Lilho's Journal

11/08/2010 18:21 #53081

mostly boring update

it feels like i never blog anymore, but it's so hard to keep up with my new work schedule. wake up at 5am, work from 630am-7pm, and then by the time i get home it's almost bedtime!

i think all the travel has made me pretty fatigued and the mono isn't quite gone...boo.

i decided to chop off quite a bit off my hair, it was so long and getting on my nerves and i just needed a change! i really love it! yay for haircuts, and thanks to (e:hodown) for convincing me to do it! asymmetrical style, it's so healthy now and doesn't need gobs of conditioner. woohoo! the super tangle is finally gone.

i'm really excited for xmas and i'm trying to plan a spa day with my sister and mother... i was my bother and niece and sis in law would be here, but i think it will be just us ladies.

do you know what that means??? i will have to return to the coldness maybe for new years????!!! anyway, sometime soon, i miss that little girl, she is so presh.

sorry i was a weirdo at the halloween party, i didn't know many people there and i never stay up that late or drink anymore because all i do is work.

ok, i decided to stay at home with the moms and she doesn't seem happy about it, but i am. i have started my savings plan, and i am sooooo excited to finally be making decent money and be able to save a ton from each check. super exciting and empowering.

i miss my boys. hi boys. see you soon. (e:terry), what's up with vegas????????

mrmike - 11/08/10 20:11
Hair looks hot, sorry I missed the party, looked like a good time was ensuing despite the weirdness

tinypliny - 11/08/10 18:58
I thought everyone was supposed to be a weirdo at halloween parties.

PS: Love the hairstyle!

10/25/2010 23:45 #53012

what would you do?

i live with my mom, and let's not kid ourselves... it kinda makes me look like a loser. however, i have a plan and want ya'll to hear me out.

i work, way too much and have finally started to make enough to support myself. i can move out now and get a roommate and a decent place...

OR i can stay with the senior citizen and save at least 20 grand over the next few years. i realize in the US it looks very bad for adult children to stay living at home, but when i am out of school, i want to have money saved and zero debt.

so, what would you do?

i work or have school 12+ hrs a day and don't always sleep at home. i'm basically never here.

i worry about finances, because teachers don't make much for the first five years, and i will need a masters to further my career.

do i move out because people will think i'm weird to stay or do i just not care and focus on my future and what is best for me financially???

an finally, can't wait to see all ya'll!!!!!!!!!!!!! there's a fancy bird coming to town!!!

libertad - 10/27/10 21:20
I think as long as you are willing to live with your mom and she is willing to let you live with her than why not? It makes a lot of sense. You would have nothing to show for living on your own and throwing all your money away on rent and expenses. Suz-sÃ approves.

theecarey - 10/26/10 21:30
Does it truly matter what anyone thinks? Do you think you are loser for living with mom? I moved out when I was 19, and it has never been easy regardless of how much money I had, especially when I was in school full time and going to work full time. It was insane. I think kids are pushed (or jump) out of the nest way too soon.

To have a place to live and not to have to worry about excess expenses and other responsibilities by living on your own (with or without a roommate)is likely the single best thing you could do for yourself now and for your future. Your number one concern is getting that education.

Now if you were self-UNemployed, directionless and living in mommys basement at 35, then we can all reevaluate whether you are a loser or not. ;)

heidi - 10/26/10 02:18
I think it makes you look smart and very committed to your goals. As a bonus, you get to have a higher standard of living with glamorous Buffalo vacations and the resources of your mom's house. Being debt-free is a great situation - you'll be able to be a little pickier about what jobs you take.

However, I'd also encourage you to not push yourself so hard. Routinely doing 12+ hr days isn't good for you and you seem to get sick a lot. Is the extra money worth it? Your school district will probably pay for your masters, so you shouldn't be trying to save up for that. Try to have 3-6 months of living expense money in savings, and then start working on other financial goals, like saving for a car, building a retirement acct, donating to charities, saving for a house downpayment, or starting a college fund for that cute baby you're always cooing about. :-) Be specific about your goals so you know when you've achieved them or are able to add another goal the the mix.

james - 10/26/10 01:14
People who don't understand that it is tough for you because you are in school and work are dicks and you are well rid of them.

Besides, with all that extra income if you want to get your lady bits up into shenanigans you will save so much money living with your mom that you can afford a hotel room when you need it.

tinypliny - 10/26/10 00:14
I think people who dig themselves into debt, especially in this day and age of financial uncertainty, are the biggest losers with the letters L.O.S.E.R stenciled all over their foreheads in neon red.

Anyone who tells you otherwise is probably in debt and secretly wants everyone else to be just as miserable.

10/22/2010 17:34 #52998

buffa-halloween

i shall be arriving next friday am!!!!

super excited, it's crazy how much i miss my brother and niece and my dearest friends..

had an amazing bday in vegas, and came back to a work 80hr work week. switched positions, got another raise, and quit an extra job.

i'm moving out of the nest soon. it's time.

things are good, just moving a million miles and hour, and i'm trying to slow it all down.

bought the most amazing eyeshadows in vegas... and if that new file drop would work i could show you a photo.

ps. (e:hodown) forgot my bday for the second year in a row. i know her heart is broken, but this is selfish still. i'm not going to start some huge argument, mostly i'm just hurt.

tinypliny - 10/22/10 19:18
Maybe I will get to say a few more words to you this time (considering I uttered around 5 words the last time I saw you).

10/04/2010 21:35 #52901

mmmmk

i have pink eye????

third trip to the doc in as many weeks. what the heck is going onnnnn????

i am not allowed to go back to work until it is cleared up. gahhhhhh.

starting to feel much better from last week. i think me mono might be gone soon. i will probably just be more tired that usual for a while.

pink eyes be gone!

enknot - 10/06/10 11:41
ooooh my gawd... what have you been doing!

tinypliny - 10/05/10 20:31
Bloodshot eyes. Sure sign of crazy viral infection.

get well soon!! Sending bucketfuls of wishes your way!

libertad - 10/05/10 14:48
Maybe the pink eye is a good thing if it forces you to stay home and get some rest. I never had pink eye before.

10/02/2010 16:45 #52881

my mono-log

still feel like crap. going back to working 11 hr days is too much. i'm not sure what to do...

now i woke up today and my right eye is all red. not utchy, just completely red and i look crazy.

i'm so tired, and my legs hurt and i feel weak, and all i want to do is sleep.

i think i might have to tell my boss or something about this next week, because i'm not sure i can work the full 50 hrs next week, plus another 10 at my other job, plus school. i just feel like crying.

i hate mono, and if one more person tells me how "tired" they are, i swear i will scream...

libertad - 10/04/10 18:43
Whoa, that was way over my head, (e:tiny)! Haha! Really, I get what you were saying, chances are it is mono and that she probably wouldn't have anything else with it. I'm glad to hear that the mono test is pretty accurate. That is a problem with Lyme tests, as I know that you already know.

Get better soon (e:lilho)! You need a cute little plush Mono, I think that would make you feel better.

tinypliny - 10/04/10 00:29
(e:libertad), it's interesting you are asking about the screening validity of the mono-test. I was looking it up recently because of a cross-interest in CMV (Cytomegalovirus) - a relative of the EBV (Epstein Barr Virus), that causes mononucleosis.

Found this study that compared specificity and sensitivity of a variety of EBV tests in the market: :::link:::

The study found that:
"The sensitivities and specificities of the individual tests ranged from 81 to 95% and 98 to 100%, respectively"

To clarify some jargon:
A sensitivity of 100% means that test recognizes all the
actual positives - everyone affected with EBV. The EBV test recognizes that a person is infected 81 to 95% of the time. That's decent. But there is a maximum 19% possibility that it might MISS the fact that you are EBV positive.

A specificity of 100% means that the test recognizes all actual negatives - the healthy people. The specificities of EBV tests are 98 to 100% - that's VERY impressive. It means that if the test turns up positive, it's 98 to 100% likely that you are NOT healthy.

The second question about the EBV test is, can it be positive if there are other underlying diseases, for eg. Lyme disease or what is cross-reactivity of the EBV test?

To answer this question, I found 2 relevant studies:
1. :::link:::
This study found that an EBV test might be positive if there is an underlying CMV infection. This is because the antibodies that are induced by the EBV virus are of a similar class as the antibodies that are induced by the CMV virus. This is not a very surprising finding as the viruses come from the same family. What this means is that anyone who is diagnosed as EBV positive might well be CMV positive. From (e:lilho)'s point of view, this doesn't change things too much. Both these viruses have similar symptoms as well as similar clinical/conservative management and (unfortunately) no specific vaccines or treatment.

2. The other study looks at whether EBV and CMV could be confused for Lyme Disease. :::link:::
EBV and CMV could be confused and interpreted as Lyme Disease. But not the other way round. So if you are positive for EBV/CMV, and have been told that you have mono, you probably have mono. But if you have been told that you have Lyme Disease, you should go in for a second more specific test to check the Lyme diagnosis. In this case, (e:lilho) has been told that she has mono and it is a correct diagnosis with 98 to 100% probability.

I guess there is another possibility that she has BOTH EBV/CMV and Lyme. But that is a very unlikely event... It might be wise to wait and watch to see if the symptoms improve. I tried to search for prevalence of coinfection with Lyme and EBV, but this data seems to be pretty scarce. There was a study looking at evidence of co-infection in the Cerebrospinal fluids of patients who tested positive for the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV). :::link::: (PDF link) Though they found other herpes-virus family coinfections, they didn't find any evidence of Lyme co-infection in this study.

There are plenty of forums around the web with random people claiming they have everything under the sun but I would be rather hesitant about accepting these claims on face-value.

libertad - 10/03/10 18:01
That's right, (e:lilho), kill it with the constant whining. I would be complaining up a storm so I'm sure it would be gone in just a few days if I got it.

Is a mono test definitive? It just seems like the symptoms could go with a lot of different things, like Lyme. I wouldn't want you to go untreated for something like that. I suppose it would be hard to get in AZ? Maybe not after looking on google.

tinypliny - 10/02/10 16:52
You know chronic fatigue syndrome is now attributed to viral infections. The virus is probably tapping all the resources that your immune system needs to maintain an energetic homeostatic metabolic state.

Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Drink a ton of fluids. Go back to sleep. The virus will get tired of all this constant whining in a few days.

Sending you good wishes for a speedy speedy recovery!