Oh! What a Weekend! November 20-21, 2021

 

I feel like the gods have been conspiring against me, or I was cursed by the recent lunar eclipse!!!!   I am still having trouble with Suddenlink, and I have not had cable service on my primary TV since November 13.  I can live with that. After all the techs were done, I could not access wifi on it either! I am at the point that I have to call New York and can do so on Eastern time.  I would assume they open at 8 or the latest, 9 EST.  I have called several times, and the upshot is, they wanted to send a tech out, for the 5th time in a week and a half.  I said enough is enough.  It is a systems problem, and if they cannot fix it, I can live with something else. 

Saturday, my car flunked its state inspection, due to a headlight!  I went three places to try to get it replaced, but all 3 said they could not because they have to remove the front assembly to get to the light bulb.  I could not dispute that, because I could not understand the owner’s manual instructions, and could not see how I would get at the bulb, without doing so, either.  Through the magic modern technology, I was able to schedule an appointment on Friday, the 26^th (first date available) at Scoggin Dickey.  This might be the most expensive headlight replacement in the world!  

Sunday morning, when I woke up, I did not have a working furnace.  Fortunately, after a while, I was able to figure out that the programable thermostat needed new batteries.  I try to keep stocked up with everything I can image, but had to scrounge in my junk drawer but found 2 double A's.  Situation resolved.  And new supply purchased same day!

Sunday afternoon, when I started laundry, after the first load was done, it was apparent that the washing machine was not agitating or spinning.  I tried separating the amount of laundry and spun it again, no such luck.  I now have a mega load of super soaked laundry that I am nursing through my 16-year-old dryer!  I could shlep the rest of my laundry to a commercial self-service laundry but who wants to do that?   I have enough clothes to get through a 3-day work week. Again, through the miracle of modern technology I was able to schedule a repair appointment for Friday, the 26th, begging for the last appointment of the day, due to my car appointment earlier.   (They could come out Wednesday but really, I can wait.)

My ESPN+ account did not work Saturday for the men’s basketball game.  I was really frustrated, and when I went into ESPN costumer service chat, the help I received was immediate and successful.  The suggestion:  use Google Chrome for the browser.  That has been successful since!

Hair Bun - Really

So why do we call it a "man bun?"  It is not like females have not had hair buns with their hair before.  Probably the most notable in South Pacific  with Bloody Mary or with Kathryn Hepburn https://www.pinterest.com/pin/44191640063641361/  (I hope this works. Adding a link has changed since the last time I did this)  

So why are we calling them "man buns" instead of hair buns.  Which wipes out LGBTQ buns.  After all hair buns are just hair buns.

A Gratitude Post # 5

Sometimes, I struggle to do the things that have to be done. And, even more often, I struggle to do the things I want to do.  Today was one of those days. I have long since learned to decrease my expectations so I can do the best I can with what must be done, and what I want to do. But, today, I was able to manage to do what must be done, and most of what I wanted to do. So, this was a successful day.

I will also say that in my sports world, the Kansas City Chiefs won; the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Patriots (neutral), the Red Sox and the Yankees will play a wild card game for the MLB post season.  I don't care who wins that game, but I will cheer till the end for both teams.

Isn't that really what life is about?  Not who wins or loses, but how we play the game? Isn't that what we baby boomers learned as children?  How has that lesson been lost?  Do we even teach it to our children in this day and age, or is it all about winning?  Shouldn't it be more about honest gamesmanship, good sportsmanship, respect, and more importantly, honor and dignity.  And most importantly of all, the greater good.  

Oh my gosh, I hope gratitude does not bleed over into Pollyanna-ism. I mean, wouldn't that be nice, but so unrealistic.  

So maybe this gratitude post is not as in touch with reality as it need to be, or should be, but tonight, I do not care.  I want to be optimistic and grateful at all cost. 

A Gratitude Post #4

Gratitude today is for the opportunity to be alive, and have the sick leave I need to stay home and rest, when I cannot function adequately.  That is a multiple blessing, acquired from years of  hard work, not using sick leave unless I really needed it, and having a supervisor who understands my health problems.  Plus being ready to retire soon. 

Gratitude Post #3

So, today, I was feeling very poorly. I have a combination of health issues, but the worst is fatigue.  I could have predicted my fatigue by the end of my workday on Tuesday, but I hate to assume the worst about my health status. I had to call into work about being absent.  Today, I slept until after 2 PM. I actually was able to get onto the computer, and do some things, with the opportunity to lie down from time to time.

I am grateful that I have supervisor who is understanding of my physical health issues, and also have the sick leave to cover me when I have these days.  

A Gratitude Post #2

Last night, we had some thunderstorms blow through.  This time of year, we usually need some rain, and 2021 is no exception.  The farmers worry about the rain damaging their cotton harvest, but everything else is pretty well dried out.  So, we had some solid rains, and thunder and lightning. This was a blessing.  I could see the lightning to the north, and at one point, it was right over my neighborhood.  My power never went out, and my electronics were not effected.  So, another blessing.

My work day went well, and a meeting was cancelled, which gave us all a breather.  Yet, another blessing.

I was so tired, it was difficult for me to finish my day.  I was able to leave after 8 hours, today at 4:30 PM, earlier than i have been able to leave work lately. I had hoped to get some extra things done at home tonight, but I was too tired, and slept while I watched TV and tried to read some professional materials. Well, I needed to sleep.  I am still tired, and hopefully my nap will not interfere with my sleep tonight.  

Focusing on positive thinking feels good.  I have had so many negative experiences in the last 2 and a half years, it has really been oppressive.  I realize, though, that I have become habituated at looking at the negative or the worst.  Focusing on a positive outlook makes things easier.  I know that.  I have known that for more than 40 years.  I just needed to be jolted out of my rut, so I can again focus on the positive.   

A Gratitude Post #1

Today, I had a very good day.  I was able to go to work and accomplish a lot, which always makes me feel well.   I had 3 patients who told me I helped them with something, and 2 family members who expressed gratitude for my contacting them.  One disliked what I was telling her, but still acknowledged having a contact was better than not hearing anything at all.

Taki woke me up this morning.  She wanted breakfast, but when I was getting ready for work, she sat on my clothes. A sure sign she did not want me to go to work.  I thought she might be upset by the possibility of storms.  We had some showers this morning, but the storms came tonight.

For those of you who do not know, Taki is slightly developmentally delayed, so some things upset her more than others.  She was potty trained quickly as a baby.  However, some days, she has problems with making her mark, if you will.  Tonight was one of those times.  We had an electric squall blow through, at about the time Taki needed to use her litter dish. The storm was pretty much over head. She missed the litter box.  That upsets her, and she scratches, and scratches and scratches.  I think that is left over from when Sake schooled her about litter box etiquette, and did not hesitate to tell her when she violated that etiquette.  However, when I assure her she is okay, she is able to settle down.

The thing is, we do not always know, and often do not at all know what things will impact those in our world.  As Taki's life companion, I can predict some things, and sometimes, read the signs when I am missing the predictions.  And  Taki is persistent but patient.  

But we are all different, and something that impacts one of us, may not even have an effect on another of us. We cannot know.  But this is one of the skills of a social worker, to be receptive and open to the messages our clients give us that inform us of what is impacting their life and adding to their distress. Social workers start where their clients are: this may be physically, or even environmentally, but more often socially, emotionally, and psychologically. 

Oh, my gosh.  So I am thankful for my patients and their families, and for Taki, and her insecurities, but also her willingness to accept assurances from me.  These folks allowed me to address them where they were and gave me the indicators I need to address their needs in the future. 

Wow, I would consider that a highly positive day!