quickly. (And call for ANOTHER replacement pump… #4 in the last year.)

1) I’ve decided against upgrading to an OmniPod. While the wireless capability is pretty awesome and the customer service is spot on, the programming of the pump is not much different than my Paradigm. My docs would love for me to be able to explore a .25 unit change in my basals and the Pods can only administer a .5 unit increment, with no plans to make that an option. Their lowest carb count ratio is 1:1, which is pretty typical, but apparently other pumps can get down to .5:1, which will be super handy during that 3rd Trimester, when it should occur.

2) I really like T:Slims interface and the sleekness of it, however, their customer service has left a slightly sour taste in my mouth – and I haven’t even purchased the pump yet. I sent in my patient paper work TWICE… and still had to call someone to figure out what the heck was going on. I understand it’s the end of the year and people are probably trying to spend their deductibles. But – a little bit of “hey – thanks for your interest” would be nice. Especially if I’m going to drop $50/month on supplies.

3) I sent in my paper work to Dexcom for a G4 Platinum. I figure if I have to buy a brand new transmitter outright with the new Medtronic 530G, I might as well just get what I want. Anything I get at this point, though, will hopefully be way more accurate and less finicky than what I have now. (Though – I had to order more sensors yesterday because, well February is 2.5 months out…) I know my docs keep telling me that it’s not really the number I should be concerned with, but the direction, it’s hard justifying waking up in the 190s and stable when your CGM says you’ve been in the 130s and stable. (Or that you’ve already hit 47 when your CGM says you’re 110… that sort of thing.)

4) A reason to stick with Medtronic? Carelink. My docs know how to use it. I can just upload and send a secure message for them to evaluate – done. I believe all other pumps have SOME sort of reporting software, but I don’t know what it entails, (how much it costs), and if my docs can access it. My CDE has suddenly stopped being able to accept emails from me and her suggestions are becoming more “canned.” I figure sending her attachments is a bad idea now. It’s a bit disappointing. Anyway – if you are not using Carelink, how do you get your Dexcom or Pump or Meter results to your doctor for evaluation?

5) I still have to take a look at the Animas Ping. But – you know… the holidays and stuff.

5.5) The Asante Snap isn’t available in my area, apparently. (WTF!?)

 

On the bright side, I’ve discovered that my health insurance doesn’t have a contract solely with Medtronic, so I am free to shop around to the larger companies. But since my Insurance is “local” and “special,” the Pump companies have a few work-arounds that need to be put in place, thus probably taking longer for approvals and such. But – it’s a 20% co-pay regardless where I go. So – that’s good news. (In the grand scheme of things.)

Have a good weekend.

Friday Five: 12 Days of Christmas Edition

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Dear Me,

There are 12 days left until Christmas. Get your isht together already.

Signed,

Future Me

 

Psh… well I’d LOVE to, but life kind of got in the way. And this cold. Ugh – this cold. I thought I was heading out of the woods, so I stopped taking my decongestant because my nose wasn’t stuffy. Nope – it just moved to my ears and head. Awesome.

At any rate, here are things that have fallen by the wayside while I recover/work/prep for show and 4 million luncheons and holiday parties/head to Jury Duty.

1) Christmas cards: I got pretty lazy with them last year because Vista Print ran a Groupon for really cheap printing. So I imprinted our names on some cards and sent those out to people. I probably won’t get that far this year. Sorry y’all. But seriously – does anyone still do Cards anymore? I much prefer getting fun, personalized cards for my friends with their gifts, but I wasn’t even able to do that this year.

2) Baking: I’m usually freakin’ Martha Stewart by this time of year. Mostly because the studio drops in attendance the week following Showcase… which is this weekend. I generally have about 5 different varieties of cookies with at least 2 or 3 allergen free types to appease the masses. And I give something to EVERYONE. I don’t think that’s happening this year. I might be lucky if I can churn out some chocolate chip cookies, but I’m not pushing my luck… or this cold.

3) Christmas shopping: I thought turning to Amazon would be the solution to all my issues. Turns out, no one know what they want for Christmas either, thus making shopping even harder. And there is just a TON of stuff on Amazon. But – I get 2 day free shipping with Prime. (No Drones, please.)

4) My blood sugar control: Well, I mean… that’s sort of a given with the holidays. However, dropping from a 262 to a 182 in a half hour… and then to a 29 3 hours later is kind of nuts. (And was my night last night.) Yay illness!

5) My patience. I don’t really have much to begin with, but something about the holidays just makes it more obvious. (See #4 again… )

Hope you have a good weekend!

Invincible Illness Week: It’s a Thing

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Apparently. Hey – I’ve been kind of dry on blogging inspiration so I’ll take a prompt every now and then. Plus – these surveys are a good way to kill time. 🙂

30 Things About My Invisible Illness You May Not Know

1. The illness I live with is: Type 1 Diabetes (and possibly, Trigeminal neuralgia.)

2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 1982, shortly after my first birthday. (TN is still not quite confirmed.)

3. But I had symptoms since: I have no idea. I was barely a year old. I assume my parents weren’t really sure why their daughter was super sick and going through diapers like crazy, so – multiple trips to the hospital ensued.

4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: I’ve had it all my life, essentially, but I’ve changed treatment options multiple times. So going on a pump was probably the biggest adjustment after being on shots for 26-ish years. (And getting used to being connected to something 24/7.)

5. Most people assume: That I’m in great control because their grandma “always run high” or “that I have bad diabetes” because I’m on insulin all the time (there’s a good kind???) Or that if I’m moody, then I MUST need to eat something because I’m low. (I’m not allowed to be pissed off ever?)

6. The hardest part about mornings are: Waking up with a random-ass high or low blood for no reason can totally ruin your day.

7. My favorite medical TV show is: I used to watch House until it got weird. I watched ER and Chicago Hope a long time ago as well.

8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: My pump and CGM combo. I have a love/hate relationship with it, but I’m dreading the day I may have to switch insurance providers and will no longer have the luxury of CGM coverage. (Which is why it took me so long to get it in the first place.)

9. The hardest part about nights are: Going to sleep with a high BG… or having a late dinner with a high fat content that you know will hit you later long after you’ve gone to sleep. The whole “do I over-bolus and risk crashing vs. waiting it out” debate may as well just keep me up all night.

10. Each day I take __ pills & vitamins: I used to be on a cocktail of pills and vitamins for no reason, IMHO. But now it’s just the insulin and Nuerontin when I feel my headaches coming back. (And a daily multi… most of the time.)

11. Regarding alternative treatments I: don’t really explore them, unless they are to alleviate symptoms. There aren’t alternative, non-chemical subs for insulin. But – for pain relief, I’ve saught out acupuncture and massage therapy. And I’ve found some interesting cold remedies on Pineterest.

12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: Invisible. Though – that has it’s downfalls as well. Especially when hypoglycemia symptoms double as alcohol intoxication symptoms.

13. Regarding working and career: I try to keep it discrete and rely on myself a lot. However, it depends on the job. If the day involves a lot of activity and stress, I’m asked more often if I need to eat or take care of myself. But desk work is a bit different. I’ve also been asked to not give my shots in public at events, which was really annoying (and a bathroom is a much safer place!?). (The same boss that criticized me for doing so was over the moon when I got a pump.)

14. People would be surprised to know: That I don’t like a gift of sugar free candy. The laxative effect and strange insulin math I need to do to adjust for consuming it is so not worth it. I know you are trying to be thoughtful… but please, just get me the real stuff.

15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: Diabetes has actually been my only reality.

16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: Dance. But the illness wasn’t exactly a factor in that equation. Eventually, I’d also like to “be a mom.”

17. The commercials about my illness: are often fast-forwarded. (I rarely watch TV live.)

18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: I can’t really tell you… I was too young to really miss anything about a diabetes-free life.

19. It was really hard to have to give up: Once I started pumping – I gave up pants without pockets get really annoyed when I can’t find them when out shopping. I also don’t wear dresses and skirts that often anymore. The last time I tried to stick my pump in with “the girls,” I broke it. So…

20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: …everything?

21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: I’d probably enjoy my food more as food rather than a quadratic equation.

22. My illness has taught me: about being a responsible human being. However, it’s also taught me to be neurotic and it showcases my TYPE A+++ personality (TM – someone awesome) quite well.

23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: Wow – it must be really hard to be a diabetic. I can’t even imagine…

24. But I love it when people: Try to understand it to the best of their ability and when I feel like I can have an open conversation with a non-PWD.

25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: It could be worse…

26. When someone is diagnosed I’d like to tell them: It sucks and it’s an adjustment. But – you’ll do yourself no favors if you pretend it doesn’t exist.

27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: How open my IRL friends were to learning about it. A number of them follow the blog on their own accord.

28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: Ballroom teacher has delayed lessons, cancelled lessons last minute, or stopped them without docking time until I got back on my feet again, figuratively. It’s minor in the grand scheme of things, but his time is valuable as well and accommodations don’t always have to be made. But they are.

29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: Why lie? I needed a blog prompt.

30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: delighted! Happy Friday!

Friday Five: “There aren’t enough hours in the day” Edition

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1) The new owner at the studio gave me admin rights to the studio Facebook page. I’ve never had so much fun in my life. Getting paid to Facebook all day? Yes! Too bad I don’t like all the other aspects of PR and Marketing. I don’t know many companies that have full time positions available for just social media coordinators. But, I swear, it’s like the perfect fit in PR for introverts.

2) The hammer finally dropped at my 9-5 job. But – maybe only temporary. I can’t believe how disorganized and repetitive and inefficient the system for committee selection has been. I’m also getting emails from my boss asking “well, you did THIS right?” No – because there is no documentation indicating that I had to and had no idea to ask. <sigh> I have some design work coming my way for our big annual meeting. And I mean… all of it.

3) I had a moment last weekend where the blood sugars dropped so fast that my CGM actually said I was normal and only slowly declining into hypo-ville. By the end of my lesson with my swing coach, I was 49 mg/dl. My CGM said I was 114. But I felt weird during the last 10 minutes of the lesson. Swing coach asked – “are you dying? Do you need something to eat?” No, no… CGM says okay and it’s been fairly accurate thus far. I’m just tired and hungry. I don’t really remember the last 10 minutes of my lesson. Swing coach asked in closing “hey, what’s your favorite color today?” I couldn’t respond right away. (Wait – what did he just ask?) Yeah – it was kind of like that the entire weekend.

4) Ballroom coach was told the story in #3 and has given himself permission to order me to get food if he feels it’s necessary. I’m apparently not allowed to pass out on his watch. 😛

5) [Contains female rant… guys, feel free to skip this one.] Okay seriously… the whole monthly cycle thing is hell for a PWD. Especially for one who is trying to conceive a child. It also doesn’t help that my symptoms and blood sugar reactions have been completely different for the last 4 cycles so I never know if this month is lucky… until it’s not. I’ve had two cycles start during a dance comp weekend now, so the hypos vs. insulin resistance vs. lack of sleep vs. increase in activity has been really hard to manage. Let’s not forget about the whole “am I or am I not?” questions that plague my psyche when I’m supposed to be competing at my best. <bangs head against a wall>

Have a great weekend! I promise to get back into the swing of things (ha ha) next week.

Friday Five: Extended Weekend Edition

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1) Hey – I have a Twitter account. You can follow me and it won’t be creepy. Sometimes I post there more often than I do here because it doesn’t require much thought. @seejendance or click the feed below.

2) Speaking of Twitter, I posted a question that I might have better luck getting answered here. I’m traveling for another swing convention this weekend and my sensor decided to go ape-shit crazy soon after I left the house. I really, REALLY need an accurate idea of what the ol’ BGs are doing during all the comps and late night dancing. But – I have this fine gauge, 1 inch long needle to somehow dispose of while not in the comfort of my own home. I didn’t bring a sharps container with me because that’s awkward. I did bring my old Safe-Clip (not this one exactly… the old orange ones.) What do you do with sharps when you travel?

3) There has been a large forest fire burning in Yosemite for the last couple weeks. It’s mostly affected Reno, parts of Tahoe, and other areas along the Cali/Nevada border in terms of smoke. However, my neck of the woods smells like a giant gas grill burning last week’s chicken. Plus it’s hot and humid. I’m very excited to be leaving promptly after work. I don’t think my allergies would hang very well.

4) Is isolationism really that bad? Maybe I should be moving the Switzerland. They have a better health care system, right? </semi political rant that isn’t safe anywhere on my Facebook wall>

5) Today, there was a “town hall meeting” in my neck of the woods for Covered California – an organization offering affordable health care options for the uninsured in California. I thought it was formed to comply with ACA, but I’m not so sure because it doesn’t mention anything about it on their website. Anyway – since health insurance is the bane of my existence important to me, I decided to check it out and see what could be offered to me. In a nutshell, there are four plans available. If you make less than a certain amount of money per year, you could get access to cheaper plans, which are a lower monthly premium each month. However, you pay an arm and leg for appointments and prescriptions. The higher end plans have lower, more reasonable co-pays, but you’ll drop about $480 per month for that luxury. <sigh> Guess it’s group insurance for me and I’ll be holding on to this COBRA plan for as long as humanly possible.

Have a good, extended last weekend of Summer!

Friday Five: Un-Blue Friday

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1) I totally fail at Blue Fridays because I don’t own anything that is work appropriate and blue. (What I do own looks great on the dancefloor instead!) I need some fun earrings or something. (I don’t count blue jeans…) Instead, I’m wearing pink.

2) I can’t watch this routine and feel blue afterwards. (Starts about 2 minutes in.) I was a HUGE fan of Mark Kanemura back on SYTYCD Season 4. So much… that a group of us (from the interwebz) met in SoCal for a few days and all took a class from him (and took over a Pink Berry in LA)… y’know, before he made it big and started dancing for some performer named Lady Gaga. Now he comes back and choreographs this fabulousness. I realize that he is dancing with a contestant from the show, but I don’t watch for her. (Nor do I really notice her… oh well. I’m not a Jenna fan.)

3) Stuff like this causes me to see red. Last night I was experiencing some post-dinner highs, which was bizarre because I also spent nearly two hours in dance class. My corrections were issued at around 8:30 pm… and an additional one soon after because the pump said it wasn’t enough. About a half hour later, I tested at got a 113 mg/dl reading. Huh – that’s funny. I was 209 about 20 minutes ago and only gave a half unit correction. My insulin never works that quickly. For shits and giggles, I tested again. 175 mg/dl. What?! <sigh> Third times a charm, right? 177 mg/dl. Clearly I was still elevated (and needed another correction still.) Silly test strips.

4) Mellow Yellow?

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Yeah – I made these based off of the Pinterest demo. They were for the family birthdays last weekend. I figure they are approximately 35 grams of carbs. I didn’t have one though. Super easy to make so long as you don’t pay too much attention to the chemicals used in… well, everything.

5) I can’t believe September is in a week and some change. But – I’m really anxious for these super, sunny blue skies (or smoky gray skies, depending on the nearby forest fire) to be replaced by the cool, crisp air and orange crunchy leaves of fall. Chances are, I won’t really see that until late September. But one can hope. Half of my wardrobe is based around sweaters and long sleeves… so, I’m really getting antsy.