OAS Oral Allergy Syndrome

I am allergic to penicillin, and have severe food intolerance reactions to artificial sweetener, turkey, and blue cheese, and a mild food intolerance to cantelope, and honeydew melon.

In addition, when I eat I often get these hivey-blotchy spots on my chest. They don't itch, they don't travel, they are just there for a while and then they go away.

So I finally decide to go see an allergist today to see what he can tell me. I want to know what else maybe I am allergic to in food that is causing this reaction and what (if anything) I can do about it.

This guy was quirky and weird and a little on the odd side, but he was thorough and had to explain everything in detail. By the time I walked out of there I felt like an expert!

So... penicillin is made from: mold.
Blue cheese is made from: mold.
Red wine and beer give me headaches.... and the hops or something in beer and wine can sometimes contain: mold

Seeing a common factor here? Right! I'm allergic to MOLD!

Come to find out, there are a lot of people who have cross-reactions from allergins like mold, ragweed, and pollen - to food. What? Yep.

People (like me) who are allergic to mold may also have food sensitivity to the following foods:

Foreign cheese of all kinds (I'm a cheese fanatic)
Sour cream (eh, I can take it or leave it... mostly leave it)
Buttermilk (leave it)
Beer and wine (who knew!?!?)
Vinegar and vinegar-containing foods like mayo, salad dressing, ketchup, pickles, pickled beets, green olives (I almost ALWAYS use balsamic vinegarette on my salad)
Sauerkraut (leave it)
Mushrooms (eew, leave it)
All dried fruits such as apricots, dates, prunes, figs and raisins.
Canned tomatoes
Cider
Soy sauce (I LOVE sushi and soy has to go on sushi)
Melons especially cantelope (!!!)
Some breads made with vinegar

No wonder I break out in hives all the time. Much of this list is stuff I eat on the regular.

Still interested?

If you are allergic to Birch pollen, you may also have a food reaction to: peach, apple, plum, cherry, apricot, strawberry, pear, almond, hazelnut, potato, carrot and celery.

If you are allergic to Grass pollen, you may also have a food reaction to: tomato, melon and watermelon.

If you are allergic to Mugwort (weeds), you may also have a food reaction to: apple, celery, carrot, peanut and kiwi.

If you are allergic to Ragweed (one of the worst for seasonal allergies), you may also have a food reaction to: banana, melon, honey, cucumber, zucchini, watermelon and chamomile.

When my brother eats bananas his mouth and throat itches. The same thing happens to me when I eat cantelope or honeydew melon, but not watermelon.

So... I still don't know why Turkey and diet soda gives me the runs, or why sugar-free gum gives me migranes, or really why I break out in hives so often.. but I have a better idea.
I'm going to start watching my food labels a little closer.. and he is going to do the skin allergy test in a few weeks. I'll let you know how it goes. Does anyone in blog-world have food or other allergies?

Punishment

This post by Super Dave reminded me of the time I called my mom a bitch under my breath. I forget what I wanted or what I was trying to do, but I remember my dad was downstairs in his easy chair in front of the TV. I was pissed at my mom about something and as I was on my way upstairs to my room I called her a bitch to myself. Or so I thought.

Apparently my pops had some supersonic ears or I wasn't as quiet as I thought.

Next thing I remember I was sprauled out in the middle of my room laying on top of what used to be my desk chair. The chair was destroyed by the impact of my body after I was thrown through space and time.

Gotta love that old man strength.. ouch.

Simple Math

Lots of diversity posts going on these days. Lots of discussions about inter-racial dating, what's black, what's not. Who's black, who isn't. Lot's of black women happy Obama married a black woman. Lot's of black women angry when they see a black man with a non-black woman. Lot's of black women not willing to date or marry a non-black man. Lots of black women mad because there aren't enough "good black men" to go around for them, let alone share with the rest of the world. Lots of black men unwilling to date a non-black woman for fear of being a sell-out.

Most black folks still agree if you look black, you are black. So I say, do your part to create as many black folks as possible!

White man + white woman * 3 kids = 3 white kids
Black man + black woman * 3 kids = 3 black kids
Asian man + asian woman * 3 kids = 3 asian kid

Black man + white woman * 3 kids = 3 black kids
White man + black woman * 3 kids = 3 black kids
Asian man + black woman * 3 kids = 3 black kids
Black man + asian woman * 3 kids = 3 black kids


If every black person reproduces with a non-black person, soon there will be no non-black people left. At least... not very many!

..........What will divide us then?

Diversity Rules

From the NY Times Online: Click here for full article

"...Cousins journeyed from the South Carolina town where the first lady’s great-great-grandfather was born into slavery, while the rabbi in the family came from the synagogue... The president and first lady’s siblings were there, too, of course: his Indonesian-American half-sister, who brought her Chinese-Canadian husband, and her brother, a black man with a white wife." (J. Kantor, 2009)

"The family that produced Barack and Michelle Obama is black and white and Asian, Christian, Muslim and Jewish. They speak English; Indonesian; French; Cantonese; German; Hebrew; African languages including Swahili, Luo and Igbo; and even a few phrases of Gullah, the Creole dialect of the South Carolina Lowcountry." (J. Kantor, 2009)

This is why so many Americans identify with the Robinson / Obama family. Diversity is a wonderful thing.

A change we can believe in

I paid a visit to Torrance's (aka RDB) blog today. I didn't like all that I saw (please be forwarned of graphic pics before you visit), but I did like this statement that he made in response to a comment on his blog:

"That's what makes America great, we can walk side by side and not see eye to eye, it's the freedom to say it, I will never dislike a person because we dont agree"

Amen to that. I'm happy about and enlightened by all viewpoints. I'm not the deepest thinker in the world, and my blog isn't at all serious - but like many readers, I appreciate a good debate.
I'm happy for Obama and his family, I am happy that my son has someone who looks like him, is left handed and loves basketball like him as the President of the U.S.

But that doesn't mean I have forgotten all of the rest of the ills in the world.

Everyone needs balance and everyone has their own reality.

For me, I watched and celebrated today because even though it shouldn't be a big deal - our first Bi-racial / African American president got elected into office! And that IS a big deal. We have changed the face of the nation forever. It's been a long time coming, and I couldn't be more proud of our nation.

Imagine how much better we'll be as a whole when we come together to make future changes. We have seen for ourselves what we can do when we collectively exclaim "Yes we can!"

Think we would have the same attitude or spirit if McCain was in office? Nope.

Let Obama be who he is meant to be: Our leader, our face, our hope.

And then we - all of us - every last one of us, need to get to work. For ourselves, for our neighbors, for our families, for our country.

We can't help others heal if we're still broken ourselves.

10 Weeks

10 weeks of Algebra... I may be in a comatose state when these 10 weeks are over.

Math is not my favorite subject, but I am trying to embrace it. I have my very last Algebra class (oh thank God) for my Bachelors degree. It started on Monday. I have only slept a few hours since then. Last night I was up till after 2 am with one of my very best friends who was patiently trying to explain the rules of Algebra over and over and over again. The rules that I have so quickly forgotten in the few years since my last Algebra class.

I need a few tutors and as much help as I can locate. It will take a village and a lot of prayer and work to get me through this class. Speaking of prayer, if you can say a quick one for me as you read this, send some good learning energy my way.

I will be back after class today. I have class on Monday & Wednesday (plus work and my son) so the homework due Wednesday from Monday is what killed me this week. I literally only had a few hours of free-time to get through it. Tonights homework won't be due till Monday, so that gives me some more time to focus and learn.

ok - have to get ready. Thanks for listening/reading - RM.

Thursday Thirteen

Everybody has at least a top 5 right? The "list" of excusable famous people that you are allowed to have an affair with if the opportunity arises regardless of your current relationship status. Me too.. only mine is going to be the top 13 today... I'll leave it up to you to pick who you think my top 5 are...

Who's on your list?

Curiosity....

Regarding a previous post, Curious said: "Okay, I don't know if you take requests, but if you do I need to get a post that will expand Random Things #5 because I couldn't read anything further. I need to know how it came about, when you decided to get it, is it more for aesthetics or does it have a physical appeal and to round it all up, will there be more? You should know you can't leave a brother hanging like that when he's only slightly on this side of freaky. Oh and for a bonus points, you can tell me how you feel about men with Prince Albert's, yea or nay. I've been thinking of ... well lets just say I've been thinking"



Since I seem to have insomnia tonight... consider your request granted. For those of you still reading.. the following will likely be TMI and sexually graphic in detail. If you are still reading... consider yourself warned!



Random things #5 said: "I have a piercing below my navel and above my knees"



It came about because like many women, I have a hard time reaching the big "O" with just intercourse. I can get there with help from manual stimulation, oral stimulation, vibrating stimulation, etc. but not from intercourse alone. Even though this is extraordinarily common, I felt like perhaps there was something I could do since I felt like getting me to orgasm was such a production. Guys get there so easy, it's damn frustrating.



I started my research and from all of the things I read, the vertical hood piercing was reported to produce fantastic stimulation during intercourse. My sister-in-law already had a horizontal hood piercing that she really liked, but also wanted to get the vertical piercing.



I was dating someone at the time and thought I should ask him what he thought first. Ha ha, I shouldn't have been concerned! He happily gave his blessing and off we went. The two of us went to a reputable tattoo/piercing place where my SIL got her first one done. First we picked out the gauge of barbell. For this type of piercing, the barbell is curved like this:


We both picked the smallest gauge. She went first and told me I could watch him pierce her. We were in a small very clean room that had a table like at the doctors office. He had a jar of new sharpies, gloves, sterile needles and other items. First he put on gloves then took out her other piercing, cleaned the area and used a new sharpie to mark where the piercing would go.

Then he took a hollow tube in one hand and placed it under the hood of her clit (very few people actually have their clitoris pierced.) With the other hand he prepared the needle using the hollow tube as a guide. One quick movement and the piercing was complete. He then followed the needle with the barbell, screwed on the ball and she was good to go.

My turn!

Since I am a woman and have had a baby, having a guy pierce me was not really a big deal. Many a strange man and woman have seen things on me that I have only witnessed via hand-held mirror.

So the process was the same for me, new gloves, new sharpie, new needle, new tube, new barbell, etc. 1, 2, 3, OUCH!! Shit that hurt! Anyone who has had anything pierced knows that burning hot sensation that you get with the pain... this was no different. It felt like my clit was on fire!

The pain lasted about 3 hours and then it was only a twinge here and there.

So... that was 4 years and 4 boyfriends ago... So far no complaints from any of them, lol. I can't feel it when I am just walking around or anything, it does help with stimulation a little, but really not enough that I would do it again. My SIL on the other hand said that hers gave her way too much stimulation so she had to take it out. I don't think she ever got the other one put back in.

I like the shock factor it gives when someone I am dating finds out there might be more to me than meets the eye... ;)

Other than that one and my ears, I don't have any more piercings. I have considered having the gauge changed to see if that made a difference, but I don't really think it will. I have no plans to get any more!

As for men and Prince Albert's, it's really not my thing. I wouldn't want my man to get a piercing on his penis. That probably sounds super hypocritical, lol. Even though I consider myself to be open sexually and up for experimentation, I generally don't like the look/idea of body piercings, and think that for me, this was more of a functional piercing rather than just for aesthetics.

My first blog honor

I started this blog as an outlet for thoughts and expressions that I have been carrying with me for years, but felt unable to share with people I know. Through reading other blogs and searching back in my life I have come to understand how intimately connected we are to each other through our lives, experiences and feelings.


I appreciate all of the bloggers who visit, comment, inspire and encourage. And I am honored to be nominated for this blogger award by one of my very favorite bloggers: Ugly Black John . If you aren't a reader already, check him out!




To keep the honors moving and to encourage others on their journey, here are 10 bloggers who inspire me:


Mr. Slish: http://mrslish.wordpress.com/
I started reading this blog waaay before I started writing. Funny, entertaining, and the best story teller ever!


Curious: http://limited-means.blogspot.com/
The best picture-blogger I know. If his blogs don't speak to you the pictures will. Curious speaks to me in layers of life and experience.


GirlCaspar: http://bxholdthecheese.blogspot.com/
Forever to be known on my blog as "GirlCas". This blogger can get you right in the gut or have your mind circling around a thought for days. Smart, funny, introspective. Love her.


Nikki: http://iniquitous1.blogspot.com/
The most entertainingly descriptive blogger I read. She can take you with her wherever she has been, just as if you were in the room with her. Talented, very, very talented.


One Man: http://lookatthisnigger.blogspot.com/
Family, work and shenanigans. What else can I say.


ClnMike: http://thehappygoluckybachelor.blogspot.com/
Always clean, always entertaining. Currently writing his "deal breakers" list. Usually contains disturbing pictures and fantastic music to go along with his great blogging skills.


DorchestersDaughter: http://latenotsogreats20s.blogspot.com/
This blogger is sharp! DD shares her life, growth and thoughts in a very honest and real way.


Miss Mahogony: http://missmahogany.blogspot.com/
MM has a talent for writing. After you check out her main page, check out the adult-rated one too. Steamy!


FreeMan: http://freemanpress.wordpress.com/
FreeMan is so smart and so on top of all things thought-provoking. He also has a snazzy new blog-design.


DTW: http://dariustwilliams.blogspot.com/
Darius has big things poppin! His regular blog, his cooking blog, the bloggers book club blog, plus a new web cooking show. He's on FIRE! On top of all that, DTW is a regular visitor to many blogs. His entertaining style will keep you laughing for days.



Thanks again to UBJ for the nomination, to all my blogger fam for reading and to all of those I nominated for keeping the award moving.


If you have been named above, please visit the Helping Hand blog to read the rules for paying it forward.

Happy New Year - 2009

Hey blogger family - Happy New Year!

The one I love is in D.C. with a few of his best friends and I know better than to be out driving with all of the inexperienced drunk drivers (lol). I decided to be the cool mom and let my son have a New Years Party at our house. We had pizza, chips, oreos (they ate the WHOLE BAG), and lots of soda.

I did buy 2 bottles of champaign, but I don't really like champaign so it's still in the fridge unopened... lol. I talked on the phone with my best friend for a while, both of us were stifiling yawns, ready for bed and turning our ringers on silent so we didn't have to hear all the text messages coming through!

My other (male) best friend who is in Chicago sent me a text message at New Years my time even though it's technically not New Years for him yet. That's love! I don't think I'm staying up till 1 to return the favor (I'm on New York time, which we all know is the real New Years time!)

I have decided there are two things I want to learn in 2009. Ready? Here goes:

1. I want to learn how to shoot a gun and go to the shooting range at least 10 times.

2. I want to learn how to play the acoustic guitar.

I'm all for learning and trying new things, how about you? What do you want to learn in 2009?

*I have no idea who Trevor is or what his blog is about. I googled "happy new year" and I liked this image. Thanks Trevor.