Class Of December 2013 - Part 10
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: kingston ontario canada
Posts: 656
Suffering as a dimension of growth is a great idea, certainly true to some extent, but of little consolation to those in the pit. Irish Catholics would have been told that they (we) had a cross to bear. Less a cathartic view, more a just suck it up you can't understand why but it is all ordained in the big picture, so stop your whining and griping approach. I don't think that Karma had been invented yet.
The idea of shedding the shell and embracing reinvention is a kind of poetic way of seeing and accepting the inevitability of change.
Personally, I'm not a big fan of change. As a rule. I grew up using a typewriter; but I can and do text. I accept the word 'text' as a verb. I snapped a pic on my iphone of a grandkid in a restaurant to day and promptly uploaded onto facebook, where I've gotten dozens of responses from family and friends from Dublin to Port of Spain. I dread the inevitable changes that health will deliver to all my intimate world. I guess I'll try to remember the shell analogy when it's the last trite kind of comfort I need; but maybe it'll help. Anyway, I really liked that rabbi and his message. And the glint of humor in the eye.
Snow squalls today on the highway. Almost zero visibility at times. Huge drop in temps forecast for tonight, with wind chill tomorrow expected to be almost -40C.
Will stoke the fire and move deeper into my Harry Bosch mystery, I think.
The idea of shedding the shell and embracing reinvention is a kind of poetic way of seeing and accepting the inevitability of change.
Personally, I'm not a big fan of change. As a rule. I grew up using a typewriter; but I can and do text. I accept the word 'text' as a verb. I snapped a pic on my iphone of a grandkid in a restaurant to day and promptly uploaded onto facebook, where I've gotten dozens of responses from family and friends from Dublin to Port of Spain. I dread the inevitable changes that health will deliver to all my intimate world. I guess I'll try to remember the shell analogy when it's the last trite kind of comfort I need; but maybe it'll help. Anyway, I really liked that rabbi and his message. And the glint of humor in the eye.
Snow squalls today on the highway. Almost zero visibility at times. Huge drop in temps forecast for tonight, with wind chill tomorrow expected to be almost -40C.
Will stoke the fire and move deeper into my Harry Bosch mystery, I think.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: PA
Posts: 12,000
hiding under a rock - been for many years...
we are experiencing wind chills in the 'don't go outside' range
I think cause it's valentine's day/birthday weekend I will drive the wife to work today and pick her up tonight so she doesn't have to get in the car at minus zero fahrenheit for the drive home at midnite...
yesterday I saw a car coming down the road after my light turned green. I waited, guy didn't even slow down - right through red light. I ended up behind him. At next traffic light he picked up a big glass of beer. A BIG GLASS of beer.
His buddy was pouring 16 oz cans into their glasses.
Traffic awareness. I waited 10 seconds at the green light cause I had a hunch this guy wasn't going to stop. I was right. The people behind me were getting impatient. But after they witnessed this guy passing by at speed they surely said a silent thank you. Had I pulled out, the guy behind me would have been in a horrible crash.
we are experiencing wind chills in the 'don't go outside' range
I think cause it's valentine's day/birthday weekend I will drive the wife to work today and pick her up tonight so she doesn't have to get in the car at minus zero fahrenheit for the drive home at midnite...
yesterday I saw a car coming down the road after my light turned green. I waited, guy didn't even slow down - right through red light. I ended up behind him. At next traffic light he picked up a big glass of beer. A BIG GLASS of beer.
His buddy was pouring 16 oz cans into their glasses.
Traffic awareness. I waited 10 seconds at the green light cause I had a hunch this guy wasn't going to stop. I was right. The people behind me were getting impatient. But after they witnessed this guy passing by at speed they surely said a silent thank you. Had I pulled out, the guy behind me would have been in a horrible crash.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: kingston ontario canada
Posts: 656
10 seconds is a long wait at a green light. Your instinct really worked well in that situation, LB. Stuff like that used to be assigned to the good work of Guardian Angels.
Just a reminder of how utterly quickly lives can change. My daughter and her two kids narrowly missed getting hit by a speeding car at a city intersection recently. It was sooo close. She told the story with a little alarm, but a lot of casualness. I just had a quick flash about how horrible things in our lives can be just a half breath away sometimes. A coin flip. Another opportunity for me to feel gratitude.
Just a reminder of how utterly quickly lives can change. My daughter and her two kids narrowly missed getting hit by a speeding car at a city intersection recently. It was sooo close. She told the story with a little alarm, but a lot of casualness. I just had a quick flash about how horrible things in our lives can be just a half breath away sometimes. A coin flip. Another opportunity for me to feel gratitude.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: PA
Posts: 12,000
Awareness - yes.
Patience - double yes.
A Zen-like quality - I suppose having an acute awareness and oneness with your surroundings is something I have developed over the past couple years.
Instead of reactionary responses, seeing things before they happen seems to be the way...
Defensive driving = seeing things before they happen. No more tunnel vision and thinking of self only.
Be well everyone.
Patience - double yes.
A Zen-like quality - I suppose having an acute awareness and oneness with your surroundings is something I have developed over the past couple years.
Instead of reactionary responses, seeing things before they happen seems to be the way...
Defensive driving = seeing things before they happen. No more tunnel vision and thinking of self only.
Be well everyone.
Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 3,597
Holy carp that was a close call. I have noticed that when driving my ability to judge distance and speed is a bit off. I am wondering if it's yet another side effect of the pain meds I am on - Lyrica.
I am a wreck. Truly a wreck. I am barely holding things together. I had another neurologist apt yesterday to find out that yes I will need neck surgery and it will have a THREE MONTH recovery period, but that's not what's causing the pain in my head so off to yet another neurologist for a nerve study or some other kind of testing.
My dad is home and well enough to drive short distances so that takes some pressure off.
I am a wreck. Truly a wreck. I am barely holding things together. I had another neurologist apt yesterday to find out that yes I will need neck surgery and it will have a THREE MONTH recovery period, but that's not what's causing the pain in my head so off to yet another neurologist for a nerve study or some other kind of testing.
My dad is home and well enough to drive short distances so that takes some pressure off.
Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 3,597
It appears that I have 3 bouncing baby boy bunnies and 1 bouncing baby girl bunny.
The women who wanted Cinnamon wanted two girls, but Cinnamon is the only girl so I have asked her if she would like to take the mama so they can stay together. She seems to think so and will confirm tonight. I will deliver the rabbits to them as soon as possible. They are so much bigger and stronger now it's hard to successfully contain them. they break out of bunny jail all the time. they got through the second wall of defence and nearly made it out the back door!
My friends are taking one boy as a companion for their fixed girl so that leaves two boys and I'm working with a rabbit rescue to place them.
A number of people have either donated or pledged donations towards getting them all fixed. Fixed bunnies are happy bunnies. They can be aggressive when left intact and will fight with same sex rabbits. If they are fixed they are quite calm and do well with an opposite sex companion. On the rabbit forums, they all these pairings "bunwife" and "husbun" lolz.
The women who wanted Cinnamon wanted two girls, but Cinnamon is the only girl so I have asked her if she would like to take the mama so they can stay together. She seems to think so and will confirm tonight. I will deliver the rabbits to them as soon as possible. They are so much bigger and stronger now it's hard to successfully contain them. they break out of bunny jail all the time. they got through the second wall of defence and nearly made it out the back door!
My friends are taking one boy as a companion for their fixed girl so that leaves two boys and I'm working with a rabbit rescue to place them.
A number of people have either donated or pledged donations towards getting them all fixed. Fixed bunnies are happy bunnies. They can be aggressive when left intact and will fight with same sex rabbits. If they are fixed they are quite calm and do well with an opposite sex companion. On the rabbit forums, they all these pairings "bunwife" and "husbun" lolz.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: PA
Posts: 12,000
sorry to hear of your ongoing pain TL, hang in there..
good work with the bunnies
I received the invitation to my grand nephew's EAGLE SCOUT award ceremony. Considering his dad was a reckless alcoholic in and out of jail (in at the moment) and no longer involved in his life - never was actually - this is a great achievement. Great regardless. The kid is visually handicapped, practically blind now, is stellar on the drums and teaches classes as well.
His project was reclamation and restoration of a plot of land that was incorporated into a riverside park. Many people now use 'his place' for summer picnics by the river.
Good stuff.
good work with the bunnies
I received the invitation to my grand nephew's EAGLE SCOUT award ceremony. Considering his dad was a reckless alcoholic in and out of jail (in at the moment) and no longer involved in his life - never was actually - this is a great achievement. Great regardless. The kid is visually handicapped, practically blind now, is stellar on the drums and teaches classes as well.
His project was reclamation and restoration of a plot of land that was incorporated into a riverside park. Many people now use 'his place' for summer picnics by the river.
Good stuff.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: kingston ontario canada
Posts: 656
Huge snow dump yesterday. My ancient snow blower managed to keep the driveway open. Off to the vet this morning to have porcupine quills removed from our dog's muzzle and one front, limping paw. We've had her for one year and she's already gone through two canine rights of passage for life in the country: being skunked; and now being porcupined (if that's a good verb).
It's an honor to receive that invitation to your great nephew's ceremony, LB. You've clearly played a role in his life. I always find myself tearing up at such things: weddings, funerals and graduations. Good exercise for the heart muscle.
I hope your pain challenges resolve soon, TL. Your bunny rescue work is a good, non-pharmaceutical distraction.
It's an honor to receive that invitation to your great nephew's ceremony, LB. You've clearly played a role in his life. I always find myself tearing up at such things: weddings, funerals and graduations. Good exercise for the heart muscle.
I hope your pain challenges resolve soon, TL. Your bunny rescue work is a good, non-pharmaceutical distraction.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: PA
Posts: 12,000
the library called, my book is in. seems they had to get it from Penn State University... I get it for 6 weeks. Nothing like borrowing engineering text books from the public library... Dostoyevsky is gonna have to wait... but he's on my list...
while at the library I picked some bluegrass cd's for inspiration...
seems winter has arrived here. Snow once a week - typical for Feb here. Won't be long till the buds start showing on the trees.
Be a well for everyone. I like it.
while at the library I picked some bluegrass cd's for inspiration...
seems winter has arrived here. Snow once a week - typical for Feb here. Won't be long till the buds start showing on the trees.
Be a well for everyone. I like it.
waking down
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 4,641
Yes, hang in there, TL. I thought I would be terrified for my back surgery, but by the time they dragged me in there I was pretty much fix me or kill me, if you know what I mean. May your surgery be a success. Mine gave me my life back.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Virginia
Posts: 451
Originally Posted by TigerLili 
Holy carp that was a close call. I have noticed that when driving my ability to judge distance and speed is a bit off. I am wondering if it's yet another side effect of the pain meds I am on - Lyrica.
I am a wreck. Truly a wreck. I am barely holding things together. I had another neurologist apt yesterday to find out that yes I will need neck surgery and it will have a THREE MONTH recovery period, but that's not what's causing the pain in my head so off to yet another neurologist for a nerve study or some other kind of testing.
My dad is home and well enough to drive short distances so that takes some pressure off.
I am a wreck. Truly a wreck. I am barely holding things together. I had another neurologist apt yesterday to find out that yes I will need neck surgery and it will have a THREE MONTH recovery period, but that's not what's causing the pain in my head so off to yet another neurologist for a nerve study or some other kind of testing.
My dad is home and well enough to drive short distances so that takes some pressure off.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: kingston ontario canada
Posts: 656
Holy carp, TL?! (Language!)
Hope you are doing well, Vet. And you've used your new snow thrower, I trust?
Grab the Dostoevsky, LB. Good blend with the engineering cramming. Must be fun for you to be on the edge of getting back into the game?
I've been totally addicted to Micheal Connelly's Hieronymus Bosch detective novels. I'm packing away a couple a week. Fortunately, he's published a lot of novels. Seems he's a one a year writer.
Always get a chuckle out of your posts, Zero. Funny guy. The past year, even with the various surgeries, the challenges, the pain, the crawling to the bathroom, the sister's suicide online, migod: you still can find something to snort about.
Things are OK here. I had an insight this week. Rare thing. I realized that I'd been framing things that came up, continually, in a kind of dark way . Well, maybe a gray way. And this affect had kind of soaked into what was essentially, my hour to hour experience. I'd tried to move into a mindful state on many occasions, but the effort just kind of evaporated into a dark place: the line was down. And for the first time in my life, I wondered if this was maybe a kind of depression. Maybe a seasonal thing. But the insight that I had was: I had not been having any insight for some time. Blocked by the cloud. Now some light's coming through. A bit.
Hope all are well. I will be off the grid for a few weeks after this weekend. Keep chipper.
Hope you are doing well, Vet. And you've used your new snow thrower, I trust?
Grab the Dostoevsky, LB. Good blend with the engineering cramming. Must be fun for you to be on the edge of getting back into the game?
I've been totally addicted to Micheal Connelly's Hieronymus Bosch detective novels. I'm packing away a couple a week. Fortunately, he's published a lot of novels. Seems he's a one a year writer.
Always get a chuckle out of your posts, Zero. Funny guy. The past year, even with the various surgeries, the challenges, the pain, the crawling to the bathroom, the sister's suicide online, migod: you still can find something to snort about.
Things are OK here. I had an insight this week. Rare thing. I realized that I'd been framing things that came up, continually, in a kind of dark way . Well, maybe a gray way. And this affect had kind of soaked into what was essentially, my hour to hour experience. I'd tried to move into a mindful state on many occasions, but the effort just kind of evaporated into a dark place: the line was down. And for the first time in my life, I wondered if this was maybe a kind of depression. Maybe a seasonal thing. But the insight that I had was: I had not been having any insight for some time. Blocked by the cloud. Now some light's coming through. A bit.
Hope all are well. I will be off the grid for a few weeks after this weekend. Keep chipper.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: kingston ontario canada
Posts: 656
PS: I know that everyone here has been working through challenges the past year. Good that things are shared. And I'm always thankful for the good humor: a nice scent in the air along this path.
waking down
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 4,641
Thanks, Jack. I'm sick as hell right now, and I need to kill my dog. We planned to put her down last Friday, but then she kind of rallied, but I hate to say it but as much as I love her she's become a royal pain in the ass. Poor thing, but she's making me crazy. My wife can tune her out when she's whining or yipping, but it makes me nuts knowing she is hurting or in need. Usually, when she barks it's cuz she needs a drink or **** herself or wet her bed, so I can't just let her. Sometimes, though, she just wants someone near her, and who can blame her? And we've turned her into a major drug addict. She has her tramadol, and lately we've been giving her weed lotions and tincture. It helps her sleep. She's stoned out of her mind, and she'll stare at the tincture bottle and yip weakly until we give her more. Our boy dog has been hunkering up beside her, which she didn't used to tolerate but now she does. Not much choice, really. She's weak and she can't walk. I'm kind of buzzed myself right now on cold medicine. I've gotten so used to clean living that I swear I get high off zinc lozenges. Or maybe just nauseous. Anyway, about having a sense of humor - am I an ******* for wanting to kill my dog? Okay, that's not funny. Actually, it kind of is. An ex-brother-in-law passed away the other day. My sister's second husband. Three of her four ex-husbands are dead. Is that crazy? All relatively young, too. What's up with that? Anyway, my ******' dog is being needy. I'm just embracing the proverbial full catastrophe living. Maybe I'll try to suck a buzz out of another zinc lozenge.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: kingston ontario canada
Posts: 656
Zero: my daughter, who is quite knowledgeable in many many areas, said when she decided to euthanize her blind coon hound,( who I'd been taking care of for 3 years at our house,) that when they begin to show pain, it's really just a fraction of what they are experiencing. So: your little dog is in overtime. I hope you do the dog (and yourselves) a favor soon.
Our country is, at the moment, trying to get its head around the issue of doctor assisted dying (or suicide) in terminally ill cases. Supreme court ruled it a right, and gave the government a few months to come up with legislation to make it an option. I certainly hope I've got it as an option when and if the time and circumstances come for me. What's available for dogs, at the moment, is not available for their people. People who now decide it's what they want and need, have to travel to Switzerland where it's done in a very elegant and caring way. Lots of safeguards in place to nix depressed choices and family-orchestrated plans to move wealth.
Our country is, at the moment, trying to get its head around the issue of doctor assisted dying (or suicide) in terminally ill cases. Supreme court ruled it a right, and gave the government a few months to come up with legislation to make it an option. I certainly hope I've got it as an option when and if the time and circumstances come for me. What's available for dogs, at the moment, is not available for their people. People who now decide it's what they want and need, have to travel to Switzerland where it's done in a very elegant and caring way. Lots of safeguards in place to nix depressed choices and family-orchestrated plans to move wealth.
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
