I Will Not Shrink

DEAR JULY,

How are you? It's lovely to see you.

I just wanted to let you know that I had to separate myself from my mental clinic. It is run by imbeciles. I feel bad for the receptionists there, because they are the Imbicilics' Mercury(s), who do not have this patient's interest at heart. There's a guy there, who I adore, and I think he is fantastic at his job. He sends these love notes to the pharmacy. And then I get to pick up these little pills, which make my PTSD and (newly added) PMDD, a bit more tolerable.

But there is a policy in place which will not allow me to speak to him on the phone to discuss the imbecile administration, which apparently he is forced to abide by, by the simple fact that he works there. I have been told that he's not allowed to make certain decisions on his own, even though he is a doctor, he's my doctor. I'm his patient, not a policy.

I have left three messages for their finance department representative, in Boston, which have not been responded to. Ain't nothing like the real thing baby. Ain't nothing like passing a buck, eh? Perhaps, they could find some sort of financial representation right here in New York City.

Okay, this is not about blame, but I did allow this to happen. Now I reaffirm my position as my own advocate. If you don't want to shrink me, then don't shrink me. If I am being left to shrink myself, then I'm going to rise the fuck up on my own behalf. I have rejoined Gilda's Club, although luckily, once you're a member you're in for life. I like that, I love that, so much.

Today I planned a few 5K routes on my Garmin. I tried with Strava as well, but I'm sitting here with just an eight year old iPad, which the Strava software has outgrown.

IAMOA July! Shout it to the universe.

Much love,

Liberal Karen

WEDNESDAY EATS and EXPENDITURES

• Mixed berry, watermelon, banana smoothie: home brewed iced tea base.

• Crazy ass vegan shashuka. I'm not sure what else to call it. Baked in the oven: oatmeal, folded Just Egg, spinach, Beyond Breakfast Sausage, Muir Glen tomato sauce.

• (2) Homemade frozen burritos

• Punching bag. 35min 21sec. Punch Fit: Beginners Heavy Bag, Workout 1. https://youtu.be/oc5mxgmDV_Y

• (1) Toasted Ezekiel English muffin w/Bitchin' Sauce

• Pasta with spinach

• Nature's Bakery Double Chocolate Brownie

• Late at night munchies. I wonder why, wink wink wink, another English muffin and Just Egg.

> Just Egg, https://instagram.com/justeggofficial?igshid=1hey40jk8ayyf

> Beyond Meat, https://instagram.com/beyondmeat?igshid=w3q0djer5nes

> Muir Glen, https://instagram.com/muirglen?igshid=1k4mzq5rxa6p5

> Ezekiel Bread, https://instagram.com/foodforlifebaking?igshid=cwrjetwxzzek

> Bitchin' Sauce, https://instagram.com/bitchinsauce?igshid=1pqve54cbn5l9

> Nature's Bakery, https://instagram.com/naturesbakery?igshid=1gr9qtubv91de

> Gilda's Club NYC, https://instagram.com/gildasclubnyc?igshid=1478tlah2dugo

@Strava

@Garmin

THURSDAY IS HERD'S DAY

Not really, but it's the best rhyme I could come up with at the moment. You know, I managed the men's hockey team in college. We were considered a "club" to the University. Even though we competed intercollegiately, we couldn't use the varsity "Bulls" logo, nor mascot. So we became the UB Thunderin' Herd Hockey Team. It was fun. We traveled well into Canada. Of course I couldn't just take it easy and 'join' some other club. I had to manage these guys. So I suppose Herd's day is when I commemorate a time in my life when I worked the hardest: 2 majors, 2 jobs to keep myself in school, and managing the hockey team. This club sport was the equivalent of running a small business.

• Pre-shif 7-Minute Garmin workout on the G-Riviera.

• Pace Runs NYC, Wakanda Forever 5K (1), 3.1 mile walk. Civil Rights Race Series, 1 Million Miles for Justice, 14mi/25 = 56%.

> UB Hockey, https://ubhockey.com

@craaseries

@paceruns_