This is what happens when I give up caffeine

Random fact of the day: I have way too many calendars. Three in the kitchen, one in the bathroom, one in my bedroom, four in my cubicle. I have no explanation for this other than that they were free.

Hearing Aids: I don't have a lot on this topic today. Right now, I'm wrestling with two conflicting ideas: 1) I don't want my thoughts or my blog to be 100% consumed with being hard of hearing yet 2) the fact remains that being hard of hearing does affect an awful lot of my daily life. It's hard to find balance - how to address and deal with the valid issues that arise without making them out to be the End. Of. The. World.

Loneliness is a pretty constant companion for me - the company ebbs and flows, but it's always there on some level. I've been feeling it more keenly lately and I'm not sure why. I feel like I've wasted a lot of my 20s being mad and isolating myself and now that 30 is just three years away, I feel like I'm panicking and scrambling to make the most of the 20s I have left. But I'm not really sure how to do that, either.

In other news: I decided it's time to kick the habit... the Cherry Coke habit, that is. I am parting ways with my nectar of life in exchange for a slimmer waist and a body that's not dependent on caffeine to get through the day. So far, all I have to show for it are raging headaches (I feel like there are midget elf miners chipping away at my temples) and what I hope are not permanent bags under my eyes (seriously. I could put my groceries in them)... someone please tell me it gets better!!! And I know myself, I can't totally abandon all things cola, so I do plan to treat myself to Cherry Coke when I go out to eat or on a special occasion (like my birthday or something). I just need to get it out of my daily diet.

I would really love to be comfortable at church again. Maybe these thoughts should be under Hearing Aids because I'm struggling to plug in at church because of my communication difficulties. But sometimes I also think that I just don't know how to be comfortable at church after some of my past experiences. So I've just been mulling over what it means to be part of a local body. What does it look like? How does it look on Sunday? During the rest of the week? I haven't come up with a lot. What's important to YOU in a local assembly?

Feelin' phone-y

Random fact of the day: I have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for breakfast. Breakfast of champions or lunch of 4-year-olds? Discuss.

Hearing aids: I had phone issues today at work. I have a CapTel phone at work and while I LOVE it and the freedom it affords, I still hate talking on the phone... but I am finding that a lot of hearing people don't like it, either, so I know I'm not alone there. Anyway, I've never been able to get straight how to dial out. Is it 9+number? 9+1+number? What about area codes? I always have the worst luck and can never seem to figure it out so I just give up.

So today I turned to AT&T Relay online. They have this cool new feature that lets me use the Relay online though IM. So I did that. Definitely slower than using the CapTel but at least I didn't have to talk on the phone.

One of the things I wish I could do is talk on the phone. I mean, just whip out a cell phone and chat with someone about nothing. When I was younger - and I mean like 8 or 9 - I thought that was the epitome of coolness, to lay on your bed with your big hair and corded phone and gab away. A little part of me would still like to do that. Sans big hair and corded phone, of course. ;)

In other news: My brother's getting married in June, I'm a bridesmaid, so I've got a date with the elliptical machine tomorrow after work. WIN for having a gym at our office.

I'm tired. Good night.