Low on Blood

I'm not sure if it's the warmer temperatures down here that thin the blood or if it's just part of old-timers disease, but 3 different times on 3 different days over the past week or so I've had a sudden drop in blood pressure, causing lightheadedness and dizziness. Steve was actually the one who suggested this might be what's happening (I'm guessing he had done some consulting with nurse Mary at Covenant). I Checked out the heart associations website and found that sure enough, a sudden drop in blood pressure can indeed cause the above symptoms. As reassuring as it was to read that this might be the cause, it didn't give any great solutions for the cure except see your doctor. Not being close to my doctor right now, thats hard to do. One thing I did do was to drink some water, get something to eat and sit down for awhile or lay down. I couldn't one of the times because I was at a show and in the middle of doing a custom job for someone when it hit out of the blue and I felt like I had just taken some psycedelic drug. I made it thru the day ok, but hated it. If anyone has any other suggestions (other than see my doctor) I'd appreciate it as this is becoming a pain in the butt to deal with. One thing it did suggest (which helps to recall the events, but doesn't solve the problem) is to keep a diary of when and what happened for later...like one can forget these things.

Well, thats about it, still at the Studio6 in Roswell, GA... will be for another week...thru next Friday. Good sales last weekend and a big 2 day show north of here this weekend in Cumming, GA. I think I'll drop into a pharmacy on the way and check the old blood pressure and kick the tires to see if all is sound.

OK OK, I believe you now

Nobody would send me any photos of all the so called record snow and ice, so of course I was a bit leary as to wether it was all fabricated just to make me feel bad about being a snowbird. Well, after watching this u-tube clip on the google news while checking out election news, I believe you now.

The countdown begins

Well folks, I for one am counting down the days the snow melts...oops....well, just counting down until May when we can finally get another fix of our favorite hero...INDIANA JONES. Damn I missed him. Remember this one? Snow...it had to be snow. Oh yeah...it was snakes, but If Indy lived in WI I'm sure he would have said snow.
Start marking the calenders...if you don't have one, you can pretend you are a customer at AnchorBank and get one free.

Working my way back up

I'm heading back to the Atlanta area for a week until I go to the show in Greer, SC the following weekend. I tried to get into a show this weekend in the Atlanta area, but with the cold/flu/sinus problem I am having right now, I am glad I didn't hear back. I think I need the week just to rest and recover and get ready for the last 4 big weekend sales before I head back in March...that is, if you promise the snow will be gone by then so I can actually make it home. What a crazy winter. I will just head part way back tomorrow and stay somewhere in Georgia south of Atlanta and then will be staying at my favorite Studio6 in Rosewell north of Atlanta for the week.

Off to bask in the warmth from the heater and watch American Idol at 8 to see who the top 24 are. If I werent sick I'd probably have the air on instead of the heat...like most normal people. At least the room is tiny and heats up quickly.

Orlando-fun in the sun

Well ya'll are struggling with piles of snow in Madison, I feel guilty basking in the sunshine here in Orlando.
Well, it's not all been a bed of roses. Here's how my day went.

*Check out of motel six in the am which went from $44 per night to $60 per night because of weekend prices. For motel 6? I don't think so.

*Off to the knights Inn down the road where I have a coupon for $31.99 per night, oh, forgot, weekend prices...its now $39 per night. Thats ok, still better than $60. The manager comments on my DL...ohhh, from Wisconsin. Yup. Fill out the forms. Oh, I forgot to ask...it says you have high speed wireless here, right? Yes, he says ...in the lobby. Lobby? No No, I need it in my room, not carrying my computer down to the lobby. Well, we can give you a room in the front (newer, just remodled) but it is $45 a night. Ok, still better than $60. But will it work ok and pick up the signal? Go ahead and try it out...should be fine. I lug the mac upstairs and once I finally found an outlet(not an easy task), I got set up. It picked up a weak signal, but wasnt satisfactory, so I head back down and tell them, sorry, just won't work.

* Off to the Super 8 at $49 per night. first question. Wireless internet? Yup...all the rooms..and no extra charge like there was at motel6. Super, now we are in business. Can I see your ID please? Sure, hey...where is my DL? Damn...he never gave it back to me at Knights Inn. Be right back.

*Knights Inn office...packed with people trying to check in. Hey...you never gave me my DL back when I was here. The manager looks around his desk. The newly trained asst looks around. Nope, not here sir, you must have put it someplace else. I checked my wallet again, my money stash, my bag, out to the van, back again, check all pockets...nope nope nope. You have it..look again. We have checked everywhere...you must have lost it. NO...YOU HAVE IT!!!! KEEP LOOKING!!! By this time I am close to calling the police to do a strip search of their front office. He even takes out his wallet and looks thru it...Nope, not there ( I didn't think it would be). I just stood there...I'm not leaving til you find it!!! The helper finally grabs the box with returned keys- Card style) and empties it on the counter and files thru it. Well...surprise, there is my DL in that box. I just grabbed it and headed out the door...didn't even want to argue or comment anymore. As I am going out the door the manager says to him, you really have to be more careful about things like that!!! WHAT? He was the one who had my DL, not the helper.

*Back to Super8. Check in went smooth. He hands me the keys and had listened to my story. Says, I'm set to go. Can I have my DL back please? Oh yes, he says and takes it out of the copy machine. Geeze.

* Off to the all you can eat $3.99 buffet breakfast. "You here for the buffet lunch?" No breakfast. We are about to break it down in 10 min and switch over...here's 2 plates, you'll have to hurry. It was like a marathon race thru the line, but I got 2 plates full. I should have realized by this time it would all be cold, but at least I had food.

*Now, off to my original destination. The convention center and the Imprinted Sportswear show. I found the convention center ok...It was the size of a small city and I felt like I was in OZ. Getting there late was good, because I got a good long walk in... having to park at the very back of the huge parking lot. After wandering up and down many aisles of presses, shirts, printers, transfers and rhinestone transfers, my head was swimming. My arms were sore from carrying so many catalogs, but I ended up getting the materials for making my own rhinestone transfers and came out smiling at the end as they locked the doors for the day.

*Tomorrow...off to set up early and a full day of sales at the guard show at Colonial HS. I'll be curious to see if Sal made it out of the snow in Madison to judge at the show. Cody is also supposed to be there, but he is coming from San Diego, so he will probably be there. Hope the day tomorrow starts off better.

Meet my new pal Drew

I am lodged for the next few days at Ira and Mikes condo near the airport and have Drew (pictured above) to keep me company while they are away during the day teaching. You may think I get lost or forget how to blog. Well, close. I have been running from job to job, working late into the evening trying to finish up all the jobs which still had loose ends dangling here. I was also transporting props around for Lulabel (LaCareys guard), so I had a full schedule. On top of all that, my internet access at LaCareys was hit and miss, so please forgive me. On top of all that, my little grey cells were very stressed out and I just plain forgot. It seemed like only yesterday when I posted last, but as I see from the date of the last posting, it was much longer than that.
So, a recap in a nutshell: working at LaCareys, off to Roswell for a couple of days and staying with David Giddens to paint his drumline floor before their first show, back to LaCareys to load up props for an all night rehearsal in Peachtree City (close to Newnan), rehearsal done at 6am... back to LaCareys to sleep on the floor for a few hours and then head up to Roswell for the Pope HS show. Ran into one of Davids percussion kids who was all smiles and told me they won their class. Nice. Unload props at 6:30, Lulabel performed at 8:30. load the props again and wait for scores. The crowd really got into the show which LaCarey calls Southern Images, but I like to call "Hats and Hoes". They have big straw hats they start out with doing a big dance number and after the rifle feature, do a fast "Color Purple" slave type number spinning hoes. The crowd went wild. I figured they would. They didn't have a full 3 minutes finished yet, so, the score was low...5 penalty points for a short show, one kid went off the floor, and the props weren't padded. oops. Details, details. Hopefully all those things will be fixed by next weekend show and the score will soar. I told them they are on their own for getting props there next time...the kids were hoping I was going to be around as the regular prop lugger and they were starting to get used to it. Hate to let them down, but Florida awaits.