Someone already had my Million Dollar Idea about the asthma treating regulator. A guy named David Wharton invented it already. It is still in development in Australia. I have been in contact with him and he wants to call me and talk about my experience with asthma attacks and scuba diving. So even though I don't get to get rich off of my idea, I do get to help the guy who is going to!

On the asthma front, I have the WORST. COUGH. EVER. I don't know where it came from but I sound like a frickin' seal. *sigh* I slept like shit last night. I woke up at 2:30am and sat and watched the Hurricane Katrina coverage on MSNBC.

My heart and prayers go out to everyone who has been affected by the storm. I know that the cameras will never be able to capture the true magnitude of the devestation. And the pictures on the TV are HORRIBLE. I'll be donating to Red Cross later today. You should too!

I wish I could send an ass whooping to all the lowlifes that are looting just for the sake of looting. There is a distinct difference between getting food for your family and happily getting cartfuls of toys, athletic shoes and electronics from the evacuated stores. The footage of people joyfully stealing and preying on others makes me sick.

Sicker than I already am.

*sigh*

My boss vetoed most of my blouses last week because they were either "too revealing" or because they "look like lingerie." That's why they are called "lingerie tops" dude. And both of my lingerie tops are not low cut. But whatever.

So now it is 83 degrees and I am wearing a sweater. Because I went shopping this weekend and all they have are tank tops or winter clothes. Feast or famine.

It is a really cute sweater (HammieLove loves it. It is cuddly.) but still a sweater. *sigh*

In other news, while we diving this weekend, HL and I saw a bird swimming uderwater trying to catch its lunch. And we were 65 feet underwater. Without our camera, of course. How cool is that though?

I was going to link Jordis' video from her performance of Rock Star INXS last night but it wasn't available.

I think it is because it was SO bad. And I love Jordis.

I think that even if she is in the bottom three, she will be fine.

But, man, that was bad!

*gasp*

Million Dollar Idea?

I think I mentioned here last week that I had an asthma attack when I was scuba diving 80 feet underwater off of Catalina Island. I realized what was happening in time to ascend safely and get my inhaler.

I have since been doing research on asthmatic scuba divers. There has to be more than one, right? What I found was a bunch of doctors saying that it is probably not a good idea for asthmatics to scuba dive. Apparently, if our bronchial tubes close off and there is air trapped in our lungs, they will explode as we ascend and the air expands.

I never thought of that.

I have an idea though. Why not make an inhaler that can be used underwater? Not for the diver to use and keep diving with but an insurance policy so that the diver could safely ascend. I have no idea how something like this would work. There should be something though. It would open up a whole new world to a lot of people.

Any ideas?

This doesn't mean that I am going to stop diving. I went on Sunday with no problems. I figure if I am meant to go because of an underwater attack, so be it. I would love to be able to help other people discover and enjoy diving though!

R.I.P.

Six Feet Under finished up the series last night. I had been losing interest in the show for the last season or so because it was SO depressing. It seemed like they had lost the orginal comedic tragedy feel that had made the series so original. I have to say that they series finale was AWESOME. Major props to Alan Ball for writing and directing a great end to a great show.

HammieLove and I celebrated our six year anniversary yesterday. We went scuba diving (in crappy conditions - oh well). Then we sort of lounged around, had lunch at Spaghetti Factory and watched the Six Feet Under finale. I wrapped his present in thigh highs and lacy underwear and he gifted me with multiple presents *wink*wink*blush*!

Sorry, was that TMI?

Anyway, it was nice to reflect on what a great relationship we have. We have definitely had some rocky times, last year in particular, but I can honestly say that it has been the best it has ever been this last six months or so. I am madly and deeply in love and looking forward to the future!

Hee!

Back and Barely Recovered

This is going to be an interesting week.

We had a GREAT time out on the Horizon charter boat this weekend. The crew was great and the conditions were awesome. We spent Saturday at San Clemente Island doing beautiful kelp and cavern dives. There were sea lions playing all around us and a ton of sea life. A couple of divers saw blue sharks. It was really cool to go into the caverns and see the lobsters crawling all over the place.

We went to Catalina on Sunday. During our first dive, I had an asthma attack while I was 80 feet under. When I realized I wasn't going to get my breath back, I sent HL to catch up with our other friend (who promptly sent him back to me -- I was close enough to the boat to not be worried but you know how men are.) I got to the boat and the crew helped me out and got my inhaler. I was better after I hit my inhaler but I sat out the rest of the dives. The crew were such sweethearts. Every single one of the guys stopped by to make sure I was feeling okay and making sure that I didn't need anything.

I was a little bummed that I didn't get to dive but I was on a boat in a beautiful location with a bunch of cool people. I grabbed my book, chilled out on the sun deck and still have a good time.

I am exhausted. I leave for D.C. tonight. Hopefully, I will grab a nap on the plane.

Again, thanks to the crew of the Horizon -- Gary, Carl, Ronnie, Mike, Mark, Dave, Martin, Spencer, Shea -- Anytime you want to dive or fish in San Diego, make sure you check them out!

I just found out that my favorite guy at work put in his two weeks. He is the only one that keeps me laughing during our four hour long production meetings.

I am so, so sad.

On a happier note, I met and had lunch with a super duper hot British guy. HL thinks he was trying to hit on me. I think that there is only one table outside the deli next door and there was an extra seat. I would love to introduce him to Meg though. Hot and British? *rowr*

Also, we leave for our scuba trip this weekend. *yay* There is the meteor shower that is supposed to peak tonight and we will be in the middle of the ocean, away from all the city lights. A perfect place to watch, no?

Oh yeah - WHADDUP KAY-SAR?? 82% baby! (Then he goes and lets Jenny win the HOH comp. Stupid, stupid, stupid.)

Self Portraits

This is what happens when I am early for work and locked out because I don't have a key. Have camera, will pose!

Please, for the love of Pete, let Kaysar come back tonight.

WHAT UP KAY-SAR?

Do all surgeons have sucky bedside manner?

I went to the orthopedic surgeon yesterday to have him take a look at my heel. I thought that I had just bruised it during a fight at World Championships but that was two months ago and now there is a huge painful lump on the side of my heel. I have testing coming up in September so I am trying to get this treatment fast tracked so I will be able to test. Anyway...

Dr. M comes in and asks what is the problem. I tell him that I hurt my foot in June...blah blah blah. He looks at it, starts to probe it (which HURTS...but he doesn't seemed concerned about me jerking my foot out of his grip every time he touches it...he doesn't even mention it.) Then he starts going on about how I injured the calcanius (guessing on the spelling), how it is probably just a hematoma, blather blather blather. The problem is that he is blathering on in solely medical terms. No layman's, no let's talk in English about what your problem is. I don't know if he was trying to impress me or if he just didn't care if I understood or not. Lucky for me, I spend a lot of time in doctor's offices and I understood every word.

He doesn't know that though.

I KNOW what a hematoma is and I KNOW that the lump on my foot in NOT a hematoma. He says that he is going to send me for an MRI but he says that I will probably just have to wait to let it heal. I take this opportunity to tell him that I am in a lot of pain and boy, do I have a high tolerance for pain. I told him about the time I discovered the lump when I was scuba diving about a month after it happened and I clipped it walking into the surf and about passed out from the pain.

His head popped up and said," Wait, HOW long has this been hurting?"

"Two months," I said (like I had said at the BEGINNING of our conversation.)

He grabs my foot and takes another look and poke (*ouch*) at it and then says that it is most likely broken and I really need an MRI and I will probably be on crutches for six weeks.

Wonderful.

I totally don't want to go back to this guy. But it takes FOREVER to get a referral through my HMO so I am stuck.

*sigh*

Arlington

I bought my plane ticket on Saturday to go to my uncle's funeral. I leave on Monday, the 15th at 10pm and I get into D.C. at 5am. I'll go to the ceremony and get back on a plane at 4pm and fly back to San Diego. Cross country twice in less than 24 hours. *whew* It'll be worth it though. I'll be able to pay my respects to my wonderful and heroic uncle and be able to visit my Nan and Grandad at their final resting place. They were laid to rest at Arlington earlier this year.

I had a weird dream last night.

When it started, I was hanging out with Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp was trying to seduce me. Then I was with my friends from karate and two of the younger boys were going to rob a bank. Ashleigh and I were in the getaway car. I realized that I was parked in a red zone so I drove away. When we met up with the boys later, they chickened out and didn't rob the bank because there were too many people. Then while we were talking at the park, my biological father (who I don't speak too) came over and started complaining that my mom had my nephew at a penny poker game and that it wasn't right that she was "exposing" him to that.

So I started yelling at my father, saying," You, the alcoholic that abandoned his daughters for the crack addict that he calls a girlfriend, has no room to talk about how my mom raises her grandson. Maybe if you had been around more, then you could have a say about how we live our lives."

Then he got in my face and told me not to talk to him like that. He was trying to be all intimidating (even in reality, he is a BIG man). I wouldn't back down and he kept getting madder and madder and then he headbutted me and tackled me. My karate training kicked in and on our way down, I put my feet on his hips and tossed him over the top of me. My friends were screaming and I kicked him a couple of times. He got up and started to walk away and I pulled out my phone and told him I was calling 911. That made him angrier and he started to run back at me while my friends and I were trying to get into the car. Then his pants fell around his ankles and then I woke up.

I wonder what it means?