The Big Day

Happy Friday everyone!

Today is the mass exodus at work where our interns are leaving.  The fun (aka work) for me doesn’t begin until later this afternoon.  However, I have poured a lot of prep work into this and made sure that they are divided up among my team.  I can’t believe that if it wasn’t for an email that I sent yesterday the new guy was going to start shutting them down yesterday.  Glad I sent my email to set him straight.  My gut told me to send the email and it paid off.  It will be a relief once this little project is done.  This month along with December/January are the largest months for folks leaving.  Projects are much like problems in that as soon as your done with one another one comes along to take it’s place.  It’s a never ending cycle.  You just hope the next project is easier and moves along quicker. 

My upper shoulders and neck are bothering me.  I decided to comply with prescribing instructions for one of the muscle relaxers I take, normally when I do that I get relief.  However, it appears to me that things are getting worse instead of better.  I am thinking of taking one of my knock out muscle relaxers that will have me sleeping for most of the day tomorrow.  I will make that decision later this evening.  I know that the issue stems from being in front of the computer and my usage has been extra heavy.  Ah more of the joys of getting older. 

Had a nice evening with the cats, they both got brushed.  I watched TV, just random YouTube stuff.  Lots of new car review videos.  Finished off the store bought pasta.  Had the bright idea of going out tonight but then I remembered the project work and decided by the time I would be done every place would be too crowded.  I am having something from the freezer just don’t know what it is just yet. 

As for tomorrow I haven’t made up my mind on where I want to go.  There are a few things I’d like to accomplish.  Not sure how successful I will be. 

Went out this morning to grab the trash barrel and wow it’s nice out.  It was 66 degrees and there was no humidity.  Felt like the best weather I’ve experienced in a long time.  Sadly I had to come back in and start my day.  Temperatures are only going to heat up as the day goes on but I did rather enjoy the few minutes I was out of the house. 

Here’s hoping it’s a great weekend for all of us.  We can all rest and relax while being some what productive.  Take care!

Back to Bed

Morning!

Yesterday I managed to do something that I was surprised at.  I stayed awake all day long, no nap or resting.  I figured it would help me sleep better.  Bed time came and I did get to sleep around my normal time (somewhere between 10 & 10:30p).  I woke up at 5a and couldn’t go back to sleep.  Of course Rudy was happy about that he thought he could do his morning dance and get some breakfast.  However, that didn’t work for him.  He soon gave up and left me.  I managed to get Mora to jump in bed with me and we cuddled for a while.  I watched TV and watched the time tick away.  I didn’t want to get out of bed but I did. 

Breakfast is done and here I am in front of the computer.  Nothing going on at work.  I really just want to go back to bed.  I had great aspirations this morning of getting a new system at work configured to do something my boss wants.  I figured out how to yesterday when he was droning on in our meeting about the system.  He was stumbling around and basically like I said wasted a half hour.  The meeting should have never happened.  Not sure what it is about managers and meetings they seem to love them.  Anyway, now that I have the time I don’t have the will.  Thankfully I sat by and kept my mouth shut so no one is expecting anything from me.  Silence can work to your advantage when you use it properly. 

Watched my neighbor cut his grass last night at his vacant house.  He tried to run over the crap he trimmed from his hedge that is sitting in his yard.  He’s got two piles going.  One from years ago and this new one that he started a couple weeks ago.  That failed and was mildly entertaining.  Kind of surprised he came back so soon to cut the grass.

Got two meetings on the agenda today, one just before lunch and one right after.  They are usual Tuesday meetings.  Since I am not on call this week, I could go lay down and relax until someone needs me and honestly it sounds quite appealing.  I know it will please both of the cats.  My back is sure missing getting massages regularly.  I’ve got some serious knots going on. 

Another day of heat & humidity on the way.  Glad that I am tucked away inside a climate controlled house.  I’ll be drinking my water and looking out the windows while working (if anything comes up).  Just waiting anxiously for quitting time to roll around.  Hope you have a great day!

Drained

Hey there just wanted you all to know that I’m still among the living. 

Thursday I made it to the doctors office.  As usual he was running behind.  I didn’t know it until after the fact but he now uses AI to transcribe and summarize the visit.  The report I read said that I gave a verbal okay for that but no one ever told me about it.  I’m guessing it was buried in the fine print of new forms I had to sign since it’s start of a new year.  For some reason he said come back in six month instead of three months.  I didn’t correct him.  I made a follow up appointment in six months.  I talked about the knots in my back and he’s got a referral to a doctor that is a cross between a Physical Therapist and a Massage Therapist.  All I have to do is say I want it.  I’m highly considering it.  It’s covered by insurance since it’s a medical doctor but since it’s a specialist I would have a co-pay.

Blood work is back.  Cholesterol is up but my A1C is down.  I just got the final results this morning.  Surprised that it took so long, I was starting to worry. 

Had Red Lobster for supper – it was good! Took the day to stay away from the computer. 

Friday I got my haircut, made it to Sam’s Club, the other grocery store and the cat food store.  I went out for pizza.  Have plenty left in the fridge to snack on.  Won a free desert in a giveaway.  Not a bad deal.  Placed an order for 2 cupping devices on Amazon.

Saturday woke up early thanks to Rudy and his wonderful internal clock that always runs fast.  I fed him and his sister.  Checked my phone and saw my cupping device was delivered.  Stepped out in the early morning freezing cold to grab it off the porch.  Opened the box and put them to use. 

My back looks like I was attacked by a bunch of donuts.  I’ve got some serious purple bruises and they weren’t sore at first.  Now that were into the evening the soreness is starting to hit.  I spent part of the afternoon on the heating pad to try to help.  I’ve got two more spots I need to have cupped.  I kind of want to do it tonight but am afraid that I am going to be seriously sore come tomorrow morning. 

Made it out of the house and over to the Mexican place by the office.  Had an okay meal.  Stopped in at the office to deal with a package on my desk and get it secured.  It was work stuff.  Then hightailed it home. 

Now that I am home I feel very run down and really only want to sit in front of the TV and lounge.  Since I have the time and freedom to do so I am going to.  I wonder if my ultimate fear is coming true.  Go to the doctor and get the flu.  Think about it a bunch of sick people in a waiting room and their germs are just floating in the air around me.  I really hope that I don’t have the flu or am getting sick, it’s not what I want.  On the upside I have 2 weeks of sick time.  Last year they gave us this benefit but I didn’t know about it until way late in the month of December and it’s a use or lose time.  Thankfully with the new year they front two weeks (80 hours) of time.  While it wouldn’t look good to call in sick on Monday if I am truly sick and don’t feel good, I will do exactly that. 

Right now I am going to publish this, grab my bedding from the dryer and herd the cats upstairs.  Make the bed and then find something to watch on TV.  I anticipate I will go to bed early but don’t want to go too early or I will wake up in the middle of the night. 

As long as I can make it out of the house for breakfast, groceries and to fill the gas tank, it will be a win for me.  Those are really the only things I want to accomplish tomorrow.  Here’s hoping a good nights sleep is all I need to feel better. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Yay–Friday

Morning and welcome in!

Hope your doing well.  Made it to another Friday.  Thursday wasn’t a bad day just a long day.  Saw the Orange Tabby Cat stopped by for a quick daytime visit.  No one saw it but me and that’s thanks to the camera or I would have missed it too.  Chicken Pot Pie for supper, which was good but the crust didn’t crisp up despite adding 30 additional seconds.  Looks like next time I will cook it for the full 10 minutes.  It was red hot when I pulled it out and I can only imagine 30 additional seconds will make it more lava like but if it crisps the crust then it’s worth it. 

Watched a special I found on YouTube from over the pond about Air Fryers and their dangers.  Turns out that if you have an Air Fryer you should treat it like a toaster and unplug it when it’s not in use.  Plus they need plenty of space for air to circulate around them, so don’t back up against a wall.  Use little oil and don’t cram the basket full.  I don’t own an Air Fryer but found the news insightful and helpful as I have been looking at getting one for a couple years just haven’t spent the money.  Cost isn’t the issue it’s where in the world would I put it and would I actually use it or would it be much like my iPad that I just had to have that spends the bulk of it’s time sitting idle on the couch.  That’s why I haven’t made the move but I would love to try some air fried food like French Fries or Onion Rings maybe even a Sandwich.  Wonder what reheated Pizza would taste like? 

I often don’t know what to watch on YT and venture down rabbit holes some are interesting and others not so much.  It’s quite interesting and like social media it learns what you like and puts videos up that you might be interested in along with videos from channels you subscribe to.  Paying for no commercials was a great move for me because they are incredibly frustrating for the amount of YT that I watch. 

Spent plenty of time with both cats.  Played with Rudy last night, it was short lived  Mora wasn’t in the mood.  Once I settle in my room for the night is when they play alone and make noise.  Like they are wearing themselves out from the nap they just took so they can sleep through the night.  They are awake more at night than one would think but they do spend a good portion of their lives sleeping.  Still got my eye on Rudy but I think he might have just been having a couple off days.  Cats are the masters at disguise and while that can be good it’s not when it comes to their health.  Really wish they could talk English, we would have so many conversations but I would mostly enjoy hearing how they feel.  We still have conversations but do either of us really know what the other is trying to say?  Sometimes yes and other times no. 

My morning started off a little busy but I have managed to catch up and hopefully the rest of the day is smooth sailing.  At least I can hope.  No meetings just waiting around to see what rolls in. 

Worked on my back last night with my massage gun and my Back Knobber.  It’s a large purple S shaped tool that has round points on the ends so you can dig into muscle knots.  I got it many years ago off Amazon at the recommendation of my original massage therapist.  I’m a little sore today.  Rudy looked at me like I was waving a toy in front of his face but I assured him it was no toy.  This tool hardly replaces hands on work from a massage therapist but if you have a knot that is bugging you this will help work it out.  I’ve got an eStim machine and planning on using it today to help further give my back some work.  It’s much more beneficial to schedule a massage, if you can get the right person to do the job.  I’d love a nice relaxing massage but that would do nothing for muscle knots, so I have to go for torture therapy aka Deep Tissue.  Shame I can’t teach the moves to Mora and Rudy, then I could hire them out and they could earn their keep.  Hey I can dream. 

No real plans for the weekend other than the usual grabbing a bite to eat and hitting up the grocery store.  Thinking of visiting friends but I will probably be too lazy come morning so I will just loaf.  Next week is my last week of not being on-call and I have a haircut booked for early on Saturday morning so that would be a better time to make the trip to see friends plus I will already be out of the house.  We shall see. 

Hope that your weekend is great and enjoyable.  Can’t believe how close we are to Thanksgiving.  Saw an ad for Ruth Chris Steakhouse they serve a 3 course meal that looks delicious, but then again don’t all food ads look that way?  I’m planning on joining my friends as I usually do despite nothing being formalized yet I know that it was in the works from the way they talked last month. 

Talk with you again soon.  Be well. 

Friday

Welcome one and all!

I’ve talked before about listening to that little voice inside (aka your conscience).  Well mine has been nagging at me to submit for the two days of sick time that I took.  I’ve been neglecting to log time when I take off sick as I’m salaried so it’s not like it changes my pay just eats up my time.  There is some new sick time program but no one has bothered to explain it to salaried folks.  Anyway, I put in for the two days I took.  Then I put in for time in December taking the bulk of my time just before Christmas.  It’s probably a bad move from a Mental Health perspective but I don’t want to loose anytime.  That leaves me with about 3 days to play with to take as either scheduled time off or sick.  I will certainly try my best to use those before the year is out. 

I’ve got a meeting with the boss later today, it’s the usual touch point and I don’t expect it will be anything other than what it usually is a colossal waste of my time.

I managed to complete some work and my usual tasks this morning.  Feeling pretty good all things considered. 

I woke up around 2a and didn’t get back to sleep until 4a.  Both cats helped me get back to sleep.  Mora curled up beside me and Rudy jumped on top of me and curled up.  Their motors were on and I was out pretty quickly.  I was in such a sound and deep sleep the alarm clock woke me up.  I think Rudy didn’t bother or if he did I never knew it.  He’s not shy about asking for food even if it’s not time to eat. 

Got my massage that I am looking forward to tonight it will likely be the last massage that I get despite that I have one more appointment booked.  I’m not sure if I will keep that one or not because it’s on a Wednesday.  I want my massages on a Friday – Wednesday’s can be rocky or calm it’s a tough call.  Friday’s could be the same way but odds are that things will be calm regardless if I am on call or not.  I kind of hate to give up massages but I know that I can always look for a new therapist if I so desire it’s only going to cost me a little bit more money and getting that new person used to my knots berry farm of a back. 

Rain but no severe weather is in the forecast for the weekend.  I do plan ton hitting up the buffet on Saturday unless something changes that.  I need to hit the cat food store as the little hell raisers are running out of food. 

My plan is to enjoy the weekend as much as I can because come Monday it’s that time again, yep I will be on-call and hating the entire week of it.  I need to work on the schedule for next year but I am putting that off for when things calm down which if all goes correctly should happen in a few weeks as we enter November.  Damn this year is such a blur and I can’t believe it’s about over. 

Figured out that the prescription for my new computer glasses is off a bit.  Looking at my primary screen things are fine but if I shift my eyes to the right I can see but not quite that well that’s where things look a little blurry.  Thankfully I can use my old pair.  I’m taking the new pair upstairs to use with my laptop and one screen to see if that helps.  I always hate vision tests it feels like there is so much pressure 1 or 2 or 3 or 4.  It’s like hurry up and pick a number.  Regardless of the doctor I’ve always felt that pressure.  Kind of glad that I didn’t get a new daily wear prescription because it would probably be off as well.  I’ve not done well at all with my goal to start wearing my glasses daily, the majority of the things I look at appear just fine.  Unless there is dim lighting and tiny print I am fine, so I go all natural and enjoy it while my vision is still decent.  I know with age that will slide too.  I kind of feel like eye doctors lie a bit and they all charge differently I know that none of them know exactly how insurance coverage works, they just bill for what ever gets them the most money regardless if it comes from you or your insurance company. 

Well I’ve got a little bit of time to kill before the boss calls so I’m heading up to be with the cats for a while.  Sadly the call is scheduled for about the time Rudy expects lunch.  It’s going to be a little late today but he will live.  It was super late yesterday and both cats were unhappy but they ate, forgot about it and passed out.  Eat, play a little, nap and get up and do it all over again.  Not a bad way to spend the day especially when you don’t have a care in the world and everything is free like food, water, shelter and companionship.  I’d love to be one of my cats they have the world by the tail so to speak. 

Have a great day and weekend!

Friday Night & Saturday…

I was able to enjoy a Steak & Cheese sandwich prior to my massage but I had an interruption from work in the process. Plus, I was asked to take care of something in the evening but a half hour before my massage. Everything came together and worked out just fine.

I got my massage and it was intense. I asked for some leg pulls and got them but they were not as brisk as I wanted. As per usual she found all of the knots and I was super tight. She worked my shoulders/arms as well as my neck. It all hurt like hell. When we were done and as I was paying, she dropped a bomb that she isn't working on Fridays starting in November, she will only be working Tuesdays & Wednesdays. I told her that I wasn't a fan of that. I booked a Wednesday evening in November and it's on a week that I am not on-call. Things are typically pretty calm for my team in the evenings but you never really know when an emergency will strike and you will be needed. For that reason, I purposely schedule massages on Friday's as they tend to be calmer and quieter days. I've been thinking about massages in general and I'm not going often enough to reap true benefits from it. I need something every couple weeks – a couple 90-minute sessions then I can drop to 60 minutes every other week. I've had times when I was able to meet this schedule with her but for the most part, she is booked solid and doesn't have a lot of availability. I've been thinking of stopping for a while. I mean I pay money to get worked over, be sore for a few days and then given my job, the knots either reoccur or start to flair back up. It seems like a huge waste of time and money. Right now, I am letting things play out but I think come November unless she can accommodate me, we are probably done.

It's been one thing after another with this lady. First, she stopped Saturdays. Then she raised her prices. Then about 6 months later she raised her prices again. Now she's not going to work on Friday's. I mean not everyone can make it on a Tuesday or Wednesday. I might not be able to find someone cheaper than her but I can find someone who can cater more to my preferred dates and times. I'm just very unhappy and disappointed in her.

Once I got home, I started the dishwasher. Closed up the blinds in the back. Had a soda and some cookies. Then surfed social media from my bedroom free of my clothes. The cats joined me; they wanted to play but I wasn't in the mood. I got them to sleep and once I was done surfing I thought about watching a movie but figured I would fall asleep so I just flipped through You Tube. Eventually enough time passed that I elected to get up and brush my teeth and do my normal shutdown routine. That of course excited both cats and they wanted to play. I gave in and Rudy had some playtime. Mora just didn't want to be bothered for some reason. I called it and we all went back to my room to watch more TV until I got sleepy and called it a night.

Rudy woke me early this morning and I told him it was my day off. He let me sleep in an hour and woke me at 7a. I got up because I had placed an Amazon order and some items were arriving early. Passed out breakfast for the cats. Checked the front porch and no packages. I had breakfast and got my meds. Then fired up my police scanner and phone. Waited for my deliveries, I had two one was early morning and the other was early afternoon.

Got a leaf blower that will operate on the same battery as the weed eater I bought. Figured that I will blow the leaves into the grass from the deck and maybe just maybe the lawn guys will chop them up with their mower. Although there aren't many of them right now. Give it a few more weeks. The other big purchase I got was a Clarasonic Mia 2. I've wanted this for a long time and know that Sonic Cleansing of the face does improve skin tone and my face just feels cleaner. I used to get a lot of compliments too on how good I looked. I got a few other items as well in my deliveries but those two were the big dollar items. Amazon loves me.

In checking my phone, I saw that I had a like on one of the dating apps. I didn't think much of it as these typically turn out to be women or guys that are in another part of the country. As soon as I opened the app, I saw a guy that looked really good. I gave his profile a like and presto we matched. He was the person who liked me. Were several hours away from each other. We started talking. First it was just a few interactions and then he just dropped. I figured his phone died or he lost interest in me. An hour later he resumed the conversation. I answered him and we had a little bit more interaction. Then it's been nothing but dead air since early afternoon. I am not overly excited as I learned a long time ago the hard way not to emotionally invest in the apps as they usually lead to nothing but disappointment. Who knows if this is going any place. He's younger than me and also a Widower – so we do have a few things in common. He made it quite clear that he doesn't want a one-night stand and I told him that I didn't either, again another thing in common. I'm not 100% convinced that he's not a robot or that it's a fake profile but I suppose if we keep talking that things will play out. I'd like for this to work out but again I have no huge expectations.

I wish that I was meeting him or someone in person. This having a burst of conversation and then nothing but silence, well that wouldn't occur if we were in person and if it did one of us would surely get up and leave. I hate dating via an app just because it's awkward. Hell, dating to me is awkward considering that I never experienced it until my spouse passed away and I went on the hunt. It's kind of like playing the lottery, you pay your money and take your chances. Not everyone is a winner.

That leads me back to the whole Prison Pen-Pal thing. I know that none of those folks are upstanding citizens but I'm positive I could hold a conversation better via a letter or email with one of them just as a friend and nothing more. I'd never date a convict and just because they made a mistake doesn't mean society should give up on them. I am giving the idea some consideration but admittedly I do have safety concerns. I'd have to look into how great the protection is but on a cursory level it appeared to me that you could write via email instead of snail mail so I wouldn't have to provide an address. If you have an opinion one way or another, I'd love to hear it if you're willing to share.

I've had something eating at me that I have kept quiet about for a few days. So, I grew up when MTV had The Real World. It is reality TV where 7 strangers move into a house together and share their lives for, I think 3 to 6 months. It was great meeting the cast but soon you figure out who's gay (there was always at least 1 gay person – male or female). Then the drama starts and the issues play out. Before you know it, the season is done and everyone is tearing up saying goodbye. I watched most but not all seasons. It's been interesting to see the reunions that have taken place and how grown-up people have become.

Back in 2006 The Real World was in Denver. Davis Mallory was one of the cast members. He identified as a Gay Christian. He was a super cute frat boy with Blond Hair and Blue Eyes. He was a DJ/Musician. You can find his work on Spotify. I really like his song American Boy. Well, he announced to the world roughly 10 or so days ago that he was no longer sexually attracted to men and doesn't identify as gay. This is all because he found God and became Baptized. He's got a song about it. This whole thing bothers me because you can't just stop being gay as if it's a choice. I mean you can stop eating pasta or ice cream those are choices. Sexuality, well it's simply not a choice. You can experiment to see what you like but at the end of the day you are who you are. Gay, Straight or Bi. I know there are other types of sexuality that have evolved over the years but I don't recognize nor understand those other choices – it's always been the 3 Gay, Straight or Bi. Kind of like you’re a man or a woman – there is no other choice and no in between. I think you can be a man trapped in a woman's body or a woman trapped in a man's body and transition but still your either Male or Female at the end of the day.

I know that God can change your life. Just because you stop having sex with dudes doesn't mean suddenly that you're not gay or that your "cured". Think about it for a second if sexuality was a choice who in their right mind would choose to be gay? Your different from everyone else, often ostracized, discriminated against, made fun of, beaten up or even killed just because of your sexuality. It would be far easier to be straight and blend in. I mean I like who I am and I like dudes, that's just who I am. If I could suddenly change all of that, don't you think I would have done it a long time ago, my life would be so much easier. I don't know if Davis truly is a changed person or this is just a publicity stunt to promote an album. I just find it a bit disturbing. However, Davis has to live his life as he sees fit just as you and I do.

Well, Mora is bothering me and telling me that I need to get upstairs. Morning is going to roll around soon enough. Meanwhile she is soaking up attention like a sponge and just can't ever get enough of it. That's why I call her Mora because she always wants more of something. Guess it's time to call this post done and go up, make the bed and jump in.

Hope you had an amazing Saturday and that Sunday is equally as great. Cheers!

Nice Afternoon

Happy Friday!

I had a nice afternoon.  A little tricky commute to the eye doctor because the exit I needed to take from the freeway was closed.  However, Waze got me there via a different route.  It’s the only time that I turn the voice turn by turn on.  It’s a bit chatty for me but I don’t see how anyone that uses the app can possibly get lost because it really “mother hens” you all the way there. 

I forgot to ask a question but hey there is always next year.  It’s honestly not that important.  The visit it’s self was super quick.  In and out like I was at a quick oil change place.  Cataract has grown a little bit but is still in the very early stages.  My prescription has changed. 

I looked at Frames and honestly it’s a lot of choices and tough for me to decide.  I wanted to talk about changing the lens in my existing daily wear pair (that I don’t wear).  I wanted to go back to wearing them.  Then get a new pair of computer glasses.  Well they kept me waiting so long that I kind of lost interest.  I just put the person through their paces to get me a quote.  Turns out that it was slightly more expensive than I thought it would be.  I’m getting computer glasses on my own through Warby Parker.  Next year I will get new daily wear glasses.  Meanwhile I am going to try to be more diligent about wearing them.  Starting slowly and then hopefully moving up to full time.  Only rule I have is that I have to take my glasses off when I eat.  I hate the feeling of chewing and feeling the frames on my face, something about it just doesn’t sit right with me. 

I always wanted glasses and well now that it’s a requirement for at least the computer, I hate them.  Kind of like when you were a kid and wanted to be an adult.  You soon find that it’s not all that it you’d thought.  I’m not into poking my eye so I will never be a contact guy.  They require so much work.  My brother and mom had them.  Nothing but trouble. 

Anyway after I finished up at the eye doc.  I headed out for an early Lupper (that’s lunch and supper combined).  It was 3:30p and I didn’t get my food until 4p by the time I arrived and got waited on.  Had a large fish sandwich and some onion rings.  The onion rings came with a sauce and I managed to spill a little bit on my shirt.  Not something that happens often but now and then.  Little did I know that would turn in to quite the tasty treat for Mora.  Thankfully it wasn’t spicy but it looked like it was. 

Had a nice drive home and that’s where I have been ever since.  Looking forward to my massage later this evening.  Then a weekend where I am free, except for buying cat food.  Here is hoping that isn’t as difficult as it was 2 weeks ago. 

Chatted last night with my Thanksgiving friends.  Confirmed what I already knew that Rudy’s chin biting is nothing more than a love bite.  They thought it was super cute.  Yeah it is but it hurts a little bit.  He uses light pressure but it’s still firm enough so that I know he was there.  Mora does some nibbling too but on my fingers and not my face.  Nothing much new but it was a nice conversation.  I’m ready for our next get together which unless something changes will be Thanksgiving.  Hard to fathom but it’s true. 

Coming back to work this morning there wasn’t much email but there was quite the work to do.  I’ve already knocked it out.  The mistake maker is off today.  The old timer I work with is taking time to go to a funeral so it’s just me and the boss.  Boss is on vacation after today – hip hip hooray!  Two weeks of freedom for me. 

Dealing with some back pain that has plagued me on and off over the last couple weeks.  Kind of feels like my degenerative disc issue is starting to catch up with my body.  Thinking of having a nice soak in the tub.  That will be interesting to see how the cats react, I’ve wanted to try it for a while now.  However, I am much more of a shower person.  I can tell you for sure that I have a date with the heating pad. 

Looking forward to eating Steak & Cheese sandwich for supper.  I’ve got two of them but only plan on eating 1 of them prior to my massage.  Hopefully, it will be a calm afternoon and I can squeeze in an early supper.  I like to eat early before a massage just to give my body time to digest the food before I go laying flat on a table for an hour. 

Have a nice weekend!

Wiped Out

As yesterday wore on I became more and more depleted of energy and felt very much wiped out.  I made it to Wendy’s to fetch a burger and some chili.  They didn’t pay attention and I got a small instead of a large chili and my burger had something on it that I asked the to remove.  However, my order did match my receipt and I was home when I made this discovery.  I didn’t have the energy or patience to go back.  I just ate what I was given.  It actually wasn’t bad.  I got way more crackers than I would ever use. 

I really wanted a shave and shower but felt so zapped that I just passed that up.  I got ready for bed early and just called it a night.  Both cats wanted to play and well that didn’t happen either.  I felt bad for them. 

I was just eager to get to sleep.  I watched TV and it felt like I would never fall asleep but about an hour later medicine started to work and the events of the day finally caught up with me.  I was out and wow it felt great. 

Woke up a few times to use the bathroom but I was able to fall back asleep.  My master plan was to wake up early and get in that shave and shower.  I did wake up early but just wanted to sleep more so it never happened. 

I still feel a little out of it but way better than I did.  I’ll get that shave and shower tonight or at least that is the plan for now.  Thankfully I am no longer on-call so outside of a few meetings my day is pretty well wide open and that will allow me to get away from the computer and relax a bit more.  Of course I have to keep my phone by me but it’s refreshing when something comes in and I can hit delete instead of having to jump and deal with it. 

Welcome to Fall.  I’ve had leaves on my deck for a couple weeks now but as the days roll on they are starting to mount.  I see them in neighbors yards as well.  I’m watching my favorite tree across the street and waiting for the leaves to turn so I can snap a photo.  I’ve been here just as long as that tree has been, I found photos when it was just a baby and I had just moved in. 

Apparently we have rain moving in over the course of the next couple days.  It’s badly needed since things have dried out.  My lawn like others is fried but there is still some green and it’s growing a little bit.  Not like it needs to be mowed every week, it could go every other week but I’m not trying to make changes to that it would result in a cluster. 

Working on wiping my old iPhone and having to wait for some count down timer because the phone doesn’t think it’s in a familiar location.  It’s at home with me, the same place it was when I turned on Apple’s protection feature.  I don’t quite know what I am going to do with it yet but am leaning towards selling it.  I just want to get it wiped and off of my account for now. 

Here’s hoping Monday isn’t too bad and the rest of the week is easy too.  Looking forward to seeing my eye doc later this week.  Hopefully, I get some decent news.  I’ve got a massage to wrap up the week and do very much look forward to that.  My back is a wreck. 

Thanks for stopping by and take care!

The tip is gone

Good afternoon,

Today has been quite busier than a normal Thursday. The morning was calm but I was busy working on a project. I got interrupted a few times but for the most part was able to concentrate my efforts. I planned to pick up and hopefully finish that project today after lunch. Well, that's when things got really crazy busy out of the blue. I wasn't able to devote any additional time to the project and my part has to be done tomorrow or at the latest before Monday. I really don't plan to work the weekend so I am going to try to finish up tomorrow. I had a usual touch point conversation with my boss; we both complained to each other about our day. It was the usual waste of time.

The cluster project is still on going and I really thought that this week at some point the second wave for me/my team would be ready but thus far that's not the case. I can only hope that it holds off for one more day because I've got a lot on my plate to get done and limited time.

Last night I had Stouffer's Lasagna, which isn't bad for microwave food, all things considered. Watched a podcast and more YouTube.

Rudy was itching to play before bed and I picked up one of the old cat teasers (back from Momma's family) we had been playing with it since it's all feathers. That's when I discovered one of them (most likely Mora) chewed off the rubber tip at the end. I'm certain that it was small enough that which ever one of these cats did it that they swallowed it. I figured that would be impending doom and I worried but played with Rudy.

Slept crappy woke up at 3a and had to watch TV in order to fall back asleep. The cats kept me company.

Passed out breakfast and Rudy was all about it. Mora was very slow to get out of bed. I had to call her several times to eat. Just as I was about to get up, she came around the corner. I saw her eat and that's when that feeling of impending doom left me. Both cats are eating, drinking and going to the bathroom – so all is well.

I've got the trash out, even if I was later than I wanted to be. Fed the cats supper and now Mora is next to me waiting for treats but were hours from that time. I need to figure out what I am going to eat.

I'm just passing time and watching things at work, hoping that I am done for the day. My left shoulder is killing me, there is a knot in the back and I would love nothing more than to rip it out but that's not happening. No massage scheduled until the end of next week. Hopefully, I can work it out a little bit and get some relief.

Hope that you had a superb day! Talk with you all again soon.

Weekend

Hey, I hope your enjoying the weekend!  It’s been so – so for me.  Friday I should have gone with my gut to cancel my massage.  I left with pain that I didn’t come in with and it’s persisting through the weekend.  It’s livable and I am sure that things will return to normal over the course of the next few days.  I don’t often listen to my gut enough aka that little voice inside.  I don’t go back for 3 weeks and that will be my birthday week.  I booked 90 minutes for that appointment and I have thoughts of cancelling.  In fact I have thoughts of just not going back ever.  I kind of feel like I am throwing my money away I don’t get a whole lot of relief.  The therapist is trying to re-create a Zen moment where I told her that was the best massage she ever gave me.  Unfortunately, it’s all guess work and she has yet to be able to even come close to recreating it.  Not to mention I smelled her BO and garlic breath the entire massage, not exactly what I’d call a pleasant experience.  The BO was new but garlic breath is normal and not the first time I’ve smelled it.  Chew some gum, grab a bit and for God sakes put on some stronger deodorant. 

Saturday I did manage to get up early, not as early as I wanted to but I got a shower and made it to breakfast.  The place was packed and I had to park on the side of the building, that was a first.  I got my normal waitress and told her that I am glad that come next Sunday things can go back to normal.  Had my Strawberry French Toast and Eggs, it was good and cheaper than it normally is. 

I grabbed the mail and then headed off for my haircut.  I was on-time as per usual but my barber was running late which is also as per usual.  I don’t know what it is about professional people but they can’t seem to keep track of time. 

It was already hot out and I didn’t want to stand around in the heat and chew the fat so I didn’t go see my friends and instead came home to a nice air-conditioned house and hung out with the cats.  We watched TV and lounged around for the bulk of the morning and some of the afternoon. 

Finally I wanted to get going and it took forever to get out of here.  I didn’t know it until I was about to head out but I had sat in a hairball and it was all over my jeans.  Gross.  Had to change and then I was able to leave. 

Made it to the Mexican restaurant by the office.  They had no ac inside or if it was working it was doing a poor job.  There were fans on though so it was okay but not the best.  I got some excellent fresh chips and salsa.  I’ve got a love for their salsa but my body hates it so it talks back.  It was really good though.  My meal arrived and I’ve honestly had better but it wasn’t a bad meal just not over the top.  Finished up there and headed into the office. 

Saw a guy who I’ve got a crush on, he was almost unrecognizable since he decided to grow a beard.  I’m not a fan of facial hair, I mean a few days is okay and then shave it off.  Clean shaven is my favorite look for me and for the guys I am typically into.  Anyway, got my work done and then headed home.

Worked on laundry, paying bills and then taming my email.  Finally I had some time left for porn surfing and making my rounds to a couple blogs. 

Back upstairs I promised both cats a brushing.  Rudy needed a nail trim and after I brushed him which he really enjoyed I went to trim his nails and found the trimmer was broken.  I had to do some repair work to get it functioning again but it’s back.  I had to trim Rudy’s claws with my nail clippers and he wasn’t a huge fan of that.  It will take him a little longer to get them filed so they are pointy and sharp again but the longer the better for me.  Brushed Mora.  Both cats were super fury.  I plan to go over them again tonight for good measure. 

I feel bad about not brushing them, my hearts in the right place but after working all day I really don’t want to mess with much of anything.  It’s a wonder I make myself dinner.  That’s a wrap on Saturday. 

This morning I woke up a little too early and Rudy kept me company.  When it was time to get up he curled up underneath my arm and started purring.  I can listen to any cat purr for hours on end.  It’s so soothing.  Anyway I had to break up the party and get going.  I passed out their breakfast.  Threw on some clothes and took my meds.  Then went to a fast food place for a rather cheap breakfast. 

Moved on to the grocery store where I was in and out in a flash.  Managed to drop $68.  Then went on to the car wash.  Saw an okay looking guy there.  Got the bug juice off my window.  Came home to dry the vehicle off and found a paint chip by the drivers tail light.  It was up high and kind of an odd place.  Not happy about that but it’s an easy fix or so I think.

Got the groceries put away and then went to lounge in front of the TV and managed to take a half hour nap.  Woke up and passed out lunch for the cats.  I had some junk food for lunch.  Got my meds all laid out for the week.  Then to the garage.  Broke out the masking tape and touch up paint.  I touched up the area and am letting it bake in the hot garage before I pull the tape off later this afternoon.  Hopefully, it looks good. 

Cleaned the house and came down to throw the laundry in the dryer.  I didn’t want to mess with it last night.  Now that it’s done it will be time to haul it back up and put it all away.  I’ve made my rounds on the internet, not much going on considering it’s the weekend. 

I plan to go out for pizza a bit later.  I was torn about which pizza place to hit up.  I’m going back to the place where the guys used to be, I don’t expect to see any hot guys but I do have plans to enjoy a great pizza as well as a nice drive.  Then the day will be done and Monday will be calling soon enough.  Only good thing about that is that I won’t be on-call.  However, the mistake maker is on vacation so there will be a little more work than usual for me or so I anticipate.  Hey I made it for months without him I can certainly handle 1 week.  Besides that he will have to do the same in 3 weeks when I go on vacation.  If my time off calculations are correct I still have roughly another week to burn before I get to the limit of what I can carry over to next year.  I’d like to take some time off around the holidays if that’s feasible. 

Stay cool and hydrated, that’s what I am doing.  Talk with you all again soon. 

 

Late to the party

Hey hope that all is well.  Sorry I am late to the party with my post.  This morning things were super chill and I rode the wave and watched TV & got in a nap.  It was nice to relax and get paid for it at the same time.  The ride was over after lunch and it got busy but I am riding a lull again and hope that it lasts for the rest of the day. 

My neck is still bothering me a little bit.  I thought about cancelling my massage but I am still going.  I am just going to ask that my neck not be touched.  I got my shower last night and did a double cleanse of my neck area.  I finished with cold water and man that felt really good.  It bothered me a bit after I got out but it faded away quickly.  One side looks really good and the other side it’s still red.  I think a haircut tomorrow probably isn’t the best thing but there will be no neck shaving with a razor blade. 

Supper last night was two frozen White Castle cheeseburgers.  I added some Sizzling Cheeseburger chips in from Doritos and it wasn’t a bad meal but it wasn’t the best.  I was more of a desert fan and had a hot Apple Fritter.  Thinking about that I’ll bet a hot Apple Fritter with some Vanilla Ice Cream would be pretty good.  Might try that later on tonight. 

It is so hot and humid outside you can for sure tell that were back in August.  The poor AC has been running and I am glad that I have it & it’s functioning as designed.  The cats still love to feel the cold air from the vents and just sit in front of them and stare, soaking it all in.

Speaking of the cats, it’s been a day and there hasn’t been a fight thus far.  Here’s hoping we make it the whole day.  We played pretty hard last night.  Rudy was jumping and really got into playtime like I haven’t seen from him in a while.  He also hasn’t bit me on the chin again, which I am thankful for. 

Hope that all is well in your world and that we all have a great weekend.  Take care and thanks as always for stopping by.  Feel free to drop a comment, I don’t bite unless you want me to!

Pain in the Neck

Hey there thanks for stopping by and welcome in. 

My neck is doing okay.  I managed to resist the urge to apply anything to it yesterday.  I find that when I put on or take off my shirt that seems to aggravate things.  I feel itching and burning, kind of like if I think about it the symptoms seem to come on.  Looking in the mirror one side is pretty well cleared up while the other side is still bright red.  I noticed some additional peeling last night before bed.  I took another Benadryl capsule and my regular sleeping meds.  I did wake up briefly overnight at 3a.  I thought I would have problems going back to sleep but managed to pass out before I knew what hit me.  Woke up to a cat fight that was mild, I yelled and managed to go back to sleep. 

Rudy was with me for my wake up call.  He’s started a new habit with me that I will get to in a moment.  Last night he was grooming himself and I went to pet him twice and managed to scare him half to death.  He jumped and his tail puffed up.  I apologized and calmed him down.  He came over to me and gave me a couple licks on the face and then he bit my chin.  I figured that was just payback for scaring him.  Well this morning with his wake up routine I got licks and another chin bite.  Not sure if this is going to be a regular thing now.  It’s funny but it hurts a little.  It’s a love bite and he isn’t breaking the skin.  I kind of hope that this isn’t going to be a new habit.  Biscuits are great and licks are okay as well, even though sometimes they too are painful.  

Speaking of last night I was on track to get a shower but instead opted to watch a movie and it pulled me in.  The suggestion came from social media and it was spot on.  The movie is called The Pickup and it’s on Amazon Prime.  Pete Davidson and Eddie Murphy are in it.  I don’t laugh easy and this movie had me laughing at least twice.  It’s action and comedy.  If you watch it stay until the credit roll. 

I had more Fried Chicken last night and it felt like the meat tasted worse.  I ate a little bit of it but threw the rest out.  Finished up the mashed potatoes, have some coleslaw (which is delicious) and a biscuit left, along with 2 more pieces of Chicken.  I am going to eat the Coleslaw and probably the biscuit but the rest of the meal is going in the trash can.  I hate to do it but just can’t stomach it again.  Next time I will stick to original recipe and wait around for drumsticks if they don’t have them.  Never really had issues with KFC. Hope that this was an isolated experience. 

I am for sure getting a shower tonight, I’ve got a massage tomorrow evening.  Depending on how I feel I might tell the therapist to stay away from my neck.  I really don’t want to irritate my skin any more than it has to be.  Giving things a chance to calm down and while the redness probably won’t go away so long as the itching, burning and skin peeling stops I will be good with that for now. 

Last night I was reminded of one of the biggest lies you can tell yourself.  The words I will be happy when or I will be happy if.  Truth is you won’t be happy, you will always want something else. There is a song by Lazyboy that calls this out but right now I don’t know the name of the song.

Hope it’s a great day for all of us.  Take care!

Oh Yeah–Friday

We made it to another Friday folks!  I am happy about that because it means some time away from work, which is a very good thing.  Of course work has tried to throw a monkey wrench in my plans for Saturday but I have managed to navigate around that thus far.  Hopefully, they won’t be dishing out any more obstacles.  I really want to enjoy this weekend. 

Looking very forward to my massage tonight and hope that the knots (aka golf balls) in my back can be worked out.  My birthday week can’t come fast enough for that 90 minute massage, that is where the real progress is made. 

My soreness from the refrigerator adventure is wearing off as expected.  I still have some soreness from it but it’s fleeting and I expect will be fully gone by the time the weekend is done if not sooner. 

Pushed the trash out in the rain yesterday afternoon, that was no fun.  However, I am glad that I got it out when I did because I was in a light shower.  We got a monsoon that swept through a little later and I would have been fully soaked if I was foolish enough to go out in that.  We are back to an over abundance of rain and water issues are surfacing around the area.  Lots of flooding.  All is well here though. 

Saw Phil or maybe Phyllis last night – the groundhog.  Just eating grass like it was going out of style and keeping it’s ears tuned.  That thing can really move.  Not sure who would win if it went up against the cats in a race but I think it would be a close call.  Were never going to find out though. 

Finished off my garlic bread and pasta last night.  It was pretty good but not as good as it was on day 1.  Nothing really much on YouTube last night but I managed to find some videos to pass the time. 

Tried to play with the cats before going to bed.  Rudy was all revved up and eager.  I gave him time and attention.  Mora came to see what was taking so long and why I wasn’t playing with her.  Both of them seemed to loose interest.  Mora began playing with her ball in a circle and I just quietly walked away. 

We all met up again in my bedroom as I passed a little bit of time before climbing in bed.  Went looking for some cartoons since I was really bored with the options I was presented.  I found something and it wasn’t long before I was powering off for the night. 

Had a series of strange dreams.  Like I got a job working at Target and we were trying to track down the owner of a mystery purse and gift card.  I was never so happy to wake up and see Rudy guarding me.  I had to wake him up for a change but he sprang to life and came to greet me with his smile and biscuits.  I don’t think he was feeling the best – but something was for sure up with him.  We started the day as normal. 

Now here’s hoping for a mostly calm and quiet day.  I’ve already had a few things rattling the old inbox this morning.  Hope that your day is good and that your weekend is even better.   Talk with you all again soon!

Back to it

I had an average nights sleep.  I woke up early this morning around 3a.  I tried to go back to sleep but since that wasn’t an option I turned on the TV for an hours.  That kind of got me sleepy and I tried to go back to sleep.  Just as I was settling in the weather radio went off.  I was once again wide awake after hearing the loud siren like alert.  Back to the TV for a while. 

Mora came and snuggled up with me, she wanted a hug and cuddle time.  I still had some room in bed for myself but there wasn’t a lot of wiggle room.  I managed to get back to sleep for a while then Rudy came over closer to normal wake up time to greet me and I just got up. 

I wanted to take another day just because I was tired and wanted to go back to bed.  However, I kind of figured that I would be sleepy.  I pushed forward and after breakfast didn’t feel too bad. 

My hip bothered me again last night.  I did some stretching and repositioning myself in bed which helped a little bit.  I’m hopeful that this will go away it only seems to bother me when I am laying down.  I say that and just got a dull ache sitting in the chair from the same area. 

I know I am out of shape and each time I do something that involves exerting physical effort other than something simple I pay the price for it days later.  I want to go back to my youth where the pain lasted a day if that and then things were all better. 

My back is bothering me a little bit but my massage tomorrow night should hopefully take care of that.  I don’t want anything to spoil my weekend plans. 

I watched a lot of You Tube videos yesterday some podcasts, some cartoons, bloopers from TV shows – anything that grabbed my attention and I thought would be interesting.  Cartoons help relax and lull me to sleep plus the cats seem to like them. 

I’m sure you saw the Man Candy before this post wanted to get that published first thing.  I am pretty well caught up at work just watching for things that pop up.  If I would have taken another day probably wouldn’t have that luxury all the more reason to get back in the game. 

Here’s hoping that the day breezes by and it’s calm and easy.  I hope you have a great day as well.  Take care & thanks for stopping by!

Quick update

No surprise my back is killing me.  I was really exhausted and out of it after this morning.  I was able to take a short break to help recover.  Then work just came flooding in and I had no choice I had to stick with it.  I powered through and made it to lunch. 

The carpet is dry thanks to the help of a fan.  It is stained but I am sure if I use the carpet cleaner on it I will probably be able to clear that up.  I am in no hurry.  The cats weren’t too happy about it but it got the job done.  I pushed the fridge back in place and confirmed the floor was dry prior to doing so.  I found one spot after I pushed it back that had some moisture, which I cleaned up.  Right now it’s a wait and see situation.  I do think and hope the problem is solved.  However, I want to confirm that for sure before I walk away from this. 

I plan to pull the fridge back out tonight after supper and check the floor.  If there is any moisture then I will be calling for a repair person.  I’ve double checked both the fridge and freezer sides with a thermometer and they are both working.  If there is still water/moisture then it has to be a drain line like the YT video said.  I really hope that I solved this on my own, it would make me feel pretty good. 

Even if things are all dry tonight I will still check it again in the morning for the extra piece of mind. 

I dislike household issues but especially when they involve water. 

Since I already feel some of the affects of my so called morning workout I am sure that I will probably be stiff in the all the wrong places come morning or at least I expect that to be the case and to hurt a little bit more.  Having a massage booked on Friday is a good thing!

Right now I just want to coast through the afternoon and am eager to make it to bed time.  Not exactly the Monday I wanted but I know it can always be worse. 

Talk with you all again soon!

Free Chair

Hey there, hope all is well.  I got my massage last night and she didn’t quite get the knots out.  It’s like they were teased just enough to start hurting again.  Hopefully, in a couple days things will calm down. 

I had some issues with sleeping last night.  I opted to eat breakfast at home, saves a little bit of money plus helps to get rid of some cereal and donuts.  Got a shower and had time to lounge with the cats before I left for a while. 

Made it to my haircut appointment, I was early but the barber was running late.  I don’t get that how you make an appointment for a specific time but yet the person your seeing is running behind.  This is true with most professional people like doctors, lawyers and such.  I was raised to always be early or at the very least right on time.  Apparently that went out of style.  It’s true at work for meetings as well. 

Speaking of work that was my next stop.  My laptop was powered on but I don’t know why I couldn’t connect to it.  I gave it a reboot and logged into it to find out where the free chairs were.  Way in the back were the office chairs.  Everything else was just regular end table or conference room chairs.  I snagged a mismatched Aeron Chair by Herman Miller.  There were 3 of them and I picked what I felt was the best of the bunch.  It was a little bit of a task getting it out of the building – into my home and finally to it’s resting place in the basement.  However, I made it. 

The cats are confused why it’s here, it’s not like there is a chair shortage.  However, if it helps my back and tailbone feel better then it’s worth the small hassle I went through to lug it around.  Right now Rudy is sleeping in my all leather former desk chair.  As long as the claws don’t come out I think we will be good. 

Don’t think I mentioned it but I ordered a cat wheel as a birthday present for the cats.  It should arrive next week.  I sure hope this wasn’t a waste of money and that they will actually use it.  I think and hope they will be super pleased and use it a bunch. 

I am still thinking of the buffet from last weekend but I’ve settled on Chinese food for tonight.  I’ve been wanting it for a while and the lyrics of some song I listened to on the drive to the office made me think of it.  I am really looking forward to it.  I will probably hit the buffet up next weekend. 

Tomorrow I am thinking of Mexican food but I may change my mind.  For sure I am looking forward to breakfast out, that’s my favorite meal by far. 

It’s not a whole lot cooler outside but the heat isn’t quite as intense as it has been.  More rain is on the way.  Not exactly what I want to see but I know it’s necessary. 

Watching the clock because it will be time to head out for food soon.  Take care and be well. 

Friday Yap

Morning and Happy Friday!  Temperatures are predicted to drop a little bit here so we get a little bit of rain and some what of a cool off, although it will still be hot out just not as hot as it’s been. 

Spoke with bossman yesterday and he knows the details on my pay raise but said that he’s not authorized to tell me just yet.  He did share that he was able to get the max for me, which is something I hear every year.  I take that line with a grain of salt but once I hear numbers I know if it was a truthful statement or a lie.  He didn’t share what date he could tell me and I didn’t press on that.  Hind sight being 20/20 I wish I would have.  Otherwise our conversation was as it usually is a waste of time. 

I was able to take a little bit of a break yesterday before I finished up the day.  The cats were happy that we were all in the same room.  Rudy bugged me early for food and I gave in.  Mora did the same thing with treats and I also gave in.  Then they both passed out like logs I had a couple hours of peace and quiet to myself. 

I napped at lunch a bit too long because it interrupted my sleep and I was up early this morning.  Also had some very strange dreams.  Glad that I woke up and am back to reality now. 

Enjoyed a decent breakfast with some Cinnamon Chex, a banana and a donut.  Might not be 100% healthy but sure was delicious.  Cats were a little calmer this morning than usual. 

Got my massage this evening and my muscles have calmed down but I do feel some knots.  I hope that we can get those worked out and bring total calm to my back, if only for a couple days. 

I have a haircut booked for tomorrow morning.  Thinking about making the trek to the office.  I powered off my laptop last time I was there and didn’t realize it.  Plus it’s about time to flip the calendar over to July.  Otherwise I really don’t have a reason to go in.  I might talk myself out of it but probably not.  They are having a pizza party today as if pizza was enough to lure me in.  Add in some male strippers and I’d be there but that will never happen.  Good for a laugh though. 

Still thinking about the buffet and the BBQ I had last week that was so good.  I want to make a trip back this weekend but I am on call.  If something came up while I was out I would be sunk but I might take the risk.  If not I am sure that I will find some place to visit locally and lord knows I won’t go hungry!

I hope you have a great weekend that the weather is nice in your neck of the woods and you can relax and unwind.  Take care.

Never thought I’d see this

Morning and welcome in.  Not sure if you have heard the news but the FDA has approved a breakthrough drug that reduces risk of contracting HIV by 96%.  It’s called Lenacapavir and it’s administered by injection every 6 months (or twice per year).  The cost is astounding at $14,109 per injection or $2,352 per month.  That’s a lot of money and I know when the patent on the drug eventually expires the cost will drop.  If your interested in reading more about this check out the article at https://www.advocate.com/health/fda-approves-hiv-drug-lenacapavir

I grew up during the AIDS crisis and it was a scary time.  There was a lot of unknowns and of course that bred plenty of rumors.  I remember kids talking about it in the Physical Education Locker Rooms and how it was associated with fags.  I didn’t know what it was but I for sure knew I was gay although I wasn’t out at that time.  I had experienced sex and wondered if maybe I had it or could get it.  Years later my grandmother was terminally ill and as a result of that I stopped eating, so there was a rapid weight loss and I looked horrible compared to my normal self.  My mom at the time panicked and told our family doctor that I was gay and she thought I had AIDS.  I remember going to the hospital for the blood draw, I was a little embarrassed but mostly scared of what the results would yield.  This is back when you had to wait something like 5 to 7 days for the results.  Man I was on edge for the longest time until the results came back as negative and then I was relieved.  I wasn’t promiscuous and only had sex with 2 people at that point.  1 of which was a virgin like I was and the other was my late spouse who at the time was my boyfriend.  He told me I would be okay and that the results would come back as negative.  He was a very smart man!

I know that we have PREP and lots of people are on it.  However, I never thought I would see more of a sure fire prevention.  Now if they could just develop a cure for HIV and Cancer that would be truly amazing.

On a different note, I lounged around the house for a bit.  Talked myself out of and then into a trip for lupper.  I wound up going to a restaurant that offers a buffet.  I originally thought they closed at 2p and I arrived around 1:30p.  I was surprised at the crowd of people and how no one was seeming to rush but me.  I asked my waitress and then found out that the kitchen is open every day until 9p.  I pushed it to get there before 2p and I could have relaxed.  As it was I wound up missing a turn and that cost me 10 minutes.  I was on one lane gravel roads, hit a few deep potholes which I hated.  Then when I got back to civilization I wound up behind a pickup truck that was hauling tree limbs and sticks.  A small branch broke loose from their load and I ran over it.  I wound up dragging it for miles, eventually it broke loose.  No damage from as best as I can tell and no fluids are leaking so I am quite thankful for that. 

Much to my surprise I got an email from the Chief of Police thanking me for my note and the gift card that I dropped off.  He donated the gift card to a fund that the department has at Christmas time for providing for kids who’s parents can’t afford to get them presents.  Now my gift will make the difference in some kids Christmas.  That makes me feel good.  I’m thinking of making a larger contribution to that fund once we are a little closer to Christmas.  Helping kids enjoy their childhood and innocence is something that is pretty important to me, since my childhood was a bit rocky. 

Speaking of the police turns out they are hiring a telecommunicator otherwise known as a dispatcher.  That’s a job I always wanted as well however talk about high stress and dealing with life and death, well it’s all there.  They make a decent amount of money but it would be a sizeable pay cut for me.  Not to mention that it’s 12 hour shifts and you have to be flexible to work days, nights, weekends and holidays.  I would also have to physically go in each day and there would be no work from home.  I have been thinking of applying despite knowing the risks.  Honestly if it wasn’t for fear of potential failure I’d go for it.  However, I am a little old to be taking such a large risk and gambling with my future.  If I went for it and failed I’d have to search for another job and based on my age alone that would not be easy.  I’m better off staying put.  I still get to help people in my job it’s just not life and death, which I am thankful for.

Happy Summer today is the first day of the season.  We are under a heat advisory and that will go on for days.  Here’s hoping I see some shirtless men walking by the house or even when I am out and about. 

I’ve used the heating pad, taken 1/2 of a muscle relaxer and my muscles are better but I still have some tension and am feeling it as well as the tightness and soreness that accompanies this.  Laying in bed and resting only makes things worse and not better.  That is unless you can afford to spend days doped up on muscle relaxers.  After a couple days you won’t feel anything or care much about anything either.  Unfortunately, I don’t have that kind of time to devote to this.  I just hope I can cope and manage until next Friday when I go for my massage. 

Well back to work, got to finish my catchup work and then unless something rolls in I am free for several hours.  Plenty of late afternoon and evening tasks to take care of.  It’s going to be a long Friday for me.

Hope you have an awesome weekend and that all is well in your world.  Thank you so much for stopping by.  Cheers!

 

Muscle Spasms & Knots

Hi and welcome in!  I hope that this finds you doing well.  I have had a couple days of Muscle Spasms and knots in my back.  Monday I thought that I could fight it off without medicine, just some rest and I would be good as new on Tuesday.  However, that was not the case.  Tuesday I took a Muscle Relaxer and that knocked me out for the morning.  I was up in the afternoon and just lounged around.  I took both days off from work, which I really didn’t want to do.  Really wish that I had a massage booked but I have to wait another week for that, so here’s hoping that things settle down a bit. 

I am back at it today, my back is still sore and hurts.  I am considering taking another pill or at least 1/2 of a pill tonight.  Of course I had the usual mess to dig out of at work and that has pretty much occupied the day. 

Were off tomorrow for Juneteenth and then back on Friday.  I was thinking about visiting the buffet tomorrow just to get out of town for a while and have a nice change of pace.  However, rain is in the forecast so I might just stay put and save that trip for another day. 

The cats have loved being around me and I heard some crying this morning once I was settled in the basement.  Not sure if they were missing me or playing, it was difficult to tell. 

I got a text at lunch time inviting me to a BBQ at my Thanksgiving Friends house.  I had been expecting that and don’t you know it this time they included a time, so I will be there for sure.  I just hope that the food is enjoyable.  At least it’s something to look forward to. 

Searched and scrolled on Amazon to fill up my shopping list.  A lot of things make it on to that list but I never buy them and some others I add them and days later I buy them, sometimes hours later.  Kind of depends on what it is and how badly I need/want it. 

I did visit that pizza place I talked about on Sunday.  I got the fish it was good but the fish and a salad wasn’t nearly enough to leave me feeling full.  I got some desert to go and an order of cheese garlic bread.  I’ve had cheese garlic bread each night this week with my Spaghetti and Meatballs.  Tonight I am heating up the last piece of the bread so I will likely polish off the Spaghetti and Meatballs.  It’s been good but also kind of time to move on to eating something else. 

Last week I came across something disturbing to me, The Milking Coach passed away.  The only notification was on X/Twitter and there are no details just that he passed.  Damn he had the best job in the world at least from my POV.  Such a shame, were either the same age or very close another reason why it’s disturbing to me.  I am guessing not a lot of people have heard of him which is why it didn’t make the gay porn news sites. 

Well I am freezing down here and it’s time to go up and feed the cats and finish off that Italian meal I spoke of.  Just wanted you all to know I am still alive and kicking. 

Take care and I will talk with you all again soon!

 

Thursday

Good morning … Were getting closer to the weekend.  Sadly also the end of the nice sunny weather in my neck of the woods.  Rain should be moving in later this afternoon and then we get to get soaked again.  Days upon days of nothing but rain.  Kind of unusual for this time of year, normally we are dryer if not parched. 

I got a craving last night for the Cheese Bacon Potato casserole with my extra special touch of Doritos Late Night Taco chips crumbled on top with Chula Ranch.  I had some Sour Cream on the side.  I never plowed through eating half of that dish so damn fast.  It was delicious.  Had some chocolate cake for desert. 

Finished up Overcompensating last night, never thought it would end quite like that.  I hope that there is a Season 2. 

I shouldn’t have bragged so much about a good nights sleep because that kind of came to an end last night.  I was up at 5a and just couldn’t get back to sleep.  Rudy joined me and laid on top of me.  He was able to nap a little bit.  Mora was at my feet so I was kind of limited on space.  That knot in my left shoulder is still there and it’s building up again.  I need to have it worked out and it’s gonna hurt like a mother when that happens.  However, I want it gone. 

Given the impending rain and my back pain I kind of wish that I didn’t have plans on Saturday morning so that I could take a muscle relaxer and get some relief, that might tide me until my next massage.  However, my plan for Saturday are pretty important to me so pain or not I am seeing them thru.

Drifted off into fantasy land last night and started writing another story.  I am totally amazed at how quickly that passes time.  It was a nice escape as the cats were napping. 

Rudy woke up just as I was getting up to get ready for this morning.  He was feeling frisky and wanted to play.  However, I needed to get a shower in the worst way and just focused on me.  When I was done he came in and got his drink from the left over water in the bathtub and permitted me to finish my evening wind down routine before he started asking to play.  He really enjoyed playtime but he got tired of it kind of faster than I had wanted him to.  Mora is always up for playtime so over to her and she went crazy for a bit.  Then I went back to Rudy and he wasn’t having it so playtime was done. 

I watched more TV and got drowsy in my chair.  Of course as soon as I went to climb in bed I got a burst of energy and was wide awake.  I just hate when that happens.  Rudy kept me company and eventually I was able to wind down and fell asleep. 

Here we are in the morning of yet another work day.  Thing got crazy busy like out of control.  I was second guessing myself and double checking just to make sure I had things in order.  I was finally able to get things back to a calm level and knocked out morning tasks.  There is more to do but I am procrastinating.  The boss wound up taking over on-call this week because the guy that was on-call had time off scheduled.  Well I am not stepping up to the plate like I did last time.  I am just letting things flop and linger.  If you ask me to take care of something that is different but I am not jumping in and going hog wild crazy.  Let someone else do that I am tired of carrying the load. 

Were still waiting to hear about pay raises but that should happen this month or at the very latest early next month.  All of my time off has been approved.  I still have a little over 2 weeks to use by the end of the year to get me down to having 2 weeks to carry over, so the system says.  The last couple years have been unique in that I struggle to use all of my time off.  I try to save for a rainy day because life happens but still I wind up usually towards the end of the year fighting to squeeze in time.  I do like taking time at the end of the year over the holiday.  Any paid time away is good time away.  Although I do have to pay the penalty of playing catchup and fixing things that went wrong while I was away.  Perhaps that is why I struggle so much with using my time.  I know that if I had a companion I probably would be fighting a different battle and would exhaust my time off with no problem.  My problem here isn’t horrible and it’s kind of a good problem to have, beats being out of time and needing to take time. 

Well off to relax I think.  All is calm and I know as soon as I get upstairs things will likely unravel but it’s a risk I am willing to take.  Beats sitting here just staring at two monitors searching for something to do.  Got to get the trash out this afternoon, hopefully I can beat the rain but if not it’s not like I will melt or anything. 

Bye for now.