i had egg retrieval surgery yesterday morning, closing out my second donation cycle. (the first was last december.) from start to finish, this one was SO much easier than the first time. part of it was knowing what to expect in terms of side effects, being comfortable giving myself shots, etc. but also, they only got 11 eggs this time (last time it was something like 27).

it made a HUGE difference in how uncomfortable i was for the week leading up to the surgery, as well as the recovery time. last time, i was super sore for at least 3-4 days afterward, and didn't feel back to normal for more than a week. today, though, i am hardly in any pain at all -- i'm back at work and unless i do something that jostles my innards (like taking stairs too quickly), i feel completely fine.

why the difference in the number of eggs? the nurses didn't really know; they said that every cycle is different. i feel a little bad because i'd like to give that anonymous woman the best chance in the world to have a child, but it's not like it was affected by anything i did (or didn't do). though i kind of wonder if my stress level was higher this time, what with moving and all.

lots of fluids and no heavy exercise for a couple of weeks until my poor ovaries get back to their normal size.

don't have much else to report -- i'm feeling just about settled into our fabulous new apartment. if i feel up to it this weekend i'm going to do the last of the unpacking and reorganize a few things... wow my life is super-exciting.

finally, we has internets at the new place.

my new apartment needs a name.

found this in an old "drafts" folder. there were pictures to go with it (lovely, haunting pictures of the deserted Coney Island boardwalk in the middle of a freezing winter night), but they were lost when i accidentally reset my phone.

he held me last night as i shivered with fever,
skin clammy with sweat,
thrashing out at nightmare visions.

perhaps he was sent to taunt me,
but if so his mission has failed.
for he holds me close and i am happy, all else forgotten.

[reposted from e-mail; apologies if you see it twice.]

( Read more... )

editor's note: i completely wrote this last week but didn't upload the pictures until today. events referenced herein refer to the dates 5/16-5/18.

on friday, flooey and i braved the weather to participate in the latest improv everywhere mission, which turned out to involve getting soaked to the skin standing on the brooklyn bridge. it was a cool idea but i think it needs to be restaged on a nicer evening. (the idea was a wave of camera flashes that started at one end of the bridge and went across to the other.) i was psyched about it at first, but some kind of organizational problem happened and we were all just standing out there for ages. eventually we ducked out, because i was losing the ability to keep my camera dry, and didn't want to risk ruining it.

the best part of the evening was when we finally, finally made our way home, peeled out of our soaking-wet clothing, and curled up under a blanket with cups of hot chocolate, listening to the rain still pattering away outside. yum.

yesterday was actually beautiful, and luckily we were up and out of the house fairly early, meeting up with squishyent for a viewing of yet another unsuitable apartment. so we breakfasted on crepes and then brainstormed what ovenchar should happen on such a lovely day.

we wound up taking the tram out to Roosevelt Island, where we were able to see the ruins of the old smallpox hospital (which i've heard is supposed to be haunted), a tiny lighthouse, and the building that once was the insane asylum.

we spent the afternoon wandering around, then made our way back to Manhattan and treated ourselves to pizza at Patsy's, which i swear is the best damn pizza in New York, if not the world.

today was, once again, cold and rainy, but i ventured out just long enough to hit the grocery store (via the street fair that, for whatever reason, was happening on Amsterdam) and spent the afternoon baking another experimental vegan dessert recipe. i haven't had much luck with these so far (and if anyone has a good recipe for vegan chocolate chip cookies, or vegan brownies, i want to know about it), but today i made pumpkin oatmeal cookies, and they are completely delicious.

photos on Flickr

last night, i finally sat down and (re-)learned how to fold paper cranes. i'm very pleased with myself. i don't know why, but there's something so satisfying about the creation of these tiny objects. plus it was something on my 43things, and it's always very satisfying to close out one of those.

btw, the Revolution Money Exchange referral thing i posted about is only good for another couple of days (it expires May 15th). so if you want a free $25, sign up now.

there is a competitor to Paypal that has recently turned up, called Revolution Money Exchange. i did some research and am convinced it is legit... was apparently founded by AOL founder Steve Case. they're trying to use social networking to virally take over Paypal's market base.

so, right now they are offering a $25 sign-up bonus, as well as $10 referral bonuses (up to $500). so if you feel like getting in on this, here is the link:

https://www.revolutionmoneyexchange.com/ReferAFriend/ReferAFriend_landing.aspx?referreremail=wirehead2501@gmail.com

you have to give them your SSN to sign up, because you're opening an account with a real bank (FDIC insured), and it is government regulation to require that. you do NOT have to give them bank account information (i haven't yet); you can request payment via check, albeit for a $2.50 processing fee.

i have been pissed off at Paypal enough in the past that this seems like it might be a good thing.

further reading:
http://www.crunchbase.com/company/revolutionmoney
http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/12/14/revolution-money-thinks-it-can-win-friends-on-facebook/
http://geek-news.net/2008/02/revolution-money-exchange.html
http://www.powersellersunite.com/about16864-0-asc-0.html

and many more via teh google... and of course, do your own research, and feel free to ignore this if you don't want to get involved. :)

i just finished reading it. i don't have words for the amazingness. best thing i've read in ages.

you should all read it. right now.

and if you don't believe me, how about Mr. Gaiman?

'Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell is unquestionably the finest English novel of the fantastic written in the last seventy years. It's funny, moving, scary, otherworldly, practical and magical, a journey through light and shadow — a delight to read, both for the elegant and precise use of words, which Ms Clarke deploys as wisely and dangerously as Wellington once deployed his troops, and for the vast sweep of the story, as tangled and twisting as old London streets or dark English woods. It is a huge book, filled with people it is a delight to meet, and incidents and places one wishes to revisit, which is, from beginning to end, a perfect pleasure. Closing Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell after 800 pages my only regret was that it wasn't twice the length.' NEIL GAIMAN

fyi, the Center is still looking for another developer. the job posting is here. i can vouch for my workplace being full of awesome, and you can check out the project portfolio to get a feel for the sort of stuff we do.

there's apparently a finder's fee for any of us who refers someone that we actually hire, and of course i'd be glad to split that if we end up with someone i know. :)

pass it on if you think you know anyone who would fit the bill...