Freeze frame

My computer has been bratty lately. Not sure what's up but I'll ask Weird Kid about it sometime. Maybe Civic, too.

Today was my follow-up at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre. I cannot believe I am now in my 4th year since finishing the radiation treatments and all. The MRI came out well, the lung x-ray came out well. I thought this was going to be my last year but he figured they'd keep me around for a few more years. I really don't mind. A couple of hours a year to give myself peace of mind is well worth it.

However, I did graduate today from my cancer dentist. Whatever graduating from their program means (the dentist said those exact words "graduated from our program" quite a few times). She also gave me a sheet -- which apparently they had also given me way back when all this began -- about what to expect in the future and for the rest of my life blah blah. She did circle on there a note about a certain procedure my regular dentist had been promoting for me and cautioning against it. What's great is she suggested I photocopy that sheet and give a copy to my dentist. (While I think my dentist is great I'm not a fan of how there's always something new to be done on my teeth everytime I have a check-up. I don't want to say he's being scammy, since I'm sure all dentists do this to increase their profits, but it gets tiresome.) This will make it easier to say "no" to the current plans he'd like for me. Saves me some money, and I got the reassurance that it was something I could do without.

After all is said and done (or once I have a more regular schedule going on in my life) I'd really like to do some volunteer work at the Tom Baker. They've all been so wonderful there, and I'd like to show that same spirit of kindness towards those who are going through what I, and indirectly my family, have gone through. Even if I just did the refreshments cart I'd be happy. I toyed around with it in my mind. I could live out my little girl's dream of being a flight attendant (to some capacity) and providing a bit of cheer to those at the centre that day. I've never done much volunteer work, but this is something that would really mean a lot for me. And besides, the more volunteers they have the more money they can spend on research and treatment as opposed to wages and salary.

New topic: today started the Catholic/Christian season of Lent. That's right 40 days of self-denial. I'm going to push myself a little further this year, just to see what I'm capable of. Given my current situation giving up Rocky for Lent isn't much of a challenge but I tossed him into the list as well as all things Rocky-related...completely like the movie. I'm also going to be giving up baked goods *gasp* and meat. What am I going to do with myself?

Today Weird Kid and I shopped on 17th Ave after my Tom Baker appointments (he's got a Penguin yen right now) and I racked my brain for something my self-imposed limitations would let me eat. I ended up with Opa! Calamari Caesar. Hardly something to suffer through seeing as I love that stuff but at least I followed my rules. At the end of lunch there were 7 sad croutons left on my plate.

We stopped by Divine, which is always dangerous for me. They had a sale on Converse shoes for 15 bucks. It defied all logic, really. Too bad for me, the only ones they had left in my size were a pair of black leather high-tops. They look kind of butch if you ask me, but for 15 bucks I figured they could be the "trashable" sneakers I could wear in mucky winter weather like today (since I don't dare wear any of my Pumas in the slush) and if it truly does get trashed then I won't be so choked up about it. Weird Kid had better luck: a pair of grey pin-striped Chucks and a pair of green corduroy Chucks.

He just had better luck all around. He found two shirts he liked at Blue Light Special. While I did find some of the Andy Warhol Parcel totes I wanted, they weren't marked down enough for my own justification.

And then I FINALLY graced him with a Caffe Beano Bernard Callebaut Hot Chocolate. It's about frigging time. Too bad, with it being Lent and all, that I cannot try to get him a Crave cupcake for another 40 days.

Speaking of Lent: did you know that Sundays are freebies? As in, you can give in to whatever you have "given up" for Lent? I just read that in the paper today. That's news to me (and apparently to everyone I've told). Meh, I've survived the whole ordeal including Sundays. I think I'll be fine this year, too.