Deb Smouse

it’s been ages - or feels like ages - since I’ve written here.  I’ve been having one of those creative and private slumps where all I am seeing to do is work, and sleep and go back and forth to work and the hotel.  And at times, I am content like that. (see my column at All Things Girl) I Twitter when I can (and have attempted to feed some of my twitters into this but I can’t get that email to post thing to work at all).  I have been blogging over at the ATG Blog (though nothing truly substantial - mostly fluff - though sometimes, we all like fluff)

I did actually write a complete short story, though it would need a ton of polish in order to publish it anywhere.  It starts well, but the end is too rushed - and because I wrote the beginning of it in June -and the end this week, it’s disjointed.  I said write, by the way…not polish or edit - LOL.  I have shared the story, though, since it was based on an event….I shared it with the other person involved.  The Pilot Guy.  Who is trying to help me by giving me some deadlines on a couple of pieces I’m working on.

I am going to see The Pilot Guy tomorrow, by the way - between home and back to DC.  No expectations…we will simply see how it goes.

Kid has been with me this week in DC - and I hired this amazing girl (i say girl - she’s 24 - that’s a girl to me) to be with her and take her places during the day while I worked.  She loved it, saw more of DC - or pieces of DC - that I likely wouldn’t had (think lots of modern art) - but we did the things I love the most - like the walk from the Washington Monument to my favorite - Lincoln.  I love Lincoln and the walk is just lovely.  Last night, though, she told me she was dreading going home - not because she isn’t ready to leave DC, but because she is dreading having “quality time” with her dad - she is wanting to just be alone a bit.  I do understand that since I have become quite accustomed to alone time - as has she with her dad at work and her step mom at work or traveling.

My health is on my subconscious a lot these past few weeks and I am failing miserably at doing anything that is affecting it much.  I have gotten incredibly out of shape.  Earlier this month, I had gone back to my OB/GYN (though I only use him for the GYN side) to get my shot, but to also get my bloodpressure checked.  I had been in the previous month for a shot, and the nurse checked my vitals and stressed out on me.  I blew it off to me forgetting to take my meds about half the time, but agreed to see my Dr. when I came back.

Fast forward to last week.  See, after 2 weeks of religious taking of my blood pressure meds, my blood pressure was 154/120 - on a non-stressful day in which I had been shopping and only had a conference call.  My doc told me that this was above his head because what we had tried wasn’t working.  He gave me new meds to try for a couple of weeks and I have an appointment with my Internist next Friday.  We are getting into the more serious BP meds now.  I have not at all been successful in adding exercise back to my daily routine - the gym here at the hotel is depressing and the pool is unswimmable - it’s 3 feet deep and about 6 strokes long.  So, I think I am going to have to just join a real gym up here….and change my routines - to up early, and the gym, then to work.    There is a gym near my office as well as a nice one right on the metro…. BUT this will affect the only consistently decent meal I am fitting into my schedule, which is breakfast.  My defenses seem to be down come lunch and dinner time.  And working out in the evenings has never been something I have done successfully - my experience has shown me that mornings get me going, make me work out harder, and not tire me out.

And there you have it - way too much rambling, but at least I’m rambling instead of nothing.

It’s Saturday - please have a lovely day.