poeticsofdescription

Here's to homies on lock for insider trading.

posted by nina @ 5:31 PM 0 comments

Horse Tales.

Sunday I took the day to help my step-mom, Jenny, trailer her horse Beau down to UC Davis.

Rewind: Beau had a tooth pulled earlier this year because of an infection. The aftermath of his pulled tooth created a subsequent infection reaching up to his sinus cavities, well into his head. Knowing he was sick and that there were complications, our vet did a camera scope of his sinuses to see if they could diagnose the problem. What they found was far more disturbig than a sinus infection, and this is how he ended up at UCD.

Beau went through a CT scan on Monday morning which showed he has a tumor growing in the ethmoid turbin of the left side of his head. It extends through the cavity next to his sinuses and pushes back on the crest bone separating his ethmoid structure from his brain. The tumor is laced with melenoma, and is essentially untreatable.

The sinus infection from his tooth is completely unrelated, but it is how we discovered the tumor. In a way, it is rather fortuitous that he needed his tooth pulled.

Monday, Jenny came down with my dad for the procedure. Being "patients" we were not allowed into the CT scan, but luckily my good friend Ann is a senior vet student at UCD and was able to sit in on the procedure. I appreciated her taking the time to invest in Beau. It meant a lot. There was a team of about 20 people in the room; radiologists, oncologists, DVMs and vet students. When the CT scan was completed, we went into a viewing room with a doctor to discuss the findings. From a scientific perspective, it was rather fascinating. The pictures inside his head were incredible, and you could see everything: the infected mass, the tumor, and the counterside of his head which showed what healthy turbins should look like. From a horse lovers perspective, it was devestating. I was thankful that as we spoke with the doctor, I was slightly behind Jenny. This meant she couldn't see me as I started crying, and I didn't want to be the one to set everybody else off.

Jenny's composure was so impressive to me. This is her baby, her horse. He is seriously the best horse ever, so loyal, so well trained. They diagnosed him with a solid 6 months to a year left, but knowing Beau, he is such a fighter and I am hanging on for 2 years.

Tuesday morning he was scoped for a biopsy, so when they finished at 10am, I went to take him carrots, and take him walking. I was afraid he'd be lethargic from the sedation, but he seemed alert and happy. He'd been in a stall for two days, and knowing he would be standing in a trailer for 3 hours, I wanted to make sure he was loose and limber. I took him walking, and immeadiately he got so perky and spunky. He was whinning, prancing, and just generally happy. I think he knew the procedures were over. Looking at him, being so normal, being so "Beau", I just couldn't understand how a horse this wonderful could be diagnosed with something so untreatable.

It's never easy to have an animal get sick, but it is a very different feeling when you have a horse get sick. It isn't like a cat, it is like a member of the family.

posted by nina @ 9:12 AM 1 comments

ah friends. i do love you.

Redding.

Such a draw.

But then again, we all understand that, don't we?

I had the most fun I have had in a long while last night, and for no other reason then I was at the eatery in the company of wonderful people, great conversation and good beer. (It could've been great beer, but they were out of my first choices. I settled for North Star. Though, sidenote, I do enjoy NorthStar and I am all for supporting our local microbrew!)

And on that note: HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMY COVERDALE! next week.

It isn't that I don't enjoy Sacramento. I do, I truly do. I have a great group of friends down there and an amazing church. There is always so much more to do AND they just opened an HM at the roseville galleria. Which, to me and many other girls I know, is a draw.

There is something unique about the community you find in Redding, and that is something I will always have a great love and appreciaton for.

posted by nina @ 11:55 PM 1 comments

sacramento music woes.

I spent Tuesday night with Allison at Harlow's watching Minus the Bear play. We also briefly watched some crap metal band with an Andrew WK look alike lead singer and bootylicious bass player chick. Then we decided after songs one and a half that the patio seemed much more inviting and a nice place for a beer before watching mtb.

The people-watching alone was fantastic. Allsion and I are both vocal and snarky, so we had quite the enjoyable time!

Here is the thing that frustrates me about the Sacramento music scene and also what I kind of love about it:

NOBODY comes out for live music here.

It makes me both embarassed for our city and yet strangely satisifed that I got to share in on an intimate show.

When Noah and I went to see Damien Jurado play last month, there were all of maybe a dozen plus people there. How is a song writer so fantastic not drawing a larger crowd in a big city? Also, on Sunday I drove out to the Boardwalk in orangevale to see bright light fever (local) and jaguar love play. SHOW CANCELED. And not rescheduled. by a local band. Come on local band! Show your city some love!

This is only so important to me because seeing live music of (almost) any kind is something I truly enjoy so much. After living in Redding (very few live music opportuinities) and moving to Sacramento (many many more live music opportunities) I have tried to take as much advantage of this as possible. But when SNR (Sac news and review.... mostly reliable for upcoming music) says that live jazz will be playing on Friday night at Old Ironsides and then you show up to Old Ironsides to find out Danny Secretion (not a fan) is playing, it's a touch dissapointing.

I'm off to Dimple Records to have my canceled show tickets refunded.

posted by nina @ 2:12 PM 3 comments

clean start.

This is something i miss.
i miss having this connection to people i know and care about. who inspire me. who write about their lives, the interesting, the mundane, the thoughts and the musings.

i will revive this blog. even thought i have promised this like a gajillion times, i will do it!

luckily for me, i now have access to a computer and internet. not since living with the lovely roommate amy have i been blessed with this luxury, but now (lucky me!) i have an amazing man in my life who has provided me with this opportunity of computer and connection to the outside world.

oh lovely internet and the ways you trap me in your web.

about me now:
i live in sacramento (fine. woodland. sucksville)
i still manage a starbucks (sometimes sucksville, sometimes awesome-town)
my hair is long.
i drink a lot of coffee (not new).
i read a lot of books.
i play a lot of guitar.
i ride a lot of horses.
i go to a lot of shows.
i do a lot of karaoke with my friends ken and silvia. because it, and they? are awesome.
i have two cats (yes, I am THAT girl)

missing redding..... missing my family.....

Today, my friend Nicolette sent me this text message:

"You will never know love until you surrender to it"

Ah beautiful new beginnings.

posted by nina @ 8:04 PM 1 comments