I want more (representations of) love from you

So my marine boyfriend probably thinks it's understandable that he still hasn't gotten me a birthday gift because he is on deployment....wrong! He was still here at the start of July so he had enough time to make arrangements. Last year he waited until he was in town to celebrate my birthday...and I honestly can't remember what we did. Which is why I told him not to do it again. My birthday isn't going to wait on his presence, and neither should my gift. while I know it's because he wants to experience it with me because it had more meaning that way, it still gives me the feeling that my birthday isn't properly acknowledged by him when he is not around. He should've scheduled a present or flowers to be delivered...anything. I'm not asking for jewels here. (Maybe if I was I'd at least get something).

August is almost up, although I reminded him shortly before my birthday about my issue with this. I know him enough to know that I won't get it before he returns, for whatever reason. But when he comes back all the gifts in the world won't help him. I'm a romantic person...I want to be held, hold hands, be courted, surprised, be given flowers just because, go on dates, be sung songs and poems, be kissed, and surprised with gifts. All without me telling him what to do (hence the romance and the surprise). Of course this is all much more romantic in person, but we've seen each other less than a month for the past year because we are in different states. He's my best friend too, so he knows me. Alex has good ideas, but A) he doesn't act on them B)Asks me before he does (so it's not a complete surprise) C) waits until he is in town (which is never long enough to do everything) I don't want to make him seem like a bad boyfriend but he has bad habits that leave me feeling... lonely. (But with his " male instinct" he gets threatened when other guys are nice to me.) *** Alex, they can be nice all they want... I seek affection from you but you're not responding to my feelings, you are only responding to yours.*** It may be because of the military lifestyle, or maybe he is just plain stubborn to change his way of thinking. But it's how I feel.

My birthday

Yesterday we went to bear mountain park. It was fun... Paddle-boating, hiking... I only wish we'd gotten there earlier so I could play volleyball and fly my kite.
On my birthday I went to the movies solo... I learned my lesson: never buy the slushie. I seriously peed three times in 10 minutes. I saw the expendables so I didn't miss much... I don't get why they make a movie with a barely there plot. It's all fights no story. And they killed off Hemsworth too fast. The movie was so cliched with the 'all star cast' that it was like watching a rerun. Hemsworth should've been captured or injured to shake it up a bit.

Side note: Are Liam and Chris Hemsworh related? Because of Chris (Thor), Liam is looking & sounding mighty sexy.

Anyway, birthday weekend was good. I just really missed Alex.

Yoga!

Yesterday was the last yoga class at the library. I'm so grateful for it, it was free, it was effective, it was great! I really like to do fitness classes but I don't have the budget to pay for the classes. A one hour Zumba class within walking distance is $10! That's too much for me, and paying for the one or two classes I could afford wont be effective. The yoga class was relaxing, strengthening. We did the mountains pose, the breath of fire, the chair, the cobra, the child's pose and the happy baby among others. The instructor used a french lavender oil in previous class that smelled like a mini vacation. It really made me think of becoming an instructor. I used to participate in these classes in college as well, so even breathing and stretching classes interest me. It would be a great addition to a healthcare career, especially a holistic one. I also want to try Pilates. But until I find a free program or can afford it, I just have to follow the library schedule. Next up, wire sculpting and jewelry making!!

Girl just like magic your love keeps pulling me in... Jamaica

With the team captivating the Olympics, the 50th anniversary, and my birthday coming up next week, I'm missing Jamaica bad...

Right now the DJ next door is putting the right music to the minutes, the oldies but goodies, the ones that you know by heart and that bring up special memories.

And now he's playing the national anthem! Makes me cry...

"Eternal Father bless our land,
Guard us with Thy Mighty Hand,
Keep us free from evil powers,
Be our light through countless hours.
To our Leaders, Great Defender,
Grant true wisdom from above.
Justice, Truth be ours forever,
Jamaica, Land we love.
Jamaica, Jamaica, Jamaica land we love.

Teach us true respect for all,
Stir response to duty’s call, strengthen us the weak to cherish,
Give us vision lest we perish.
Knowledge send us Heavenly Father,
Grant true wisdom from above.
Justice, Truth be ours forever,
Jamaica, land we love.
Jamaica, Jamaica, Jamaica land we love."

Love you Jamdown!

PT internship 08/10

Today was the 3rd day of my internship at ---- Physical Therapy. I got a glimpse of their system PTOS and the health informatics in me really wanted to get my hands on it and learn it. Already I was thinking of ways to make it better.The appointment schedule looks a bit like MS Project but vertical. The colors are so varied and the blocks so huge that I would rather look at the black ink highlighted in neon yellow on printer paper. I got more done today. After two days of not knowing what to do and --frankly-- being stop-scared of helping the patients for fear of causing harm... I actually felt useful. The number one reason I felt scared to help the patients is because the population is mostly geriatric. Some seem frail, others just seem to be in so much pain. And I'm empathetic before I can compartmentalize. But I realize that although they have a sense of independence because they agree taught their workout routine and need little assistance, they still need a trainer. They need someone to at "do it!", "yes it hurts but do it", "yes you're leg is trembling but do it", "You CAN do it." They're tired, in pain, in a bad mood, and some just want attention.
{Side note: it reminds me of when I was introducing tens and ones in math to my kindergarten students. One of them felt so bad that she wasn't catching on as quickly that I could see her shrink into herself. She would start to distract herself, take off and put on her shoe under the table, suck her thumb, and then stop looking at the board altogether. I had to stop the lesson to give her a pep talk. I told her " I am here to help you, your classmates want you to understand too, nobody gets it right all the time. You are smart." afterwards she hugged me, and within minutes she was offering up the answers, and they were correct!}
I'm hoping I get to volunteer in the pediatric or women's department for acute care. I'd love to help pregnant / post-pregnant women or kids who want to PLAY.

Is there anything enlightening about this experience so far?

Yes. "Old people" are extremely resilient.

Oh and my "homework" is to find out what PT school is the cheapest in America.

Aug 5 - Fastest Man and Woman

Jamaica's Usain Bolt repeats and sets a new Olympic world record in the men's 100M dash... 9.63 seconds!!

Jamaica's Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce repeats her win in the women's 100M dash!
Extra special shout out to Shelly! We were schoolmates as teens!
And to Bolt! I met you (en masse of school girls lol) at our school as a teen!

Aug 3 - Poem

I happened upon this poem today.... It was from the book The Time Traveler's Wife. I watched the movie and loved it. It makes me think of love, and the sacrifices love makes. And how human we are...
(bu human i mean prone to seeking an escape from the regular).

Oh, and Rachel McAdams is a great actress.

Aug 2 - Something I've never seen before

I saw this beautiful caterpillar! I've never seen one that shade of green... And green is my favorite color!

Aug 1- my shoes

They make me feel like I'm walking in a garden