Say brainless, don't you know where coconuts come from?

2002-10-18 - 10:49 p.m.

I'm actually already asleep, but for some reason I felt inspired to come write here today. Perhaps it's just because I wanted to see a certain someone online? Hmmm...could be, could be.

Today I had no patients scheduled for me and only one small stack of refills to do. Unfortunately, they didn't even give me the refills until 11am. Prior to that time I had been at the staff meeting and then working on the reading material for my next meeting with Cheesecake. I decided to work through lunch and then go home when I was done. I finished the refills at about 12:30. I went out to the parking lot, got in my car, and my car wouldn't start. So I called for a ride home and a tow truck. However, when my ride home got there, the fickle car started right up for her. So I cancelled the tow truck and drove home. Bah.

But today was not a complete waste of my time. I did get my flu shot today. I am experiencing no adverse reactions other than some mild injection site pain. I've never been given a shot by someone I know before. Audrey gave me the shot. She was very good. Really, she had the band-aid on me before I even realized she was poking me.

Something else of mild interest happened at the clinic. Before I left, I double checked with the girl up front (I can't remember her name, it's starts with a J, I think)to see if I had any patients scheduled for the afternoon. They never give me a schedule at Del Paso, I just sort of go with the flow. Anyway, she went to the computer by the window to check on my schedule for me. While she was checking, this black dude came through the main door and sauntered up to the window. I think perhaps he didn't see me, but he saw J. He said, "Uh!" Yes, that's caveman for "Yo girl, give me my shit," apparently. She basically ignored him, maybe if she ignored him then I wouldn't notice him. But he would not be discouraged so easily. He repeated his demand, and this time, without taking her eyes of the computer monitor, she reached under the counter, pulled out a small package wrapped in brown paper, and handed to him. He walked out the door. She said, "No, you don't have anybody scheduled all day." I said, "Thanks!" and that was the end of that.

This morning after the meeting and before patients started showing up, a few of the girls at work decided to check their blood pressures. So I decided to join in the fun. So there I was attached to the machine with everyone looking at me. Did I mention that I'm in the 93rd (or so) percentile for self-consciousness? Yeah, well, with everyone watching my blood pressure was 144/98 with a pulse of 57. Then of course everyone teased me about it. "Woah girl, you're hypertensive!" "We should refer you to your own clinic!" And then Forrest, Mister I-weigh-300-pounds, suggested that I get a bit more aerobic exercise. The nerve! I checked it again a few hours later on the same machine while everyone was at lunch. It was 113/46 with a pulse of 44. There we go, that's the Eucalia we know and love.

Speaking of aerobic exercise, I ran 5k today in 31:02! That's a new record. That's even better than when I ran in the race. I ran the whole thing at 6mph. The extra two seconds are because it takes a bit for the treadmill to get up to speed. After I finished the 5k I walked for 4 minutes and then ran for 5 more. I went a total of 3.92 miles in 40 minutes. "Clear and Present Danger" was on the TV directly in front of me. I was really tired 15 minutes into the run, so I told myself I would run until the movie went to commercial. The stupid movie didn't go to commercial until I had already gone 2.8 miles and I decided that since I had already suffered that much, another three minutes of suffering would be worth the gratification I would have afterwards knowing that I actually ran the whole thing at 6mph. So sorry for the long paragraph about this, I'm just revelling in the gratification.

One more thing. There's this girl at the clinic. I honestly don't know what her job is. But she talks to me sometimes. Mostly she talks and I smile (are you seeing a pattern here in my conversations?). Today she asked me how old I am. I told her and she said she's looking for someone over the age of 21 to go out clubbing with her. I told her I'm not into clubbing. Later on she invited me to go snowboarding with her and a bunch of friends. Hee, that might be fun. But later, when I was out in the parking lot waiting for the tow truck, she pulled in from lunch, driving my dream vehicle. I was standing there admiring it and then *she* got out. I was sort of surprised. I didn't expect it to be her. But at any rate, my opinion of her shot way up right then and there. Do you think if I'm *really* nice she'll let me drive it? Yeehaw!