Income tax filing

Yesterday, I was on a quest to complete my annual TurboTax purchase. I went to Costco first because I had a rebate coupon to redeem. It didn't have what I was looking for.

I then visited Staples, which has been my go-to store for tax software for the last few years. Sure enough, it had the software that I was looking for. It was too bad that I had to shell out for it, as opposed to using my rebate coupon.

Tonight, I filed my tax return. I'll do my parents' returns later on this week. I'm a bit late this year completing them, especially mine.

I'm glad that mine is done. I feel accomplished.

Moth visits

Last Sunday, I came back from another trip to the Twin Cities. I visited both my late friend and my mentor at two different cemeteries while I was there. The former requires a day trip down to northern Iowa.

In Chinese culture, when you see a moth, it's a sign that someone who has passed on is visiting you. I saw a moth that hung out with me for quite some time. I'm not sure which friend it was. I will go with my mentor because he was the last person I visited.

I wouldn't say that I'm an overly superstitious person. However, when it comes to spirits from my past visiting me in the form of moths, I have a decent record. I'm glad that they do drop by. It's nice. 

Asobu skinny mini insulated bottle that glitters

I found an eco-collective store earlier this year. It's awesome. I love having laundry detergent strips that are especially perfect for travel.

The other day, I was talking to a friend about insulated bottles for beverages. She recommended an Asobu skinny mini bottle. It fits in a purse, which I love. 

I remember seeing it at the eco-collective store. I decided to head back to this store today.

I found this bottle that keeps hot drinks hot for twelve hours and cold drinks cold for 24 hours. Cool!

Originally, I had my eyes set on a pink glittery bottle. The owner was so nice that he showed me a purple-blue glittery bottle. I loved it so much that I didn't even need to think about getting it.

I love this new insulated bottle.

Telling the ex to shove it

I wrote back to the ex and asked him whether he has changed. I expected no as an answer.

He said that he has changed in some ways, but still wants a no-strings-attached, friends-with-benefits relationship with no commitment. It's not my style.

I told him that we weren't "starting over" and that his wording was misleading. I told him that he neither deserved my time, nor my heart.

I'm proud of myself. I walked away. I told him to take his stupid offer and shove it. I am worth more and deserve better.

Making pudding with chia seeds

Lately, I have been doing recipe development with chia seeds. I bought a bag of chia seeds, thinking that I'd put them in my protein shake. I then had a parfait in the Twin Cities that had a layer of chia seeds in a pudding form. I got inspired to try and make my own pudding.

It has been fun testing out recipes. Chia seeds are interesting. They absorb so much liquid. I've been having chia seeds in pudding form for the last few days. I like them.

Here's my attempt at a layer of dark chocolate coconut chia seed with a top layer of orange cream oat beverage yogurt. The bottom has mashed berries. I added protein powder to both layers.

 

I'm still working out my recipes as I go. It has been enjoyable so far.

Communication with the ex

I wrote back to the ex late last week. Yesterday, I got a reply from him.

I basically asked how he would make it comfortable for me if we do meet up. I indicated that I'd be looking across the table at a man who deeply hurt me, causing me emotional pain, anxiety, and depression. I didn't want a relapse.

He wants to start over with me. The thing is that he doesn't deserve to have my heart after shattering it. I have been fine without him in my life.

I doubt that he has changed. I don't know if he wants to. I got no indication that he does.

Panties

I received my panties from my ongoing subscription in late December. I was sick with a nagging cough and completely forgot to post them.

I got this red pair. I like the little bow at the front with a small jewel. It does have sheer parts, which I love.

The back is sheer:

These panties are comfy. I don't have many red panties. These ones are cheerful.

I am expecting a new pair this month. I look forward to seeing what I get next.

Allergic reaction when drinking pop from plastic bottles

It has taken me a while to narrow down an allergic reaction. For the past couple of weeks or so, my lips would dry up and they'd be itchy around my lips.

At first, I thought it was my toothpaste and dental floss that I was using while stateside. Nope.

Recently, I noticed that my lips would get itchy when I drank either Diet Coke or Diet Pepsi. The formulation of these two products are different, so I didn't think it was the type of pop.

Both drinks were in plastic bottles. I drank from plastic Diet Pepsi bottles in the States. I realized that I'm allergic when I drink directly from plastic bottles.

I'm not sure whether it'll be better if I pour the pop out of the bottle and into a cup to consume, or stick a straw into the bottle. There wouldn't be any plastic contact with my lips. I also don't know whether the plastic would seep into the pop. I have more tests to do. 

The safe bet is to drink pop from cans or get fountain drinks. I haven't any issues with these formats.

I'm so glad that I have narrowed it down. It's such an odd allergy to have, but at least I know what to do when it happens. I have been using hydrocortisone cream around my lips to stop the itchiness and it works.

Dinner with a good friend about dating and my ex

On Friday night, I had dinner with a good friend. She asked me about the dating scene. I let her know that the ex had reached out to me.

I decided to write back to the ex on Thursday. I asked him how he was going to make this dinner that he had hoped for pleasant for me. After all, I'd be sitting across from a man who broke my heart, caused me so much anxiety, emotional pain, and depression for a year. I do not want to relapse.

He hasn't responded.

I let my friend know that I wasn't ready to date. I know that I am not ready.

She said the nicest thing towards the end of our time together over dinner. She said that I have the kindest heart and will eventually find the right person who will deserve my heart. She's equally as deserving of that special someone. We are in similar situations.

I don't think that my ex has changed since we last saw each other over three years ago. In his message to me, he said that we "always have a good time." No, we don't. I feel like he is delusional and is only thinking about the good times that we've had. He is omitting how poorly he treated me at the end of our relationship.

The ex wants to have dinner with me

Last night, the ex wrote me an e-mail. He is now teaching at a college in my city. In other words, he commutes for two hours to get there.

He let me know that he teaches there every Wednesday. He wants to have dinner with me.

I did not have a great experience dining with him over three years ago. He broke up with me and I was clearly upset.

I'm not sure how happy I'd be seeing him. There is nothing enticing about meeting with him.

He said that we "always have a good time" together. Nope, that's not true anymore.

I feel that he's delusional, often referring to the good times, but ignoring how I feel and not addressing it.

I haven't responded. I don't know what to make of his message.

My ex-guy no longer works at the same company as I do

I have a LinkedIn account. I don't use it often. I check in every couple of months.

My ex-guy and I are connected on this platform. I checked in yesterday. I found out that he had left our employer last month.

Part of me is relieved that I will never bump into him at the office. I don't know how I'd react if I did see him again. 

We started working for this company the same year. He started six months before I did. We didn't know each other until the following year. We started dating then.

The other part of me is curious as to why he left. Naturally, I haven't spoken to him in years and won't ask him. 

Update on my cold and cough

The good news is that my cold has disappeared. 

My congestion seems to be mild. I did have to get a new decongestant spray yesterday. I liked my Zicam that I got stateside a few months ago. I have used it up and went with Drixoral. I find the former relieves my congestion a lot faster than the latter. However, the current spray is effective.

I still have a cough, although it's not as annoying as it was over a week ago. It's progress.

I have a few posts to write. I have been focused on getting better that I haven't got around to them. Soon!

Happy new year - almost!

It's just under an hour away from New Year's Day!

I'd like to wish you all a great 2023 ahead. Here's to a year full of joy, love, good health, and yummy food and drinks.

Feeling better, but my congestion is difficult to predict

I am on the mend. My congestion seems to be up and down, though. Yesterday, I was breathing well for most of the day. It seems to get worse at night, a few hours before I'm ready to call it a day and sleep.

Today, my congestion was different. I felt great until late afternoon. I do have a decongestant in spray form, which has worked wonders. I am breathing well right now.

I still have a cough, but it's mild. Today, I went to get a backup bottle of Pei Pa Koa, a Chinese cough and throat syrup. Oddly, it's sold out at my usual stores. However, I can get it online through Amazon.

We live in such a weird world. Cough and cold medication is scarce in my area thanks to kids getting sick and the supply can't catch up with the demand.

Here's hoping that things get better.

Energy levels and congestion

I spent Tuesday at home. I find that I'm energetic in the morning. Once I have breakfast, I want to nap and it's all downhill from there.

Congestion is annoying. I have been hydrating a lot that I feel much better later in the day. It's interesting having a cold.

I haven't had a cold in years. It's weird, but I'm coping as best as I can.

Sick - ups and downs

I woke up today feeling good. I had breakfast and my energy dipped.

I napped. Napping helped. More rest was needed. I then headed out for the first time in days.

Fresh air does wonders. I ended up at the drugstore. There is a huge shortage of cold and cough medication.

I have nighttime cold and cough medication. It's the daily medication that I needed. Luckily, I found some, but it was slim pickings.

It was great to feel much better when I left home until I had soup upon my return. I'm now congested, so I'm off to breath better with my nose spray.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Due to a snowstorm that blew in on Christmas Eve, I decided to make Christmas dinner (it was more luch) early. My parents and I feasted on Christmas Eve. Today, I've have been eating leftovers, which I love.

I was stateside last year for Christmas and New Year's Day. It's nice to be home for the holidays this year.

I hope that you and yours have a fabulous holiday season. I am currently dealing with a sore throat and a mild cold. I'll write more about my recent travels once I have a chance. I am on a break from work.

I basically slept for two hours this afternoon. I felt tired from being sick. I'm more energetic now, which is encouraging.

Playful smack

On Wednesday, I was talking to my friends, who are also business owners. They are husband and wife.

They are a wonderful couple and I'm so happy that we have forged a beautiful friendship. It was my first time seeing the husband smack the backside of his wife in a playful manner.

Man, the sound of that smack echoed throughout the room. It made me happy to see such affection. It was also arousing.

I haven't talked about spanking for a long time, mainly because I haven't been all that interested since I broke up with the ex. It's a weird side effect of a breakup. The interest is there. It's simply dormant.

Taking my friend out for dinner to lift her spirits up

I have a friend who got laid off last month. We used to work together before she went to this company that laid her off.

I suggested that she could take a contract with us and get rehired. My guess is that she didn't want a three-month contract with a chance to renew it.

When she called me to break her layoff news, it was just before I headed to the Twin Cities in October. I said that I'd take her out for dinner. It will happen a couple of Mondays from now. I hope that it will lift her spirits up a bit.

I have been laid off twice in my life. A good friend took me to a CFL (Canadian Football League) game and it was great. I'm sort of paying it forward.

Configuring a new work laptop

On Tuesday, I went into the office to pick up my new laptop. My current one is four years old and its lease is about to expire. The company leases all laptops.

I spent a couple of hours configuring my laptop and getting software updates installed. I then finished things up at home. So, perhaps I had spent three to four hours getting my new laptop configured.

I used my new laptop all day on Wednesday. I love it. It's much faster to open up applications.

I was exhausted on Tuesday. It was a long ten-hour day.

There's only two more workdays left before the weekend is here. I can't wait!