I don't feel so good right now. I'm headachy, crabby, slightly nauseated, and I want to be tucked in my little bed with a cat or two and some seltzer water. Instead, I'm sitting under bright flourescent lights with no cats and no seltzer. Blah.

Worked 6 hours today, went home, and ran into Mike, who was sitting by the pool. Chatted with him for a few minutes, and went upstairs to nap before coming back into the office tonight. Went to bed immediately after getting upstairs, and then couldn't sleep for at least an hour. So it was around 6 or later when I fell asleep. Didn't help that I forgot to turn off the phone and Anne called me around 7 and woke me up. I went right back to sleep, and then Mike called me at 9:45 to see how I was doing and also woke me up. Then I stayed in bed until my alarm went off at 10:30, but didn't sleep anymore.

Got up and fried an egg and made a piece of spelt toast. Buttered the toast, put the egg on it, and that was breakfast. Threw together a salad, some trail mix, dressed, and headed for work. I've got leftover lamb from the Greek place that is very tender and yummy, so that and a salad and I'm set.

Looking forward to seeing my bed again in the morning, but if this headache hasn't lifted by then I may head to the chiropractor's instead of going straight home.

Got a note from fellow blogger Rachel - her computer died and she's having trouble with her new system, so she asked me to let people know that she'll be back soon!

I've had a headache for the last couple of days - I'm not sure if it is due to my head and neck issues from this week, too much sugar the last few days, or PMS-related. Whatever the case, I WANT IT TO GO AWAY!

Friday was a crazy day. Had SBUX (caffeine-free tea) with my friend SF and her BF, and then went home to nap for a few hours so that I would be reasonably fresh for my dinner/theater evening with Mike. I tossed and turned for three hours, and never did get a wink of sleep. So much for being fresh.

Had a phone meeting with my new life coach, and we talked about a bunch of stuff, including how life sometimes intervenes and can derail the best-laid plans, which my little accident last week did a little bit. I certainly wasn't my usual perky self all week to celebrate my birthday, though I think I did pretty well considering.

Friday evening with Mike was really fun. We had a lovely dinner at Café Bizou, one of my favorite restaurants, and I had the carrot rosemary soup, rack of lamb with mint sauce, and flourless chocolate cake. Fabulous birthday dinner. Mike had the carrot rosemary soup, sesame encrusted salmon, and crème brulée. I had a bite of the crème brulée, and it was delicious, but I was very happy with my cake, and enjoyed every bite.

As we were leaving the restaurant he pulled out his directions and said "Temple Street". Now, I don't know very many theaters in LA, but I do know the three that are in one complex off of Temple Street. So I said we were either going to the Taper or the Ahmanson.... Anne used to stage manage at The Mark Taper Forum, and then there is the Ahmanson Theatre, and the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (I think it's called the pavilion....). The Dorothy Chandler only has musical stuff - opera, ballet, etc., so I knew it wasn't that. And I couldn't remember what was playing at either the Taper or the Ahmanson, but I'd been to the Ahmanson for La Bohème so I was racking my brain. Mike said that we were going to the Ahmanson, but wouldn't tell me anything else. I came up with "Thoroughly Modern Millie" as one thing that I knew would be playing there, and some title that had something to do with a family, but that was as far as I got....

So we arrived at the Ahmanson, and the title was on the side of the building "The Royal Family". Cool! Don't know a thing about it, but cool! So we parked the car, walked around a bit in the gorgeous evening air, and went inside just before the show started.

The set was elaborate - a living room with a grand, curving staircase going upstairs to three different bedrooms. Beautifully decorated in turn of the 20th century style.... The audience applauded for the set ALONE, even before the actors came onstage.

The play was delightful - a comedy, and a 'satirical valentine to the theater'. All through the first and second acts I marvelled at the woman who played the grandmother, and the woman who played her daughter. They were both phenomenal, and the grandmother in particular had an amazing presence about her. The second she walked onstage, she commanded attention. Wow. And the woman who played the daughter had THE most AMAZING VOICE. I knew I'd heard it before, but just could NOT place it for the life of me. During the intermission I looked at the biographies to find her, and realized EXACTLY why I knew her voice. She's Kate Mulgrew, who played Captain Janeway on Star Trek Voyager. I hadn't recognized her at all in this role, nor had I ever seen her play anything other than Captain Janeway, but I knew her VOICE. So I marvelled at her the rest of the evening, and I'm in love with her VOICE! Gives me more inspiration to develop my own voice more than I have.

Anyway, the entire evening was wonderful, in spite of my fatigue, and Mike and I had a really good time. The only thing that might have made the evening better were if I had spent it with someone I was romantically involved with. In due time, I suppose.

We got back to the apartment building and said good night right around 11:30, and I was in my new bed with the lights off by 11:34, and I think I was asleep by 11:35. Slept like a log until 8:30 Saturday morning, snoozed until 9:30, and then went to ActorFest for a couple hours. Mike was there, so I dragged him over to my acting coach to introduce them to each other, and then I headed home to take a nap before my date. I didn't feel too great, and wanted to rest before I went out last night. Got home around 2pm, and attempted to nap from 2:30 to 6pm. I think I fell asleep around 4. So I got up, showered, and dressed for my date. Still didn't feel great, but didn't feel bad, either.

This is a new guy, who I had brunch with last Sunday. I met him through eharmony.com, which I signed up for about a month ago. He seems VERY nice, but I can't tell yet if there is anything there - but I've been in some form of pain both times I've seen him, so we'll see. Anyway, I met him over at a Greek restaurant nearby for dinner at 7:30, and we had a nice dinner, but that restaurant is SO noisy! This is the same place that Mike took me for Valentine's Day, and it was noisy then, but I had chalked it up to it being so packed that night - nope, it's just a noisy restaurant! It was also FREEZING where we were sitting, so we ate and left and went to another place for dessert, called Café Cordiale, which is across the street from Café Bizou! Had chocolate mousse for dessert, and then we went to the movies to see "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind". I'd seen it before, but really wanted to see it again, so that was fine. It was extremely loud in the theater, though, and I don't know if it was the noise, my injury, the dessert, PMS, or what, but somewhere in the middle of the movie I got a bad headache. My date dropped me at my car around 12:30, and I was snug in my bed asleep by 1am.

This morning I got up around 9, made some eggs with spinach, soy cream cheese, and herbs from provence, and then headed in to the office. I've got to make up some time from being out earlier this week with my injury. It's deathly boring in here on the weekends, though. I hope I don't have to make up time often! I haven't had a single call yet!

Anyway, I'm here until 4:30 today, then I'll go home and see Anne for a few minutes, call my mother and grandmother, and nap as long as I can before getting up and coming back in here for my usual midnight to 8:30 shift and the start of another week.

I had a completely uneventful birthday - I slept 11 hours, and missed my acting class because when I got up at 6:15pm, I felt so wiped out. I looked in the mirror and knew it would take more than the 30 minutes that I had available before needing to leave for acting class to get that face looking even REMOTELY awake and alert, so I went back to bed. Slept for another three hours, until the phone rang and woke me. I did stay awake that time, even though all I did was turn on the TV to watch the final episode of "Friends". Didn't MOVE from the bed until somewhere in the middle of "ER". Both were really good shows tonight - if you didn't watch them, find someone who taped 'em!

Got ready for work and put laundry away - finally felt up to lifting the laundry basket that has been on my La-Z Boy since Saturday. Didn't get to it Saturday, and wasn't feeling like lifting much of anything once I hurt myself. Neck still hurts today, but is still feeling better - mostly just a little bruising now and very tense muscles in my neck and shoulders. Neck bones are still tender and don't feel like moving much yet. I probably need another chiropractic adjustment - will have to get there early next week. So I put away the laundry, got my stuff together for work, and headed out the door with enough time to stop at SBUX on the way in to the office. On my door I found a birthday card from Mike, which was very sweet, and was the only card I got to open ON my birthday.

Still eating leftover lamb and sweet potato and onion stuff - tonight is the last of it. Also had some rye crackers with almond butter for a snack a little while ago. My SBUX chai was pretty much my breakfast today. I don't make a habit of that since I sometimes get jittery if I don't eat some serious protein either before or after it!

BTW, my friend from WAY back, when I was working at the American Embassy in France is now reading my blog - she emailed me yesterday to wish me a happy birthday, and I told her she can always find out how I'm doing here..... Salut, petit chat! Je t'embrasse!

This weekend will be busy - most of them are, so I don't know why I always say that. Friday is SBUX with my dear friend SF and her boyfriend, who I knew before they connected. No more chai for me, though! I'll stick with something sugar and caffeine free since I've got to nap later. After my nap, I'll meet with my life coach to discuss the goals for this week and what else I need to do this month/year. Then I go out with Mike to celebrate my birthday. Dinner at my favorite French restaurant, and then a show, but I have no idea what! All I know is that it isn't "Mamma Mia" because Anne and Mike coordinated the shows! It's convenient having friends who live in the same building! Sometimes TOO convenient!

Saturday morning through afternoon is ActorFest, so I'll spend a couple hours there talking to people about classes and actor services that are available in this town. It is remarkable what industries are out there that I never knew existed until I became an actor. I supposed that could be said for any number of professions, but it seems remarkable what gets marketed to actors.... I'm sure I'll come up with some examples by the end of Saturday..... Saturday night, I have a movie date with a new guy. I like him all right so far, but the jury is still out.... I'll have more to say later, I'm sure!

Sunday I'll work during the day, go home, nap, and come back to work at midnight. We have the option of making up hours that we miss for being ill or whatever, as long as they are made up during the same week. Since I'm planning a vacation in July to NYC, I don't want to use my vacation/sick leave until then if I can help it, so I'm making up the time on Sunday. Not very exciting, but it pays the bills!

I'm recovering, though my head and shoulders are still aching. Both are feeling better - I'll be glad when they no longer hurt at all!

Last night, Anne took me out to celebrate my birthday - which is today. : ) She took me to see "Mamma Mia" at the Pantages Theater. We both LOVED the show - it was wonderful, beautifully done, and a great, fun story! We had great seats, and before the show, I told her that she should not have spent so much money on me for my birthday - things have been tight for her lately, and I want her to be able to make ends meet! She told me that she decided that it was worth it to do up my birthday right because she felt she'd never been able to show me how much our friendship has meant to her, how I've always been there for her when she needed me, and this was a small way for her to show her gratitude. I told her to shut up because I was starting to cry! lol - now if that isn't like sisters, what is? Our friendship means the world to both of us, and neither of us have ever had other girlfriends who meant *quite* the same thing to each other. We both knew the minute we met that our friendship was something special, and we suspect that when we're little old ladies we'll live next door to each other and keep each other company. And we know that no matter what men may come (and go!) out of our lives, we're there for each other through thick and thin and all the soy ice cream we need to get through it!

So now I'm back at work, working the first 8 1/2 hours of my birthday, then heading home to go to sleep. Then I'll get up and go to acting class. I made some stew day before yesterday with ground lamb, onion, and sweet potato, and had some of that before coming to work tonight, and I've got some for lunch, too. And since it's my birthday, I bought some oatmeal chocolate chip cookies on the way to work, and I'm snacking on those tonight, too. And I plan on having Starbucks today, too, probably before or after acting class. And FWIW, I'm 36 now.

And hey! Just read Jennifer's blog, and today is HER birthday, too! Two of us bloggers with the same birthday! (She's 29 today, though!) Happy Birthday, Jennifer!

Left work at 2am last night - just couldn't handle sitting there all night in that much pain. If I'd had the aspirin I probably would have toughed it out, but without it I just couldn't deal.... So at 2:20 this morning I was back at the grocery store exhanging the aspirin. Ended up with some Ecotrin-type generic aspirin and some Tylenol PM

Went home and ate some oatmeal, took some Tylenol PM, and went to bed. I LOVE my new Tempur-Pedic bed, and my low back was fine, but I tossed and turned until the Tylenol kicked in because my neck was so uncomfortable.

Slept about 6 hours until Anne called me this morning to check up on me. Given that I slept 9 hours yesterday, and was only up about 4 hours last night, I thought that getting another 5 hours was pretty remarkable.

Anne came over for a little while to see how I was doing and to check out the new bed, and she looked at where the bar hit me and she felt around in my shoulder (it's like concrete) and said, "Ew!" That pretty much summed it up for me.

After she left I puttered around for a little while and then went back to bed. Slept another 5 hours or so, until Anne called me about 6pm to see how I was doing. I got up for a little while, puttered a little more, and went back to bed. Slept another 2 hours and got up around 9:30. Made some dinner, ground lamb, onion, and sweet potato with herbes de provence, watched "Frasier" and "Law and Order: SVU", showered and came into work. I took some aspirin once I got here, but my left shoulder is still smokin' and I have a slight headache. I'm trying to keep moving so my shoulders don't get all locked up again.

I keep finding other bruises - I don't know if they are from Sunday or from other bumps, but they all seem pretty fresh still, so I think they must have been from when I fell. Little bruises on my right forearm, a bruise about the diameter of a small mango on my left thigh, and one about the diameter of a golf ball on my right thigh. Oddly enough, the bump on my neck hasn't discolored at all from what I can see, but is still very tender, as is the bump on the back of my head.

7:30 am - my back has been killing me since about 5:30 and I am toughing it out because I don't want to miss any more work. Took a double dose of aspirin, but it hasn't helped. My left shoulder in particular is burning like crazy, and even getting up, moving around, and stretching (lightly) hasn't helped. I think I need to get home and sleep some more.

Thanks, too, to Pam for suggesting the Icy/Hot stuff - haven't tried that, but I do have some Biofreeze at home that I can use. Can't WAIT to get out of here and rest!