The Rules:

1. Leave me a comment saying you want to do the meme.


2. I'll respond by asking you five personal questions so I can get to know you better.


3. You should update your LJ with the answers to the questions.


4. You should include this explanation and offer to ask someone else in the post.


5. When others comment asking to be asked, you will ask them five questions.

I know I still owe some people questions, and I still owe answers to at least thealiwoman. Do I owe anyone else answers?

( The Questions )

Today, I passed the PMP certification exam. I think I'd like to celebrate tomorrow night. Anyone interested in joining me?

Life has been busy, but in a good way!

I have been working rediculous hours at work, and though the amount of time I'm spending there isn't fun, the work itself is interesting, so I haven't felt the need to blow up quite yet... All signs point to this 60 hour a week schedule continuing through the end of June, after which I may be doing a bit of traveling for the training of our Sales force. That is fun, but tiring, too.

Over the weekend, I bought a brand new 2006 Ford Fusion V6 SEL in Titanium Green. I L-O-V-E it!

It turns out I have a screw loose. (But didn't we know that already?) It seems that one of the titanium screws from my brain surgery has got an infection around it, and it's right near my sinuses, and it's probably why I've been so miserably sick all winter. Dr. Constantino, the ENT involved with my brain surgery, is going to remove the offending screw and a part of the titanium plate on April 6, as well as doing some additional work to open up my sinus passages. It is not nearly as big a deal as the brain surgery was, of course, and I will be glad to be able to breathe normally again. I'll be in the hospital just one night, and only because I am coming from out-of-town. It should be pretty simple.

I'd like to start having Friday night Shabbat dinners at my house around 8 pm. Realistically, I should wait until after April 7, because I need to do some serious work on my kitchen if I'm going to have people over for a meal, and I just don't have much free time between now and when I'll be in the hospital. But consider this as an invitation if you are interested. Ness, I'll keep 'em super-kosher for you :)

I think, for now, that's it! Au revoir!

For those of you who may not have heard, I went to what I had hoped was the final visit in this brain tumor saga of mine this past Tuesday. While there, Dr. Sen looked at my recent MRI scans and said they looked quite excellent, as clean as we could hope them to be. However, to decide about sending me for radiation in Boston, he wants to consult with Dr. Liebsch, the radiation oncologist in Boston. I don't resent this consultation at all, but I had called a few weeks before my appointment to see if I should get an extra set of films to send to Dr. Liebsch. I was told it wasn't necessary. Ah well, what's a few more days? Hopefully I will know something definite in the next day or two.

I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that I won't have to have radiation for two big reasons. First, since Dr. Sen removed the bone that the tumor was growing from, I'm hoping there's not really anything there to radiate. Second, if we use radiation now, it's gone from our bag of tricks for the future should this tumor come back. Once you have proton beam, you can't have it again. Too much radiation for one person in a lifetime. So maybe we'll decide to wait to see what happens.

If I don't go for radiation, I will just follow-up with Dr. Sen annually with MRIs to keep an eye on the area and make sure the little bugger isn't coming back. I need to find out the statistics on that happening.

Dr. Constantino, the ENT, was also pleased with my progress and thinks the insides of my nose are healing nicely. I will have a follow-up appointment with him in 6 months. Even though the radiologist who read my MRI thought I had chronic sinusitis, Dr. C. assures me that the inflammation is just from the surgery and will eventually go away.

I must call St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital and get a copy of my complete medical records and itemized bill of all charges. According to their patient's Bill of Rights, I am entitled to these things and I want them not only for my own records, but just as a matter of curiosity. I am desperately curious to know how much this whole brain surgery thing costs.

And P.S. I still haven't gone back to work because I need to know if I am going to Boston or not first. I'm a very anxious girl...

It was so busy, and I found no time to write. This last week has been a crazy whirlwind.

( The details )

Shelle told me that traceyleabeezus wanted to meet me after reading my LiveJournal, so I'm adding her to my friend list. Hi!

And I so do not want to be at work. I really want to go biking. The first signs of spring always make me feel this way. This weather - mid-60's and sunny - is perfect. I could live in weather like this all year long. Anyone know where in the world those conditions exist? :)

Alright, so it's also the first day of March, and like shellefly, I am going to start setting up goals for the month each month.

This month, I want to:

1. Completely organize and clean out the clutter in my house. I have so much stuff, and much of it is still in boxes. Do I really need it if it's been in boxes for the last two years? No? I didn't think so. And I desperately want my house to be organized and presentable before I go for surgery in April.
   
   
2. Complete bunches of paperwork that no 27 year-old should normally have to think about:
   
   1. Living Will/Power of Attorney for Healthcare aka Advanced Directives in Delaware: a conversation last month with my rabbi helped, but these are still hard decisions to make.
      
   2. Will: Completed. I just need to get it notarized properly.
      
   3. Apply for Long Term Care Insurance: Done! In some strange twist of fate, my company added this new benefit this year, and I can apply with no questions asked until March 5. I guess I'll pay them every month for the rest of my life starting now, because I doubt I will ever qualify when they do ask questions.
      
   4. Power of Attorney for Finances: This is the only one that I can't seem to find good information on via the Internet. The Delaware State website has good info on all the others. I also need to check with my bank to see if the Power of Attorney is enough for someone to access my accounts, or if I need to make them joint account holders.
      
   
   
3. Get copies of my house keys made so people can come check on my 2 cats while I am in New York.
   
   
4. Work related:
   
   1. Finish BR30 for Network Equipment
      
   2. Create Maintenance Plan Spreadsheet
      
   3. Formulate plan for keeping connected to work while I am out
      
   4. Figure out what I am going to tell my co-workers to explain why I will be out for five months
      
   
   
5. Finish planning my Replace Beth's Tumor Party: I have a few more prizes to get, and Liz and I need to finalize the menu.
   

And that's probably quite enough to keep me busy!

When was the last time you...

1. ...went to the doctor?
February 3, 2004 - Neurosurgeon, Dr. Sen

2. ...went to the dentist?
Monday - February 16, 2004

3. ...filled your gas tank?
Wednesday - February 18, 2004

4. ...got enough sleep?
Last night

5. ...backed up your computer?
Not nearly recently enough, considering that I work for an information availability company...

1. You can own one Great piece of Art (you'll loan it to museums now and then so that the rest of the world can see it). Assuming you have the space for any piece you want, which one and why?
Any landscape of the American West by Albert Bierstadt. I saw an exhibit of his paintings at the National Gallery once, many years ago, and they still leave an impression on me. His canvases are so huge that you can get lost in the painting as if you were almost there.

2. What is your dream job?
Concert pianist chef for NASA who is a golf pro on the side. No seriously, I don't know. One where I could do something I love, that would help others, and allow me to make an impact on the world. And make lots of money :) I'd probably have a lot of fun being a wedding planner, but it doesn't fit the making an impact on the world bill. Maybe I could be an event planner for non-profit organizations. I could totally organize charity balls!

3. Who are some of your favorite authors (and why)?
I really love most of the things I have read by Orson Scott Card, though he does get a little preachy for my tastes on occasion. He writes engaging stories from a wide variety of genres, and they are always well-researched. I do love the Game of Thrones series by George R. R. Martin (and thank you shellefly for getting me hooked!) though I haven't read anything else of his. I love J. K. Rowling for the Harry Potter books, but I must admit I didn't enjoy the fifth one as much as the rest. I think I need to give it another read or two though. I love Steven Brust. His characters and worlds are so well-developed, and even though they are fantastical, they are still accessible. His characters still seem human.

4. If you could choose more money or more time, which would you choose and why?
This is a hard question, because I'd really like both, so I have to figure out which will be better for getting me more of the other. I think the answer is time, because that time can be used in so many different ways, including for making more money. I'm always wishing I had more hours in the day, and all the money in the world won't get me that.

5. Space travel or African Safari?
Space travel, no contest.


And now: THE RULES
1 - Leave a comment, saying you want to be interviewed.
2 - I will respond; I'll ask you five questions.
3 - You'll update your journal with my five questions, and your five answers.
4 - You'll include this explanation.
5 - You'll ask other people five questions when they want to be interviewed

Also, if anyone else wants to interview me, leave your 5 questions in the comments

I was just re-reading my Old Friends entry from the other day, and I can't believe I said that arguing over adequate Business Continuity plans was fun. I don't know if I am more surprised that I really did have a good time, or that I don't know how I managed to convince the people I know that I am super cool despite my geekiness. Maybe it was the company that made for a good time and not the subject matter.

It is definitely time for lunch.

I saw Eytan for lunch yesterday. That was nice. We argued about whether his company had adequate Business Continuity plans in place. It was fun. I'm taking to heart the whole "Every SunGard employee is a salesperson" thing.

I miss Eytan sometimes. He's the first person I met at Delaware who I still talk to. And we did have a lot of fun dancing together, even if we weren't ever going to be championship material. The day I met him in Freshman Biochem Seminar, I called my mother and told her I had met a nice Jewish boy who went to Bronx Science. It's still true, isn't it? He and I and my parents had lunch at the Carnegie Deli, where they give you one sandwich worth of bread, and four sandwiches worth of filling. But it's restaurant week in New York, and lots of places are having specials. Carnegie's was 2 sandwiches for $20.04. That's a good deal at Carnegie's. I ordered Jewish salami on pumpernickel. Pumpernickel = good choice. Salami = bad choice. But how often do you get to go to the Carnegie Deli anyway? I brought some half-sour pickles home for Rob.

Speaking of dancing and Rob, we have our showcase coming up in just ten days. I think we will be ready, but I cannot say the same for our costumes. We shall see what Bonnie brings to class tonight. I hope it is a red skirt with fishing line sewn into the hem. That would make me inordinately happy. It's the little things, you know.