Hello? Is this thing on? *taps mic*

Hey there blogheads. If anyone still reads blogs on blogger, that is. Did you all move to the Tumblr?

It's been ages since my last post, since just after New Year's to be exact. A lot of stuff has happened since then, but let's just narrow it down.

I work at a bookstore, and I love it. I also have been having severe issues with my ankle again. I went to the same surgeon/foot specialist I saw all through my teen years and I had some x-rays done today. My ankle is extremely arthritic, but other than that, it is all good. Nothing to worry about other than general weakness causing some severe pain. I got a cortisone shot and a prescription for some steroids. I have a couple of bone spurs on the right side of my left ankle, but they are not bone-on-bone, and asymptomatic, although they are moderate in size. All my pain is on the left side of my left ankle.

My doctor also heavily suggested getting in shape. I know losing the weight will help my ankle in the long run and some strength training will help it in the short term as well. I was given a list of physical therapy exercises to do, and I bought some of those elastic resistance bands at work. Hey, they are 30% off with my discount, so I am totally taking advantage of it. So I was told to do the elliptical on no resistance and 0 incline, and the stationary bike as well as doing some core work.

I've been doing the physical therapy exercises for a while now, and I do think it is helping, although I do not do it religiously, and I really need to. Same with the exercising.

I am on a work restriction for the next 6 weeks until my follow up appointment. I was so worried that I was going to have to have surgery or be told that I can't work, and I do not want to lose my job. I love it so much. I have never been happier in a job, my coworkers are awesome, I really love the management as well. They are super accommodating, especially to a newbie gimp like me. I only started there at the end of April so to have their support and seeing how willing they are to work around my disability... yeah. It feels awesome. Super awesome.

I have lost a little bit of weight since I started working there, but not a whole lot. Just 5 lbs. But hey, 5 lbs in a month is super awesome!

Part of me was really hoping I would lose 10-20 since I have not been on my feet much but you know what, I think a lot of it is water weight too, I have been swelling up in my feet, so I drink tons of water now.

We finally have insurance. It's through Obamacare, but I am happy to have it. We got the three of us covered for both health and dental and we only pay $70 a month for it. It is brilliant and I could not be more pleased.

Brian went to the Appleseed Comic Con 2 weekends ago and he had an artist table. He sold a lot of prints and commissioned sketches over two days and I am so proud of him. He also got an interview with a local university! We made a good bit of money too, which had me extra proud of him. I went into it thinking we were going to be at a loss, because it was our first convention and he is not that well known yet. I thought we were going to be rewarded with some exposure and experience, but I was (delightfully) wrong!

I think that we are going to do another one this year, probably in November. We will be able to do a little bit of traveling for it, and that makes me happy. Brian said that he had a lot of fun and if that is what he could do for a living, traveling and going to conventions and selling artwork, he would be so happy. So I am going to try and make that a reality for us.

Brian had gone to the dentist and needs to have a lot of work done on his teeth but thankfully we have dental insurance now and that makes me so happy that we will be able to afford to send him.

I work part time at the bookstore, but part time is around 30 hours a week, so I am making more money than I was at home and that makes my heart happy. I know I just started working there and I still am in the honeymoon phase of my job, but I have always wanted to be a librarian and this fulfills that dream of mine on some level. If I can manage to become full time at some point, they also pay for schooling, and I would love to go get my bachelors and eventually my masters in library science.

I have made so many friends with my coworkers too. It's nice having my own set of friends that I do not have to share with Brian. They all think (know) that I am crazy, but I don't think that they really understand the depths of my isolation before, and how utterly lonely it is not to have any real friends of my own.

These people are also insanely geeky and I love that about them. I find I have something in common with most of them, and that I can really relate. Some of my coworkers even live close by, so that makes it even easier to hang out with them. Have I yet? No. But it's going to happen.

I went in today to drop off my doctor's note and to talk to the managers, and all of my coworkers came up to me and asked me how my doctor appointment went, and I could see the genuine concern in their faces. I was so worried that I would have to have surgery and lose my job, and I could tell that they could see it and that they didn't want me to lose it either. Six plus weeks is a long time to request off for surgery, especially since I was only hired a month ago. I got a few hugs too, when I told them that I wouldn't be needing it. I told you they were concerned.

I almost cried then.

But I didn't.

I finally saw Frozen. Did not like it, it felt really loose in the plot. We are doing a Frozen party at work, and I totally did not volunteer to help out. I can't stand the movie, so I would not be able to handle all the parents and kids belting out "Let It Go" all day long.



ah well, I have to get going. I am meeting a friend at the gym. It's my first time going since I renewed my membership last week. I haven't been able to walk since then, so it will be nice to go.

Closing thought: It's really hard to drive a stick shift with a walking cast on.