A juggling technophile shares personal stories, challenges, humor and perhaps some political commentary.
The doc took me off my old blood pressure medicine (Linsinopril) which made me cough incessantly and switched me to a new medicine (Verapamil SA) with the side affects of swollen ankles and constipation. I think that makes me pregnant.
Btw, suggesting to your wife that she quit shaving her legs doesn’t get the expected result of "oh thank God! I hated doing that and only did it for you anyway my love! Now my legs will be warm in the winter! Hurray!" In reality, it’s a far different reaction.
Cathy and I try to avoid the doctor unless absolutely necessary. It’s not a philosophy I enjoy as I had a friend in college die because she put off going to the doctor. I know that keeping the adults healthy is in everyone’s best interest but checkups for the adults hurt the budget. All that said, Cathy is tired of my cough. It hasn’t stopped since before October 8th but the source may have changed. See, the antibiotics killed off the original cough but at the same time the doc put me on high blood pressure medicine which has coughing as a side affect so I have now been coughing for over three months! I give in. Tomorrow I’ll visit the doctor and see what we can do.
Stress is ridiculously high. Stomach in knots. Not having dizzy spells but if I wasn’t on blood pressure medicine I bet the room would be spinning. Going to ignore email and phone calls today and focus on only one thing at a time. No mind-drifting to "things I should be doing" or "what will come next" or "how the devil am I going to make that work." Today’s goal: Stay in the moment (and don’t stroke out).
My friend had a similar experience:
TVA’s private security detained our friend as (TVA’s words) an “environmental activist.” Cathy asked last night, what does one fear from an environmental activist at a toxic waste site? Are they afraid they’ll pull out a paper towel and start cleaning?
TVA’s private security, described as dressed in dark uniforms with no clear insignia, took our friend’s picture, took personal and professional contact information, recorded the license plate, commented on the contents of the vehicle, commented on the environmental bumper stickers, and kept our friend detained in the car for a half an hour. Our friend had turned onto a side road but not crossed any fence, barricade or posting of any kind.
Read more about the Tennessee coal sludge spill on Wikipedia.
Smart kids are more likely to be heavy drinkers "There’s a link between a high IQ and developing alcohol problems"
Yesterday was a hard day for me. My youngest two children went into the dentist for cavities and one tooth extraction (which didn’t happen). This bothers me on so many levels I cannot even begin to write about it. I was stressed and rather depressed. Today I’m relaxed and rather happy. The difference? Aside from the dentist, the difference is the weather. I have always noted that around a full moon I am a bit more energetic and anxious and sometimes downright manic. The moon moves the tides, why not people? Yesterday we have a low pressure system come in and bring rain. Yesterday’s emotional state? Depression. Today a high pressure system is pushing the low pressure system out and I am feeling pretty good. Could my mental state be that closely tied to nature? I believe the answer is a simple yes. Cathy’s migraines always precede a storm (low pressure). Other people tell the weather by a twitch in their toe. The body and mind are undeniably sensitive to weather.
I tried to be an early bird today with much fail. Waking times: 2:20, 3:30, 4:10, 5:30, 5:55, 6:00, 6:30, and finally 6:45. Now that’s sleeping!
Feeling old is when taking three steps across the kitchen to the coffee maker causes you to wince. For the past couple of days, I have had excruciating pain in my lower back. The pain is concentrated in my lower left back just above my buttocks but I also feel it in my left shoulder blade. I thought it was related to sleeping on that horrid air mattress at Frozen Head since I could not find my RidgeRest. I thought my back would improve but it seems to be worsening. I don’t exercise. I don’t stretch. All I do is sit all day long typing. The dogs and Evan make it difficult to stretch but I think that I must return to 20 minutes in the evening and 20 minutes in the morning. I never felt better than I did when I was stretching in the morning and evening.
I’m trying desperately to get some major code knocked out today. But the day has begun with me listening to hold music which cuts my coding rate in half. I hate having to sit on the phone.
Late this afternoon, in a panic, I will pack for a weekend of camping with Noah and Sarah. This weekend is our Scout troop’s Thanksgiving camping trip. Families are invited and we will cook a turkey and ham in a cardboard box oven. The scouts will build catapults and play games including shooting water balloons at the adult leaders. I have skipped the past 4 months of events. Since my daughter is attending and I think I have taken a bit of ownership on the catapults, I have to be on this trip. Besides, I really miss the camping plus getting into nature dramatically improves improves cognitive function in the brain.
Update: Important phone calls complete. Important email sent. Distracting Internet outage resolved. Cat about to be flung across room. Bug in my code fixed. Moving onto feature requests.
Do you find running on your treadmill inside boring? Do you miss the fresh air outside? Then you might need a SpeedFit!
See on Burbia.
Everyone go to Daisy Cutter and chime in with your thoughts on Universal Health Care. See also countries with universal health care vs those without.
I am starting to come to terms with the fact that an electric shaver needs new blades more than once every half a decade. For that matter, I probably should buy a new electric shaver more than once decade.
Ouch! I just sneezed and I think the left half of my skull fell to the floor. I’m afraid to look. Cathy says my cough has worsened and insists I go to the doctor but she has it too so we have that stubborn Mexican standoff martyrdom don’t waste money on the uninsured adults thing going on. We don’t get sick that often so I guess we are due. All of Knoxville has this so I’ll start into my Oak Ridge secretly testing non-lethal severely debilitating chemical weapon conspiracy theory after I make more progress on today’s programming. Coding stops for no cough!
Stress manifested itself physically. I am one gigantic ache.Yesterday I crashed hard. Chills. Fever. Dizzy. Muscle soreness. Coughing. Today I still hurt but think I am functional.
