Right Now June

Watching: The Affair on Show.time (via hulu). When the show made it’s debut four years ago, we still had cable and it was heavily promoted as part of a free trial for Show.time. I decided to give it a go, but couldn’t get passed the very first scene, which featured one of the main characters diving in a pool to swim some laps. Yes, I am going to come across as a horrible swimming snob. You see, just as medical professionals point out inaccuracies on medical dramas and lawyers find the flaws in law shows; swimmers critique actors who have a swimming scene. Interestingly, the worst offenders are pharmaceutical ads, who apparently believe that swimming is the activity that defines you as being fit and healthy. There is a Cele.brex ad that features a family swimming in a lake and the dog is the only one with proper technique. Anyway, when I first watched the opening scene to The Affair, four years ago, I just couldn’t get passed that no one, not any editors or even a best boy or grip who took swimming lessons could recognize that his form was not consistent with someone who was a lifelong swimmer (who we learn later went to college on a swimming scholarship!!). Seriously, the only thing he does correctly is put on his goggles. Furthermore, I was angry that the casting directors couldn’t just go to a community pool and find an actual swimmer with dark hair and a square jaw to use for their scene. Goggles and a swim cap makes it easy to conceal a body double. I should also mention that I was in the middle of stimming and preparing for my cat’s impending death at that time, so maybe I was a little irrational… Anyway, I overheard my colleague raving about it one day and she convinced me to give it a chance. So I fast forwarded though the initial (and other) swimming scenes and found it’s a very compelling drama. It bounces between the present and future and tells events from different perspectives, and the affair is really a side note to a murder investigation.

Reading: I finally opened and read the first chapter of Not that Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham.

Listening: After the pleasant discovery of my new radio station after getting my car serviced. Husband changed it to a sports radio station when he borrowed my car. I kept it on the sports station during the NBA playoffs as they were discussing all things Warriors, but when the games were over, I realized I couldn’t remember what my previous station was. I called our VW dealership, found out who worked on my car and asked about the ratio station and then Husband set it as a favorite.

Drinking: A Coke.Zero. Husband bought it for me when he picked up his lunch. The beverage is a bad habit, but it’s a sweet thing he does for me.

Eating: My scale is not moving in the right direction and I’m now at my Pre-pregnancy weight after being less than PPW for almost two years. I’m now back to counting my macros and I’m eating whatever fits into 1485 calories, 110 carb grams, 60 fat grams and 125 protein grams.

Wearing: My gym clothes. Because if I put them on, I’m committed to going.

Loving: My weekend away! Remember last year I went to a medical education conference  and felt really lonely? Not this time, I’m in Napa and I’m making the most of my me-time. I’ve gone swimming, sat by the pool and read, hit the gym and I’m doing to drive into town to get a pedicure. I’ve written a few blog posts, updated a presentation for a meeting and am working on creating a photo book from our Hawaii trip. Oh yeah and I’ve been learning some stuff in my lectures and I received an invitation to be a guest speaker!

Anticipating: My parents visit in August. We’re putting in a new fence and then we’ll finally be able to use our new patio! We ordered furniture and a new grill. I’m looking forward to my parents cooking.

Hoping: Kate’s transition to her new school goes well. The past two months have been difficult as her close friends moved into the Pre-school class as they turned three. Since she won’t be three until July, which is her last month at their current school, and we love her current teacher (more so than the Pre-school ones) we initially planned just to keep her in the toddler class. I figured if she was already separated from her friends, it would be easier for her when the time comes to transition to the new school. She starting expressing that she didn’t want to go to school and she’s gone back to crying and clinging to me at drop-off. Her teacher shared her observation that she’s been struggling as she’s the oldest in her class and is developmentally advanced for her age, so she’s been frustrated trying to play with the younger kids in her group. After I was 15 minutes late to work one day after a drop-off from hell, we talked to the director and asked if we could move her into the Pre-school class earlier and they obliged. Kate came home on her first day and happily exclaimed “I went to Pre-School!” The teachers reported that she gave hugs and kisses to all her friends and cooperated really well with the activities. It’s going to make her final weeks at her current school much easier, but I hope I’m not setting her up for a difficult transition when she goes to her new school.

Following: Husband and I are paying attention to the World Cup but less enthusiastically than we have in previous years. Especially as England has been so embarrassingly disappointing in the previous World Cups, we’re not getting any hopes up.

Wondering: What to do about Tyler. His meowing at night is really getting out of control. I’ve been feeding him, which I shouldn’t do as it reinforces the behavior, but sometimes it shuts him up and as he eats it, I’m wondering if he is really hungry, which is making me wonder if there is something medically wrong with him, but he hasn’t lost any weight and he’s started peeing outside his box, which makes me think this all is a behavioral issue. Putting him on Prozac works, but it has his limits as he starts running from him when it’s time for his meds, and I acknowledge I’m probably making his anxiety worse by chasing him around the house. I met a Vet who specializes in cat behavior at our local bar, so I think I’m going to book an appointment with her.

Trying: A meal prep service! I read my last Right Now post, where I was ‘Contemplating’ this and I decided to go for it. Hopefully I’ll move it to the ‘Loving’ column in my next update.

Worrying: That Trump will get re-elected in 2020. I know it’s a long way off and I should be focused on the midterms. I think the Democrats will take the House, but I fear they will lose a few Senate seats. Even if the Muller’s investigation leads a Democrat led House to vote for Impeachment, it will likely fall short of votes needed in the Senate and he’ll remain in office. I follow Robert Reich on Face.book and he recently recounted his conversation with a Republican former congressman (who I’m pretty sure is Alan Simpson) where he described that Trump is teflon and a second term is his if he wants it. Although it doesn’t seem possible, I think things will get worse before they get better. The few Republicans who speak out again Trump (Bob Corker, Jeff Flake, John McCain) aren’t running for re-election and with the exception of McCain’s healthcare vote, they’ve all voted in line with his policies. Trump has inspired fellow Reality TV star and fellow misogynist pig Dennis Hof to run for an office seat he’s likely to win. It’s simply depressing

Planning: Kate’s Third birthday party. It’s the third year, I’ve been sitting in a conference making lists of things I need to get and do for her party. This year, I should save the list so I don’t have to start from scratch again next year.

Contemplating: Probably the only thing I’m scheming right now is trying to figure out Kate’s activities. I’ve been so fortunate that she’s been doing soccer and swimming lessons through her day care and we have gymnastics on Tuesdays when I am off work. When she starts her new school, she’ll be attending 5 days a week, which will mean squeezing in her activities on the weekends. Gymnastics classes on the weekends are already full with a 4-8 person wait list. I think I found a loop hole if I enroll her in a Saturday class now, before she turns three. Basically, you just have to get your foot in the door for a Saturday class and you get first dips to move into the next age group. The same group who does the soccer lessons at her Day Care also runs 6 week sessions at a local park, so I signed her up while my parents were visiting. I was also able to extend her swimming lessons at her current place for the month of August, then I’ve been looking to sign up for classes where “her brothers” attend, so she will have some more time to see them. Oh, and as parent participation isn’t required for 3 year olds…mommy can get some swim time at this pool too… hee-hee-hee [insert evil laugh]