34 posts from July 2007

Brunswick's own gym, Musclehogger's, is being converted into an Anytime Fitness location. What this means is: 24-7 access to the gym (with security), new hardwood floors, new equipment (some with televisions), and new spinning and yoga classes, all coming soon. Many of these changes and improvements are underway now. And the monthly membership rate is pennies compared to what some of the larger gym chains charge. Why commute all the way to Frederick or Leesburg to exercise when we will have an awesome gym right here in town? For more information, call 301-834-5100.

Who is the cheapest person you know?  (Not frugal... just annoyingly cheap!)
Submitted by kryan70.

I'm not allowed to say their name, because the person is a close relative! Whenever I go to a restaurant with this person, after they leave the tip and head for the door, I always have to sneak extra dollar bills into the tip pile because this person won't even tip 15%, even when service has been stellar.

My previous post generated a number of comments, both here on Vox and in personal emails, so I just wanted to provide a little follow-up.

First, thanks to everyone for your sympathy and support. I can't believe it's almost been 4 years since The Worst Day of My Life. It still seems so recent that my Dad was here; it's hard to believe he's been gone for 4 years.

Thanks for asking about my mother. We are lucky because Mom is doing great! The cardiologists explained to me at the time of her heart attack that it was a stress-induced cardiac event (because in general all of her arteries are in great shape and she has always exercised and eaten well). The affected section of her heart muscle was "stunned," not killed, so complete recovery was possible. And my mother did, thank goodness, recover completely--so much so that her physicians told her 1 year ago that she could run a marathon if she wanted to (at age 71, no less!)

Mom turns 72 on August 26 this year. This past spring she traveled to Finland (her original homeland) and Greece. Dad had always wanted to travel with her, and he told her while he was still alive that he wanted her to travel even if he passed away. So she is fulfilling his wish and her own lifelong dream of seeing new places like the island of Crete.

My father had been sick for about two decades with various incapacitating illnesses, so I was somewhat emotionally prepared for losing him at the time he passed; there had been about one "death scare" per year for a few years in a row. In contrast, Mom had always been "the healthy one." So when she had her heart attack, I was completely shocked by it, and terrified I would lose her, too. So I am immensely grateful every day that I still have my mother with me, and I don't take her for granted. We talk and email one another every week and I try to see her at least once a month, despite the 70 or so miles between us. I will be seeing her on Sunday. 

Tell us about a time when you were brave. 
Submitted by Hops.

On August 4, 2003, my mother had a heart attack by my father's bedside as he lay dying in the hospital. It was the first time in my life that both my parents were vulnerable and in danger at the same time, and I had to pull it together to try to help them both. Even though I was scared and upset, I had to act calm and tend to both of their needs. Both of my parents lay in the Critical Care Unit about two rooms apart, so I continuously moved back and forth between one room to the other, making sure my parents remained calm, too. Dad never found out about Mom's heart attack; my family members and I simply told him Mom had gone downstairs to take a little nap, and he was pleased she was getting some rest. Soon thereafter, Dad for the most part ceased being verbal, except for one moment, the last moment he ever spoke to me (and probably the last moment he ever spoke to anyone at all), when he said to me, calmly: "I'm dying." I said "I don't know, Dad," because people always told me you have to keep patients calm and positive, no matter how dire their situation may be. When it became apparent that Dad was drawing his last breaths, the hospital let us wheel Mom over to his bedside so she could hold his hand and say goodbye. He died very peacefully and gracefully, with dignity. I knew then that I had to focus my all of my attention and my energy on taking care of Mom, so that's what I did. Somehow, I dug deep inside myself for courage and did what had to be done, one step at a time, even though the situation was, quite frankly, horrifying. I had the support of my husband and my family members, so I can't say I survived this situation alone, but I still shocked myself at how I somehow pulled it together to remain calm, cool, and collected when deep inside I was actually quite frightened.

Which saying do you believe to be true, but just can't seem to follow? 
Submitted by Maxvan.

Wow, I definitely have to answer this one, 'cause my husband seems to have submitted this particular question of the day.

This is actually a tough one for me, because right now I can't think of any sayings or aphorisms. Not one. My mind seems to have gone totally blank. Max would be quite disappointed by this.

OK, so here's my workaround--I just went to a page of aphorisms online, read through them, and picked one that I can't seem to follow. Here it is:

If you see the teeth of the lion, do not think that the lion is smiling to you.

See, my problem is I walk around assuming that all animals are my friends, that if I just coo at them and get really low on the ground at their level, they will see that I am really a nice person who just wants to offer them a loving pat. I have a scar on my face, afterall, because I tried to comfort a frightened feral cat once and it did not want my particular form of comforting at that time. I tend to assume anything with fur is lovable and pettable and will know that I have good intentions. I think of all the animals as my friends. The problem is, certain animals--gators, bears, lions, for instance--will not see me as a friend. Instead, they will see me as dinner.

I know, I know, I'm interpreting this aphorism much too literally. What it really means is: be careful when you sidle up next to power, power can hurt you. I get it. 

Who is the very first friend you ever had?  Are you still in touch?

I find this question kind of depressing because no, my childhood friends and I are not in touch anymore. There used to be this little gang in my neighborhood, me plus three other girls--Erin, April, and Leah. We all went through preschool, kindergarten, and our early elementary school years together. We all drifted apart over time. April became popular and obsessed with growing up early (she was the first one to start shaving her legs, even though they did not need shaving at the time); Erin became a tomboy who broke her bones on the playing field about weekly; Leah moved away and went to another school; and I became a school freak/reject/object of contempt. We weren't really similar enough to remain friends over the long haul. I wish I could say I'd love to meet with them all again to revel over how we have all changed, but I'm actually scared of how little we might have changed since those formative years. I think I would be about as understandable to them as an extraterrestrial.

I seem to be abusing exclamation marks lately. What is wrong with me?!

Brunswick has a new consignment store for the ladies where you can find everything from punky studded belts to Ann Taylor Loft-brand business jackets to dichroic glass earrings, all at reasonable prices: Phoebe's Travel Trunk. They also carry a fun mix of pottery, candles, bath and body products, light switch covers, and more. I picked up a set of Bliss bath and body product samples in a cute cosmetics case for a mere $10 today. (If you hurry, you can get their Aveda sampler set of popular rosemary and mint bath products now at the same hot price.) Click on the link below for contact information, hours of operation, and the story behind the curious name:

Phoebe's Travel Trunk

From our local newspaper this week:

"Two people at the Brunswick laundromat told Officer H--- they had seen a teenage boy running around naked at the shopping center. The girl identified the boy, age 15, and pointed him out. The boy, now clothed, admitted to the officer that he had made a naked circuit around the shopping center. The boy has been charged with two counts of indecent exposure."

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Overheard at our dollar store today in the personal care section:

Mystified, then irritated man: "Body wash? Give me a freakin' bar of soap!"