The 2014 Olympics

My attention to the Olympics waxes and wanes.  I cannot say why, but that is true. I realize that a lot of things wax and wane in my life.  Well, so be it. 

This year, I had a hard time being interested in the Olympics.  I tried to watch the opening ceremony but lost interest after the parade of nations. Extravaganza shows hold little interest for me.  I tried to watch the nightly sports, but found I did not care.  I dislike the extreme sports:  I am always afraid of seeing someone make a major gaff and land in such a way as to break a neck. I do not want to see that.   I like figure skating, no matter what country the skater is from, but am tired of the judging "drama."  I won't call it controversy:  I remember the same types of drama in the past when the judges were known, there were no replays, and national judges obviously showed national bias.

I do not care for sports like speed skating, decathlons, and I have never really gotten into hockey, which is weird, given the fact that I grew up in a part of the world where hockey is very big.

During the last Olympics, I really started to learn about curling.   It became more interesting to me when they miked the participants. So, I tried to watch some of that.  But, I could never figure out the coverage.  So, it was difficult to be motivated to watch something I could not figure out when it was on air.

So now the Olympics have ended.  I was tired of the medal count.  That becomes an international competition.   I understand that the Olympics are about competitive sports, but I think it should not be a medals competition.  But, it seems that is what many people think the Olympics are: a medal count.   So sad.

An At Ease Saturday

I had not planned to clean house today, as I usually do on Saturday, because I thought I would spend my day with Texas Tech basketball, men's and women's.  Well, I realized that the women's game was not until Sunday afternoon.  But, I got wound up in the book I was reading, so except for doing the grocery shopping and a couple other brief errands this morning, I have spent the better part of my day reading.   It was pretty out, and I sat in the sun for a while. And put out food for Sake several times, but did not get it right until I last can of food I opened. 

Sake likes me to sit in the living room, and tells me so. Sometimes she sits near me on the sofa, sometimes she sits away from me on the sofa. And sometimes she sits elsewhere in the living room.  But she prefers that to my being in the computer room. And she did that today. 

I have had the radio and TV on for various specific shows today, but have not even had music on. The quiet is good for my ears.  And my ease.

Budgets Really Do Have Political Bases

I work in a psychiatric prison hospital.  When we opened, staff were encouraged to get the Hepatitis B vaccine.  So, I did. This was an expensive vaccine, and after a while, we did not received that encouragement. We were also told we had to get a TB test every year, and were encouraged to do that during our birthday month, an easy way to remember.  So, most years I did that.  Until it became non-mandatory.  And it was interesting how it became non-mandatory.

We had a very efficient and diligent communicable disease nurse who would set up in the lobby a few days a month to catch people and ask them if they were due for their TB test.  She was told to stop this, because it was costing the agency too much money.  Which sent the message that although we were told to get TB tests, there was an implicit expectation that people would not bother, at a cost saving to the agency.

Well TB has increased, and it is now politically correct for the agency to offer TB testing. To the point that it is now mandatory, and every employee is required to get a TB test during the month of February.  Even if you had a test as recently as November or December.  People who tested in January this year got a bye, but will be expected to get a test next February.

It will be interesting to me to see if next February TB testing is mandatory.  Hmmmm.  

Energy at the End of the Day

For years, I suffered from sciatic pain, and stubbornly refused to do anything about it.  Due to circumstances that resulted in my being at the doctor's office last fall, I decided that I might as well do something, if I am going to be at the doctor's office anyway.  So we started with celebrex, added physical therapy, and then went on to pain management.

The celebrex offered me some immediate relief, and I could do more, but I tended to over do it.  PT did not offer me extended relief, although one series of exercises would allow me temporary relief.  Well, so wouldn't sitting down, or driving in the Vue.  Hence the move to pain management.

And, treatment included a cortisone injection.  I was very concerned about doing this, and not sure it would help.  I had the procedure done on a Wednesday, and it was Saturday before I felt relief, about on schedule.  And the progression of relief continued.  By the time I had my two week follow up, I was really experiencing good relief.  I still have some twinges in my back, and "a foot drop" in my right foot when I do a lot of walking.  I am doing foot strengthening exercises from the PT which seems to be helping.  I am unsteady of gait sometimes, especially on uneven territory.  As when I am walking on the track around the park.  But, I am walking, which amazes me.

I think the most amazing thing to me is that I am not exhausted at the end of the work day.   I did not realize how much the pain was sapping my strength and endurance.  And how tired I was at the end of the day, so how little interest I had in doing much, except playing on the computer or reading. 

Wow, I have cooked, cleaned house, gone out and run errands, and even gone for a walk after work, since I have been feeling better. Things I had to "psyche" myself to do.  I had stopped running spontaneous errands, having to plan things around my energy level, or work myself up to do it.

Wednesday night, I stopped at the store to pick up a few items, and cash a check.  I had not thought about early voting, but I thought I might as well since I was there.  I few weeks ago, if I had not "psyched" myself, I would not have added that task to the list. 

At the bank, I told the teller how I was feeling energetic even at the end of the work day. I explained I had suffered from sciatica and had had pain management treatment. He asked what I did and I told him nothing in particular, it was due to poor posture, poor lifting procedures and general wear and tear and age, things I knew better but ignored.  He told me his grandmother was always lecturing him about those things, and he would have to go home and tell her I told him the same thing!  What a light moment and pleasant inter-change.   I hope, mostly, that he was serious about paying more attention to the things he needs to pay attention, unlike me.

I had not realized how introverted I had become, not feeling like using the energy to interchange with people. 

I am glad for energy at the end of the day.

The Harry Bosch Mysteries

I was recently turned onto the mystery author Michael Connelly.  I read the first of the Terry McCaleb mysteries.  I was going to read the second of this series, but I realized that it is also a Harry Bosch mystery, and well into the series.  So, I returned it to the library today, and picked up several of the earlier Harry Bosch mysteries so I can read them in order.

I like to read mysteries and I like to read mystery series.  But, I want to read the mysteries series in order. I suspect I have mentioned this before, but to assist with this, I use the website Fantastic Fiction  http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/. 

So, later tonight, I will start the Harry Bosch mysteries.   Right now, I am watching the Texas Tech Red Raiders play the Kansas Jayhawks.

Plumbing Done

I am so glad I called a second plumber, Discount or Reese Plumbing. They do not have a home page.  They were able to get to me about 3 hours after I called. I ended up taking the day off.  I did not mean to, but by the time the plumber left and I cleaned up the mess, it was about 3 PM.  I had not even taken a shower.

I try to use Lowery Plumbing http://www.trustlowery.com/ because they are the ones who replaced the sewer line, and because they off a lower rate for drain clean outs.  I suspect drain clean outs are at the bottom of their list of service calls. There was no reason for me to wait as long as I did to hear from Lowery.  I called them and said to take me off their list. I should have waited to see if they ever even called me. 

So, I enjoyed the rest of the day. I did some yard work, went to the library and went for a walk.  Now I am watching the Red Raiders play against the Kansas Jayhawks at Lubbock.  

I have plenty of leave, so that is not a concern. I just hate being out unscheduled.  

Waiting for the Plumber

I need some plumbing work done, and called yesterday afternoon to set an appointment for today.  I had hoped I would be early on the list, as it is difficult to get called at work to get home to meet a service repair man.  Well, no such luck. I have called to check twice and they are not even trying to give me a time.  I called another place and they said they could get to me before 5 PM today.

I called into work at noon and told my boss what the situation was.  She is very understanding. I did not have a lot of outstanding work to do today, so the timing is okay as far as that goes.

I am just not a good waiter.  I have been reading. I ran a quick errand but had the cell phone with me, thinking for sure I would get called while I was away from home. Not so.

I am back to waiting.  It is pretty out and I am going to take myself outside.