It's that time again -Monday Morning - start of a new week, glorious to wake up and look up and not see roots.... Also the day when all the oh-crap-I-overslept folks are on the highway trying to make up time, but succeeding only in making others miserable. I guess you might think I had a lousy commute this morning....
You would be right - it seems all the cop's-favorite-word-type people were out - running 80 in a 55 zone, less than half a car behind the poor sap ahead of them, changing across 4 lanes with nary a signal, and putting on makeup in the process. I must confess I used a hand signal I learned overseas (no, not the 'and an upright middle finger to you' sign, the sign that says 'you're an anal sphinctre of the first degree') several times on the way to work, but not really in any more than a halfhearted manner - the energy that outrage takes isn't all that well spent, and eventually the arzls go and ply their trade on someone else and leave me alone.
I was a little late this morning, and someone was occupying my parking place again, so I just went elsewhere and became part of the problem for a change instead of wasting a lot of time trying to educate the ineducable - I parked in someone else's space, but only because I was late.
So far this morning, nothing is broken. I have some more data to rip apart for the guy that's working on a project for the boss, but most of that code is done and just needs a little messing with.
I unpacked a new version of Clarion this morning, and will be converting everything that is currently in production to the newest version as time permits. I also have my own version of the .NET product, and need to get busy learning about it, as I think it could be useful in the future.
Over the weekend I did something to the leg I broke so it hurt a good deal on Sunday, but it is quiet again this morning. I was going to motorcycle this morning, but because I was late I didn't bother. Maybe tomorrow, if I get home tonight early enough to get it out and feed it. Tomorrow evening the Moto Guzzi arrives, and I am really looking forward to that.
The Stammtisch is meeting tonight at a saloon called Ryan's Daughter in Baltimore, and I plan on attending - see if I have improved either my accent of vocabulary since the last meeting. I am enjoying resurrecting my command of German, and it has been a lot of fun meeting other speakers of German, particularly those who were born there. It is also interesting having to deal with regional dialects again, and I am assured that my own is among the worst!
I wish I could remember more of the Russian I once knew - I would look for a similar opportunity to exercise that language. Maybe in my spare time after I retire....
I thought about some political rants for this morning but decided I don't want to go there - it just depresses me, and some days it even overcomes my Prozac - and I don't need that today.
Late in October a cousin (first cousin once removed) is getting married in Las Vegas, and I am going to go. I had hoped hot to be going alone, but some days it just goes that way. I haven't been to Las Vegas in more than 40 years (last time was when Jamie was born!) and the spectacle should be interesting, but the best part will be seeing some cousins I no longer get to see often enough because they have migrated to the West Coast - and I no longer travel for work.
Traveling on the job can spoil a person - when I have to start paying my own way, I realize just how damn expensive it can get! I wish I had the time to drive or take the train, but as long as I have to work, that sort of travel takes too much leave time. Maybe after I retire....
I got called away and forgot where I was, so I guess I ought to end this and wait for coherence to come back into my life.
I would sure like to know who reads this.... Leave a comment if there's a topic about which you might want to read my views - I'll try to avoid outright obscenity.
Y'all have a good day.
Monday, September 30, 2013
Friday, September 27, 2013
TGIF Day
It has been an interesting day.
I got my beloved Volvo back after a radiator transplant - and it didn't cost (quite) a kilobuck. It is one miserable job, what with all the shrouding, the air-to-air intercooler for the turbo, the air conditioning plumbing and (for all I know) the miniature septic tank which must be removed before the radiator can be seen, let alone removed. And, of course, because of aluminum in various things, normal coolant can't be used, it must be a special blend.
I'm really glad I don't do this stuff any more - it would have taken me a couple of days, busted fingers, and all kinds of other marks, bruises and cuts and it would not have been done as well. Of course, I would have had to go parts-hustling instead of picking up a phone. It's good to have folks you know that do these things....
I ended up winning the bid on that Moto Guzzi V-11E I had been looking at, and spent this morning securing shipping for it. It will be delivered to me at home on Tuesday Evening of next week - good timing,for all of me. I got a shipper through uShip (see shipping wars on TeeVee) and found the process interesting, and the way it integrates with eBay and eBay's PayPal really fascinating. It took only a couple of hours to secure a deal that I thought was worth the cost, would happen as soon as I could get it (new toys, don't you know....) and at times that were good both for me and the previous owner of the bike.
The way eBay and uShip work online is interesting - the software is pretty intuitive, the explains are good, and the phone help is really great. I was able to establish an account, communicate with several shippers (some of whom have a really significant history with uShip) come to a point where I had everything that suited me, and then stop dealing with it because all I have to do is receive the bike Tuesday evening, and then tell uShip to pay the guy - and he'll get his money from my PayPal account! This all happens seamlessly through the magic of theInterNet.
Other than that, I got to redo some work with some data a consultant is using and in the process of filtering the output found a couple of better ways to do what was needed and get a little more detail, so it was a productive and happy day for me. I will have to leave something running and check in when I get home, but it should be done before the end of the evening, so I can check in remote, see the results and if they are as good as I think they should be and if they are, package them up and send them on so the guy will have stuff to work with when he starts on Monday.
I think I've had enough fun. I have added back my ADD meds and while they are working well to keep me focused, I tend not to notice that I should eat for too long, so I have to work on that again and get it intothe routine.
I have been having fun with the Google calendar, and wonder just how long it will take to convince my wife to use it....
I've had enough fun - I should have left work more than an hour ago, so I am going now.
Have fun, y'all.
I got my beloved Volvo back after a radiator transplant - and it didn't cost (quite) a kilobuck. It is one miserable job, what with all the shrouding, the air-to-air intercooler for the turbo, the air conditioning plumbing and (for all I know) the miniature septic tank which must be removed before the radiator can be seen, let alone removed. And, of course, because of aluminum in various things, normal coolant can't be used, it must be a special blend.
I'm really glad I don't do this stuff any more - it would have taken me a couple of days, busted fingers, and all kinds of other marks, bruises and cuts and it would not have been done as well. Of course, I would have had to go parts-hustling instead of picking up a phone. It's good to have folks you know that do these things....
I ended up winning the bid on that Moto Guzzi V-11E I had been looking at, and spent this morning securing shipping for it. It will be delivered to me at home on Tuesday Evening of next week - good timing,for all of me. I got a shipper through uShip (see shipping wars on TeeVee) and found the process interesting, and the way it integrates with eBay and eBay's PayPal really fascinating. It took only a couple of hours to secure a deal that I thought was worth the cost, would happen as soon as I could get it (new toys, don't you know....) and at times that were good both for me and the previous owner of the bike.
The way eBay and uShip work online is interesting - the software is pretty intuitive, the explains are good, and the phone help is really great. I was able to establish an account, communicate with several shippers (some of whom have a really significant history with uShip) come to a point where I had everything that suited me, and then stop dealing with it because all I have to do is receive the bike Tuesday evening, and then tell uShip to pay the guy - and he'll get his money from my PayPal account! This all happens seamlessly through the magic of theInterNet.
Other than that, I got to redo some work with some data a consultant is using and in the process of filtering the output found a couple of better ways to do what was needed and get a little more detail, so it was a productive and happy day for me. I will have to leave something running and check in when I get home, but it should be done before the end of the evening, so I can check in remote, see the results and if they are as good as I think they should be and if they are, package them up and send them on so the guy will have stuff to work with when he starts on Monday.
I think I've had enough fun. I have added back my ADD meds and while they are working well to keep me focused, I tend not to notice that I should eat for too long, so I have to work on that again and get it intothe routine.
I have been having fun with the Google calendar, and wonder just how long it will take to convince my wife to use it....
I've had enough fun - I should have left work more than an hour ago, so I am going now.
Have fun, y'all.
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Thursday at the Salt Mines....
Today is pretty much like any other day - you know, wake up, get up, make coffee, take coffee to wife, get breakfast, get newspaper, get in car and go to work, stop at 7-11 in Hampden for Washington Times and morning coffee - a pretty typical morning, and apparently a better morning than yesterday was.
Yesterday, I left my old Volvo at the shop for a radiator. It has been loosing coolant, not a lot at a time, but Volvos have an annunciator panel that Tells You Things - and one of the more disconcerting messages will occasionally appear right after the engine is started. The message says, 'COOLANT LOW - STOP ENGINE' which is a little disturbing. It tends to make you think that the the next message will be something like 'ENGINE BROKEN - SHOULD HAVE SHUT IT OFF!' or something similarly expensive.
At any rate, I stopped in where I have things done to the cars one morning and asked them to check it before I drove to work. They took it back, and heated it up, then pressurized it, then took off some shrouds, then did some other stuff, and after an hour or so found a drip leak in the radiator itself - and suggested replacement. I went into the shop and looked, and it was not a fast leak, just a drop at a time, so it would not even leave a mark where it was parked - but knowing that Murphy lives here, I decided to get it replaced.
They checked the price and called me a few days later. I choked for a bit, but decided it was better to have it done than for it to leave me in snow or something, so I arranged to take it in yesterday morning. When I arrived they had a loaner car for me, and I left it and went to work.
In my Volvo, the headlights are tied to the ignition switch - they go off with the engine. I learned last night when I went to get the car to go home that the loaner didn't work that way - and I had left the lights on. You don't really need to know what I said to myself about this discovery, but it wasn't nice. I did have the good fortune, however, that there was still someone in the motor pool who would bring me a hotshot box, and I got the car going and headed home. Wednesday evening is choir rehearsal and I don't like to be late, because I live with the choir director, so I skipped a minimal dinner and went straight to rehearsal, then headed home, famished, and stayed up too late cleaning off the DVR.
This morning I stopped by the place, and my car isn't ready. Maybe tomorrow morning and oh, by the way, we didn't get any surprises when we got into it, but the job is labor-intensive - the book allows 7 hours so figure on spending just north of a kilobuck.
I'm old enough to remember when it seemed like everything cost $100 - and have lived long enough that that number has increased to $1000. I make more damn money than I have ever seen before in my life - but I don't see as much as we seemed to have when we were newlyweds. Something is wrong with that right there.
The day yesterday finished with my buying another motorcycle - a 1999 Moto Guzzi V-11 EV. I had about decided that someone else could bid higher and my bid wouldn't change, and I'd lose it - only nobody was bidding so I got it. Now I gotta figure out how to get it here.... It only has just under 19,000 miles on it - a truly trivial amount for a big V-twin from Italy. I have known a bunch of Guzzi riders, and they all loved their bikes, so the worst that can happen is I'll end up selling it. Now I have to get it registered and insured and get busy selling Big Suzi because I have this feeling that my wife will surely point out before long that I can ride only one at a time....
But this will be interesting - I have never owned a Moto Guzzi before....
I'm not going to talk about Our Governor and his current pissin' contest with Our Mayor - He created the problem when he was mayor, but as with all things involving large bodies, it didn't catch up with him - it fell on the next incumbent. Marty thinks he can run anything, and does quite a job of insinuating his personal toadies into any organization subordinate that he thinks he can run better (or will bring him glory.)
I shouldn't be unkind about our governor - but I am not being unkind, merely dispassionate and truthful.
Looks like the Guzzi will be showing up next Thursday evening. Or maybe earlier (that would be cool!) It is coming via uShip (ever watch Shipping Wars?) and I'll have to decide by tomorrow which of the bidders gets the business.
I've been here at work watching something run most of the day. Some of the work I am doing for a particular consultant involves hue amounts of data, and there's just no way to make an elderly PC breathe fire (at least not without using a BIG torch!) This iteration (hopefully the last) has been running for te last hour and 40 minutes and looks like it will probably run another 5 to 6 hours. Happily I don't have to stay and watch it - it can do this all on its own, and I'll look at it from home late on into the night.
It i a beautiful day outside. If I had anything resembling an excuse, I'd bail out and go home and start up Big Suzi and go for a ride - but, alas, I don't have the excuse, so I guess I will stay here and work a bit.
Just heard from the guys that have my Volvo - I can have it tonight or tomorrow morning - and it didn't cost quite the kilobuck that we expected - came in at about 2% under that. Will wonders never cease?
I have no further rants for today - maybe tomorrow, we shall see.
Be well, y'all.
Yesterday, I left my old Volvo at the shop for a radiator. It has been loosing coolant, not a lot at a time, but Volvos have an annunciator panel that Tells You Things - and one of the more disconcerting messages will occasionally appear right after the engine is started. The message says, 'COOLANT LOW - STOP ENGINE' which is a little disturbing. It tends to make you think that the the next message will be something like 'ENGINE BROKEN - SHOULD HAVE SHUT IT OFF!' or something similarly expensive.
At any rate, I stopped in where I have things done to the cars one morning and asked them to check it before I drove to work. They took it back, and heated it up, then pressurized it, then took off some shrouds, then did some other stuff, and after an hour or so found a drip leak in the radiator itself - and suggested replacement. I went into the shop and looked, and it was not a fast leak, just a drop at a time, so it would not even leave a mark where it was parked - but knowing that Murphy lives here, I decided to get it replaced.
They checked the price and called me a few days later. I choked for a bit, but decided it was better to have it done than for it to leave me in snow or something, so I arranged to take it in yesterday morning. When I arrived they had a loaner car for me, and I left it and went to work.
In my Volvo, the headlights are tied to the ignition switch - they go off with the engine. I learned last night when I went to get the car to go home that the loaner didn't work that way - and I had left the lights on. You don't really need to know what I said to myself about this discovery, but it wasn't nice. I did have the good fortune, however, that there was still someone in the motor pool who would bring me a hotshot box, and I got the car going and headed home. Wednesday evening is choir rehearsal and I don't like to be late, because I live with the choir director, so I skipped a minimal dinner and went straight to rehearsal, then headed home, famished, and stayed up too late cleaning off the DVR.
This morning I stopped by the place, and my car isn't ready. Maybe tomorrow morning and oh, by the way, we didn't get any surprises when we got into it, but the job is labor-intensive - the book allows 7 hours so figure on spending just north of a kilobuck.
I'm old enough to remember when it seemed like everything cost $100 - and have lived long enough that that number has increased to $1000. I make more damn money than I have ever seen before in my life - but I don't see as much as we seemed to have when we were newlyweds. Something is wrong with that right there.
The day yesterday finished with my buying another motorcycle - a 1999 Moto Guzzi V-11 EV. I had about decided that someone else could bid higher and my bid wouldn't change, and I'd lose it - only nobody was bidding so I got it. Now I gotta figure out how to get it here.... It only has just under 19,000 miles on it - a truly trivial amount for a big V-twin from Italy. I have known a bunch of Guzzi riders, and they all loved their bikes, so the worst that can happen is I'll end up selling it. Now I have to get it registered and insured and get busy selling Big Suzi because I have this feeling that my wife will surely point out before long that I can ride only one at a time....
But this will be interesting - I have never owned a Moto Guzzi before....
I'm not going to talk about Our Governor and his current pissin' contest with Our Mayor - He created the problem when he was mayor, but as with all things involving large bodies, it didn't catch up with him - it fell on the next incumbent. Marty thinks he can run anything, and does quite a job of insinuating his personal toadies into any organization subordinate that he thinks he can run better (or will bring him glory.)
I shouldn't be unkind about our governor - but I am not being unkind, merely dispassionate and truthful.
Looks like the Guzzi will be showing up next Thursday evening. Or maybe earlier (that would be cool!) It is coming via uShip (ever watch Shipping Wars?) and I'll have to decide by tomorrow which of the bidders gets the business.
I've been here at work watching something run most of the day. Some of the work I am doing for a particular consultant involves hue amounts of data, and there's just no way to make an elderly PC breathe fire (at least not without using a BIG torch!) This iteration (hopefully the last) has been running for te last hour and 40 minutes and looks like it will probably run another 5 to 6 hours. Happily I don't have to stay and watch it - it can do this all on its own, and I'll look at it from home late on into the night.
It i a beautiful day outside. If I had anything resembling an excuse, I'd bail out and go home and start up Big Suzi and go for a ride - but, alas, I don't have the excuse, so I guess I will stay here and work a bit.
Just heard from the guys that have my Volvo - I can have it tonight or tomorrow morning - and it didn't cost quite the kilobuck that we expected - came in at about 2% under that. Will wonders never cease?
I have no further rants for today - maybe tomorrow, we shall see.
Be well, y'all.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Visitors
I can see that folks are stopping by here to read whatever I wrote, and I am pleased and humbled.
At least I think I am.
I am also curious about just who is stopping by, why here, and is there agreement or argument with whatever I think I thought.
I also wonder how many of you I might know, either from past associations/friendships or current; are some family (if you are, you are not required to come and read this - I won't be offended) or are some just bored?
Please announce yourselves - and if you have something about which my opinion is unknown, and you'd like to know it, please advise me of this.
At least I think I am.
I am also curious about just who is stopping by, why here, and is there agreement or argument with whatever I think I thought.
I also wonder how many of you I might know, either from past associations/friendships or current; are some family (if you are, you are not required to come and read this - I won't be offended) or are some just bored?
Please announce yourselves - and if you have something about which my opinion is unknown, and you'd like to know it, please advise me of this.
Tuesday mutterings....
It is almost Wednesday - just another four minutes or so and it will be.
I lost out on a BMW motorcycle I wanted, but heard from the seller - he thinks the buyer is hinky and wants me to consider the purchase if the winner falls out. Meanwhile, I bid on a Moto Guzzi that looks pretty nice.
If Murphy is alive and well (and awake) I could end up with two motorcycles (in addition to Big Suzi) instead of just one. Maybe it won't happen - if it does I am certain to lose points with my lovely wofe, who thinks I should be doing this next spring.
I started out looking at sidecar rigs, but didn't see anything (for under about $14,000 for something at least 14 years old) that I really wanted. Sidecars are odd beasts, and can be really dangerous - but a properly rigged sidecar is a joy to push around, and really scary fun to watch. If you've never seen sidecar racing, you're in for a real treat, since sidecars are raced by a driver and a passenger - and it is the passenger (he's called a monkey, and if you ever watch a race you'll understand why) who moves around to place his weight where it will keep the sidecar wheel on the ground - and this sometimes means hanging out in the air over the sidecar wheel with his arse around 4 inches off the ground!
I guess I am probably a little long in the tooth for that sort of excitement on any but a voyeuristic basis - but it really is cool to watch.
My lovely wife thinks I need a lighter motorcycle - Big Suzi at over 800 pounds really hurts when she lays down on my leg. I am happy that it was not suggested that I either add wheels or learn to love my car - a motorcycle a couple hundred pounds lighter would be a bit more nimble - and BMW twins are lighter by at least 200 pounds, and I have always liked them. The Guzzi I bid on was more a lark than anything else - I like them, and unlike other Italian motorcycles they seem to be devoid of anything resembling temperament. A V-twin sitting crosswise is strange enough but it seems to work really well - and a 90 degree V-twin has perfect balance so it is not inclined to shake at all. All in all, I think the Guzzi might be a lot of fun - if I can get it without having too many motorcycles.
On another topic, I managed to piss myself off this evening. I have had a DVR around here that I have been paying for that has not been used. Well one DVR got flaky so I resolved to replace it with this other one that I have never used. In the process I discovered that the sound was out on the TeeVee that had been on the unit downstairs, and I thought it was the DVR. I was wrong - it appears to be in the set itself. I think what I will do is grab a speaker set off the downstairs PC that isn't being used and see if I can convince the DVR to drive it so I won't have to replace the TeeVee right now.
Work this week has been interesting, and I just got another set of data to produce for a special project that has kinda been back-burnered for a time - but it will be fun, and I should be able to finish it early.
Tomorrow, I have to give my beloved Volvo up for a couple of days - it needs a radiator - not urgently, it's just a drip, but that Murphy bastard seems to have settled in Reisterstown, so I figured that it would be best not to wait for the leak to become a gusher. By Friday I know I'm gonna be more than a kilobuck lighter, but with vehicles you might just as well do it right the first time - 'cause if you don't the aggregate of do-overs will cost a hell of a lot more! Don't even ask how I know this....
Soon I have to go to bed - after I seal up the package that has to go into the car to be given to the Post Office or UPS to send back to Verizon some stiff I no longer need to have here - one cranky DVR and two set top boxes for Standard Definition Teevee, which I no longer allow in my house.
So I'm going to sleep. Tomorrow is gonna be a really good day!
I lost out on a BMW motorcycle I wanted, but heard from the seller - he thinks the buyer is hinky and wants me to consider the purchase if the winner falls out. Meanwhile, I bid on a Moto Guzzi that looks pretty nice.
If Murphy is alive and well (and awake) I could end up with two motorcycles (in addition to Big Suzi) instead of just one. Maybe it won't happen - if it does I am certain to lose points with my lovely wofe, who thinks I should be doing this next spring.
I started out looking at sidecar rigs, but didn't see anything (for under about $14,000 for something at least 14 years old) that I really wanted. Sidecars are odd beasts, and can be really dangerous - but a properly rigged sidecar is a joy to push around, and really scary fun to watch. If you've never seen sidecar racing, you're in for a real treat, since sidecars are raced by a driver and a passenger - and it is the passenger (he's called a monkey, and if you ever watch a race you'll understand why) who moves around to place his weight where it will keep the sidecar wheel on the ground - and this sometimes means hanging out in the air over the sidecar wheel with his arse around 4 inches off the ground!
I guess I am probably a little long in the tooth for that sort of excitement on any but a voyeuristic basis - but it really is cool to watch.
My lovely wife thinks I need a lighter motorcycle - Big Suzi at over 800 pounds really hurts when she lays down on my leg. I am happy that it was not suggested that I either add wheels or learn to love my car - a motorcycle a couple hundred pounds lighter would be a bit more nimble - and BMW twins are lighter by at least 200 pounds, and I have always liked them. The Guzzi I bid on was more a lark than anything else - I like them, and unlike other Italian motorcycles they seem to be devoid of anything resembling temperament. A V-twin sitting crosswise is strange enough but it seems to work really well - and a 90 degree V-twin has perfect balance so it is not inclined to shake at all. All in all, I think the Guzzi might be a lot of fun - if I can get it without having too many motorcycles.
On another topic, I managed to piss myself off this evening. I have had a DVR around here that I have been paying for that has not been used. Well one DVR got flaky so I resolved to replace it with this other one that I have never used. In the process I discovered that the sound was out on the TeeVee that had been on the unit downstairs, and I thought it was the DVR. I was wrong - it appears to be in the set itself. I think what I will do is grab a speaker set off the downstairs PC that isn't being used and see if I can convince the DVR to drive it so I won't have to replace the TeeVee right now.
Work this week has been interesting, and I just got another set of data to produce for a special project that has kinda been back-burnered for a time - but it will be fun, and I should be able to finish it early.
Tomorrow, I have to give my beloved Volvo up for a couple of days - it needs a radiator - not urgently, it's just a drip, but that Murphy bastard seems to have settled in Reisterstown, so I figured that it would be best not to wait for the leak to become a gusher. By Friday I know I'm gonna be more than a kilobuck lighter, but with vehicles you might just as well do it right the first time - 'cause if you don't the aggregate of do-overs will cost a hell of a lot more! Don't even ask how I know this....
Soon I have to go to bed - after I seal up the package that has to go into the car to be given to the Post Office or UPS to send back to Verizon some stiff I no longer need to have here - one cranky DVR and two set top boxes for Standard Definition Teevee, which I no longer allow in my house.
So I'm going to sleep. Tomorrow is gonna be a really good day!
Monday, September 23, 2013
Guns (again)
Well, once again a crazy has surfaced, killed a bunch of folks, and got himself killed.
The President wants more laws to keep this from happening.
Has nobody noticed that the laws he wants and the laws that are being proposed in congress will not affect him or the CongressCritters, since they have, and can afford bodyguards, all of whom have, guess what, GUNS? The laws only affect the Common man, who works for a living and might like to protect his family, home and hearth from the increasing number of people who are criminally inclined or crazy and would seek to do him harm?
Who among you actually believes that one more law will suddenly be obeyed by the criminally inclined when, so far, those folks have managed not to obey so many? Is there a magic tipping point at which a criminal says to himself, "Golly, there are so many laws now I really have to start paying attention - they just passed another, and that makes one more than I can ignore."
The criminally insane have been a problem since someone's social conscience decided lo these many years ago that their civil rights were being violated by their commitment to a treatment facility. Are Americans all so dumb as to believe that it is the purest of coincidences that the rise of mass shootings by folks later found to be criminally not responsible for reasons of mental illness is not related to the fact that they can no longer be institutionalized because of their civil rights?
What of the civil rights of the rest of us? Do we not have the right to be secure in our own homes? Do we not have the right (indeed the duty) to protect our homes and families from uninvited interlopers who would take the fruits of our labor and do our loved ones harm for the sole reason that the aforementioned loved ones were there and might have objected to being victims at the time?
Why is there no hue and cry to restrict automobiles as used by drunks, who kill far more people than we do with guns? Instead of blaming the car, which is ludicrous, we blame the person in charge of the car - why is it not the same with guns? Where is the logic, folks?!
mr. obama (lowercase purely intentional) would reduce us to serfs. Frankly, we worked too hard to get away from serfdom, and I've no interest in being controlled. Advised, yes, but not controlled - and you may rest well assured that that is what we are facing if we allow the rights which the constitution recognizes as having preexisted itself to be turned into privileges, which can always be removed.
For the moment, that's all I have to say.
Anyone care to argue?
The President wants more laws to keep this from happening.
Has nobody noticed that the laws he wants and the laws that are being proposed in congress will not affect him or the CongressCritters, since they have, and can afford bodyguards, all of whom have, guess what, GUNS? The laws only affect the Common man, who works for a living and might like to protect his family, home and hearth from the increasing number of people who are criminally inclined or crazy and would seek to do him harm?
Who among you actually believes that one more law will suddenly be obeyed by the criminally inclined when, so far, those folks have managed not to obey so many? Is there a magic tipping point at which a criminal says to himself, "Golly, there are so many laws now I really have to start paying attention - they just passed another, and that makes one more than I can ignore."
The criminally insane have been a problem since someone's social conscience decided lo these many years ago that their civil rights were being violated by their commitment to a treatment facility. Are Americans all so dumb as to believe that it is the purest of coincidences that the rise of mass shootings by folks later found to be criminally not responsible for reasons of mental illness is not related to the fact that they can no longer be institutionalized because of their civil rights?
What of the civil rights of the rest of us? Do we not have the right to be secure in our own homes? Do we not have the right (indeed the duty) to protect our homes and families from uninvited interlopers who would take the fruits of our labor and do our loved ones harm for the sole reason that the aforementioned loved ones were there and might have objected to being victims at the time?
Why is there no hue and cry to restrict automobiles as used by drunks, who kill far more people than we do with guns? Instead of blaming the car, which is ludicrous, we blame the person in charge of the car - why is it not the same with guns? Where is the logic, folks?!
mr. obama (lowercase purely intentional) would reduce us to serfs. Frankly, we worked too hard to get away from serfdom, and I've no interest in being controlled. Advised, yes, but not controlled - and you may rest well assured that that is what we are facing if we allow the rights which the constitution recognizes as having preexisted itself to be turned into privileges, which can always be removed.
For the moment, that's all I have to say.
Anyone care to argue?
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Starbucks
I see a lot of hoohah about Starbucks on FaceBook, among other places, and I am wondering just what folks are thinking....
Starbucks has not yet banned guns - although it might. Starbucks became upset about becoming a rallying point for folks who carry openly.
I have never really thought that carrying openly did anything but identify a person as the first to be shot if a crazy comes into the area to shoot people. The only place I ever carry open is on the range. I have had a concealed carry permit, and for many years did carry concealed - everywhere. Done correctly, nobody would ever know unless the carrier develops a bad case of either the clumsies or the stupids.
I don't know why an ordinary civilian would want to carry openly. The only reason to carry is for protection against Bad People, and while Bad People can be stupid, they aren't suicidal - and if the think you might be able to counter their desires with superior force and there's another victim near you who they believe cannot counter their efforts, well, guess what - they'll take the easy target.
I find it hard to comprehend that so many people have failed to note how well the gun-free zones are working - working, that is, to assure a miscreant a goodly supply of defenseless targets. Have you ever noticed that where there are likely to be folks that can make life hard when you try to hurt them or take their stuff there are not many attempts to Do Bad Things? Can it be that the Bad People cal tell a hostie environment and avoid it?
The reasons to carry concealed are many, to wit:
It remains an inconvenient fact for gun grabbers that the overall crime rate is decreasing as the number of guns in private hands increases. It is also an inconvenient at that if the cities in the US that are large with laws that make it impossible for a citizen to own a gun are removed, the US is close to the bottom of the list of places where violence is the norm.
I wish folks had not decided to use Starbucks for a gathering place to show off their expensive guns, but had simply carried concealed. Since Starbucks has said they will not ban them (not yet anyhow) presumably someone carrying concealed would not be questioned or thought of as anything but a customer, and not a customer with a gun that might scare other customers away.
If I am carrying it will be concealed, and you will not be able to tell that I am carrying, at least not if I have done my job right. If you ask if I am carrying, I will probably deny it because I don't think it is any of anyone's business what I own or choose to take with me when I go somewhere. Unless we are in someone's private home, even if you know I might be carrying, I won't show it to you - again to avoid frightening folks who don't know me. Concealed is the way that avoids most of the headaches.
Starbucks has done what they feel to be necessary, and in many ways their handling of the situation is as good as it will get.
I'll still get a coffee there once in a while when I am traveling, along with a scone or something. I just won't advertise what I have with me, or where whatever it is may be located.
That's all I have to say - for now....
Starbucks has not yet banned guns - although it might. Starbucks became upset about becoming a rallying point for folks who carry openly.
I have never really thought that carrying openly did anything but identify a person as the first to be shot if a crazy comes into the area to shoot people. The only place I ever carry open is on the range. I have had a concealed carry permit, and for many years did carry concealed - everywhere. Done correctly, nobody would ever know unless the carrier develops a bad case of either the clumsies or the stupids.
I don't know why an ordinary civilian would want to carry openly. The only reason to carry is for protection against Bad People, and while Bad People can be stupid, they aren't suicidal - and if the think you might be able to counter their desires with superior force and there's another victim near you who they believe cannot counter their efforts, well, guess what - they'll take the easy target.
I find it hard to comprehend that so many people have failed to note how well the gun-free zones are working - working, that is, to assure a miscreant a goodly supply of defenseless targets. Have you ever noticed that where there are likely to be folks that can make life hard when you try to hurt them or take their stuff there are not many attempts to Do Bad Things? Can it be that the Bad People cal tell a hostie environment and avoid it?
The reasons to carry concealed are many, to wit:
- Keep people who might do you harm from knowing that you can do them harm right back
- Keep people who are afraid of guns from becoming afraid and doing something stupid
- Keep children from becoming curious enough to be a distraction to you.
- Keep from embarrassing your spouse.
- Keep from upsetting the neighbors (although if you shoot in your basement they will probably figure something out....)
I can't think of that many reasons to carry openly -
- It won't impress your girlfriend (at least not if she's worth the effort)
- It will warn evildoers to leave you alone and while this could be a positive, it will also point you out as the first person to be shut down if it gets ugly.
- It will frighten anyone around that is ignorant or fearful
- It will further polarize Joe Citizen against you and by extension other folks who have guns.
Where I live, carrying concealed is the only way to get a permit for a regular person, and it isn't easy to get. I know there are places where they don't care about open or concealed carry - Vermont has the right idea - carry open, carry concealed, they don't care - but shoot someone not in immediate need of being shot and they'll have yr arse right now!
It remains an inconvenient fact for gun grabbers that the overall crime rate is decreasing as the number of guns in private hands increases. It is also an inconvenient at that if the cities in the US that are large with laws that make it impossible for a citizen to own a gun are removed, the US is close to the bottom of the list of places where violence is the norm.
I wish folks had not decided to use Starbucks for a gathering place to show off their expensive guns, but had simply carried concealed. Since Starbucks has said they will not ban them (not yet anyhow) presumably someone carrying concealed would not be questioned or thought of as anything but a customer, and not a customer with a gun that might scare other customers away.
If I am carrying it will be concealed, and you will not be able to tell that I am carrying, at least not if I have done my job right. If you ask if I am carrying, I will probably deny it because I don't think it is any of anyone's business what I own or choose to take with me when I go somewhere. Unless we are in someone's private home, even if you know I might be carrying, I won't show it to you - again to avoid frightening folks who don't know me. Concealed is the way that avoids most of the headaches.
Starbucks has done what they feel to be necessary, and in many ways their handling of the situation is as good as it will get.
I'll still get a coffee there once in a while when I am traveling, along with a scone or something. I just won't advertise what I have with me, or where whatever it is may be located.
That's all I have to say - for now....
Thursday Morning
It's a lot like almost any other morning. I woke up 15 minutes before the alarm woke me up, did the morning things, and drove to work (where I am right now.) On the way to work I thought a bit about yesterday. It was a good day as days go - I got away from work a little late, but got to choir rehearsal on time.
It's nice to be back to choir - I missed it during my period of enforced idleness. I know I'm feeling beter because I feel like doing some solo work again. I still don't do steps well, or long walks, but things are improving, slowly but surely.
Also, I started the motorcycle last night to ride it to choir rehearsal - and this weekend the Ramblers are having an Open House at the clubhouse, which I plan to attend and probably hang out for most of the day. Should be interesting to see who shows up and if we can harvest a few new members. I cannot usually get to meetings during the school year - a conflict between choir rehearsal and motorcycle club meetings will usually be won by choir, particularly because I sleep with the choir director, and she has Certain Expectations. I guess I should note that I've been married to the very same choir director for nearly 46 years, so it is all good - no secrets here.
I'm still shopping for motorcycles. I missed a very nice Honda PC-800 Pacific Coast, and am still looking at BMW R and K models, as well as the odd Honda ST model and the Moto Guzzi's that are around. I need to have some work done on Big Suzi, but it will probably wait a couple more weeks.... Never enough time, and too much to get done.
The Big Server is eating yet another 4 TB hard drive - that is a total of 3 Seagate 4 TB drives gone south within a couple of months of installation. I have drives 20 years old that still work, so I have to say that anything over 2 TB is really shaky right now - maybe in another year, but to date I have bought far too many of the big guys - might have to consider going back to the Old Faithful WD 2TB drives.
Right now, however, I have to get back to work on Off The Street and On The Street processing.
Have a great Thursday, y'all....
It's nice to be back to choir - I missed it during my period of enforced idleness. I know I'm feeling beter because I feel like doing some solo work again. I still don't do steps well, or long walks, but things are improving, slowly but surely.
Also, I started the motorcycle last night to ride it to choir rehearsal - and this weekend the Ramblers are having an Open House at the clubhouse, which I plan to attend and probably hang out for most of the day. Should be interesting to see who shows up and if we can harvest a few new members. I cannot usually get to meetings during the school year - a conflict between choir rehearsal and motorcycle club meetings will usually be won by choir, particularly because I sleep with the choir director, and she has Certain Expectations. I guess I should note that I've been married to the very same choir director for nearly 46 years, so it is all good - no secrets here.
I'm still shopping for motorcycles. I missed a very nice Honda PC-800 Pacific Coast, and am still looking at BMW R and K models, as well as the odd Honda ST model and the Moto Guzzi's that are around. I need to have some work done on Big Suzi, but it will probably wait a couple more weeks.... Never enough time, and too much to get done.
The Big Server is eating yet another 4 TB hard drive - that is a total of 3 Seagate 4 TB drives gone south within a couple of months of installation. I have drives 20 years old that still work, so I have to say that anything over 2 TB is really shaky right now - maybe in another year, but to date I have bought far too many of the big guys - might have to consider going back to the Old Faithful WD 2TB drives.
Right now, however, I have to get back to work on Off The Street and On The Street processing.
Have a great Thursday, y'all....
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Tuesday Evening
It was a good day at work today - I got some stuff done, some stuff cleaned up, and had a chance to visit with the new boss before leaving. I also got to test some stuff with my Android phone and tablet, and helpful. I am looking forward to doing Exciting Things with these tiny devices.
The best part, however, came after the impromptu meeting - I joined a small group at a local saloon for conversation and something to eat. It is a rather special group - all the folks there speak German of one sort or another, some better than others - but it was a chance to see how much I could remember, and to recall how much fun it could be to sit around a table and just talk about this 'n' that without having to prove anything to anyone.
I had been to one other meeting about nine weeks back - then I broke my leg and developed a hold in my alimentary canal somewhere, and was off the street for a while, so instead of meeting them all again in two weeks it was more like two months - but it was good to see familiar faces and to hear familiar accents - and to meet someone new.
It's an interesting group - the first meeting I attended I was not the oldest; this one I was, and the youngest were probably early 30's or so. A good time was had by all and a lot of time was spent discussing the biggest train layout in the world, the Miniatur Wonderland in Hamburg, Germany. They have a web site with video clips of the various parts in operation - and it is worth the time to visit and view the operation.
I guess I don't have a bunch more - it was a good day at work, a pleasant evening among friends, and I'm pretty tired.
Tomorrow brings new opportunities to excel at work and to do Interesting Things for Cops.
Tomorrow I will find out if I am the proud new owner of a Honda PC-800 Pacific Coast motorcycle. I have wanted one for a while, it is a good commuter, and probably as much as 300 pounds lighter than Big Suzi - and right now, Lighter is a Good Thing. It should also be a lot cheaper to feed.
If that sale doesn't go, I'm still looking for a BMW Twin....
I have had enough fun for today - y'all have a good evening.
The best part, however, came after the impromptu meeting - I joined a small group at a local saloon for conversation and something to eat. It is a rather special group - all the folks there speak German of one sort or another, some better than others - but it was a chance to see how much I could remember, and to recall how much fun it could be to sit around a table and just talk about this 'n' that without having to prove anything to anyone.
I had been to one other meeting about nine weeks back - then I broke my leg and developed a hold in my alimentary canal somewhere, and was off the street for a while, so instead of meeting them all again in two weeks it was more like two months - but it was good to see familiar faces and to hear familiar accents - and to meet someone new.
It's an interesting group - the first meeting I attended I was not the oldest; this one I was, and the youngest were probably early 30's or so. A good time was had by all and a lot of time was spent discussing the biggest train layout in the world, the Miniatur Wonderland in Hamburg, Germany. They have a web site with video clips of the various parts in operation - and it is worth the time to visit and view the operation.
I guess I don't have a bunch more - it was a good day at work, a pleasant evening among friends, and I'm pretty tired.
Tomorrow brings new opportunities to excel at work and to do Interesting Things for Cops.
Tomorrow I will find out if I am the proud new owner of a Honda PC-800 Pacific Coast motorcycle. I have wanted one for a while, it is a good commuter, and probably as much as 300 pounds lighter than Big Suzi - and right now, Lighter is a Good Thing. It should also be a lot cheaper to feed.
If that sale doesn't go, I'm still looking for a BMW Twin....
I have had enough fun for today - y'all have a good evening.
Monday, September 16, 2013
Monday Evening
The Monday I started this morning is slowly drawing to a close.
I did take those two lab slips to a lab this morning and bled profusely for the phlebotomists there. Happily, they looked at both slips and were able to combine them - otherwise I might have had to have as many as 30 vials drawn. Thinking about that many vials makes me a little queasy. But we got through those we needed to do - then I could go home and get my medications and some breakfast. It seems that some of these labs have to be done after at least an 8 hour fast.
Work was an atypical Monday - some folks who did not know I was back got surprised, and the yelling was minimal. I started an onerous task and made good progress, and had a few thoughts of better ways to do a few things - so I should be in good shape for the next 10 days or so.
A couple of friends sent me a couple of real howlers that I had to pass along to around 40 or so other folks - good comic relief, and I got a load of spam at work in languages I could not even recognize. We have some pretty good filters, but the spammers get more clever (or lucky) each day. It becomes annoying when 25 people want to help me with a problem I do not have.
I've been looking at motorcycles lighter than Big Suzi, and am concluding that a BMW twin or a 4 might be nice at least 10 and maybe as much as 20 years old. saw a couple of nice Moto Guzzi's, and then I found a Honda Pacific Coast. At 800 CCs it ought to be big enough, as well as cheap to feed, and it's a classic. For the time being, I think no sidecar - maybe in a couple of years but for now a middleweight might be a better choice. The heavy bike is perhaps better suited to a trip to California, but somehow I think I am not going to be doing that for a while - and when it does come, a train or motorhome would be a better vehicle.
Unless you live in a cave, you know about what happened in DC today - another crazy used a gun-free zone as a way to assure a bunch of defenseless victims. Nobody seems to have anything resembling a reason for this - but some of it lays at Bill Clinton's feet - it was he who determined that military personnel on base would be disarmed.
I think maybe this rant should be elsewhere, so I'm gonna shut up.
Tomorrow is Tuesday, and there is a meeting of the German Speaker's Association, which meets about every two weeks. I had been to another meeting just before I broke my leg, and look forward to a second. If I am careful, I won't hurt the dietary requirements, and it should be a pleasant evening. I look forward to it! I met a bunch of interesting people at the last one, and it should be a real giggle just trying to converse in a language that I used to use all the time.
I'll have more to say about that after the meeting.
This weekend has the Ramblers holding an open house, and I plan to be there at least for a time, although whether I'll compete in the scavenger hunt is questionable to the point of unlikely.
I just heard Phyllis come in, so I k I'll chat wither for a while, and let y'all rest.
Have a gold evening and a better day tomorrow.
I know someone's reading this - it would interest me to have feed back on relevance, reason, etc. If you don't want to comment in a place others can read it, send me email rar1942@verizon.net.
Good night.
I did take those two lab slips to a lab this morning and bled profusely for the phlebotomists there. Happily, they looked at both slips and were able to combine them - otherwise I might have had to have as many as 30 vials drawn. Thinking about that many vials makes me a little queasy. But we got through those we needed to do - then I could go home and get my medications and some breakfast. It seems that some of these labs have to be done after at least an 8 hour fast.
Work was an atypical Monday - some folks who did not know I was back got surprised, and the yelling was minimal. I started an onerous task and made good progress, and had a few thoughts of better ways to do a few things - so I should be in good shape for the next 10 days or so.
A couple of friends sent me a couple of real howlers that I had to pass along to around 40 or so other folks - good comic relief, and I got a load of spam at work in languages I could not even recognize. We have some pretty good filters, but the spammers get more clever (or lucky) each day. It becomes annoying when 25 people want to help me with a problem I do not have.
I've been looking at motorcycles lighter than Big Suzi, and am concluding that a BMW twin or a 4 might be nice at least 10 and maybe as much as 20 years old. saw a couple of nice Moto Guzzi's, and then I found a Honda Pacific Coast. At 800 CCs it ought to be big enough, as well as cheap to feed, and it's a classic. For the time being, I think no sidecar - maybe in a couple of years but for now a middleweight might be a better choice. The heavy bike is perhaps better suited to a trip to California, but somehow I think I am not going to be doing that for a while - and when it does come, a train or motorhome would be a better vehicle.
Unless you live in a cave, you know about what happened in DC today - another crazy used a gun-free zone as a way to assure a bunch of defenseless victims. Nobody seems to have anything resembling a reason for this - but some of it lays at Bill Clinton's feet - it was he who determined that military personnel on base would be disarmed.
I think maybe this rant should be elsewhere, so I'm gonna shut up.
Tomorrow is Tuesday, and there is a meeting of the German Speaker's Association, which meets about every two weeks. I had been to another meeting just before I broke my leg, and look forward to a second. If I am careful, I won't hurt the dietary requirements, and it should be a pleasant evening. I look forward to it! I met a bunch of interesting people at the last one, and it should be a real giggle just trying to converse in a language that I used to use all the time.
I'll have more to say about that after the meeting.
This weekend has the Ramblers holding an open house, and I plan to be there at least for a time, although whether I'll compete in the scavenger hunt is questionable to the point of unlikely.
I just heard Phyllis come in, so I k I'll chat wither for a while, and let y'all rest.
Have a gold evening and a better day tomorrow.
I know someone's reading this - it would interest me to have feed back on relevance, reason, etc. If you don't want to comment in a place others can read it, send me email rar1942@verizon.net.
Good night.
Monday Mornng
It's Monday Morning, 8:00 AM.
There are two lab slips out on the kitchen table, waiting for me.
I have to go into a lab this morning and bleed - for two doctors, not just one. Results of each lab to two doctors, not one, and not the same pair for each lab. I am assured that it will take between 11 and 13 vials for each slip, which means that I will be more than a little anemic when lab tech finishes.
If I am very lucky, she'll get a vein with the first stick (this almost never happens.) If it is a typical Monday that comes on Monday, they'll have to try both arms before they get any blood, and probably will end up going into the back of my hand in order to get me to bleed enough to be useful.
I Just love lab days.
When they are finished, I can come home and get some breakfast, some meds, and maybe some coffee.
What a way to start a week!
There are two lab slips out on the kitchen table, waiting for me.
I have to go into a lab this morning and bleed - for two doctors, not just one. Results of each lab to two doctors, not one, and not the same pair for each lab. I am assured that it will take between 11 and 13 vials for each slip, which means that I will be more than a little anemic when lab tech finishes.
If I am very lucky, she'll get a vein with the first stick (this almost never happens.) If it is a typical Monday that comes on Monday, they'll have to try both arms before they get any blood, and probably will end up going into the back of my hand in order to get me to bleed enough to be useful.
I Just love lab days.
When they are finished, I can come home and get some breakfast, some meds, and maybe some coffee.
What a way to start a week!
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Back to Work after the first week...
Well, this week I went back to work, most of the day. I am now allowed to drive my car, and even to start my motorcycle provided I don't drop it on myself.
Going back to work was good, felt good, and tired me out at the same time. I forgot how much little things like walking get taken for granted. My parking space is as far away from my office as it can get in our garage, and right now it takes a lot longer to walk that little bit than it used to - and wears me out worse.
Not helped by the fact that they finally fixed our air conditioning, so I finally had to resort to a flannel shirt in order not to shiver and have chattering teeth!
Kinda nice to have my tools & toys the way I expect them to be, instead of working remote with things ass I like them at home but not for work purposes.
I even managed to fi a couple of things this week, one of which had me angry and frustrated when the long hiatus started back in late July.
Damn. I just realized I was out for nearly two months. My email is still a bit behind but is getting caught up. With any luck t all, by the time December comes, I'll be ready for Thanksgiving.
I have ridden the motorcycle a couple of times, and it did feel good. My wife thinks I should go for one a little lighter, which has put me into looking at some of the BMW R-series that I so loved, as well as the Honda Pacific Coast and ST models, and the oddball but marvelous Moto Guzzzi tourers.
I was considering a sidecar on a Gold Wing or maybe a BMW K-model, but they are all coming up a bit too dear. My wife is backing this, but hasn't yet given me an indication of what she will tolerate by way of a price, so for right now i am just looking. I, of course have the New Motorcycle fever, but she tends to be a bit more grounded than I am, so I can be sure it won't happen today or tomorrow. We shall see.
Overall, I am feeling better, but still tire far too easily and find pain when I've been doing too much and, of course, dietary restrictions don't do much for my good nature.
Be well, y'all
PS - I sometimes wonder who reads this - whoever you are out there, you might leave a comment or something.
Going back to work was good, felt good, and tired me out at the same time. I forgot how much little things like walking get taken for granted. My parking space is as far away from my office as it can get in our garage, and right now it takes a lot longer to walk that little bit than it used to - and wears me out worse.
Not helped by the fact that they finally fixed our air conditioning, so I finally had to resort to a flannel shirt in order not to shiver and have chattering teeth!
Kinda nice to have my tools & toys the way I expect them to be, instead of working remote with things ass I like them at home but not for work purposes.
I even managed to fi a couple of things this week, one of which had me angry and frustrated when the long hiatus started back in late July.
Damn. I just realized I was out for nearly two months. My email is still a bit behind but is getting caught up. With any luck t all, by the time December comes, I'll be ready for Thanksgiving.
I have ridden the motorcycle a couple of times, and it did feel good. My wife thinks I should go for one a little lighter, which has put me into looking at some of the BMW R-series that I so loved, as well as the Honda Pacific Coast and ST models, and the oddball but marvelous Moto Guzzzi tourers.
I was considering a sidecar on a Gold Wing or maybe a BMW K-model, but they are all coming up a bit too dear. My wife is backing this, but hasn't yet given me an indication of what she will tolerate by way of a price, so for right now i am just looking. I, of course have the New Motorcycle fever, but she tends to be a bit more grounded than I am, so I can be sure it won't happen today or tomorrow. We shall see.
Overall, I am feeling better, but still tire far too easily and find pain when I've been doing too much and, of course, dietary restrictions don't do much for my good nature.
Be well, y'all
PS - I sometimes wonder who reads this - whoever you are out there, you might leave a comment or something.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Back to work!
This is the first day I have been to work since July 24. It seems like a year. During the period of down time I probably worked more at home than I usually do at work, just to stay sane.
This enforced hiatus has taught me more than a couple things:
This enforced hiatus has taught me more than a couple things:
- Daytime TeeVee really sucks - and even with NetFlix and internet onnectivity, there are only so many hours that one can stand to watch without becoming a little crazy.
- Perforating ulcers are no fun, particularly when they, without warning, perforate.
- We have some good hospitals around here - but being home is still better.
- Liquid diets are no fun.
- Pureed diets are even less fun (glass of pizza anyone?)
- Soft food diets can be disgusting.
- Laporoscopic surgery is the best possible way to have things in your belly examined - if they need examined. Better is not to need anything looked at that closely.
Leading up to the hiatus, I was reminded that if a motorcycle is falling over and you are on it, get out of the way! If you don't do that, you could get your leg broken - which is where this all started on July 24th.
It was good to get back to work. I did not get as much done as I might have wished, but I got something done, got what I needed for several other somethings, and was pleased at the end of the day.
Now I can go back tomorrow and be truly productive.
Work is good.
Now I have to find another motorcycle that is a couple hundred pounds lighter than Big Suzi....
Monday, September 9, 2013
Leo thomas Gladnick, RIP
Tomorrow, there will be a celebration of the life of Leo Thomas Gladnick, in a church near Hatboro, Pennsylvania, a town I am virtually certain nobody has ever heard of who hasn't lived either there or in Horsham Township.
Uncle Leo, as we knew him during his off-duty hours, was a teacher in the schools there. I first met him as a 9th grade Biology teacher who was afflicted with me as a student. To say he was a teacher is really not sufficient, because he did more than talk about Biology to a bunch of bored 9th-graders - he actually mad the subject come alive and be interesting, fascinating even. I do not recall ever seeing him truly angry, although I know we students tried him regularly and seriously - he put up with more than most, and managed to turn adversity into learning and understanding far more often that we as students had any right to suspect.
He also sponsored the various AV club and Photo club efforts, rode herd on the geeks (although I think we called them something else in those bygone days) and was an informal counselor, father confessor, and all things needed to any number of students over the years.
Over time, he became a department head, vice-principal and principal, and in his final year of teaching was principal of a brand new, just opened school.
Hatboro has not been my home since leaving to go to Germany with the Air Force Security Service in 1963 - but after returning from Europe I visited Hatboro many times, and made it a point to stop in at the school and visit with the administrators,, who in later years always included Mr. Gladnick. I enjoyed visiting with him, catching up on what was going on, and I am convinced he enjoyed the visits from the students who would come back to chat - it seems he always had time for a visit with me and several others, and was always welcoming. If nothing else, I tried to make Hatboro a stop on a motorcycle ride at least once a year, riding by where I had lived, the homes of long-departed friends, and businesses that I knew, some of which are still there - but my favorite part after visiting some friends from those days was dropping by the school to see Mr. Gladnick.
He was a kind man, a gentle man, an excellent teacher, and a friend, and I for one find the world a poorer place for his passing.
Uncle Leo, as we knew him during his off-duty hours, was a teacher in the schools there. I first met him as a 9th grade Biology teacher who was afflicted with me as a student. To say he was a teacher is really not sufficient, because he did more than talk about Biology to a bunch of bored 9th-graders - he actually mad the subject come alive and be interesting, fascinating even. I do not recall ever seeing him truly angry, although I know we students tried him regularly and seriously - he put up with more than most, and managed to turn adversity into learning and understanding far more often that we as students had any right to suspect.
He also sponsored the various AV club and Photo club efforts, rode herd on the geeks (although I think we called them something else in those bygone days) and was an informal counselor, father confessor, and all things needed to any number of students over the years.
Over time, he became a department head, vice-principal and principal, and in his final year of teaching was principal of a brand new, just opened school.
Hatboro has not been my home since leaving to go to Germany with the Air Force Security Service in 1963 - but after returning from Europe I visited Hatboro many times, and made it a point to stop in at the school and visit with the administrators,, who in later years always included Mr. Gladnick. I enjoyed visiting with him, catching up on what was going on, and I am convinced he enjoyed the visits from the students who would come back to chat - it seems he always had time for a visit with me and several others, and was always welcoming. If nothing else, I tried to make Hatboro a stop on a motorcycle ride at least once a year, riding by where I had lived, the homes of long-departed friends, and businesses that I knew, some of which are still there - but my favorite part after visiting some friends from those days was dropping by the school to see Mr. Gladnick.
He was a kind man, a gentle man, an excellent teacher, and a friend, and I for one find the world a poorer place for his passing.
Well, it's a new day - with some new rules.
I am allowed to go back to work. Never thought I'd celebrate the removal of idleness, but enforced idleness isn't anything like chosen idleness.
I can also take off the hated grey boot, unless I think I need to wear it, and leave the walker in the back of the car unless something tells me I need it.
I don't know, but fatigue could trigger either one, I guess, so I'll keep both close by, along with a pair of shorts since I can't fit the damned boot under any trousers or jeans I own....
I may start the motorcycle by the weekend.
I may also replace it with something about 25% lighter in a BMW, if I can find the right one.
I'm still restricted as to diet, for at least another 4 weeks, and still supposed to take it easy.
I guess the best part is I'm still alive, not exactly kicking, but still mobile.
Getting old sucks, but not as much as being dead. Happily I didn't get to dead on this round of adventure.
Be well.
I am allowed to go back to work. Never thought I'd celebrate the removal of idleness, but enforced idleness isn't anything like chosen idleness.
I can also take off the hated grey boot, unless I think I need to wear it, and leave the walker in the back of the car unless something tells me I need it.
I don't know, but fatigue could trigger either one, I guess, so I'll keep both close by, along with a pair of shorts since I can't fit the damned boot under any trousers or jeans I own....
I may start the motorcycle by the weekend.
I may also replace it with something about 25% lighter in a BMW, if I can find the right one.
I'm still restricted as to diet, for at least another 4 weeks, and still supposed to take it easy.
I guess the best part is I'm still alive, not exactly kicking, but still mobile.
Getting old sucks, but not as much as being dead. Happily I didn't get to dead on this round of adventure.
Be well.
Monday Morning at Zero Dark Thirty
It's Monday Morning (again - seems to happen weekly around here....) and I am still up - couldn't stay awake about two hours ago and now I am wide awake and not at all interested in going to bed.
This morning I have a visit with an orthopod who will, I hope, tell me I don't have to wear this fracture boot any more and can go back to work. I wish I thought he'd tell me it was OK to ride my motorcycle again, but he's one of those folks that think that motorcycles are the creation of a hateful being, and have only one purpose - to supply organ donors.
I'm sure he never had a motorcycle, and if he ever got on one, it was to sit behind an asshole determined to scare him to death!
At any rate, that is what I am hoping for this morning. I still have three weeks of restricted diet (soft foods only, and all the water I want) before I see my bariatric surgeon again, and before that I have to go and bleed at the lab, and by the look of the lab sheet, it will take about 17 vials of blood for all the tests he wants done.
Then, I'll have to get another upper GI endoscopy, not one of my favorite ways to spend a day. He wants to see if the ulcers are better, worse, still the same or gone. Based on what he sees, my diet and working permissions may well get changed again. This getting old stuff really is a PITA.
I'e steered clear of the news for a couple of days just to be sure I don't become outraged and create a new ulcer. I don't know if it works, but at this point if it means that I'll have a smaller chance of repeating the last few weeks, I'll take it.
I've been watching eBay again, looking at motorcycles, both sidecar rigs and lighter (than what I have) solo bikes. I'd really kinda like to have another BMW - R or K model, not sure which - and some are aailable at reasonable prices, although they have more than a little age on them. The BMWs I have had before were all ancient by any normal measure, and they stood up to anything I cared to give out. Maybe it is time for another BMW.
Of course, my lovely wife knows I am looking, but can ignore it until I have to ask her to borrow a couple of thousand bucks for a motorcycle. If I am permitted to live, all will be well and I'll have a much lighter motorcycle to pick up, hopefully less regularly.
But then again, a sidecar rig could be a real giggle.
I think I'm ready to get some sleep.
Be well, y'all - II'll have more to say after I see the orthopod.
This morning I have a visit with an orthopod who will, I hope, tell me I don't have to wear this fracture boot any more and can go back to work. I wish I thought he'd tell me it was OK to ride my motorcycle again, but he's one of those folks that think that motorcycles are the creation of a hateful being, and have only one purpose - to supply organ donors.
I'm sure he never had a motorcycle, and if he ever got on one, it was to sit behind an asshole determined to scare him to death!
At any rate, that is what I am hoping for this morning. I still have three weeks of restricted diet (soft foods only, and all the water I want) before I see my bariatric surgeon again, and before that I have to go and bleed at the lab, and by the look of the lab sheet, it will take about 17 vials of blood for all the tests he wants done.
Then, I'll have to get another upper GI endoscopy, not one of my favorite ways to spend a day. He wants to see if the ulcers are better, worse, still the same or gone. Based on what he sees, my diet and working permissions may well get changed again. This getting old stuff really is a PITA.
I'e steered clear of the news for a couple of days just to be sure I don't become outraged and create a new ulcer. I don't know if it works, but at this point if it means that I'll have a smaller chance of repeating the last few weeks, I'll take it.
I've been watching eBay again, looking at motorcycles, both sidecar rigs and lighter (than what I have) solo bikes. I'd really kinda like to have another BMW - R or K model, not sure which - and some are aailable at reasonable prices, although they have more than a little age on them. The BMWs I have had before were all ancient by any normal measure, and they stood up to anything I cared to give out. Maybe it is time for another BMW.
Of course, my lovely wife knows I am looking, but can ignore it until I have to ask her to borrow a couple of thousand bucks for a motorcycle. If I am permitted to live, all will be well and I'll have a much lighter motorcycle to pick up, hopefully less regularly.
But then again, a sidecar rig could be a real giggle.
I think I'm ready to get some sleep.
Be well, y'all - II'll have more to say after I see the orthopod.
Saturday, September 7, 2013
Syria
I've been thinking about Syria lately, and wondering what kind of a shitstorm we're getting into this time.
I understand that the use of chemical weapons is not a nice thing. I also understand that this is not the first time. Further, I believe that it is not certain whether there actually was an attack, or some numbskull on one side or the other just mishandled the stuff and it went off.
However, I do know this - in Syria they are fighting a civil war, which means Syrians are fighting Syrians. Since they look alike, I don't know how to tell who is on what side, or even whether there are only two sides, or even what they are fighting about (although I am sure someone doesn't like someone else is at the core of it.)
So let's think about it. Syria has Syrians fighting Syrians. No interlopers, no outsiders - just the folks that would be there anyhow.
The Current Occupant of the place called the White House thinks that the Syrians should be taught a lesson to reinforce that the use of chemical weapons is Not Nice. He thinks we should throw some ordnance at them, probably a couple of cruise missiles. Now, as far as I know, a cruise missile cannot tell a Syrian from a Syrian - come to think of it, neither can I. How are we to tell these cruise missiles which Syrians it should spank and which it should not?
Interestingly, most of our European allies are not at all interested in helping us in this foolishness, with the exception of France. That alone should make one wonder - nothing all that great has come from France in many years, and they are busily ceding much of France to Shariah Law - maybe they need to distract their folks from that, just as our current Occupant would distract us from Benghazi.
In any event, I can see nothing good coming out of our indiscriminate bombing of Syrians when we've no means to tell if the bombs will be falling on the Syrians we do not like or on the Syrians we do like. I have to believe that bombing the hell out of the folks we do like will not leave them kindly disposed to us, and will give the folks we don't like more reason to not like us.
Sounds to me like a no-win. The Current Occupant assures us none of our people will have to actually Go Into Syria - but if we do not have boots on the ground there, how will we tell the effectiveness of those expensive cruise missiles?
I think we ought to let Allah sort it out, and when it get quiet in Syria again, see who won (it will be the Syrians of course) then make nice ((or not)) with the folks who appear to have come out on top, knowing full well that, at least in appearance, they won't look a damn bit different from those who came out on the bottom.
I would still like to know how to tell a Syrian we like from one whom we do not like. Anyone out there have any ideas?
I understand that the use of chemical weapons is not a nice thing. I also understand that this is not the first time. Further, I believe that it is not certain whether there actually was an attack, or some numbskull on one side or the other just mishandled the stuff and it went off.
However, I do know this - in Syria they are fighting a civil war, which means Syrians are fighting Syrians. Since they look alike, I don't know how to tell who is on what side, or even whether there are only two sides, or even what they are fighting about (although I am sure someone doesn't like someone else is at the core of it.)
So let's think about it. Syria has Syrians fighting Syrians. No interlopers, no outsiders - just the folks that would be there anyhow.
The Current Occupant of the place called the White House thinks that the Syrians should be taught a lesson to reinforce that the use of chemical weapons is Not Nice. He thinks we should throw some ordnance at them, probably a couple of cruise missiles. Now, as far as I know, a cruise missile cannot tell a Syrian from a Syrian - come to think of it, neither can I. How are we to tell these cruise missiles which Syrians it should spank and which it should not?
Interestingly, most of our European allies are not at all interested in helping us in this foolishness, with the exception of France. That alone should make one wonder - nothing all that great has come from France in many years, and they are busily ceding much of France to Shariah Law - maybe they need to distract their folks from that, just as our current Occupant would distract us from Benghazi.
In any event, I can see nothing good coming out of our indiscriminate bombing of Syrians when we've no means to tell if the bombs will be falling on the Syrians we do not like or on the Syrians we do like. I have to believe that bombing the hell out of the folks we do like will not leave them kindly disposed to us, and will give the folks we don't like more reason to not like us.
Sounds to me like a no-win. The Current Occupant assures us none of our people will have to actually Go Into Syria - but if we do not have boots on the ground there, how will we tell the effectiveness of those expensive cruise missiles?
I think we ought to let Allah sort it out, and when it get quiet in Syria again, see who won (it will be the Syrians of course) then make nice ((or not)) with the folks who appear to have come out on top, knowing full well that, at least in appearance, they won't look a damn bit different from those who came out on the bottom.
I would still like to know how to tell a Syrian we like from one whom we do not like. Anyone out there have any ideas?
Motorcycles
After the most recent fall, I am starting to believe that my beloved Big Suzi is just too big for someone my age to manage. It goes a little over 800 pounds and is getting harder to pick up.
At first, I thought about a sidecar rig - I don't want a trike, particularly - and Bombardier wants too much money for their reversed trikes and they are too new for there to be a used market. So a sidecar, maybe. I started looking for them, and found not many.
Then I thought well, something that weighed only 575-600 might be better enough that I wouldn't need the extra wheel(s) and I started looking at BMW's (again.) I have always been partial to the BMW twins, and the newer 4-cylinders are looking pretty good, so I'm shopping now. I am shopping used, of course - new bikes cost as much as new cars, and I don't buy new cars (although my wife does.) Maybe there's a BMW twin in my future?
I am sufficiently perverse that a good sidecar rig would be a blast, and I could use it in the winter, but I don't know if I can find one that is suitable - a couple got past me a few weeks ago, but they are still pretty rare. The rigs I have seen that I have wanted are hard-core - refitted with link front ends and shod with automobile tires on all three corners - that would be the way to go, but the owners all seem to have been the builders so they know how much it cost to make and don't want to lose a dime on the whole transaction. Really great rigs seem to have really large prices.
Just have to wait and see, I guess. I'll keep y'all posted.
At first, I thought about a sidecar rig - I don't want a trike, particularly - and Bombardier wants too much money for their reversed trikes and they are too new for there to be a used market. So a sidecar, maybe. I started looking for them, and found not many.
Then I thought well, something that weighed only 575-600 might be better enough that I wouldn't need the extra wheel(s) and I started looking at BMW's (again.) I have always been partial to the BMW twins, and the newer 4-cylinders are looking pretty good, so I'm shopping now. I am shopping used, of course - new bikes cost as much as new cars, and I don't buy new cars (although my wife does.) Maybe there's a BMW twin in my future?
I am sufficiently perverse that a good sidecar rig would be a blast, and I could use it in the winter, but I don't know if I can find one that is suitable - a couple got past me a few weeks ago, but they are still pretty rare. The rigs I have seen that I have wanted are hard-core - refitted with link front ends and shod with automobile tires on all three corners - that would be the way to go, but the owners all seem to have been the builders so they know how much it cost to make and don't want to lose a dime on the whole transaction. Really great rigs seem to have really large prices.
Just have to wait and see, I guess. I'll keep y'all posted.
As I said, aging is not for the timid. From my perspective, it is best to avoid it if possible. For most of my life, I've managed not to grow up, and it has helped, but in the last 10 years I've had a couple of hospital visits that were unplanned, unwanted, and more than a bit on the scary side.
As many of you may know, I had a gastric bypass around 9 years ago. The fact that the results of that were not all I had hoped were not a fault of the procedure nor of the surgeon - if anything, the surgeon was so good that many of the short-term negative reinforcement episodes that usually accompany this surgery were not to appear to me, and I got sloppy and didn't follow all the rules - and reaped the reward.
Now, I have never felt myself to be particularly stressed. I know what I do, being on 24 hour call, can produce stress, but I was pretty convinced that I had found my way past all that, and was living a pretty stress-free life, and didn't have to worry about any negative effects the stresses I was ignoring were creating for me.
Well about two years after the bypass I took a motorcycle trip to Hatboro, where I had lived during some pretty important years of my life. I do this on occasion, so it was not particularly unusual for me to take this trip. What was unusual was that I got hit by a pickup truck in a parking lot and was knocked over, motorcycle and all. I knew it hurt, because I had a rather leg caught between the motorcycle and the truck bumper, and I had a scrape or seven in various places. I looked at myself in the bathroom - nothing was broken or bleeding (or if bleeding only a little) and since I was closer to Hatboro, I decided to continue the trip there and hole up in a motel until the next day to see if rest made the pain go away.
The pain did not go away the next day and my left leg had assumed the color of an eggplant, so I decided to make one visit and then head for home instead of staying until Sunday or Monday and wandering around bucks and Montgomery county as I had planned. Riding didn't hurt, but getting off when I got home surely did, and when my lovely wife saw my leg she was not pleased. Eventually I had it seen, nothing was broken, and slowly it healed and assumed its normal coloring. Then I got some sort of respiratory thing, had a chest X-ray and was told to get a CT scan, because the X-ray showed something like maybe an aneurysm.... the day I had the scan, my mother died. Two weeks later, I was hospitalized for a GI bleed that took about 5 bags of blood before it stopped. Endoscopy showed ulcers - but I never knew they were there - no pain, no real discomfort (at least until I had lost so much blood I was falling down trying to walk to my chair) nothing like any warning. The doctors said that I must be under a lost of stress. Years later, reflecting on the happenings of that few weeks, I guess they were right, but at the time I didn't think so.
Then about 6 weeks ago, I dropped the motorcycle on my right leg (usually it is the left that I fall on....) and was in the presence of friends and fellow riders, so getting up was not hard. We had stopped for ice cream, and as I made my way to get some, I noticed that that foot really hurt - but I got my ice cream and rode home accompanied by some friends who would not let me ride alone. I didn't think it was all that bad, it just hurt. A couple of days later I had it X-rayed and found a nondisplaced fracture of the fibula. After 71 years, I broke a bone. I went to see an orthopod, was told I had to stay home and wear a fracture boot. Meanwhile I had a couple of important projects at work, so I arranged to work at home, and within a week I woke up with some pretty awful abdominal pain, ended up in the ER, and had emergency surgery to find the source of the free air in my abdomen, which turned out to be a little bitty ulcer that had perforated, right next to two big ones that had not. The surgeon was a bariatric surgeon, so he was able to do what needed done laporoscopically, which meant a far shorter recovery time than might have been possible. Still, although the surgery was less than the bypass, from which I was sent home with 47 hours of my arrival in the hospital, this one took four days before I was sent home, and I was a whole lot more beat-up feeling. I was older, and less prepared, and it took its toll. Upon reflection, I guess falling, having a broken leg, a new boss and some hot projects was more stress than I was used to, it aggravated the ulcers I didn't know I had, and ended up blowing through the wall of my duodenum.
I am told that the bleed a few years back or this perforation could have ended my life, and that had I not gone directly to the hospital, the damage from the perforation could have kept me there for weeks instead of just a few days. Hard as it may be to believe, until now the phrase 'might have ended my life' has not registered - I thought it was just inconvenient that these things were happening.
If I seem to be a bit low key, you'll know why.
As many of you may know, I had a gastric bypass around 9 years ago. The fact that the results of that were not all I had hoped were not a fault of the procedure nor of the surgeon - if anything, the surgeon was so good that many of the short-term negative reinforcement episodes that usually accompany this surgery were not to appear to me, and I got sloppy and didn't follow all the rules - and reaped the reward.
Now, I have never felt myself to be particularly stressed. I know what I do, being on 24 hour call, can produce stress, but I was pretty convinced that I had found my way past all that, and was living a pretty stress-free life, and didn't have to worry about any negative effects the stresses I was ignoring were creating for me.
Well about two years after the bypass I took a motorcycle trip to Hatboro, where I had lived during some pretty important years of my life. I do this on occasion, so it was not particularly unusual for me to take this trip. What was unusual was that I got hit by a pickup truck in a parking lot and was knocked over, motorcycle and all. I knew it hurt, because I had a rather leg caught between the motorcycle and the truck bumper, and I had a scrape or seven in various places. I looked at myself in the bathroom - nothing was broken or bleeding (or if bleeding only a little) and since I was closer to Hatboro, I decided to continue the trip there and hole up in a motel until the next day to see if rest made the pain go away.
The pain did not go away the next day and my left leg had assumed the color of an eggplant, so I decided to make one visit and then head for home instead of staying until Sunday or Monday and wandering around bucks and Montgomery county as I had planned. Riding didn't hurt, but getting off when I got home surely did, and when my lovely wife saw my leg she was not pleased. Eventually I had it seen, nothing was broken, and slowly it healed and assumed its normal coloring. Then I got some sort of respiratory thing, had a chest X-ray and was told to get a CT scan, because the X-ray showed something like maybe an aneurysm.... the day I had the scan, my mother died. Two weeks later, I was hospitalized for a GI bleed that took about 5 bags of blood before it stopped. Endoscopy showed ulcers - but I never knew they were there - no pain, no real discomfort (at least until I had lost so much blood I was falling down trying to walk to my chair) nothing like any warning. The doctors said that I must be under a lost of stress. Years later, reflecting on the happenings of that few weeks, I guess they were right, but at the time I didn't think so.
Then about 6 weeks ago, I dropped the motorcycle on my right leg (usually it is the left that I fall on....) and was in the presence of friends and fellow riders, so getting up was not hard. We had stopped for ice cream, and as I made my way to get some, I noticed that that foot really hurt - but I got my ice cream and rode home accompanied by some friends who would not let me ride alone. I didn't think it was all that bad, it just hurt. A couple of days later I had it X-rayed and found a nondisplaced fracture of the fibula. After 71 years, I broke a bone. I went to see an orthopod, was told I had to stay home and wear a fracture boot. Meanwhile I had a couple of important projects at work, so I arranged to work at home, and within a week I woke up with some pretty awful abdominal pain, ended up in the ER, and had emergency surgery to find the source of the free air in my abdomen, which turned out to be a little bitty ulcer that had perforated, right next to two big ones that had not. The surgeon was a bariatric surgeon, so he was able to do what needed done laporoscopically, which meant a far shorter recovery time than might have been possible. Still, although the surgery was less than the bypass, from which I was sent home with 47 hours of my arrival in the hospital, this one took four days before I was sent home, and I was a whole lot more beat-up feeling. I was older, and less prepared, and it took its toll. Upon reflection, I guess falling, having a broken leg, a new boss and some hot projects was more stress than I was used to, it aggravated the ulcers I didn't know I had, and ended up blowing through the wall of my duodenum.
I am told that the bleed a few years back or this perforation could have ended my life, and that had I not gone directly to the hospital, the damage from the perforation could have kept me there for weeks instead of just a few days. Hard as it may be to believe, until now the phrase 'might have ended my life' has not registered - I thought it was just inconvenient that these things were happening.
If I seem to be a bit low key, you'll know why.
It's been a while - and aging is not for the timid.
I haven't had much to say for quite a while, and have a backlog of rants that will sooner or later show up here. Meanwhile, I am discovering that aging sucks if it is happening to you (or, in my case, to me!)
I will be 72 in February. I still go to work each day (except for the last month or so, about which more later) and for the most part i enjoy it. I like what I do, I like having the income, and the thought of retirement, with the attendant loss in income scares hell out of me. I like the income, I like having a bit left over for toys and pleasures, and it is not going to be easy readjusting my lifestyle to run on less than have of what we're used to, particularly when expenses are increasing. I don't want to give up some of my toys.
The last month has been pretty rough. A combination of things has caused me to be unable to drive or go to work, so I have been working at home, and damn glad that my employer has put up with it. I rather like it, but really need to get back to regular attendance - hopefully it will start happening next week.
The causes of this little misadventure are several, but all go back to a decision I made in 1964, and got to exercise in 1965. That decision was that I was tired of being a fat guy, that it was a problem that I could not manage by myself and that a gastric bypass would help me lose the weight.
The long and short of it is that I was right, somewhat, and wrong, somewhat - and it has taken until the past few weeks to let me know exactly how much of any assumptions I might have made were truly asinine.
This is going to take a couple of posts, just to separate the main events and put them in proper historical perspective, so I think I'll call them something like 'How I Got This Way' parts 1 through whatever it takes.
I can't do it all tonight, because it is late, I am tired, and after a while of late and tired I get stupid - and I want this to be right, or at least accurate. It has taken me several years to understand just how life-threatening a couple of things that have happened have been; suffice it to say that I could have been (and perhaps should have been) gone several years ago, and it is only a combination of fortune, a stubborn wife and daughter, and some superb medical care that permits me to write this and the following pieces. I am starting to appreciate this - up until now I was getting really good at denying it.
More to come - I'm headed for bed!
I will be 72 in February. I still go to work each day (except for the last month or so, about which more later) and for the most part i enjoy it. I like what I do, I like having the income, and the thought of retirement, with the attendant loss in income scares hell out of me. I like the income, I like having a bit left over for toys and pleasures, and it is not going to be easy readjusting my lifestyle to run on less than have of what we're used to, particularly when expenses are increasing. I don't want to give up some of my toys.
The last month has been pretty rough. A combination of things has caused me to be unable to drive or go to work, so I have been working at home, and damn glad that my employer has put up with it. I rather like it, but really need to get back to regular attendance - hopefully it will start happening next week.
The causes of this little misadventure are several, but all go back to a decision I made in 1964, and got to exercise in 1965. That decision was that I was tired of being a fat guy, that it was a problem that I could not manage by myself and that a gastric bypass would help me lose the weight.
The long and short of it is that I was right, somewhat, and wrong, somewhat - and it has taken until the past few weeks to let me know exactly how much of any assumptions I might have made were truly asinine.
This is going to take a couple of posts, just to separate the main events and put them in proper historical perspective, so I think I'll call them something like 'How I Got This Way' parts 1 through whatever it takes.
I can't do it all tonight, because it is late, I am tired, and after a while of late and tired I get stupid - and I want this to be right, or at least accurate. It has taken me several years to understand just how life-threatening a couple of things that have happened have been; suffice it to say that I could have been (and perhaps should have been) gone several years ago, and it is only a combination of fortune, a stubborn wife and daughter, and some superb medical care that permits me to write this and the following pieces. I am starting to appreciate this - up until now I was getting really good at denying it.
More to come - I'm headed for bed!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)