weekend wrap up

friday didn't start well. i was up too early for a dentist appointment long overdue. i have had some genetic tooth problems that i need to have fixed. i put quite a bit of money into my flexible spending account last year in order to take care of it. then came bureaucracy. there were a couple of receipts they would not accept (even though they were for prescriptions) and my remaining balance got 'locked up'. it took entirely too long to get it resolved, but eventually (as in, last week) it got worked out. fortunately, the 2005 'fsa year' was extended, so i now have through march 15th to use it all. 'using it' began with friday's appointment. it will be followed this week, by a root canal, an oral surgery consultation, and shortly thereafter, oral surgery, then the 'crowning' glory.

needless to say, friday morning was not my favorite morning ever. but i headed to work excited about what would complete my day. see, a few months ago, i decided that i needed to teach myself to be less selfish. to 'give something back' or so the cliche goes. knowing that this would be a step outside of my comfort zone, i was looking for an opportunity that would involve things i loved, in order to help keep me motivated. baby steps:) i was looking for something very specific.

i had heard of therapeutic riding progams before, and knew that it would be perfect for me. it was a chance to parlay my love of horses and of disabled children into service. i didn't know if the area had any such programs, so i began doing my research. lo and behold, i found the northern virginia therapeutic riding program. i contacted them immediately, and repeatedly, with no response. i stalked them. but i could never get a real 'live' person to talk to. i had almost given up.

then, in january--three months after my stalking began--i received an email thanking me for my interest, and indicating that there would be several volunteer trainings before the session, of which, i needed to participate in one, before participating. lara, having also been interested in volunteer opportunities decided to join me, and we signed up for the last session, which was held on friday.

so after work, i headed to the barn--just a few miles from my office in fairfax. i got lost. so i was already frustrated by the time i got there. and then all my preconceived notions came crashing down.

the training was scheduled to last for three hours. i knew that. what i didn't know is that the entire three hours would be spent outside, in the freezing cold. it's funny, because i expected to be sitting in a classroom, not tacking up the horse and leading it around the ring. but i don't know why i thought that. i knew i was going to a barn to work with horses. sometimes i am just dumb.

somewhere in the five mile drive from my office to the barn, i had entered another world. i had left the comfort of company lunches, scheduling events at five star resorts (i'll get to that later), and enjoying my very own office, which happened to have plumbing on the same floor! now i was in a world where they had to specify that i could have a cup of water, and the 'bathroom' was the porta-john right next to the stable.

welcome to volunteer work. it really wouldn't be service if there weren't sacrifice involved, right? at least i am telling myself that until i become less selfish, which, given the fact that i've now signed every saturday morning for the next three months away, shouldn't take long.

i met up with anne and corey for a late dinner at cpk and put friday behind me.

then came 'marathon mall' day. it's all sort of a blur, but the roughly seven hours that anne and i spent there on saturday involved a good lunch, a bad movie, some time in sephora, and a new ipod. needless to say, i was exhausted.

and apparently it took more of a toll than expected. i woke up with a nasty migraine this morning. unfortunate, but not uncommon. it did however force me to change my plans. i was supposed to be heading up to nemacolin woodlands tonight for a site inspection tomorrow morning. the migraine means that i've got a good six-seven hour one on one time with my car tomorrow, but such is life.

right now i'm waiting for the closing ceremonies and reminiscing about the closing ceremonies i was at, and how sad it is to see the olympic flame doused.

when my head isn't pounding, i'll post an olympic overview...

date movie: (totally missed the boat)

the heart of me: (paul bettany and helena bonham carter make a strange couple)

the motorcycle diaries: (wow. i can't believe i waited so long to see this)