Work-related question, almond beverage, and thoughtfulness

On Saturday, my guy missed me so much that he wanted to talk to me before and after his course. He is sweet that way.

The second chat that we had over the phone, I was having a late lunch at a shawarma place. He recommended that I get the beef shawarma. It was nice that he was keeping me company and making a food suggestion while I was there.

"I have a work-related question," he stated.
"What happened to your usual by-the-way lead-in, which tips me off that it's work-related?" I asked.
"I didn't want to alarm you, but I guess that I should have started it off that way," he admitted.

He described his issue. I told him the scoop and advised that I would provide links to the work that my team produces. His work is now dependent on what my team writes. It's isn't a newsflash, but it puts pressure on his group to deliver faster.

"You're lucky that you have me to help you out here," I pointed out.
"I'm lucky to have you all the time. I owe you a lot," he said.
"You're so mushy. You did buy me almond beverage from our favourite liquidation place," I said.
"Yes. Don't forget to take them from me tomorrow," he advised.
"We'll need to do it before our date. Otherwise, we'll both forget," I stated.
"True. I can't wait to see you."

He's thoughtful and sweet. I'm lucky to have him.

Can I ignore you permanently or just for today?

Sometimes, I can be witty. Other times, I am so focused on doing something that my wit is non-existent.

This short post is thankfully about the former.

The other day, Sharky, the development manager who, according to my guy, has a crush on me, had sent an e-mail to add something into a document. He came over to his locker, which is next to my desk, to get something from it.

I started a conversation about the information that he had just asked me to add. It didn't make sense for a number of reasons.

After he verified that I had a point, we had this brief exchange of words:

"You're right. Just ignore me," he replied.
"Permanently or just for today?" I asked him.

He smiled, likely because he welcomed the attention that I was providing.

My manager sits next to me. He laughed. One of my co-op students sits on the other side of our manager. She laughed, too.

Hey, if you are going to open yourself up to such a zinger, I am taking it!

Aggravating insurance question, farewell to a student, and hello to celebrating seven years at work

This week has been quite the mix. Frankly, I can't wait for this week to be over.

Late last week, I got a call from the drug program that I am on for my eye injections. This program will cover the remaining 10% of the drug cost that my insurance does not cover. That's good. I had to schedule a phone meeting with yet another person at my insurance company. It was on Monday.

We talked. She asked me whether I wanted my insurance to handle getting the drug from its own pharmacy or to go with my ophthalmologist's pharmacy. This question actually caused my stress level to go up. I asked what the difference was. Apparently, going with my own insurance's pharmacy would lower costs for my insurance.

I basically slammed this woman by saying that I shouldn't have to decide. All I am concerned about is showing up for my appointment next week and having the drug available for my eye injection. Can this insurance's pharmacy guarantee that it will deliver the drug that I need to my ophthalmologist's office on time? I told her that I should not need to be concerned about whether the drug will be there for me. I need to get better. My health is more important that dealing with such an odd issue that only benefits my insurance company, but could cause issues for me if someone drops the delivery ball.

I flat out said that I wanted to go with my ophthalmologist's pharmacy. It has worked fine for my first appointment. Why break it? Why add more unnecessary stress?

Friday is one of my co-op student's final day of her work term. She is a sweet person who gave me looseleaf green tea from China as a gift. She wasn't one of my better students, though. I think that she is young and needs to mature. She also needs to establish a better work ethic, which I hope will get better with time and experience.

On Friday, we have a farewell lunch for her. I also have three interviews to conduct that same day, as we are hiring new writers and can't keep up with the growth. It will be hectic, to say the least!

My guy and I talked about how long we have been with our employer. He started six months before I did. He hit his seven-year anniversary last month. Mine is in September. It's crazy that we have lasted this long and met at work. We are grateful.

Our next date is on Sunday. He has already requested my wearing a skirt. It's sweet that he asks ahead of time.

Z is for petting penis zoo #AtoZchallenge

Technically, z stands for zipping along, as in this challenge is over for me. It went by quickly.

Instead, I am marvelling over the penis, an organ that I have access to, thanks to my guy.

The other day, I was performing oral on my guy's erect penis and finished off by giving him a handjob. It amazes me how the penis starts in a dormant state and ends up being huge.

After we had cleaned up, we both watched my guy's member retract. When it was back at its dormant state, I asked him whether I could stroke it. If it was too sensitive, I didn't want to make things worse. My guy was fine with my caressing it.

Naturally, we were both in a dopey state of mind. We ended up talking about my gentle stroking and petting his member.

"I feel like I am at my own penis zoo, lovingly petting it," I said, which made us both laugh.
"I like this," my guy admitted.
"It's so smooth," I remarked.

It's not a usual thing for us to do. However, it's a relaxing, intimate form of affection that we both enjoyed.

Y is for yay! Fifty Shades Darker is out on HD digital download #AtoZchallenge

On Tuesday, I got access to my digital download of Fifty Shades Darker, the movie, from Cineplex Store. I purchased a Superticket, which is essentially your movie ticket to watch it at the theatre and the digital download to watch it all you want, no matter where you are.

To say that I am pleased that I have the movie is quite the understatement! I have watched it twice already. It helps that I worked from home on Tuesday. I get to work from home again today. Yes, I love this movie so much that it never grows old. I love this one even more than Fifty Shades of Grey, which got me hooked on the movie series.

The unrated version of the movie is available for download on both the Play Store and iTunes. Last year, I downloaded it from the latter. I am going to hold off and get the DVD version. I want the physical DVD that also comes with some special goodies. Of course, there is never-seen footage. So, I can wait a bit longer to get my fix. After all, I need something to look forward to next month, right?

I have the movie at long last. I'm perfectly content playing it over and over. Yay!

X is for Xerox and other brand names that have become either nouns or verbs #AtoZchallenge

Whenever I do a challenge that involves writing about a topic that begins with x, I think so much that I could probably send smoke signals calling for help.

I decided to go with Xerox. My third printer that I ever owned in my life was a cute, multifunctional Xerox. It looked like an old-school telephone. The receiver part was a handheld scanner. You could take it off to scan, or you could feed your paper through it while it was securely on the printer. I loved it, but it died.

Xerox is one of those brand names that ended up being a verb. Did you xerox that contract? It became a synonym for photocopy.

I first learned about this phenomenon of a brand name becoming a noun or a verb when I was fourteen years old. I travelled with my mom to Hong Kong. It was my first time on Cathay Pacific airlines.

I had nicked my finger. I asked one of the cabin staff to get me a Band-Aid. She didn't know what I had meant, so I explained it to her a bit more. She then said that I was looking for a bandage and got me one.

Growing up, we always referred to the average bandage strip as being a Band-Aid. It's interesting how I took that for granted.

When I think about this incident, it made me more aware of the English language. I also became better at explaining myself. I suppose that this experience sparked my ultimate destiny of becoming a writer by trade.

The same goes with grabbing a Kleenex. We grab a tissue before we sneeze. Well, at least we hope that we're that prepared.

Then, there are Q-tips. Do you have any Q-tips? We need cotton swabs.

I suppose we take brand names and say them so much that they become verbs. Look at Google, the search engine. Go ahead and look up that term. Google it.

English is a fascinating, confusing language. It never gets dull to me.

W is for waiting for a spanking #AtoZchallenge

My guy and I were to meet at 15:00 on Saturday, just after his course. I got to our usual location at exactly that time.

I would say that five minutes later, my guy parked next to my car. I got out of mine and we headed over to the treehouse.

My guy was exceptionally thoughtful and sweet. He had shaved his head. I love when he does, as caressing it feels great and it turns me on. He knew that I would love it. I appreciated it.

We kissed. He kissed my neck and face. I took off my peach sweater to reveal my new shirt. It has a couple of cutouts. It is a cold shoulder top that is comfortable. It's navy blue with white flowers. He loved it.

We hugged. His hands were cold, as usual.

"Even with your hands behind my back, I can still feel how cold your hands are," I remarked.
"You are such a bad girl. I need to punish you," he said, giving my backside a couple of swats.

I went over his knee.

"It's not my fault that your hands are cold," I protested.
"It doesn't matter. You're a bad girl," he said.

He first started spanking me over my short skirt. I liked it. He was feeling the backs of my thighs and giving me a few smacks. He then lifted my skirt up to reveal my lilac-coloured panties.

The smacks got harder. We always have fun exchanges.

"Bad girl," he said, giving me a smack.
"Good girl," I insisted, which got me another slap across my backside.

This conversation lasted for a bit. He then pretended to be annoyed with me and pulled down my panties.

"Oh, no. You must think that I'm really bad," I said.
"Of course," he said, spanking me even harder. "Are you going to behave?" he asked me.
"I already do," I replied.
"I don't think so," he said, giving me a smack.
"What's the right answer? I don't?" I replied, which prompted him to give me another smack with the same intensity.

There was no right or wrong answer. It didn't matter, which made us both laugh. I told him that it was unfair and that the smacks hurt. He acknowledged my comments and continued to spank me. He's such a fun meanie!

I enjoyed the long, hard spanking that I got. It was enjoyable. He paused to admire how pink my butt was and his fine work. He caressed my buttocks and continued spanking me. He finally stopped and pleasured me. It was so intense. I reached orgasm a couple of times. The second time made me rest across his lap for a bit.

As always, he pulled up my panties and pulled down my skirt. He then helped me up.

We cuddled for a bit. I then played with his hard member. Eventually, I unzipped and undid his jeans. I got to hold his erect penis for a bit before I kissed, licked, and sucked it.

My guy was in heaven. He came hard. He was so lethargic afterwards. We cleaned up and then took a brief nap in each other's arms.

It was a wonderful time in the treehouse.

V is for valuing my short skirt #AtoZchallenge

I tend to sleep in on Saturdays. My guy was sweet to call me a bit later than usual on Saturday.

"Hey," I said on the phone, with a green drink in my hand.
"Hey, did I wake you up?" he asked cautiously.
"Do I sound sleepy?" I asked him.
"I didn't want to call early, so I waited," he remarked.
"You're sweet. I have been up since 10:20," I advised, which meant that I had been up for over an hour.

We chatted. I had just finished blending my green drink in my mixer and was busy pouring the extra in a bottle. He liked that I was enthusiastic about my new blending kick.

"Can you wear your skirt for me?" he asked me.
"I can. The earlier that we meet, the shorter it will be," I teased.

My guy loves seeing my legs in a skirt. The weather called for a temperature of 15°C, so it was definitely warm enough to wear one.

That afternoon, he was thrilled to see me in my short skirt. At the end of our time together on Saturday, he admired how short it was, and caressed both my thighs.

We were both in the backseat of his car. He deliberately watched me exit his car. He whistled at me. He liked what he saw.

It's amazing how happy he is when I wear a short skirt.

U is for under control #AtoZchallenge

I am on the quest to lower my blood pressure, reduce my stress, and eat better. It helps that I have supportive people around me.

On Tuesday, my free blood pressure monitor arrived. It is fancy. It even detects arrhythmia. The device is recommended by Hypertension Canada.

As crazy as it may seem, I enjoy taking my blood pressure. I relax and do the reading twice. So far, my blood pressure has been under control.

Trying to reduce stress is challenging. My stress is definitely work-related. I tend to put my instant messaging program in do-not-disturb mode these days. That way, folks can only contact me through e-mail. For my manager, he knows that I am online being in this status. If I could, I would log off completely. I have found that I am happier and definitely not as stressed when I take this approach.

I find that I feel obligated to respond to folks when they send me an instant message. I also get worked up when I am focused on something and I get inundated which such messages. They are a distraction. I get annoyed when folks send me an e-mail to ask me something, I respond, and then the person has the need to talk further on our instant messaging program. Ugh!

My guy is supportive. He keeps telling me that work is not important and to take it easy. I find that cuddling with him reduces my stress. Well, being with him always does.

My manager has been equally as supportive. The other day, he sent me a green drink blender recipe. Blending a green apple, celery stalks, green pepper, spinach, and cucumber helped his brother lower his blood pressure. After work on Friday, I went to the grocery store to prepare. I will give it a whirl (literally) using my fancy blender tomorrow. Here's to healthy green drinks!

T is for T-minus four days before the Fifty Shades Darker digital download #AtoZchallenge

I went to see Fifty Shades Darker three times at the theatre. You have the option of getting the digital HD download with your ticket. I went with it.

The good news is that the digital download is released earlier than the DVD. I get to download it on April 25. I can't wait!

Naturally, I will still be getting the DVD version, simply because I am a fan and would like to see what goodies accompany it.

I haven't started my countdown to Fifty Shades Freed. I am sure I will get excited about that when it's out next February.

S is for Saturday spanking #AtoZchallenge

It has been a while since I have been spanked. My guy has been keeping track.

"Can we meet on Saturday after I am done my course?" he asked me.
"Sure. What did you have in mind?" I asked him.
"I want to spank a cute girl," he pointed out.
"That would be me!" I said, happily.

Spankings never grow old.

R stands for reaching for my hand and his butt #AtoZchallenge

My guy considers me to be affectionate. He doesn't realize that he is equally as affectionate.

I tend to be the one who reaches to hold his hand whenever we are together. However, it is especially sweet when my guy does it in public.

When we got out of his car the other weekend, he didn't hesitate to take my hand and walk with me to Starbucks. It's simply a reflex reaction. He even helped me onto the sidewalk to get there. He's polite and sweet.

My guy also managed to get me many cartons of almond beverage that I love. While he was gathering them from his car's trunk, I helped myself to groping his butt. He looked over and smiled. He liked that a lot.

If any of my neighbours were looking, I'm sure that they got a nice view. I enjoyed groping him that day, which was followed by a long kiss and embrace. It was probably the most affection anyone has seen on my street for years!

Q is for questions and questioning #AtoZchallenge

It has been an interesting Monday. I'm beat, but I'm still going.

At work, I get a bunch of questions fired at me from various folks. My co-op students take some coaxing, though. I have to ask them whether they have any questions for me. They seem more comfortable asking me through e-mail. It's a different generation, I suppose.

Tomorrow, I am attempting to get my tourist visa for China. I have spent some time filling out forms. There are a few questions that confuse me, so I'll need to ask someone about them. Ah, the joys of figuring out what people truly mean.

On Monday, I also spent some time creating documentation builds with my students. I like how everything we did worked and made logical sense. The problem was working with the software build person. She wanted the old documentation build, to be safe. Luckily, I am the type who plans everything. I had archived the old version. For me to quickly recreate the old documentation build was straightforward.

I am working from home tomorrow, which allows me to visit the Chinese consulate and relax. I do tense up more at work these days.

I am waiting for a free, new blood pressure monitor to arrive at my doorstep. It's one of the benefits of being on blood pressure medication, being the optimist. Still, I'd like to see how my blood pressure is doing these days.

P is for playoff hockey #AtoZchallenge

Years ago, I was a huge hockey fan. It was to the point where I would watch hockey every day, subscribe to NHL GameCentre Live, and go to several live games each hockey season, including playoff rounds.

When I got divorced, I still liked hockey, but lost much of that desire to watch hockey game after game.

I switched cell phone providers last October. I took on a corporate plan that was much more attractive than my old plan. This plan also includes NHL GameCentre Live for free, including playoff games.

I have rekindled my love for watching playoff hockey these days. I also like the idea of saving a ton of money by doing a compromise. I won't go and see live games as often as I used to. Instead, I can watch games from the comfort of my home.

It's all good.

My guy will be the first to admit that he isn't a sports person. He has asked me in the past to explain how baseball works. I like that he confides in me. I don't find that odd at all. I still don't understand how cricket works. He does.

So, I am perfectly content being a homebody and watching hockey games for free. My guy likes that I have adopted some of his frugal ways. He likes calling me his Cheap Bastard wannabe, which is sweet.

Happy Easter!

I'd like to wish everyone a happy Easter! Here's hoping that you are having a peaceful, meaningful weekend so far.

I am taking a break from the A to Z blogging challenge today. I'll be back on Monday.

Take care,
Cutiebootie

O is for odd customer service #AtoZchallenge

I am going to use customer service loosely as a term in this post.

On Friday, as I was driving home from work, I received a phone call on my cell phone. I picked up. I have bluetooth in my car, so the call went to my speakerphone.

This woman said that she was calling from an eye program. This program is a part of the drug used for my eye injection. The first injection is covered by this program.

I asked what the nature of the call was. She repeated herself by saying that I had my appointment on April 7th and that the injection was paid for by this program. Okay, I got that information the first time. It was obvious that she was reading from a script. I asked her specifically what she needed from me.

She said that she needed to ask me some questions. I asked her how long would they take. She said ten minutes. I told her that I needed to pull over and park. I was also starting to get annoyed with her constantly repeating April 7th (she is now at the fifth mention of my appointment date) and talking over me.

I was parked. I was getting so annoyed. I asked her point blank what information she needed from me. Clearly, my ophthalmologist gave her details about my date of birth. She was asking for my drug plan information. I fired back by asking whether she had it, as my ophthalmologist would have forwarded all information to her. She first disputed my claim, but then backtracked.

She then decided to call my insurance company and patch me in. I knew exactly what she was up to. She wasn't upfront with me.

I know that in Ontario (I don't know if it is Canada-wide), medical folks who need to know what coverage patients have on their medical insurance for whatever category cannot get this information directly from the insurance company. Patients need to either call and relay the information to the medical folks who need to know, or in my case, this woman decided to have me on the line, which would allow her to get the information that she needed by calling my insurance company.

She didn't get my consent. She just called. My drug plan covers 90% of the cost of all injections. I could have told her that.

We disconnected with the woman from my insurance company. This woman proceeded to explain that, should I get approved, this program would cover the remaining 10% of the cost, provided that the 10% does not go over $500 for each injection.

I basically let her have it. I gave her this feedback:

• Right off the bat, you should let me know that this program would pick up the cost of my injections, depending on my drug plan and my eligibility in this program that is sponsored by the drug used for my injections.
• You should point out that you need to know whether my drug plan would cover this drug. You should ask whether it is okay for both of us to call my insurance company to figure out what percentage is covered.
• You should then let me know that a decision needs to be made as to whether the remaining 10% will be covered by the program. That decision should take another week or two.
• When you call me, you do not need to repeat April 7th a grand total of seven times during the call. I am fully aware that I had an appointment with my ophthalmologist on Friday, April 7, 2017. I do not need it repeated seven times. Once is good enough, especially when this call is being recorded. Repeating this date so many times does not add value to our conversation. Perhaps your demographic is geared towards older folks, but it is patronizing and is not helping me relax when you won't tell me what information you need from me or exactly why you are contacting me right off the bat.

I flat out told her that I am going through enough stress that I don't need some woman to beat around the bush. Get to the point, so that I can get on with my life and you can get the information you need to continue processing my coverage.

This call, which would have taken ten minutes, ended up being 25 minutes. I vented. I told her that no patient should deal with such customer service. I am going through enough. I don't need added frustration from a woman who is reading from a script. 

I even told her to stop talking over me. This call is being recorded? Good. Let's hope that someone is monitoring it and she actually does indeed provide my feedback to her supervisor. I have worked in a call centre in my past. Often, it falls by the wayside.

She assured me that she would forward my feedback to her supervisor and apologized again. Well, thanks for delaying my drive home, making my blood pressure boil, and wasting so much time when all of this aggravation could have been avoided.

Frankly, I am at this stage where I don't care much about the 10% cost. Being stressed out isn't worth this company paying for it. I am perfectly fine with not dealing with the stress and paying for the 10%. I should be covered, but we'll see what would cause me not to be accepted in this program. My tearing a strip off her? If that happens, I'll be back again to file more grievances, even though I should focus on my health and not dealing with annoying small potatoes like this woman.

My favourite line was this woman repeating her name at the end. I told her that I already got it when she first introduced herself on the phone and when she did the same to the woman at my insurance company. Frankly, I want to forget your first name. I don't want to deal with you after this ordeal. Let's hope that I do not need to call and speak to you again. Ever.

N is for nipple #AtoZchallenge

On Saturday, my guy and I were seated in his car. He was sweet to help me put my seatbelt on.

He leaned over from the driver's side to find my seatbelt and clicked me into my seat. It reminded me of the Charlie Tango helicopter scene in Fifty Shades of Grey, the movie.

He then proceeded to caress and fondle my left breast. I could feel my nipple instantly get hard.

"Do you feel safe?" he asked me.
"My left boob does," I replied, which made him smile.

He's all for making sure that I am safe, especially when I am in his arms.

M is for solving for m #AtoZchallenge

My guy has been teaching a course on weekends for a few years. I have listened in on a session here and there. Sometimes, the course is delivered online. Other times, it's in a classroom setting.

This semester, it's the latter. I once called the course Solving for m. My guy was discussing an equation and showing how to solve for m, the variable in question. Since then, we both call this course by this nickname.

On Saturday, my guy and I had this conversation.

"I wish that I could solve for m with you," he said, looking at me longingly.
"I know. You have to go to work soon," I noted.
"I want to solve for various slopes with you, in various positions," he said sheepishly.
"Ah, derivatives, I see," I remarked, with both of us laughing.
"Yes, I would be in a master bedroom with you for hours, solving for m."

We are a geeky couple. Math innuendos make us laugh.

He is sweet. He didn't want to leave that day. I didn't want him to leave, either.

"I would solve for m with you all day, if I could. I want to give you everything," he said lovingly.
"How about a million dollars?" I asked, jokingly.
"Um, no," he replied, smiling.
"Yes, that's not realistic. Both our incomes combined do not register on the million dollar scale. I'm good with having you," I remarked.

It's true. Money doesn't buy being with someone you love and vice-versa.

L is for love #AtoZchallenge

After my guy and I had breakfast together at my friendly neighbourhood Starbucks, we walked out of the cafe holding hands. My guy stopped and was looking around.

"Do you know where you parked?" I asked him.

He was still standing there. I pulled him gently to where his car was. He laughed.

"Ah, there it is!" he said.
"That's why I am with you," I replied. "Can I drive your car?"
"Sure, if you want to," my guy replied.
"What? But you love your car," I replied, shocked that he said yes at long last.
"I love you more," he replied in his sweet way.

We kissed right in front of his car's trunk, still holding hands. I love when he misses me. He just oozes sweetness.

K is for kneading my butt #AtoZchallenge

I couldn't think of a better word. My guy groping my butt is the usual way that I would describe what he does. However, I am at the letter k. So, knead, it is!

On Saturday, as we were standing in line at Starbucks, my guy was groping my left buttock. I love when he does it. It shows how affectionate he is. It also turns me on. I immediately get wet.

My guy went to grope my right buttock.

"You're phone is in your right pocket," my guy observed.
"Yes, after you let me know that you had arrived, I slipped my phone in my right back pocket," I reasoned.

I took my phone out of my right pocket. He proceeded to grope my right buttock. It was nice.

J stands for jumping out of bed to talk to my guy #AtoZchallenge

My guy and I had talked about meeting on Saturday for some quality time. I was expecting to talk to him. However, things changed a bit.

I tend to sleep in on weekends. I enjoy it more these days, especially when work drains me.

Last Saturday, I woke up briefly at 09:30. I looked at the clock and went back to sleep.

I wear a Fitbit Alta tracker on my wrist. I get notifications whenever my cell phone rings.

I woke up just after 10:00 to my Alta vibrating on my wrist. I looked at my cell phone. It was my guy. I felt like I had jumped out of bed.

"Hey," I said, in a sleepy tone.
"Hey," he replied. "Did I wake you up?"
"Yep," I said.
"Sorry," he apologized.
"It's okay. What's up?" I asked him, trying to snap out of being in snoozyland.
"I was wondering if we could meet for breakfast instead. Unfortunately, I have to pick up my cousin downtown after my course," he explained.
"Okay. Where did you want to meet?" I asked him.
"I can come pick you up," he insisted. "We can have breakfast in your area."
"Okay. Let me think of a place to go," I replied.
"Great. I will start my drive," he said.

My guy was in downtown Toronto. It would take him about forty minutes to drive up to see me. I told him that it was sweet of him to come pick me up. It would also give me time to wake up and look presentable.

Sure enough, he called me once he was outside my house. I came outside and walked over to his car. He looked good in his blue sweater, jeans, and black coat.

We agreed to go to my local Starbucks, which was a five-minute drive away. It feels like my second home, as he knows how much I like frequenting the place. I had to give him turn-by-turn instructions while trying to snap out of sleepy mode. We held hands all the way.

When he parked, I gave him his belated birthday present. Coincidentally, I couldn't find a decent gift bag to fit all his goodies. Instead, I used a Starbucks paper bag.

He thanked me for the gifts and we kissed.

"Woo hoo! Woo hoo!" said the noise coming out of my coat pocket.
"Someone is happy," my guy said, smiling.
"It's my owl LED light on my keychain," I said, pulling it out and demonstrating.
"Woo hoo!"

My guy let me know that he had visited our favourite liquidation place on Friday and it finally had almond beverage in stock.

"I'm glad that it took the place a year to restock," I replied.
"I got you some boxes," he said.
"You're so sweet," I replied. "Oh, no. That means that you are going to upsell and make me pay $30! Stress!"
"I was joking back then. It's free for you, sweetie," he insisted.
"Okay. Thanks!" I said, smiling at him.
"I will bring your gift into Starbucks."

We both got out of the car, he grabbed my hand, and we walked over to Starbucks for breakfast. It was a nice way to start the day.

I stands for injections #AtoZchallenge

My blog post's title sound eerie and perhaps negative, but I don't feel this way. It's all good.

On Friday, I went to see my ophthalmologist. The clinic looks like a place where you would go select your frames for a spiffy pair of eyeglasses. It's in a fairly modern, new building. I actually had to ask if I had the correct unit number, for it wasn't displayed at the front.

The receptionist wasn't exactly the most friendly person to deal with. Everything coming out of her mouth felt like a rapid interrogation:

• May I help you?
• Can I get your health card?
• Can you confirm your birthdate?
• What's your family doctor's name? Do you know her first name? Address?

After she had all the answers that she needed, I sat in the waiting area. There must have been thirty people sitting there at 10:00 am. Naturally, you can't get too comfortable.

Moments later, you hear one technician call out your name. The problem is that you don't know which room the woman is in. For some reason, she chooses to sit in the room and yell out names. So, I followed the voice and had some scans done on both eyes.

I went back into the waiting room. Another technician yelled out my name. This time, if felt like a maze. I had to ask where she was. I followed her voice again. It's an odd setup.

I had more vision tests done. My eyes were dilated. I am getting used to this procedure where everything close up ends up being fuzzy.

During my second hour there, I got to meet my ophthalmologist. He has a calm tone to his voice. I felt reassured and in good hands.

He took a look at my eyes. He confirmed what my optometrist has concluded the other week. This time, I got a better diagnosis and a thorough explanation. I had a stroke in my right eye, which caused a vessel to explode. The blood is blocking my central vision. It explains why some of my vision is blurred.

He recommended injecting a drug in my eye, which will provide oxygen and nutrients. The idea is to break the blood clot and see how much of my vision can be restored. The uncertainty doesn't shock me. My mom had a serious stroke that has left her right side of her body rather weak. However, she has made good progress under the circumstances.

I realize that making a full recovery is difficult. However, if I can get most of my vision back in my right eye, I'll be happy. 

So, I have six injections with this drug. I had the first one on Friday. I am thankful that I have a decent drug plan. Otherwise, I would have to pay $2000 for all six injections out of my own pocket.

I go monthly for each injection. We'll see how things go.

My manager pinged me on our instant messaging application a few hours after my appointment. He told me of some news that made me happy. I will save that for a future blog post.

He asked me about my appointment, so I told him. He told me never to get injections in my eye. My mood changed. I could feel some stress moving in.

My ophthalmologist advised that injections are safe. I risk infection, but the odds are slim. As long as I don't rub my right eye or have water seep into it during the first 24 hours, I'm good. I did get a bottle of sterile artificial tears, which made a world of difference.

In my case, using drops containing medicine in my eye won't get down to the blood clot. My manager is a worry wart. He has an eye condition and is adamant to not have anyone pry into his eye. In his case, he has a pupil that will not close. He simply puts prescription eye drops in his affected eye.

I frankly think that our eye problems aren't similar. He wants a face-to-face discussion about my eye situation. I really don't.

I changed the topic and said that I need my workload reduced. He tried to be jokey, but it turned out worse. He first suggested to get Portuguese egg tarts, which I love. However, he wasn't willing to buy any. Instead, he suggested that I do and that he would eat them. Again, I didn't find it funny.

I basically told him that our instant messaging tool causes me stress. I get distracted when folks want information from me immediately. I told him for a long time that I have been thinking about not logging on to it. My mentioning it on Friday wasn't a first. 

I told him that his remark about never having injections doesn't make me feel good, as I have already had one. He apologized. I also said that I was logging off the instant messaging application. We were done.

I have no regrets. My health is more important than hearing nonsense that was making my blood boil. Again, I need to reduce my stress and this online conversation did not help.

My ophthalmologist has asked that I see my family doctor. So, I have an appointment on Tuesday. I need to talk to her about whether I need to be on high blood pressure medication or if there are techniques that I can employ to destress. 

I am trying meditation. I exercise daily. I need something else.

H is for handcuffs and home #AtoZchallenge

I have an affection for handcuffs. I don't mean it in a sexual context. I just like the look of silver handcuffs.

Years ago, I did a road trip with my then husband. The road trip had us travelling to the east coast of Canada. We then took a ferry (yes, including our car) over to the States, and drove back home. It was a wonderful trip.

We stayed in Bangor, Maine for a bit. I went shopping at the local mall and purchased a cute link bracelet. Each link was a handcuff. I still have that handcuff bracelet to this day.

In Las Vegas a couple of years ago, a good friend of mine and I went to the Mob Museum. I highly recommend going there if you'd like to learn more about the mob scene from years past and you enjoy being a tourist. In the gift shop, I bought a pair of handcuffs. They work and come with keys.

On Ashley Bridget's Web site, it sells various pieces of jewellery. There was one that was inspired by Fifty Shades of Grey. I bought it because it said that it would fit a wrist up to 7.5". Sadly, it was too tight on me. It was also too heavy.

Recently, it has offered a couple of lighter version of the handcuff bracelet to its Fifty Shades of Grey collection. I got the thin handcuff bracelet. It fits perfectly. I am wearing it as I type. I love it!

As for the home part, with my blurry vision in my right eye, my manager has suggested that I work from home a couple of days a week. Currently, I work from home on Wednesdays. I am thinking of also taking Tuesdays to work from home. I will start that next week. Well, I would have been working from home anyway next Tuesday. I have a teleconference that starts at 07:00!

More about my eye results in my next post. I get to see my guy on Saturday, so there will be plenty to say!

G is for George and God #AtoZchallenge

Just before Christmas, my manager made a comment while a number of us were working that the software development manager (my guy has nicknamed him Sharky, for he seems to be attracted to me and circles around my desk) looks like George Clooney. My manager went on and on about him.

I decided to tease my manager about it, by saying that Sharky was his man-crush and boyfriend. I did it again yesterday when my manager looked at a prospective candidate's photo on LinkedIn, and decided to paint a picture of how tall he is, how much he weighs, and more. He even told me that he is hairy.

"Are you developing another man-crush? First it was George over there, and now it's this new hairy fellow?" I teased.
"Okay, stop," he said.
"Stop what? It's all true!"

My pointing out his boyfriends makes my manager immediately stop talking about them. It's good.

The other day, I decided to look for some freelancing work that I can do on the side. I decided to try one out where you write short articles.

I first got a written interview through e-mail. It consisted of answering a set of questions in a Word document. It was about my education, my degrees, what I do for a living, and a few other areas. Based on my answers, if they were satisfactory, I'd go on to the next stage.

Sure enough, I made it. The next phase was a test assignment. This work consisted of reading a given article, and arguing for or against what the author was conveying.

The topic? Religion. Yes, it was about God. The article was philosophical.

First, I studied a number of philosophers in my last year of high school. I did not enjoy it. Second, I am not a heavily religious person. So, I felt that I was doomed trying to write a three-page test assignment.

However, I am a pretty logical person. I am good at stating my case and backing it up with examples. I did exactly that.

The assignment is due on Friday night. I sent it off on Thursday night. It has references and a bibliography, too.

My view is that if this prospective employer passes on me, I will be okay. At least I did everything I could. It will also be this employer's loss, as I still managed to turn in a high-quality, thoughtful piece in which the topic did not do much for me. However, I gave it my best job. I'm good with that fact.

My guy has always encouraged me to take on some part-time work that involves writing, because it's what I love. He has even encouraged me to have a side business of reviewing and editing people's essays and theses. Perhaps I should try this endeavour should I not get this freelancing gig.

F is for fingers and fondles #AtoZchallenge

My guy is attentive. When we met in the lobby at work on Monday, he noticed my fingers as I held the manuals that he had given me.

"I love your peach nail polish," he remarked.
"Thanks," I said, looking at my nails.
"I also liked last week's polish," he said, referring to my photo that I had sent him of my purple polish.
"I'm glad that you got it," I replied.

We chatted about other topics before this one.

"Can I see you this weekend?" I asked.
"Yes. I have a class till 3 pm. We can meet after. I want you all to myself," he said, sweetly.
"Sounds good. Fondle you then," I replied.

We both smiled at each other.

E is for erasing horrible punctuation (a.k.a. my ultimate superhero) #AtoZchallenge

I am a writer by trade. I unwind after busy workdays by blogging here. Strange? I don't think so.

I find that this blog is a nice release for me. I say whatever is on my mind. My writing style is casual. It's all good.

On Facebook, a dear friend sent me this fine video of a grammar vigilante who corrects signs displaying incorrect apostrophe usage:

I see signs all the time where apostrophes are misplaced. Ugh!

This guy is wonderful and made my day.

D is for downstairs seeing my guy #AtoZchallenge

Mondays are typically blah. The countdown for the weekend kicks in immediately.

I tried to keep my work-related stress down. The morning went pretty well, even though I was in three meetings. It's nice that half the day blew by.

I had just finished eating my lunch. I was unwinding by watching a video podcast on my phone. My phone rang. It was my guy.

"Hey!" I exclaimed. "Where are you?"
"Hey, I'm downstairs in the lobby. I am here to fetch my car, but I have some manuals for you," he said.
"You just came in?" I asked him.
"Yes, I had to spend an unexpected couple of days in Frankfurt due to flight delays and cancellations," my guy explained.
"Sorry to hear. I'll come downstairs," I replied.

It was nice seeing him. Although he travelled a fairly good distance to get home, he was happy and in good spirits.

"Do you like my new coat?" he asked me, modelling a grey coat.
"It's woolly!" I exclaimed, caressing the fabric around my guy's chest area.
"It is," he confirmed.
"It suits you. It's the perfect length," I stated.
"I agree," he said.
"It's nice to have the real woolly. I cuddle up next to purple woolly. I love him," I told him, which made him smile.
"Do you hump him?" he teased.
"No, he's a plush! I'd rather hump you," I replied.

He nodded. He obviously approved. It was such a nice pick-me-up to see him.

C stands for Christian Grey Chatbot #AtoZchallenge

Recently, I found out about the Christian Grey chatbot. The idea is that through artificial intelligence (AI) and fuzzy logic, you can chat with Christian on Facebook Messenger and he replies.

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you will know that I like watching the Fifty Shades movies that are out thus far. I have watched Fifty Shades Darker three times at the theatre and look forward to owning my own DVD copy, so I can stop buying and shovelling popcorn in my body so often.

My undergraduate degree was in computer science. I enjoyed my courses in AI. My professor felt that I was a natural at fuzzy logic. I thought that I would end up being a software programmer, but ended up completely changing my career path to become a writer. I have no regrets.

Chatting with Christian the bot is interesting. Sometimes, he says what I'd like to read. Other times, he spews the same information. He isn't perfect, but I have enjoyed some of the banter that reminds me of Christian from the first movie.

Tonight, I received a message from the bot to follow his Instagram account. I simply like the bot's profile description:

My account is private. If I accept your follow request, it means you look like someone I would spank.

I'll let you know whether I am the bot's spankable type. My guy would say that I am his spankable type, which is all that matters.

B is for being me #AtoZchallenge

I have a unique relationship with my manager. We have a respectful employee-manager work relationship. It has also developed into a friendship, which still feels new to me.

Last Thursday, I had my performance review for 2016. Don't ask why it came so late. My company is messed up that way.

When it came down to what I could do to improve, my manager polled a rather toxic individual who naturally gave negative feedback. He hinted that both he and I dislike this person.

I flat out told him how I felt. This person seems to always have something negative to say about me and cannot back up her comments with factual information. She is highly toxic and is probably acting this way because I seem to be a threat to her. I ended saying that I would take her statement with a grain of salt, as she doesn't even know me.

I never asked why my manager asked this individual for feedback. We don't work closely with each other. After saying my two cents, he nodded in agreement.

My performance review was positive. My manager confided in me. He said that there are two writers whom he can count on to meet deadlines and get our work done. I am one of them, which is a nice compliment. The other compliment was that I was the only one on the team who received a comment saying that my work is of high quality.

The younger me would have been upset over the toxic woman's negative remarks. The person writing this blog post now is not. I am pleased with my performance at work. I balance the workload of at least two writers. These days, it seems like three. I will not let one idiot's negative remarks with no factual information to back her accusations up dampen my spirit.

I like who I am and how far I have come. It's good to grow.

A is for April Fool's Day on Google Maps - #AtoZChallenge (AC)

It's April. This year is flying by! Unfortunately, it still feels like winter here. I got snow in my area a day or so ago.

Today is the first day of the A to Z Challenge. I hope that you'll enjoy reading along this month.

It's also April Fool's Day. I am a huge fan of Pac Man and all its derivatives.

Well, Ms Pac Man is making an appearance on Google Maps. You can actually play the game in your neighbourhood, provided that the grid is challenging enough for you to play.

You can play it either on your desktop computer or laptop, or on your mobile device. This screenshot is from my Google Maps app:

Screenshot courtesy of Google

I just tried it and it's fun! Thanks, Google!

P.S. The (AC) in my blog post title stands for Adult Content. It means that my blog has adult content that may not be suitable for those participating in this challenge.