Give me my Meds or I’ll Cough on You
Yesterday I woke up to find out that I was completely out of my allergy eye drop and nasal spray, and trust me when I tell you that I desperately needed them and now. I immediately got on the computer and plugged in my refill info at my pharmacy. I did this at 10 a.m. It said the earliest I could pick it up would be 2 p.m.
You've got to be kidding me. It takes two hours to drop an eye drop bottle in a bag?
I then realized that my nasal spray was a doctor's sample and that I hadn't yet filled that prescription. So we got in the car and went to the Rite Aid drive-through. It was noon.
"When would you like to pick this up?" the girl asked me.
"I'd like to come back in an hour," I told her. I had to go suffer through a visit to the grocery store anyway. I figured an hour was plenty of time to drop both an eye drop and a nasal spray in a bag.
I guess they're making the drugs there because the girl told me there was no way it would be ready before 2 p.m.
I drove off in a huff, possibly screeching my tires out of the drive-through aisle and called Mr. BBM to tell him how outraged I was that my clogged up head was going to have to wait another two hours for my meds.
I went into my grocery store and realized for the first time, that there was a pharmacy in the back. A polite young guy was working there and I told him I wanted to ask him a hypothetical question.
"What if I brought you a prescription for a nasal allergy spray? How long would it take you to fill it?"
"About five minutes," he said.
"Ok, what if I also need an allergy eye drop prescription. How long then?"
"About five minutes," he said, grinning ear to ear instead of scowling at me like the Rite Aid girls.
I figured I'd throw him for a loop. I have walked into Rite Aid with very sick kids, barfing sick kids and they have told me I'd have to wait a good hour for the medicine. When that happens, I usually either take the prescription elsewhere or stand there and make my children look as if they're about to barf right now. It's amazing how that works to make them move faster. Unfortunately, I don't think they were feeling very threatened by a congested Mom in the drive-through. So, I asked the grocery store pharmacy one more question. . .
"Well, what if I also have a sick kid and you actually have to mix the medicine for them. Add to that my eye drop and nasal spray. How long then?"
"About five minutes," he said, then added, "Wait! Have you been here before?"
"No, does that change things?" I asked him.
"Yeah, it would add about two minutes, but only for the first time," he said grinning so brightly I practically needed sunglasses.
Then he smiles even bigger and says, "Let me guess. . . you just came from Rite Aid right?"
"Yeah you would be correct," I told him, "but this is the last time I'll be coming from there."
Self Defense-Getting People Through the Door
During our annual training camp, I took the first part of training to become certified in teaching self defense classes. We wasted no time scheduling a couple free sessions at the dojo. I used my email address book and mass mailed to everyone I knew. I posted about it on Facebook for the local people and pretty much everyone who goes to the dojo printed out fliers and hung them up at work.
Last week we had four people show up (one under duress as her black belt parents made her come). This week, we had two people show up.
The head of the program was at a conference this week, so it was up to me and two other black belts to teach it. Through a series of emails and craziness, it was determined that I should take the lead and teach it. It felt like the first time for anything. I was a little nervous and felt kind of stupid and awkward, but I made sure to hand it off to the other black belts plenty and that took some of the pressure off of me.
When all was said and done, we had one married couple that was feeling pretty empowered and thanking all of us for our time and asking if they could come back and do another session. Last week, many of the women there seemed unsure of themselves and you could tell they felt awkward when asked to yell in another person's face and put hands on them. This week, you could just see the one woman in attendance gaining confidence. It was exciting to watch.
We have another free session on Saturday and then it's time to regroup and figure out when the best time is to offer classes, how often we should do it, and how to get more people in the door! I spent time contacting the local newspaper, local TV stations, women's groups, etc. and our attendance was still minimal.
So without spending big bucks on advertising, how can we get more people in the door? Why aren't they coming? Are they afraid? Too intimidated? Not thinking anything will ever happen to them? A combination of everything? If you've taught self defense classes, what have you done to get people in the door?
Blog Her 2010, I’m SO There!
I did it. I bought my ticket for the Blog Her conference in NYC next summer and I am already excited. For years, I've been watching the pictures roll in, reading the posts about it, and wishing so badly I could be there. Next year it finally happens. This girl is afraid of flying so I had to wait until it came to the East Coast. New York City, here I come!
I'm a little nervous that after four years of conferences, people already have their "groups" to hang with and that I'll be hanging out solo, so I'd like to ask a couple questions. Who else is planning on going? Can I convince some awesome readers/bloggers to go? Anyone want to split the cost of a limo to drive us there? Think I should volunteer to teach a "Self Defense Class for Bloggers"? Should I wear my gi so I'm recognizable?
(I'm totally kidding about that last question.)
Exhaustion Equals Photo Post
I've been completely exhausted after spending almost the entire weekend and all last week working on the patio. Fortunately, we had some good help from my in-laws and also from some awesome neighbors who showed up with gloves on to work in the rain with us on Friday. I hadn't even promised them beer or anything, although I have told them they can be our first guests on the new patio. Let me just tell you that it was a lot more fun to play the role of director than having to lift rocks that weighed way more than I do.
Today I spent the entire day working on the planter that is in the interior of the patio. I'm too tired to be funny or to write much of anything. Plus, I have to catch up on The Next Food Network finale and the new Design Star episodes (if I can stay awake), so consider this a photo essay.
Enjoy.
The rock garden walkway. . .
The patio entrance. . .
The patio. . . (ignore the graffiti-like Bilco door. The painters still owe us some work.)
The planter I worked on all day long is in this picture, to the right. . .
I can't even tell you how happy I am that it is finished. From concept to creation, we did much of it ourselves (with help from some awesome hardscapers to dig out the foundation, grade, level and build us our step).
Now I just need some very on sale tiki torches.
As requested below. . .
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