I woke up this morning ready for coffee as usual and feeling no more energized than normal though just as determined as ever. I ate my breakfast at a leisurely pace, and after a nurse helped me wash in bed and put my socks on, she left me with my clothes and a handy tool from the occupational therapy department to help me dress myself. I spent the next several minutes methodically dangling my pants in front of my feet and maneuvering my feet into the appropriate holes before reaching out and pulling my pants up and rolling side to side to get them all the way over my hips. My shirt is no problem now that I have the freedom to sit up on my own in bed. The new obstacle this morning was to put on my shoes myself. I practiced once with Isabelle, but it was a long and laborious process.[...]

This summer I met a delightful Canadian couple, and when I introduced myself as being from Portland, Oregon, the woman giggled.
"My wife isn't laughing at you," the husband quickly explained, "we've just finished watching two seasons of Portlandia on Netflix."
"Ahh," I smiled understandingly.
"Is it really like that?" The woman sheepishly asked, almost embarrassed to think such a caricature could be grounded in truth but desperate to know from a genuine source.
"Actually, yes. It's almost exactly like that. In fact, when the show first came out, I was shocked to discover people did not put birds on things and call them art. My roommate from Reno, Nevada had to explain to me that was a distinctly Portlandian thing to do."[...]

Really, it's a wonder I haven't had a more literarily inspired post sooner. Anyone who has ever heard me mention any book has seen my face ignited with passion as I expound on some literary wonder. If you don't like reading, well, honestly, what are you doing reading a blog, but consider this your warning that I'm about to set off on a highly "LAD" inspired post. That is to say, these are the thoughts I would have once shared with just myself (L), Amanda, and Desiree as we mutually got excited about the wonders revealed about the universe through quality literature.[...]

Every action has consequences and effects, some more far reaching than others. Some little things end up having huge influence. My life has several such examples - like going rock climbing with friends in the middle of January.[...]

Like any human, I have limits, and yesterday was an opportunity to find mine. Take your arms and hold them in front of you; now bend your torso forward. Did you fall over? Probably not, but yesterday I discovered my abs couldn't hold me up in that position.[...]

I have been a Blazers fan since I knew how to walk. I have a running list of reasons Robin Lopez is my favorite player, and five or more may or may not be related to our shared love of Powell's City of Books. This is bigger than my favorite number being three from the time I learned it was Cliff Robinson's number until I read The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Guess what number RoLo wears? That's reason #2 on my list of why he's my favorite. I love Sideshow Rob more than Robinson, more than Sabonis, more than even Derek Anderson - the only athlete to ever make it up on my bedroom wall in poster form. I mean, have you seen Fropez dunk? This guy is unstoppable in the key, and his greatest aspiration is to have a cameo in the sequel to The Goonies. He never says die.[...]

Yesterday evening Alex saw me wheeling down the hallway with Pinterest open on my iPad. Naturally, she stopped me and politely demanded to know who the attractive man on the iPad was. I laughed and told her it was Captain America, a character from a popular movie. She said she was going to watch that movie this weekend so she could see more of This man. While I'm a bigger Joss Whedon fan than Avengers, I really do enjoy the character of Captain America. There's a scene early in the first movie where Rogers is still that sickly looking dude who desperately wants to serve his country and do what's right. The doctor is convinced he's the one to inject with super strength, but the commanding officer is unconvinced. The two men then watch a group of soldiers respond to a fake grenade tossed in their midst. Everyone scatters except soon to be Captain America who is curled on top of the grenade in an attempt to save his comrades.[...]

Time with Dayla is always great, and as we were in the middle of taking a selfie with our handmade with love mugs tonight, we got a Cinderella style surprise delivery. Earlier today, I tried on my brand new custom fit shoes and inserts though the company rep had a few adjustments to make before I could keep them. He walked by Dayla and I mid snapshot this evening, and said he'd return shortly. Just a few minutes later, the nice man put down his Santa sized bag and pulled out my beautiful bright green shoes.[...]

I'm often asked if I'm tired, and my standard response is yes - I'm tired all the time. There's often a follow up if I slept well which I usually do, and I have to explain my body is in a perpetual state of exhaustion for good reason. Yesterday and today I have again good reason to be exhausted (I always do, but I was particularly excited by yesterday and today's reasons).[...]

Note the preposition: in. However, it's a miracle none the less.

I'll never forget my surgeon's brutal honesty in the emergency room that she could make no promises of me ever walking again. The odds were never in my favor, but they never are for a girl on fire. Any steps I take, I want to celebrate. Today I took a walk with Alex in the pool to try to loosen up my ridiculously tight calf muscles. It was ok.[...]