School | Lisa Bronwyn

Weeks in Recap 4.3.13

April 3, 2013 by lisa Leave a Comment

Also known as “the sickness.”

Where do I start? I’ve been feeling pretty sick, since Tuesday, March 19th (I had to look it up on my calendar). That was also the day that I went to see Nicole, my hairstylist, so that’s how I remember. When I got home, hair looking great, I realized that I had an intense headache. Ibuprofen and rest and I’d be fine, right?

Wrong. This has been the strangest illness that I’ve ever had. By the end of Wednesday, I thought that I might have to go to the emergency room. Intense fever, aches and pains so bad that I couldn’t move for several hours, and gastrointestinal distress. Due to a combination of ibuprofen and intense meditation, my temperature went down. Over the next few days after that, the fever would come and go, and then I lost my voice entirely. Did I mention that my throat has been so sore that it has felt like I’ve been swallowing razor blades nearly this entire time?

Don’t forget about the constant cough, aka “ashooooo, mama” (thanks, Coco!). She’s hilarious and can say her alphabet now. Not even 2 yet!

So the strep test eliminated strep throat as a cause and the doctor just said “the flu”. How ambiguous. No one else in my vicinity has been afflicted with this and I think that I’ll go back to the doctor for a second opinion and maybe ask for some blood work to be done?

This was taken on day three. I couldn’t talk, but see, my hair really does look great:

Day three of the illness. Thank goodness my hair looks nice.

School started on Monday and I’ve got two classes this semester at PCC. Online. The first is PSY236, Adult Development and Aging. My second class was to originally be Math 65 (don’t hate), but two in-person exams were required, and I couldn’t manage either.

I picked up a Computer Science class, CS133U, which is C Programming. It’s the next class after CS160, Intro to Computer Science. I got a B in that class not that long ago and hopefully can continue the trend.

Hello world! I’m trying to program in C with Xcode and DevC++, but I find DevC++ easier to use?

A Hello World! moment

I threw some pink into my hair and it’s good to be out of my comfort zone, albeit temporarily. It still looks more red than pink and I’m still ambivalent to negative about reds on me. I do miss my mermaid colored hair.

It’s going to wash out.

So I’ve finished another book that I can highly recommend if you are curious about a lot of history of tech in the Silicon Valley and the world. The book is called Googled: The End of the World As We Know It.

This book gives you everything that you always wanted to know about Google as well. You’ll also be introduced to the term “Googzilla” as well, which made me laugh but I could see the point of the term. When anyone or anything is successful an entity as Google, there will be detractors and also curious bystanders.

Here’s an Arai helmet from 1971. It’s the X-7 model and someone left it at my work as they had purchased a new one.

Arai X-7 helmet from 1971.

Speaking of helmets, I think that I’m going to do a “How to Fit Yourself for a Motorcycle Helmet” post on here. There’s so much that I’ve been learning on the job about it and I’m in the market for a new one myself.

I’ve been meaning to do a series of “how to’s” for this site and haven’t been feeling like doing much of anything since being sick, honestly. The energy comes and goes and I’m doing my best not to speculate too much on WebMD!

I’m not really supposed to talk about the specifics, but I’ve been doing a study for Stanford School of Medicine at the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education. I’m in the middle of a 9 week study about compassionate meditation and I think that it’s been going well.

Meditation certainly helps to calm and clear the mind and in many instances for me lately, my emotions. I highly recommend meditation and I never thought that my ADHD self would ever be able to do it for longer than a few minutes. Like programming, it helps to practice, no?

Namaste,
Lisa

Filed Under: Life, Motorcycling, Technology, Week in Recap Tagged With: aging, arai, c programming, coco simone, computer science, hair, helmet, meditation, motorcycles, mum's the word, psychology, school, sickness

Weeks in Recap 3.1.13

March 1, 2013 by lisa Leave a Comment

I could say a lot about the past few weeks and why I haven’t updated here.

All I can divulge is that I’m going through a rough patch at the moment with a very personal issue. However, I’m assembling a team as I type this that will be of immeasurable help and relief, both short and long-term. I also needed to drop one of my classes this semester, but it needed to be done.

So I’ll diffuse that comment with some pictures since my last update here.

Last night’s makeup, without filters, breaking out like a teenager. Funny to think that I’ll be 40 next year. I actually like that vacuum, too.

Taking a moment to stand at the top of the stairs of our new place in the heart of Silicon Valley.

Oh noes, our high chair was recalled. Well, not ours in particular, thank goodness. Pic taken in the IKEA elevator.

The super floppy preferred by millions!

I’m starting my Beginning Millinery class tomorrow and am very excited. Going to learn how to make hats and make three hats in as many weeks. Palpable anticipation!! Back in the days of burlesque, I used to marvel at how much mediocre looking feather fascinators used to cost and I thought, I can do better! Here’s putting up or shutting up about it.

On a parenting note, here are two books that were highly recommended by my therapist:

Parenting is hard no matter what the age of your kidling. This current stage finds both of us feeling frustrated about breastfeeding. I’d anticipated weaning her at the beginning of the year, but it seems apparent that the poor babe isn’t ready and I’m not going to push it.

We still co-sleep, too, and sometimes it’s a challenge because your body isn’t yours at all. Any quirks that you have about your body are manifested tenfold. Forget any sort of privacy at all.

Coco is becoming very confident in her fashion recommendations and wouldn’t let me leave the house yesterday in my Adidas. “Nooooooooooo. Booooooootsssssssssss.” There you have it. She’s a lovable little person who tests your boundaries and has a good sense of humor. I’ll take growth for $100, Alex.

Random, but did you know that idiosyncrasy is spelled that way? Keep looking at the word. Doesn’t it look incorrect and weird?? I kept spelling it idiosynchrocy and idiosynchracy to no avail.

Nothing pleases me more than getting treats in the mail, especially when they are from one of my very favorites, Sugarpill Cosmetics. They went above and beyond the call of duty with their customer service and they are tops! Behold, my Valentine’s discounted treats.

Expanding my Sugarpill collection is fun. I can’t wait to try Tiara, the silver sparkly eyeshadow.

I’ll make updating here a more regular thing when I can deal with some other stuffs, dear readers.

Have a wonderful weekend,
Lisa

Filed Under: Mum's The Word, Week in Recap Tagged With: books, eyeshadow, ikea, learning, millinery, parenting, school, sugarpill cosmetics

Week in Recap 1.25.13

January 25, 2013 by lisa Leave a Comment

This week was filled with school, work, and shopping. Oh, and the sky was all purple.

There were people runnin’ everywhere

After taking the lovely route on the 280 freeway the other day, I ended up taking the exit that dropped me off right near Hillsdale Shopping Center.

Oh, the mall. I wanted to go to H&M and check out some stuff for the always thriving (and getting taller) Colette. She’s bigger than the sizes in the 18 month range but isn’t quite there for some of the 24 month items.

This is her hot sauce and cookie face. I don’t like anything too spicy nor do I like sour cream, so I know where she gets it from!

Coco loves her salsa

Coco is obsessed with owls lately and I found her an outfit at H&M. I meandered into the clearance section at H&M, I found goodies galore. Allow me to introduce you to a piece from the Margiela collection. For a paltry $10 (!), I acquired this “lining dress”.

Margiela for H&M

It’s not my usual color at all and it’s a bit big on me. However, I see some distinct possibilities with a dress clip 90′s style and maybe these wedges.

All of the accessories were half off and I got these eggplant faux suede wedges for $10!

H&M Eggplant Wedges

I’ve been beyond obsessed with faux fur for my entire life and this bag fits the bill perfectly. A steal at only $7.50!

H&M Faux Fur Purse

This skirt reminded me of Lip Service and the Fly Girls from In Living Color at the same time. Very form fitting and a mere $7!

Shiny skirt

What would winter be like without a furry winter hat, also known as a Ushanka in some parts. It kind of matches the wedges.

Faux fur Ushanka

Lastly, there were experiments with hair chalk. I miss my “alternative” hair color so much and never really ventured into the rose colored side of things. I rather like it, but will have to see if it can be pulled off long-term.

Pink hair chalk

1/3 of our household has been hit with the flu. Coco had her shot last year and we got our shots last Friday. Hmm. I’m still skeptical about them, but it apparently takes 2 weeks to reach full immunity. Now I’ve got a headache and feel a little out of it.

What are you up to lately?

The show must go on,
Lisa

Filed Under: Mum's The Word, Style, Week in Recap Tagged With: blondie, coco simone, fashion, faux fur, h&m, hair chalk, mum's the word, prince lyric, regular show, school, sky, ushanka

I’m Still Here

December 17, 2012 by lisa Leave a Comment

Where do I start? What’s been happening?

I’m deeply saddened and keep about the tragedy in Newtown, CT. We should all be thankful for our lives and our loved ones as you just never know what might happen.

That said, I had a bit of a scare with an infection that required a trip to the emergency room a couple of weeks ago. Random and very sudden.

Colette was also very sick with another round of croup, an ear infection and then a reaction to the antibiotics from said infection! Just bleh, the poor thing. We’re on the mend now, though, but please know that it really sucked.

Some of my most anxious moments have occurred during parenting and from what I gather, that’s nothing. Each stage of development brings new challenges and wonder. More on the wonder and less with the adversity, thank you.

I’ve been unplugging myself from the hustle and bustle of the internets when I can lately. I see that it’s time to step away from Facebook again for a little bit. Perhaps Instagram as well and their funky new ToS, although they seem to be backpedaling heavy from it.

Our household is heavy on the Spongebob and Regular Show, with bouts of American Horror Story: Asylum and Adventure Time thrown in for good measure. Coco doesn’t get to go anywhere near AHS, of course, with limited exposure to the others.

I mention our shows because whenever I read certain friends status updates, I automatically say them in my head with a voice from Spongebob. Squidward has gotten a lot of mileage lately, I’ll say, especially with some of the nameless grumps on my friends list.

Elephant in the room: I’d been feeling overwhelmed between school and the new-ish job. I’ve been working in the motorcycle industry at Cycle Gear for the last month and a half.

It was a difficult decision to go back into the retail sector as I had run screaming from it not all that long ago. However, this job is different and is a welcomed challenge. I’ve got some cool co-workers and am learning so much that I could actually describe my experience as fun.

I like working in an environment that helps encompass an entire feeling and experience. There’s so much that I could discuss so far and I will. I’m thinking of doing a series on what I’ve learned so far about motorcycles and parts and gear. I’ve also got to deal with getting my actual motorcycle license as well. That will be happening very soon and I can’t wait!

As for school this semester, I didn’t do as well as I’d hoped to. Wah-wah. Frankly, it feels like my school balloon is losing air and is shriveling up in a corner. The show must go on though and I need to sort out a more ambitious plan of action.

A 3.52 GPA isn’t the worst problem to have and I mean that sincerely. I’m so self-critical and am not sure what to do when the time comes to transfer to another school. Next semester is already looming and I’ve got some very difficult classes on the horizon.

Here’s what I’ve been wearing lately. At work, the uniform is jeans, sensible shoes, and my work shirt. Certainly not a lot of room for imagination, but I do my best.

I got a waterproof leopard trench coat for the tremendous rain that we’ve been having lately. Blue furry stole acquired at H&M for the paltry sum of $14.95. I also got a couple of things off my holiday wishlist and haven’t received them yet.