my wonky thumbnail

Shortly after the new year began, I noticed a bump on my right thumbnail. At the very center, starting at the cuticle. It was kind of weird, and the bump started growing outward throughout the weeks.

It weirded me out a bit, if I'm being honest with you. Because I hadn't smashed my thumb or anything like unto it, y'know? I hadn't earned it.

Initially, I thought it was, perhaps, a thickening of the nail, so I grabbed a nail file, and I sanded it down.

That. Was. A giant mistake. And rather painful...

As it turns out, it wasn't a thickening of the middle part of my nail at all, but the bump came from underneath the nail itself. Ergo, I essentially filed my nail to almost skin-level down there by the cuticle. (If you don't understand how that feels, go ahead and try doing what I did. But really: DON'T TRY IT. Just take my word for it that it was painful, okay?)

Aaaanyway, I was hanging out with Jami one afternoon (when we were working on my dining room set) and I showed her my wonky nail, and she was kinda freaked out by it and encouraged me to go to the doctor about it.

So I did.

I sought medical help over my wonky thumbnail. And I sat in that doctor's office for the better part of 40 minutes while the PA poured of a medical book or two, trying to figure out what the what was going on with my right thumb.

My thumbnail problem was that weird, folks.

I took this picture a few days after visiting the doc.

When he figured out what it was, he came in to tell me about it.

It's called median nail dystrophy, folks, and there is no known cause. It only happens on the thumb nails, although sometimes it's bilateral. (Sooo grateful it's just my right thumb, I have to say.) Also, sometimes it happens on the big toenails. (Once again, I'm thrilled it skipped my toes altogether.) Starting at the cuticle, right in the middle, the nail either grows out with a bump, or else it starts splitting. And sometimes when it splits, it looks like a fir tree. There's no cure for it; it just grows out.

I was super bummed, because I'm vain when it comes to my nails, I suppose. I went home and googled "median nail dystrophy" and read up on it; in addition to what the PA said, I discovered that when it grows out, there's no exact time table. Sometimes it takes months. Sometimes it takes years.

Then I went ahead and looked at the google images of MND, and I felt sick and kind of depressed. Because the "thumb cracking to look like a fir tree" was simultaneously accurate and inaccurate. Some of those pictures were gross, and I kept thinking I'd have to cover my thumb with BandAids until the nastiness grew out, you know?

Also, I (maybe, a little bit) started praying, since my nails grow fast, that the wonk might not, in fact, last years.

Shortly after I visited the doctor, my nail started to crack.

It's lovely, isn't it?

More cracking.

This picture was titled "March 9"

And this one was titled "End of March"

On April Fools Day, it hit me that the wonk was, in fact, growing out!!

Mid-April...

April 17th

Yesterday

 I can't tell you how happy I am that this...median nail dystrophy...is leaving my body. THE WONK IS ALMOST GONE!

*I totally wasn't going to post anything about this, because YUCK. But now that it's almost gone (yay, hooray!), I'm less sensitive about it. And also: I kind of want to remember this, in case it ever comes back (heaven forbid!). 

I hope that I haven't grossed any of you out too badly. I also hope that median nail dystrophy never graces any of your thumbs...

Beautiful Noise

Three words, my people: Mr. Neil Diamond.

He's on tour, you know. Has been since 1966 or '67 (as I recently heard from his own lips, as it turns out). Yes, Neil's on tour, and I saw him LIVE last Saturday at Rio Tinto Stadium. And although, "See Neil Diamond in concert" has never technically been on my bucket list, I'm half tempted to add it and cross it off, just because his concert. was. AWESOME.

Cameron saw this license plate in the parking lot. Obviously I love it.

 Okay, so maybe his voice isn't as rich as he used to sound on his albums of long ago. And, okay, maybe he did the sing/speak thing a lot more than I'd care to admit. -Sing/speak is one of the many (many!) reasons I cannot handle Michael McLean and his music, but guess what? Neil Diamond is a legend who has been singing and writing music for nearly 50 years. If he wants (needs) to sing/speak sometimes, he can do it, and I shan't judge him (too harshly).

A lovely sunset kept us company as we waited for the concert to start.

Cameron and Aimee

Me and Jami

Anyway, I bought my ticket, like, 10 months ago.

I grew up listening to Neil Diamond, enjoying his soulful tunes since I was just a wee lass. I daresay I love him.

Part of the fun this specific concert is that we were surrounded by baby-boomers and geriatrics. When I looked around and noticed how happy (and..."mature") my fellow Neil-lovers were, I realized, "This will be a FUN concert" and I totally let myself be ridiculous. I sang out loud and swayed with the music, and I felt the music, man!

Right here. This is the moment when the magic began.
(It all started with the mullet-ed man in the hat. And Neil Diamond, of course.)

 Other fun little tidbits from the evening:

-Neil Diamond mentioned that he came out of a semi-retirement in '66 ot '67, starting in SLC, and has been touring ever since.
-He also mentioned that he was recently remarried (within the past few months), and talked about how much he loves his wife, etc. (Know what? Neil Diamond may wax a bit cheesy at times, but it's heart-felt and I love it.) Anyway, he said something like, "I'd like to be able to tell my wife that I wrote this song ("I'm a Believer") for her, but the truth is, she wasn't even born when I wrote it." (This song was made popular by the Monkees in 1966. Neil's wife was born in 1970. Neil was born in 1941. Now you know.) Cameron, Jami, Aimee and I appreciated his honesty and his candor. :)
-Neil sang "Sweet Caroline" and the crowd. went. WILD. I'm telling you, the entire crowd freaked right out. So after he finished, he talked for a second and then told his band, "take it away," and he did a reprise. That was fun. The crowd ate that right up, too. Then he did another reprise. Of the same song. And the crowd went wild again. (Still?) At that point, Neil said, "I couldn't sing that again if I wanted to. Actually, I don't much care for that song any more." (Again, the honesty!) And then...he had his band do one. more. reprise. Without him. He left it up to us (his adoring fans) to keep the song going. That's a total of 4 times. I can't help but laugh, really...
-One of my favorite parts of the evening is when Neil said, "I want to introduce you to the greatest band in the land: MY BAND!" And that was it.
-Cameron and I came up with a list of names for my future daughters (apparently?), taken from Neil Diamond songs: Holly (Holy), Shilo, (Cracklin') Rosie, (Hey) Louise, (Sweet) Caroline, Desiree, Chelsea (Morning)...there may be more.

Anyway, that old man sure can rock it. I am totally thrilled that he's still touring, because  now I can say I've lived a Neil Diamond concert! I sincerely feel like a cooler version of my old self. ("Old self," meaning the "pre-Neil-Diamond-concert-attending-Ginabean." Obviously.)

I love Neil Diamond, and I regret nothing. Going to that concert is maybe the coolest thing I've done all year...

These guys were behind us a bit, and made our concert experience even better.

I feel quite confident that this pic was taken during one of the reprises of Sweet Caroline...

 As the concert drew to a close, I said, "If he doesn't sing 'America,' I'm going to be very upset. Then Neil Diamond walked off the stage, and I was upset. (Do I know myself, or what?) Fortunately, Salt Lake City loves Neil Diamond, and we clapped and cheered until Neil had no choice but to do an encore. And the encore is where Neil had tucked 'America' away. Hidden away for only his loudest, most beloved fans. (Or something.)

I uploaded my view of "Sweet Caroline" onto YouTube, if you care to take a look...

Anyway...

Three words, my people: LONG! LIVE! NEIL!

I'm Not as Shallow as This Post Might Make Me Seem...

This post is about The Hunger Games.

I read the books...maybe about a year ago? (Okay, I'm looking it up on Goodreads, and it says...January 2011.) I kind of didn't want to read the books, because when they were described to me, I was slightly mortified; it sounded like Roman gladiator games for children, and I didn't want to read about such a horrific subject matter.

But then I caved; almost every person I talked to (and I surround myself with really terrific people!) recommended the Hunger Games series to me, and I caved.

Aaaand I believe I  read book one within a couple of days.

Before, during, and after reading that book, I was totally disturbed that I really enjoyed the story as much as I did. But I'll be darned if I didn't cry when Rue died. (If you haven't read or watched the Hunger Games yet, I'm sorry about that little spoiler; but you understand the gist of the story, right? LOTS of people die.)

But I digress. This post is actually supposed to focus on the movie (that just came to a theater near you a couple of weeks ago).

I had heard mixed reviews, but mostly good things.

I talked to my mama about it the day after she watched it, and the first thing she said was, "Gina! The guy Katniss leaves behind?! WOW!" Or something to that effect. So I had high hopes that Gale would be this knock out.

Anyway, I went to Utah to visit my family last weekend, and Abby and I went to Walker Cinema to watch The Hunger Games together. 

I know; it's not a terrific picture of me.
Maybe I'm trying to make a point that I'm not completely shallow.
"Look! I'm posting an unflattering picture of myself to show you
that I really realize that looks aren't what it's all about!"

So I was sitting in the theater, happily watching the movie, and do you know what? That first shot of Gale didn't quite do it for me. Please note: I know that most people in Hollywood are quite a bit prettier than me, including the fella who plays Gale. My point is that everybody had talked him up a LOT, and that very first shot of Gale made me scratch my head. Then I saw Peeta, and I was like..."Oh! That's what Mom was talking about." Because...guys, I'm totally Team Peeta; I was throughout the entire series, and I think he's one of the best characters in the books. But, that first shot of Peeta, with his hair all slicked back? It made me realize how incredibly handsome that Gale fella really is. You know?

The movie continued, and I realized that, when his hair isn't slicked back, Peeta's kind of cute, too. (For a kid, I mean. Gross. Stop judging me!)

Also, when Katniss and Peeta got to The Capitol, we were introduced to a whole new slew of characters. And then I realized...I'm actually Team Cinna...

Yes. Team Cinna, all the way.

In all honesty, I've always loved his character. Maybe it's just a little perk that he's so darn handsome in the movie...?

Anyway, I'll be back with a less shallow post nest time. Just thought I'd let you know how I feel about the men of The Hunger Games.

PS My mom may or may not have a little crush on Seneca Crane. (I'll never tell.)

PPS Donald Sutherland, from this day forward, might creep me out for the rest of my mortal life. He's such an endearing old fellow in Pride & Prejudice (Mr. Bennett), but he played President Snow a little too well. He totally gave me the heebie-jeebies.

Over and out.