Archive for January, 2013

2013 So Far…

Jan 19, 2013 life

At almost 3 weeks into 2013, I have to say this year is starting off better than last year, when I was so sick.

Me and the cast of DRIP

Me and the cast of DRIP

My first major outing of the year was to review a new show in Orlando called DRIP. It’s an artistic show that uses dance, paint, water and sand, to tell the story of love found and lost. The main twist is that the audience becomes part of the show, as the paint, water, and sand is flung around. By the end of the show, I was covered head to feet, but it was so much fun. Messy, but fun. You can read my full review of DRIP over at CitySurfing Orlando.

I also got to see the opening night in Orlando of Ringling Bros and Barunum & Bailey’s Built to Amaze! show. I hadn’t seen a circus since I was a kid, but this one was rather entertaining. You can also read my review of the show at CitySurfing Orlando.

Health-wise, I’m still plowing through all of the doctor appts I need to make. I have labs again next Tuesday. My rib pain has returned, but it’s not a constant pain. There’s a bit of swelling in the area, too. Hopefully the tests will reveal something.

I also got a new Yoga mat, and I’ve been trying to do a bit every day. I don’t know that my form is exactly yoga…more yoga-ish. But I’m sure I’ll get better the more I do it. That’s the goal, anyways.

On the downside, the niece of a close friend died unexpectedly of a drug overdose. She was only mid-20s – I only met her a few times, but she seemed like a nice person. Drugs just suck.

Also found out that Rhonda’s brother has cancer. They say that it’s treatable, but I know she’s really worried. Don’t blame her – my mom and dad both lost their lives to cancer.

So that’s my 2013, so far. How’s yours going?

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My Top Movies of 2012

Jan 4, 2013 movies and tv

Here is my list of my favorite films from 2012. Keep in mind, due to my illness in the first part of the year, I missed a lot of movies.

But of the ones I did see, here are the ones that stood out for me:

2012-hobbit550
1] The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
I was a little nervous about this, since director Peter Jackson was taking one book and splitting it into three movies. However, this first installment in The Hobbit trilogy of films had very little downtime, even considering its almost three hour runtime. I also saw it in the new 48-frames-per-second speed of film (regular film is 24-frames-per-second) and in 3D. Everything felt more realistic and it gave the 3D effect a true depth I hadn’t seen before. This isn’t a perfect movie, but it came very close.

2012-avengers550

2] The Avengers
I missed it in theaters since it debuted the weekend I went into the hospital, but I did get the DVD for my birthday. Joss Whedon crafted an amazing movie. I mean, how do you take already established characters, who have their own separate franchises, add in a couple of new characters, and make them seem to work as a cohesive unit? He made it look easy, with a film that had great dialog, amazing action sequences, and seamless special effects. Of course it helps that the film had high caliber actors (Robert Downey, Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston) bringing their A-game to their characters. I honestly don’t know how Whedon is going to top this, but he has until 2015 to figure it out (that’s when Avengers 2 is due out – ooo..maybe they’ll shoot that in 48fps!).

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A Few Months of Retrospect to End the Year

Jan 1, 2013 life

Usually around my birthday, I wax all philosophical about where my life is and where I’d like it to go. Well, in September, I sat down to write my annual birthday post…and I realized how much I’d been through.

It was all a bit much, mentally, so I kept putting off writing about it. But I figure it’s the end of the year, I might as well do a retrospect type of post to sum up my year.

This is how 2012 felt to me.

This is how 2012 felt to me.

Today marks almost months since I got out of the hospital, and while I’m better, I’m still not at my best, health-wise.

The good:

  • No visible fluid build-up around my heart and lungs anymore. Even when I got out of the hospital, I still had some fluid, but it appears to have all disappeared.
  • My hypertension is under control and my blood pressure is the lowest it’s ever been in years.
  • I no longer have to take insulin injections (yay! no 4 needles a day!)
  • I no longer need a walker or a cane to get around. I may wobble a bit when I walk, but I’m doing it under my own steam.
  • I’ve lost 80 lbs since getting out of the hospital. I still have a ways to go, but I’m on the right track.

The bad:

  • I may have kidney damage. I have to go to a specialist and have tests done to find out how bad it may be.
  • I have referrals for seven other doctors, specializing in everything from my heart to my feet. Thank god for insurance. LOL
  • I may have some kind of damage to my left ribs. Waiting on x-rays to find out for sure. All I know is it’s always sore.

But overall, the prognosis is good. Or at least better than it was at the beginning of the year.

In other news, still saving up for a car. Can’t afford to be too picky. Just want something that runs well, gets a decent gas mileage and is cheap to insure.

I’m getting back into my writing. I write daily (mostly) posts for my Orlando-centric website, CitySurfing Orlando. I have friends that help me out with reviews since I can’t get around much due to the car issue, but it’s about 95% written by me. I hope to get my travel blog back online by next month, and then I have a third website in the works that I hope to have up soon after that.

I’m also going to work harder on getting fit and healthy. I know a big part of that will be losing more weight, but I’m more concerned with just improving my health, stamina and fitness. I’m not aiming for a particular weight or clothing size.

So anyways, that’s pretty much where I’m at, as 2012 comes to a close. I’m hoping 2013 will bring about more positive changes and experiences, and I’m making goals and plans to help ensure that.

Thank you dear readers for sticking with me and this blog during the last tumultuous year. I hope the new year brings you all many blessings.

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