Don't Forget!

My more "professional" blog at www.amandakusek.com

-Amanda

(PS - These posts are way more amazing.)

Medical Boot Fashion Part 2

Broken Beauties

My good friend, Aubrey Robertson, directed me to this website called "Broken Beauties." Apparently, one woman had the same idea that I did-- That injury doesn't have to be ugly. Here's the beginning of her story:

In the Fall of 2002 my very busy, very active sister took one jump too many on a trampoline and severely fractured her ankle. The first few days were spent in a blur of pain, surgery, more pain and adjusting to this new very restricted life. Even in a large metropolitan area she had trouble finding the things she needed to function on a daily basis. Her medical bills began to haunt her, the medication made her sick and keeping the weight off without her normal exercise routine became a frustrating challenge and that was on a good day!

The crutches were “ugly”. “Why can’t someone make good looking crutches?”, she’d lament.

And so Broken Beauties was founded. They offer slings, crutches, walkers, and more! I spent some time on the site and was saddened to find that there were no special medical boot covers. I'm going to send an e-mail, because maybe no one has ever requested a medical boot before.

Dress it Up!

As you all know I am determined to dress this injury up. Here are my past two days in injured style.

I did a half french braid pulled to the side.

And on Thursday I wore another dress:

Sun dresses are super comfortable and easy to put on.

Not to mention they scream "styled."

That's all for today.
<3

Amanda

DAS BOOT

So I have a stress fracture in my left heel. Meaning no running for 4-6 (possibly even 8) weeks. For a runner, this is torture. This also means I have to wear a boot.

For someone graduating college in 3 weeks, this is also torture.

Now- there is a small chance I just tore the ligament or tendon or whatever. And that it'll be close to recovery on Friday (day of my follow up appointment). If it still hurts on Friday (which means I'll have to walk on it again sans Advil) I am going to get an x-ray. Such fun for me.

I'd rather this:

But I don't think that is going t

o be happening if I can barely walk. Lugging that freaking thing a around makes me incredibly tired. Hopefully I can adjust in the next two days and I can still go out. Sure I'll have a boot on but that doesn't mean I can't go out and look cute!

So I bring you:

BOOT FASHION

Last night I watched Season 6, Episode 11 "The Domino Effect." In which a lot of crazy stuff happens BUT Samantha also break her big toe and has to wear this:

Samantha manages to style her boot with some beautiful dresses.

I did vast amounts of research and found this:

Samantha Jones Breaks A Toe

While this is a tiny a photo, I absolutely love this dress. It's colorful it's interesting and she wears it with her boot/shoe. (Thanks to Denying Insanity for these screencaps, by the way.)

And my favorite quote out of this scene: "I have a broken toe, not a broken spirit." And that is really something I should go for. I just have to beat the exhaustion. So Samantha does not resort to sweats or staying at home. She goes out into the world, looking fabulous, and wearing her little medical booty.

Like I said, not many pictures exist of her in this episode because of the boot. So in the second scene you can barely see what she is wearing but you can tell that she is wearing a strappy pink dress (which is actually quite form fitting) along with her awesome medical shoe. She accessorizes with a gorgeous necklace and kicks ass. Later in the season she'll be diagnosed with breast cancer-- something certainly more serious than her broken toe. But she rocks that out with dignity and beauty as well.

*Sigh* If only we could all be Samantha Jones.

Hot Guys Wear Boots Too

Holy shit, David Beckham is wearing the same boot as me!

I called my best friend to tell her that a stress fracture is a fat person injury. (I'm hurt, I'm allowed to be bitchy.) And she responded, "It's actually an athlete's injury."

And look at that it is. Suck it.

In the End...

I'd really like to do this:

My Riff on MVD's 26 Lessons

Adam Baker of Man Vs. Debt wrote a blog entry titled 26 Lessons I've Learned in 26 Years of Living. Here: http://bit.ly/9cuSYQ

It is not my birthday but I really like the idea so here it goes.

22. Love is Not Guilt or Pity

If you find yourself 'loving' someone because you are guilty for your past, or how you've treated them... OR you pity them... this is not all there is to love. Can you pity someone you love? Yes. Should you love them because you pity them? No. Guilty and pity are strong emotions that are hard to detach from. Take a breath. Think about it.

21. Exercising Is Not that Bad. Actually, It's Pretty Great.

I used to HATE exercise. I saw no point. Actually there is a point. You will feel energized, relaxed, centered. Not to mention you'll get a banging bod if you do it right and enough. The key to starting? Start slow. I started by doing abs everyday. Then started trying to run a mile at a time on a treadmill (it's easier than outside) and lifting every now and then. And now? I'm finally ready to compete. Granted they are only 5k races... but it's a start.

20. Mistakes are Necessary to Learn

It's simple. You can't know the results of EVERY action you make until you make them. Only when they become routine, do you have a problem.

19. Play-Doh is NOT an acceptable Snack

Though it is tasty.

18. Zits Happen

So they are unfortunate, sometimes they hurt, and they don't really match your outfit but they happen. Plus, it's a known fact, the more you look at them, the bigger and redder they SEEM. Leave them alone, they'll heal in their own time. And to prevent? Wash AND moisturize. They make moisturizer for even the oiliest skin.

17. People Will Stick Around if You Let Them

Not everyone is going to hurt you. And some will stay with you even after you hurt them. These are some special people. And while you should be embarrassed for some of your actions, never push THEM away because of it. They like you... for whatever weird reason... so roll with it.

16. People Will Leave When You Don't Want Them To

Maybe for a bit or maybe for good. You can't stop them.

15. There is No Shame in Pop Music (Okay, There is Some)

Just don't let music snobs catch you.

14. Mom is on Your Side

Though she may not seem like it sometimes... or MOST of the time. She is. She just doesn't want you be lazyhurtaloneconfused. It's okay.

13. Siblings are Your Best Friends

And if they aren't yet, work on it. They will understand you in a way no one else can.

12. BFF's Require Effort

But luckily if they are like you, it won't take much. :)

11. You Can See the World

Just keep your eyes open for cheap opportunities.

10. Hard Work Doesn't Always Pay Off

You will work really hard on something. And no one will care and the end result will not be all that great. That's okay because you have another shot. Just on to the next one.

9. Do What You Love

You'll be happier.

8. Do What You're Good At

Don't spend all your time trying to be good at something that you're not. Play to your strengths.

7. High Heels Suck

There is very little you can accomplish in them and they hurt. Screw it.

6. People Will ALWAYS Talk

'Nough Said.

5. Life is Better Without a Car

Think of the money you save and the calories you burn!

4. Trust Yourself

3. Always Throw Parties

Playing host can be stressful but you'll be the reason for a million more great memories.

2. Stretch

1. Smile

Lesbian Gets Prom Cancelled

Meet Constance McMillen. Her Mississippi high school (yep, good ole' Miss) cancelled her high school prom because she wanted to attend with her girlfriend and wear a tuxedo. Then a parent decided to sponsor a private dance where McMillen could attend IF she brought a male date and wore a dress.

Now, I think it's clear why they would discourage her from bringing a female date. This is your typical homophobia that is frighteningly common in our country. But what really shocks me about this story, and that I don't think has been sufficiently covered is the fact that they were forcing her to wear a dress.

I'm sorry, what year is this? The girl can't wear a tuxedo if she wants? She isn't breaking any formal dress codes, she would still be dressed up for the occasion-- just in pants. The kid isn't asking to wear jeans. Since when is it okay to bar a woman from wearing pants?

Say what you want about equal rights for lesbians and gays but is there really an argument that goes with forcing a woman to wear a dress? Who knew that a female wanting to wear a tuxedo is still so shocking to the American public. But I guess it makes sense. When's the last time a famous woman wore a suit down the runway? Diane Keaton?

Celine Dion?

It isn't that common. And there isn't anything wrong with wanting to be feminine, but why is there something wrong with wanting to downplay that femininity? If we're going to go that route I hope they were banning boys from wearing pink shirts and tuxedos.

That guy looks like the kid from A Christmas Story:

Pink nightmare alright.

But in my mind the pink nightmare is that colors are still associated with sexes and that even in 2010, the year I graduate from college, a woman can't wear pants to a formal function. Thanks Mississippi for sending us back a few years.

Obama

If there was ever a time to blog it would be after Obama's visit to Iowa City. My home for the past four years. In a matter of days the city and University were quickly turned into a madhouse, secret service, reporters, camerapeople, photogs, the whole charade. They printed 3,000 tickets to his little performance in the Fieldhouse.

Woah woah. The PRESIDENT is coming and we're going to put him in the Fieldhouse AGAIN? Oh good grief. Carver is too big and doesn't offer enough security. I get that but the Fieldhouse is so bleak, so depressing not to mention the hideous wall paintings that you can see in this image:

compliments of Reuters.

Look at that hideous motherfucker back there. That thing is absolutely nasty. They cover the walls and I don't think anyone knows what they are. Olympians maybe? Athletes from a Mayan temple? At any rate they're an eyesore and now we have pictures of the president with them.

Anyway- so they released something like 3,000 tickets. 1,500 hundred went to the raffle and 1,500 went to places like the UI Dems and Loebsack's personal raffle. I got mine from being resourceful and having a friend named Megan. Huzzah, luck! Megan showed up a lot earlier than myself and Kelly and Amie. She noted that the line was horrendously long and she had been there since 10:30. We arrived around 11:15. And let's get this straight, the man didn't even speak until 1. But somehow, because the line wasn't even a line, it was snaking around the parking garage, we got shuffled into the first loop of many. We were inside by 1120. Standing in our spots by 11:40 because Kelly had to pee. (Oh that girl will kill me one day.)

So we got our spots and we're quickly surrounded.

I'll tell you, it didn't feel this crowded... AT ALL. Maybe because I am used to football games... but I had room to breathe. EXCEPT.

OH EXCEPT.

I felt like every freakin' tall person had to stand in front of me. No but seriously there were just groups of them in front of us and nowhere else. I managed to befriend the guys in front of us (much to the chagrin of some bitchy girl) and that helped. I shared my gum. And we made bets on what color tie he'd be wearing. Stripes: 1 Red: 2 Blue: 4

He wore lavender.

That sly son of a bitch.

And then the woman with the kid who didn't want to be there left, so I aced their spots. All in all I could see most of it. Glorious.

His speech was pretty formulaic outside of his awesome one-liners and what not. His taking on the heckler five people over from me was needed. Oh and he pointed out that someone fainted. All in all, a pretty weird thing.

Here's a bulleted list of how his speech went for all y'all who don't watch CNN or whatever the hell.

• Northern Iowa beat Kansas. I had Kansas going all the way.
• I love Iowa because you were the first to believe in me.
• You were the first to believe in change.
• I feel bad about the flood, I'm dedicated to clean up.
• My military aid played football for the University

(He was really buttering us up at this point.)

• It is so great this passed. We showed them.
• It'll take 4 years to fully take effect
• But
• College graduates can stay on their parents' health insurance until they're 26
• Pre-existing complications are covered
• Old people are gonna get $$ for prescriptions
• Here are 3 real life Iowans this affects
• Prairie Lights
• Yell at heckler
• Naysayers be damned
• They can try to repeal but no one wants them too
• Suck it I'm the President let me play with this baby
• Oh this baby has my name

Then he hung out and waved and shook hands. And then we left and he left.

We saw the motorcade which have awesome video footage. It's not well-filmed but its the damned motorcade. I'll post it soon.

Then I went for pizza but he was downtown so I stood on the street and looked for him like any good citizen. He waved after buying books at Prairie Lights. I got yelled at for crossing the street. I ate Mesa pizza. I went to class.

That is all. I guess. I feel lucky that I was 1/3000 people who could go. 16000 applied for tickets. So I am very grateful.

No matter how you feel about healthcare reform... it was still history and I got to be a little part of it.

Amanda

This is Sad

This blog is so sad. I never pimp it out. I never write in it. But, I am seriously determined to keep this motherfucker around. I may forget about it at times, but it's my baby. Not really. It's just that my Tumblr takes up most of my time, followed by Twitter and FaceBook. 

Keeping up with all my social networking is just killing me. It's insane the world we live in now were we are connected in so many ways virtually. I like to think I am still connected to the world physically too, but I am not sure anymore.

Oh, I also have no idea... ever... what to write about. My mind is just a scattering of looking for jobs after I graduate and etc. and etc. and etc.

I'll come up with something. I just needed to write here for my own fucking good.

First Post in like a Month

Hello Bloggers, Blogreaders, blogophiles, etc. etc.

I am blogging. HOW MANY MORE TIMES CAN I SAY THE WORD? I think maybe if I say the word enough I'll actually blog a lot more. What can I say? There are many things on the internet that distract me and if I'm being totally honest, I completely forgot I had this damn thing. I've been on winter break people! And so, because of winter break I bring you another list. (Hurrah.)

30 REASONS WHY I DIDN'T BLOG FOR A MONTH

1. I forgot

2. Aimlessly clicking through hipster images on Tumblr

3. Checking my Facebook

4. Drinking with my ma

5. Watching Sex and the City

6. Reading by a fire

7. Having drunk phone conversations with the guy I'm sleeping with in Iowa City

8. Having sober phone conversations with said guy

9. Drinking with my ma

10. Absolutely not editing my play that is due to my director in a week

11. Having my wisdom teeth out

12. Drinking the day after having my wisdom teeth out

13. Degrassi Marathon

14. Drinking with my ma

15. A sleepover

16. Learning who is pregnant/engaged/married

17. Leading on the the guy I was in love with in middle school. He said he was "clearly interested now" I said, "My ego is still bruised. Sorry I am hot now and you have herpes."

18. Watching Boy Meets World none stop

19. Weekend trips to exciting cities

20. Weekend trips to my ma's living room

21. Twitter

22. Catching up with old friends

23. Catching up with an ex-boyfriend

24. Doing regrettable things

25. Running into people from high school on the subway

26. Eating Chinese Food, Pizza, Italian, Fried Seafood, Cookies, Cookie Dough, Cake, Sundaes, Pie, Ham, Mashed Potatoes, More Chinese Food, Sushi, French Fries, Dumplings

27. Drinking white wine, red wine, beer in bottles, beer in cans, beer in pitchers, vodka, Bailey's, Kahlua, Jack Daniel's, more beer, cheap beer, expensive beer, beer that should be cheap but is expensive, tequila

28. Running

29. Not shaving my legs

30. Drinking with my ma

Finals

I am painfully bad at this.

I never fail to completely suck at technology. But here I am, of course, trying.

I gotta say I've gotten better at the Twitter. I just get caught up in, you know, actually living my life I find it hard to Tweet about it. I think that's the first time I used 'tweet' as a verb. Rock on.

Anyway, finals are upon us here at the University of Iowa and so I've created a top ten list. Blogs love making the lists. So here it goes:

Top Ten Things You Will Experience During Finals Week

1. Your Friend Who Never Does Their Homework Will Rip Your Face Off For Texting Them

You know this person. All semester long they've called you "pussy" "douchebag" "brown noser" and a slew of other commonly used insults every time you shoot back the "Can't tonight. Studying." Text. They drink Jager on Mondays, they drink Jager on Tuesdays... "You only live once!" Is their typical response. We can't possibly let the man kill our youth, now can we? Is that why when you text them during finals week about studying in the library they completely lose their shit? "Is that all you care about? I'm studying!" Woah. I'm sorry when did you suddenly care about your grades for the man? Listen douchebag, do us all a favor and turn off your phone.

2. An Increased Number of Sighs In Quiet Study Spaces

It's been scientifically proven (or rather observed by my friend who wants to be a science teacher) that sighing has increased drastically since the return from Thanksgiving Break. It's most obvious in quiet study spaces thanks to the lack of "Did you watch the game last night?" conversations. Sighing will continue to rise as students begin to realize that they have been sitting in the same room, in the same position for nearly 6 hours.

3. Heightened Facebook Activity

Need I say more?

4. Someone You Don't Know Asking If You Want to Be "Study Buddies"

I hate this. I absolutely hate this. Once someone notices that you actually understand the material they are all up in your grill like a steak. And if you ever find yourself studying with one of these buffoons you'll realize that you aren't "study buddies" but in fact their unpaid tutor.

5. The Inability to Speak Basic English

I find that after hours of writing papers and staring at notecards I lose the inability to speak basic English. Example: Today I said "I am going to try and write 2 papers for my politics page."

6. You No Longer Have Conversations, You're Just Updating Everyone On What You've Gotten Done

I'm 35% done with my paper!

I am 50% through those notecards!

I studied for 3 hours today!

7. You'll Hate Everyone Who Updates You On Everything They've Done

I don't care because right now I am 100% annoyed with your face.

8. Cleanliness Takes a Time Out

Most likely at the end of finals week you will find:

Bowl of ramen on your desk

Coffee grounds in your hair

A pizza box filled with notecards

5 pairs of shoes scattered around the bed

3 pairs of pants in your bed -- all yours

Soap, unused. 

9. Your Mom Calls to See What That "I'm Going to Kill Myself" Text Was All About

After four years she'll learn to simply text back. "You can do it! See you in a week."

Thanks Mom.

10. Your One Beer to Kill the Nerves Turns into Seven

Bring notecards to the bar. Maybe it'll help?

It's Been Over A Week Bloggies

I am so sorry that I have been M.I.A. I was working hard last week at school getting it all done so I could home to Massachusetts.

And guess where I am blogging from today? Massachusetts! Yes it is true.

Something funny happened yesterday.

I climbed a mutha' effin' mountain.

I have never gone hiking so near to winter. 

I mean I guess it is technically winter. 

Well I climbed that mountain and when we got to the top- ICE

Shit was iced over and the wind was tremendous. 

So then I mass texted a bunch of people and I got similar responses that were formulated like this: "I did this, that's kind of like hiking a mountain, right?"

I feel like addressing these and see if they really are like climbing a mountain. There were two good ones. 

The first was "Well my friend just bought an 8th, that's kind of like climbing a mountain." 

And I think this is the most similar for obvious reasons. Getting high - climbing high. You start at the base and as you start going you might lose your breath, you know? But if you keep trucking you'll get to the top and it'll look awesome and you'll hang out up there, surveying the land. And then you have to find your way down and your exhausted and you kind of throw yourself around. And you get to the bottom and your like, "Wow I almost died but I wanna do it again."

The second was, "Well I ate queso and chips at Chili's, that's kind of like hiking a mountain right?" And I was like maybe. If filling up is like getting high, right? Or climbing amount? I think there is the same danger in filling up and then when you come down, your bathroom should probably watch the fuck out.

Yeah. This entry is kind of whatever. But fuck you I'm on vacation!

And then I fuck up

I always write in this when I am fucking starving. I wonder why that is oh small blogosphere. 

I found some chips. Doritos. And I am going to eat them. 

I ran all over Iowa City and Coralville to find Closer today because I've been dying to watch it and have been quoting it like a beast on my FB status. Mhm.

I finally found it at FYE and I bought it. I now own it and I watched it after finishing my paper-- I actually finished it and I never thought I'd see the day!

Not the point but exciting none the less.

Anyway, back to the film. While I believe the play is probably way better, way more kick ass the movie still has great words and some great acting. I am also in love with Natalie Portman. Which is good cause someone once told me if anyone were to play me in a movie. It would be her. (Epic. Win.)

It is so brutally honest about people and what they do to each other. The first time I saw it was very naive about how some shit works. People screwing, breaking hearts, loving, not loving, changing your mind, forgetting who you are. 

The whole bit.

The people in this movie love, hate, date, marry, bang each other so many different times it is mind boggling. But it's true.

Things change so fast and love changes and people change and you lose shit and find comfort and you move on and forget it and forget you and then maybe it all comes back.

Maybe watching this movie was a bad call. Or maybe a good? It made me think about some things and I got concerned. That I am doing it all again. Doing what I do. Maybe it is time to just own up to the whole thing and admit who I am.

I'll give you a bit of a hint:

<--- Yeah that's me! I know I look totally cute. Please refer to my previous post if you're like... what the fuck is she talking about.

I chew 'em up and spit 'em out. 

Or maybe not.

Closer is a great movie for nothing other than how honest it is. People are shit and we do bad things and we get confused and we get lost and we question everything. We change, we regret, and sometimes maybe we even love.  

I wouldn't suggest this movie if you are firm believer of the human race and love and true love and yadda yadda yadda. It'll depress you, you won't know what to make of it, and you'll find it untrue. 

-Amanda

Birth Days

I turn 22 in 25 days. Which believe it or not, is disturbingly close.

I don't really know what I am going to say on this matter but it seems important.

I realize I could have waited until it was very cutesy and was 22 days until I am 25 but as usual I don't care enough.

22 in 25 days. I feel like it's an odd age because I don't feel that old, you know? I felt 18 when I turned 18, I felt 20 when I turned 20. I felt somewhat 21 when I turned 21, so why is 22 so unfathomable to me?

Is it because I graduate this year? Probably. And maybe the fact that I just went through my third serious break-up in life? I feel like I've lived a life that I never intended to. As much as you want to avoid the mainstream, the cliche, the gross gross gross, you can't and I guess I always saw myself falling in love. 

Maybe not getting married but just falling in love. And now here I am the fucking black widow. I feel like I eat them up and then spit them out.

You like these kitschy pictures? I do. 

This comes up when I type kitschy into Google: 

It's pretty amazing actually. But pink flamingoes is not why I decided to sit here and write even though I have a 15 page paper due on Monday that I am 9 pages into and even though my stomach is killing me for some food. 

I am writing because I think the idea of being 22 and alone is frightening. Not so much that I am 22 but that I feel like my purpose on this planet is not to find love but to teach others what it can be or what it might be like and then release them into the wild where they can grow and be better mates. I am a trainer. I am a trainer girlfriend. A trainer fuck. All of it. 

And that's just a little bit sad. It's also sad that I just spilled a bit of my guts all over this blog right next the image of some pink flamingoes, you know?

I guess all I can do is hope that on December 9th I won't implode and I'll just keep moving forward... toward whatever end it is I am working towards.

I don't believe so much in fate. So I have a lot more work ahead of me than other people.

22 in 25. Mark that.

So that Hasan Guy

He had business cards that said "Soldier of Allah" or rather it is encrypted on there...
Please, read or skim...
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,574546,00.html

There's so much to say about this article that I don't even know where to begin...
The fact that I am using an article by FoxNews?
How seemingly bat shit crazy this guy went?
The blatant invasion of privacy by the media?

Let's start with those business cards.

So you see that there? That SoA(SWT) stands for "Soldier of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'all) or (glory to God). Now I am pretty sure people in my Career Leadership Academy class would be against the use of religion on a business card in general. But that's beside the point. I don't really think there's anything necessarily wrong with this other than the whole "soldier" bit seems a tad frightening in a apocalypse kind of way. But if it's such a big deal how come no one noticed before? I mean wouldn't someone ask what all that shit was on there? Or not? I also like how FOX is all... HE BOUGHT THEM ON THE INTERNETZ. So? Yeah, that's all I got. So?

Let's move on to the "video of his home." I am all about investigative journalism. I think we need more people digging deep etc. etc. That video is not digging deep. Someone said hey yeah come on in here and film shit. I mean WHATEVER. I personally believe it's not worth it. They're are turning this into an episode of CRIBS. *cue Snoop Dog* Hasan: And this is my Cristal and my bottles of pills and SUBHANAHU WA TA'ALLLLL. Fuck it.

Whatever. This is getting long. Read the article or don't but yeah. The media man.

Welcome

My roommate from freshman year started her own blog.
I've only ever had a personal online journal where I bitch and moan and cry and all of that.
Well here I am trying to start my very own comedic blog that'll hopefully be funny and somewhat truthful.

I ran 5 miles last night in the fitness center and as I was doing such I watched a show on Jack Ripper.
First off, people are still seriously trying to solve this? Motherfucker's been dead for like 130 years or something.
Whatever, they try to use modern technology and these weird mannequin looking things to talk about how he cut up all these women in alleyways. They have all these suspects-- I'd probably put my money on the weird, creepy American doctor who stored uteruses in his home and labeled them by class. (Yeah... it's true) But the coolest suspect had to be Mary Pearcey.

YES, A WOMAN.

Basically she was hanged for slaughtering this woman and her baby so she could keep the man to herself.
Poor thing. I bet he wasn't really worth it. Just another dick in a high-collared jacket asking for sandwiches. (And sandwiches were around...they've always been around. Don't believe me? Wiki that.)

But how cool would that be if the sick-o that was killing all those women, seemingly out of hatred for women, was a woman?! Mind blowing. I think she is still a suspect, though they could have tossed her aside.

In short, I wish it was a woman. But I am pretty sure it was the creepy looking doctor who kept uteruses.
Yeah.



My money's on him.