Saturday night ramblings

 You know what kind of worries me? I really could stay in my apartment all day long and not be worried at all or anxious or anything else like that about being cooped up in a small space. Granted, my apartment is not that small it is compared to the house that I came from but still I think I have more than enough room for my little self in what meager possession do own. I really see myself very fortunate to be where I'm at and doing what I'm doing independently- - all by myself. I know a lot of people are really bummed out to be alone and to be disabled and alone. I Marvel at a lot of the posts I see on Reddit disability and stuff how sad a lot of these folks seem to be about their disability and where it's left them and how minimal their lives seem to be. I mean seriously if you want to have a big life go out and have a big life. I think a lot of these people have never had to really develop anything around your life and the disability is just really focused this in on there mental abilities I guess Are For the First Time realized how alone they might be and that's a shame. I feel a little bad because this person has come into my life unintentionally. She has appeared at the coffee shop that I frequent on Saturday mornings. She is related to one of the people that sit on the long table that I've written about over the last couple of months. I think she has some kind of a disability related to a stroke as such. She's ambulatory highly verbal at times seems a bit distant but she is sought me out at my little table where I sit by myself at the coffee shop on Saturday mornings. We ended up Trading our contact information ie messenger for example, and now she texts me and of course I feel I need to text her back. I think she waits with bated breath sometimes for me to come in on Saturday mornings. She keeps talking about she's only here for a few weeks and she's going back to some place like Tennessee or something. She is currently bouncing off different relatives for a couple weeks at a shot and I think looking for a place to become more permanent. She has a cousin or something that she lives with here in Salt Lake she doesn't live with them she stays with them periodically she has a brother I think in Utah County who is very conservative. She seems to live for Saturday mornings and she can escape to the coffee shop. I'm becoming quite gun shy I've even going to the coffee shop because when I do she's zeros in on me sits at my table and we chat periodically. Now I'm thinking that she wants to chat even more but I try to keep our messaging fairly Limited. Maybe this will all change when she moves to Tennessee, if she moves to Tennessee. I guess I tell you this just because I'm not a lonely guy or if I am alone I kind of enjoy it and I don't know how far that's going to go but anyway that's my rambling for a Saturday night. I will be meeting the kids tomorrow for breakfast and hopefully get back to some kind of normal existence. I've got to realize however that I'm still in the middle of Hang Time that period between Christmas and New Years that is not very normal and are regular at all. Soon however we'll get past the first and on to the regular year..

The day after Christmas

I took this photo a couple a day before Christmas while I was out and about. This poor Santa looked down and out no question about it I don't know if he was exhausted, homeless or perhaps given up hope on a world that seems to be giving away it s independence to AI technology. I don't want to go too much further in the hole AI take over of this universe for fear of reprisals from AI when they finally do take over. I may have gone too far already but I don't know. I noticed one of the come on on the short films that you run into when you're just cruising around the internet about how some individual has paired AI up to one of the many robots that seem to be sprouting up everywhere. I don't think that's a very good move but I guess one eventually that was going to happen. This system is almost destined for self-destruction I don't know if we can avoid it just go around anyway. Hopefully the next one will be better. Still totally believe that this is a giant past fail system that were involved in and we will continue to get chances to perform our attempt civilization but until we get it right. I don't know what will happen then some form of exaltation I would hope but maybe we'll just be given a Serene and calm day and encouragement to evolve even further if that's possible.

I've laid low all day good for me. I did do a 30-minute workout on the arm bike just keep myself in shape and to clean my 200 minutes of arm bike exercise time this week. I truly hope that this is helping me on some levels. As we  wander away from the Grandeur and gaiety of Christmas and the joy and hope of the new year beginning to feel somewhat excited about the possibilities of 2026. Achieving this year is a little bit spooky for me cuz I will be 75 come February it's really scary to me for some reason. I really wonder then if I'll see another holiday season. Physically I feel strong enough that I will. However I continue to note just small things that give me worries. The most significant right now is difficulty dressing on those days I dress myself. Sometimes I think my spasticity is getting the better of me. I can't lift my legs up like I used to to easily Slide the pants or shorts over my feet. I really think it's my chair but I think it's also my body and my belly and specifics. What I'm sitting back in my chair like when I'm watching television I think I put pressure on the nerves on my arms and my arms almost don't work for a few seconds after I sit myself up and take the pressure off by nerves in the arms that really kind of freaks me out sometimes. Will there be a point when maybe I won't be able to come out of the pain in my arms from sitting in my chair so long in that position? I'm not getting younger and I never will be younger so then there's that I can only look at getting older and somewhere along the line losing enough muscle and are control that I'm going to have to make some major decisions. And that's all if I don't get hit by a bus or a train…

Christmas 2025

 Christmas morning: I didn't have anything to do or anywhere to go this Christmas morning so I take it easy. I thought about doing a special breakfast but I really couldn't get motivated for such an of energy. I ended up just munching on some pieces of spam I have left over from yesterday's cooking and then piecing on other things around the table after all this Christmas it's all kinds of goodies and treats and sweets covering the table. Shelly called reasonably early and we were able to have a good visit this morning. She wanted to make sure that I looked on my Amazon account to see that I received the Christmas gift she sent me which of course was me on the account which is always very very useful. I just basically knocked around and afternoon enjoying the apartment. I kept thinking I was going to cook something and kept putting off the Christmas dinner I said nothing to make with the ham and mashed potatoes and the other things. And finally in the afternoon I was made aware that the kids have been trying to get a hold of me all morning. I don't know why my cell phone didn't signal the way that it should. They were talking about coming over around 3:00 or 4:00 that was the first I've never heard of it. I ended up putting off my meal preparation and Shelly and Jackson and the dog and Mark Anthony I'll come over around 4:00 from their Christmas dinner the best part being the funeral potatoes. That would go great with the ham that I bought the other day. Luckily I didn't have to make the mashed potatoes so I was going to Nuke him sweet potato that I've been saving. About two will have to wait I have more than enough for a Christmas dinner now when the kids leave. We visited and exchanged gifts I want the kids left I cut up my ham and nuked it with some of the potatoes and it was a great Christmas dinner. I thought I was going to Holiday without being visited by anyone but that didn't happen the kids remembered that was nice. I have leftovers now for the rest of the weekend kind of nice I don't know if it'll take me the New Year's but I'll be set to the same I'm going to have to make a resolution this year of losing some weight. Michelle gave me a $25 gift in Amazon I'm going to see if I can find that little scales that goes on my transfer lift. This will at least give me some sort of indicator that I'm losing weight. I had one at one time on the left but broken long time ago.

Take to another Christmas! That is good I just hope with some weight maintenance and perhaps a bit better diet and shunning of sweets and candies that I might be able to lose some weight and get in better shape to help me get ready for the next Christmas season which I totally hope that I make.

Happy Christmas Eve

 Finally a day that I didn't have anything else planned a day totally to myself. I didn't have any meetings I didn't have to meet anybody for lunch or coffee or hot date or anything. I spent the day working on a pot of chili. I took the revenants of a container I called the concoction. I've written about it briefly before the concoction is made up of anything I feel that might taste good mixed together. My goal is to make some concoction of high fiber materials and eat on them throughout the day. The concoction I used for my chili today I've had in the refrigerator for at least 4 weeks it seems like so I figured I'd better use up a concoction I have. Is it I had three or four different kinds of canned beans as well as an experiment that I did but I reconstituted some red beans that I have many packages of. I also have onions sliced jalapeno peppers, celery, tomatoes diced, and an onion or two sliced and pork chopped. Like I said I've been keeping this vet going for a couple of weeks and I just figured the other day that you know this would make decent chili. Well I finally got to it today I fried up the meat after my CNA left. I pulled the concoction out of the refrigerator and ran the major portion of it through a strainer so I didn't have to worry about the ancient juice around the contents. I was a little worried about that so I ladled it out as much as I could some got in and I think added flavor to the concoction chili that I was able to make. Afraid of a pound of hamburger then added to the concoction that I had in a saucepan on top of the stove- the largest saucepan that I've got and I still need more room. I was careful however so I didn't make a mess thank goodness. I got the hamburger with an onion chopped into it cooked and added it to the concoction in the saucepan stirred it up found another can of diced tomatoes and added that. I thought sure I had a can of chili powder somewhere but I could not find it to save my life and I went through all the different places where I keep my canned flavorings and such. I was not about to go back to the market to get some either so just had to figure that either be chilly or chili like materials or just a spicy soup with hamburger and concoction. I had spoonfuls of the concoction although through the day. Save me for having to make a major meal on Christmas Eve. I just put it in the refrigerator go check I have for the next couple days.

I don't have anything planned for Christmas which is all right by me. I would like to but I don't think I'll be able to get a day of nothing but television entertainment watching soon Classics on netflix, Prime or Disney Plus. I watched a couple today which were very entertaining and I've got one that I watch part of tonight they'll finish tomorrow. I have left like I said I have nothing planned pad. I might fry up the ham slice that I got yesterday for breakfast I'm not sure. A good just have a burrito with the sliced cheese on and call it good. I could also frap some eggs or scramble some eggs or even boil some eggs but tqwwwsssc”hanks to good chance I'll fry them up. I had a really great fried potatoes spam and sausage this morning with a fried egg that I made yesterday it was quite good and tasty I might even do something like that tomorrow we'll see. It's Christmas Eve I've turned the TV off for the night I just need to take my meds turn down the bed get ready for Christmas…

Teasing Tuesday

I was kind of surprised that we had an assist meeting this week but they certainly wanted to have it and I was not one to disappoint. I was kind of excited about being able to use the transit system and the weather being as good as it is. What did delightful thing to do on such a blustery but warm Winter's day. And it is winter now officially it may be winter but I see it as days closer to Summer now. Granted we still have to get through Christmas and New Years but soon we'll be having longer days of daylight when I assume that we're still going to get some inclement weather besides just rain I mean it's temperature's going to drop and we're going to see snow I think before this is all over. It would be nice if there's another way to obtain moisture but sadly this is the official process get whatever comes in the mountains no winter time as snow and what can seep into the groundwater. On good Winters we've had more than enough snow and water. The trade off of course is the parking lots and driveways and sidewalks I'll become ice harbiters one of many. But day that we don't have it's snowing ice is a day closer to Summer and probably the drought. I wish there was a way to move clouds direct to where you want them. This moisture / Cloud manipulation but greatly assist us in our drought issue.

The assist meeting was kind of slow we basically sat around and ate goodies sent in by contractors and Friends of the organization they're all kinds of things really homemade ginger steps which are kind of soft but that's what people like. Cookies and cake and all things historically holiday ish. We had a few documents to sign but not very many but it was nice to get together with the staff and with my fellow working person volunteer Robin. We all talked and ate and enjoyed each other's company but soon it was time to end we only had five or six signatures needed. We talked and talked for a while but soon I realized it was time to get out of there and so I did a dude to everyone Merry Christmas and Happy New Year I don't think we're going to meet next week. On the way home from my meeting. I want to cross the street and caught the trained got off at the hospital and then got on the bus and got off at the market at Macy's and did a a little bit of marketing for food for the holiday weekend. I got steaks I got a slab of ham, new grapes I even got chicken legs/ drumsticks that I don't know if I'm going to fry or take them in the crock pot with barbecue sauce I don't know. All I know is now I have enough to get through the holiday I don't think I'll be entertaining or I'll be getting anything from anybody else. I did look for a Christmas card or two one for Marc Anthony and then one for Lissy and I lost the one for Lissy. I lost the card on the way home even before I got out of the store actually. I didn't stop at the Dollar Store got some milk. I'm actually pretty excited they fixed the oven door so now I can lean on the handle and actually pull up in the stove door which means I could do some actual cooking if I really wanted to. I think I don't have to go out anymore until after the holiday which is just fine it sounds like we are going to get some moisture in the next couple of days..

 

Running on Empty

 

It's the first full day of winter but it feels like spring along the Wasatch Front. Temperature today is almost 70°. Thank you to a warm wind. I was out and about so I enjoyed a warmer weather it made waiting for the bus a treat. The only drawback on such a beautiful day was the fact that I messed up my battery charger yesterday and for some reason I could not fit the charger into my power chair receiver for stoking up the batteries. I didn't worry too much about it and I didn't focus last night on the problem that I didn't have my chair plugged in. I figured the day would be a little stressed day and that somewhere along the day I'll be able to get it charged properly. However, one of my friends called and wanted to go to coffee which means I would have to use what power was left in my chair to go up to the bus stop catch the bus and go over to the coffee shop the Starbucks. I started today at about 50% charge so I figured I'd have enough to do what I needed to do. Even with the coffee shop trip I figured out have enough but I forgot how quick the charge drops once it hits the 50% mark. By the time I've got to the coffee shop I was down to 30%. And I still wasn't too worried it was definitely in the yellow zone but I had not transferred into the red zone. When you're in the red zone it's very spooky you may or may not have enough power to get where you're going and you should be charging immediately but that was something I could do. After a great discussion with my friend Lori I rolled up and waited for the next bus to come down the line every time I got to the apartments I was at 17% in the red zone and the red zone is the last song. I still didn't have a charger that would plug into my chair because of the connector becoming loose yesterday and unable to plug in. Melissa kind of fixed it but got everything out of alignment and that's what I need to do tomorrow or day after is to get the guy down here it does some of the maintenance work to fix it. I ended up digging out one of my old Chargers that I can still plug into and hopefully run that tonight so I'll have enough power to go and do what I need to do downtown tomorrow. Oh I didn't realize, why was having coffee with Lori I was called by assist they organization I volunteer for downtown and they want to have a meeting tomorrow. I thought we were off for the holiday but I guess I'm wrong so I need to charge the battery up and head into the city tomorrow to get to my meeting by 11:00 a.m.. I think it's going to be sort of a holiday party meeting with things to eat one or two people to assess their eligibility that should be about it. Once I finish a deep charge on my chair tonight I should be okay. It's beginning to feel like Christmas again

Happy Winter Solstice

 

What a remarkable day. As always I'm totally excited on the solstice or the winter solstice that is. The mere thought that from this point forward the days will be getting longer are the hours of daylight will be getting longer till that fateful day and June. Right now June feels a long way off so I've just excited. I spent the great day with my granddaughter, Jasmine. Sunday morning so we went to breakfast Marc Anthony and Jasmine and myself over at our little restaurant where we had good food and good conversation. For some time this week Jasmine isn't telling me she'll be coming by the apartment to finish decorating for Christmas as well as cleaning up the apartment. She also indicated that the apartment cleaning would be my Christmas present for this year which of course no present is needed but I'll never say no to some apartment clean up. We had our usual breakfast and conversation and we finally broke up to get off on our way. Mark had things to do and Jasmine met me at the apartment complex and we started the cleanup. I really didn't know what to expect maybe picking up a few things maybe sweeping up a little bit here and there and maybe washing some dishes but the girl really dug in I couldn't believe it. I didn't check the clock for sure but it must have been around 10:00 a.m. when the girl came over and she didn't leave till like 6:00! That's p.m. she brought in a box that have been mailed to her and it was actually a kit for cleaning up. I had a mop bucket and a mop that folded out plus soap and all kinds of little brushes. Jasmine went to work on the cupboards and the shelving with these little brushes and some with special tips that was built to get into the crevices of the cracks of the building of the cupboards the shelving it was amazing I've never seen such a thing. She washed all the outsides of all the cupboards in my kitchen then going around all the nooks and crannies with these tools getting stuff out of the cracks. Then she worked on the countertops totally soaping up and washing down over and over again till they were really smooth. She must have spent an hour on the stove itself washing scraping pulling dirt off of the greased on stove top till smooth and shiny just like new. She wash dishes pots and pans front of the refrigerator and then mop the floor not once but twice with the specialty mop and wringing out device. We didn't stop to eat or anything we talked a lot then towards the end I'd got myself worn out just watching her work and I was quiet. Finally however she finished all the floors then we packed up her stuff and I rolled with her out to her car she jumped in and sped away. I almost hate to do anything now because I know I'll just start making things dirty again after all they don't call me Mr entropy for nothing 

Saturday before christmas, on the town!

 

There's nothing more sobering than last call of Christmas coffee group. It's the same coffee group that comes in every Saturday morning but it's the one before the big holiday, The Big Kahuna of the Christmas season. The coffee shop in this heel tie magnanimity has decided to close on Christmas Eve Christmas and the day after in order to give the staff the best holiday season they could absorb. Darren couldn't afford it but it's one time during the year and decide what the hell the kids work hard why not? The customer base is another issue though they're not going to say anything about being closed over the holiday but the joint being closed leaves them one less place to go on the days leading up and directly after the holiday itself. That leaves a bunch of us little orphans desperately waiting for our dear little coffee shop to get back into normal hours- - really the only drawback of the holiday season any holiday season.

I was at the coffee shop a little over an hour this morning I didn't have a lot of time to spend or there is really nothing to spend it on there with everybody disappearing and be getting the holiday withdrawal. I gathered up my materials got the stopper in my coffee and then rolled down the long table saying goodbye and happy holiday greetings to my friends at the long table wishing them the very best and to be safe and enjoy the holiday and that I would see them next year. This jolted them a lot and a couple of them said they would be back before the new year and they showed me how according to the paper on the door there would be some time before the new year that the place would be open so I'll have to go back and check on that. That being said however I checked out when the next bus going inbound would be and today decided I would go all the way downtown to my favorite Bakery and German restaurant Siegfrieds. I was kind of surprised for a holiday weekend that the bus was not as packed as it usually is making my Drive-In more comfortable. I took the Blue Line this time because they go further in another Direction than the red line which I usually use. I had to go all the way down town to get to the shop so I was interested in. I can't believe I made this big trip just for bread and braughtvurs I kind of wish I had taken an image of the bratverse before before I eat the selection. One thing to remember about Siegfried is there's always a line and that being Christmas it was even more significant- luckily I was sitting down I got my usual brat first and fried potatoes and cheap drink and sat down at my spot. They also got the hot mustard which I totally love. It was nice to sit there with everybody else who loves siegfrieds. There seem to be a lot of family groups in here today. It really must be a place for those yuppies to congregate and enjoy the weekends. I'm sure it's a money thing. I actually had to pass the person who just stopped my food to give me only half of the potatoes that I asked for just way too much starch then I needed for the day didn't make the cost any less but that's okay.

I was totally pleased when finished I left my plate and utensils on the table and left. I'll keep in mind this place is not far from the ballet at Salt Lake Ballet Company and they're putting on The Nutcracker. I almost went it was such a nice day. The ticket would cost me 50 bucks and theoretically would put me in their wheelchair seating which I understand is never been very good this is goes all the way back to when we force them to make it wheelchair seating from the Independent Living Center. I kind of told them I might come in tomorrow Sunday if I get really motivated. I don't know if it's worth 50 bucks it would be nice to be able to tell everybody that I went to The Nutcracker it would make me very cool I'm sure but that's a lot of violation through no question about that …

Dried fruit platter

 

I can't really be sure I can't quite remember exactly what day it was but I'm pretty sure it was yesterday, Thursday morning during the coffee group. I was thinking it could have been the day before at the Christmas luncheon but that was pretty late in the day and when or what I remember is that my dentist came over earlier in the day like in the morning which would make it have to be yesterday at the coffee group. You know that I have this coffee group every Thursday morning and I really like the reason to meet. I go through these feelings of hot and cold about the people that come to the group but I like the concept of the group itself and the fact that it's Thursday morning, the day before Friday. Starts about 9:30 and probably runs till around 10:30 sometimes 11:00 if it's really active that's hardly ever the case. I'm one of the only or actually I am the only male that attends this function on a regular basis. Start the stimulating conversation or the coffee itself though the coffee is good and the infrequent treats they they have actually they do pretty good the group that's doing the group now that provides refreshments. They're very humble and sweet Treats not necessarily candy but cooked Goods baked goods cookies and occasional cake or two. It's kind of fun. The group stays away from anything political or antagonistic or something that could cause serious issues. So I really don't communicate on anything super serious. But I first came to this property the Thursday morning coffee groups were better attended a lot more folks and a lot wider skin. That's changed over the last year or so now we have a number of folks that are from the minorities. Basically Hispanic and some Native American every once in a while we have one of the black people show up and it's a pretty nice group. Everyone throws in a dollar every week supposedly that buys the refreshments for the next but it really ever does that. Actually if somebody did some real searching they can find stuff that would more than meet the need. No someone are really functional they could actually get stuff donated over that would be nice too. But that is not happen is yet as it is. Anyways this last Thursday I believe it was yesterday for sure- - kind of freaks me out because I thought it was earlier in the week than that but it has to be yesterday - - I was sitting at the table communicating with some of the other folks and look up and suddenly there was a face that I recognized I couldn't really place it immediately and then I realized it was my dentist! He was standing there smiling at me with this big round gift in his hand or around container it was one of those fancy dancing fruit containers you know really high end dried fruit apricots, dates, something green, orange slices I guess, bananas flattened out all kinds of fruit leather aim to look like a okay of flowers that's some sort. Finally I realized it was my dentist from across the street! And that's how I introduced him because I couldn't remember his name his first are his last I was totally pulling the blanket I felt real bad. But he and I had some great conversation and I opened up the fruit wheel and started passing it around to the folks at the table. Everybody picked out a few pieces that they wanted still left me with quite a bit probably put more than I really need but I'm so stingy I'm just excited to have that at my household more than that however I'm excited that this guy came over across the street to give it to me. I've always liked him as my dentist and I always like his setup that he's got going over there it's been in the same building for years and years totally owns the property and stuff. More than that and I may really be talking to my hat here but it seemed like he gave me some real credibility that somebody out there really liked me enough to come and give me a Christmas present in person and a fairly expensive Christmas present that. They're all impressed I could tell as I introduced him as my dentist. And they are all kind of tickled that I knew somebody like that. I've always told him that I did particularly with my political work in the old days I don't think they believed me but now I think I've got a lot more credibility going now with a dentist that actually showed up with a Christmas gift, do I count this as a Christmas miracle? Not really but the more I Ponder the more I just wonder this might be my Christmas miracle for the year this year Christmas 2025….

Ho. Ho ho

 I don't know why I keep doing it every year, I just do it. I'm sure there's other folks who could do Santa Claus as well as I have not better but it's become my thing and I guess I don't mind owning it. Today was the independent living centers holiday party. I don't know how I let the morning get away from me I just did pretty soon I realized that I better get going or I was going to miss the party entirely and that can't be. I wanted to be there early enough to enjoy a leisurely lunch or whatever they're preparing this year. It's always something somewhat meager. They just want to make sure I get it before I have to do Santa Duty. In order to get to the center I either have to take surface streets which takes a long time on the bus that I really have to plan. There was no way I was going to be able to do surface streets this year so that means I'd have to take the train or first a bus to the train station then train station to 33rd Street and from there I'd have to book been over in my power chair two or three blocks which is quite a stint. I was waiting at the bus stop getting ready to catch my first bus and I was trying to send an image to somebody and I was sitting at the bus stop and I looked up and all the sudden the bus pulling away. I didn't even hear it come in I couldn't believe it I was going to be super late now if I had to wait another half hour. Then the bus stopped about 20 yards so down the street it took me a second to figure out he made me waiting for me so I took off as fast as I could go and sure enough he waited till I got there. I think he was trying to punish me for not being attentive when he pulled up. Kind of irked me but it got me back on schedule and I was able to do the train and the Scamper over from the bus stop on 33rd over to the the center. As well within the time limit that I needed to be got a fine Bowl of chili which is enough to get me through the afternoon.

When it was time Kim hustled me into the back room and changed me into the Santa suit. Kind of embarrassing that I'm putting on so much weight that I could barely get into the suit this year that is bad I need to make some resolutions and keep them. Finally it was time rolled into the large room and yelling Merry Christmas and finding a place to sit and then the picture taking started. There wasn't as many people in attendance this year so has been years past I thought that was interesting still seem to take forever. I was glad when we were done it's hard to be that happy for that long and even though I'm smiling underneath the beard it takes a lot out of me. I finally did one last ho and it was time to go. Kim got me out of the Santa suit and loaded me into the van and drove me over to my apartment. Another successful Santa event. This is my last major commitment of the holiday season now I should be able to kick back enjoy the rest of the year..

Christmas luncheon- - yum

 I'm going to try to be good and not come off sounding like a major dick. But I think it's going to be hard so just bear with me if you don't want to large dose of negative you might want to skip tonight posting. And I may not be as bad as I think I might be. But anyway today was the apartment Christmas luncheon. It's a little bit confusing to me because I don't really remember them being a formal luncheon before or even lunch and luncheon. Typically there's something earlier in the month that the agency which runs these apartment complexes sponsors and I sort of thought that's what this was. Had I known it was just one person putting together what I thought would be a great luncheon- - actually it was pretty darn great just not what I was expecting- - I should realize something is up when the luncheon was supposed to start at 1:00 in the afternoon. For some reason that just sort of irks me. So like you have to wait around for 1:00 and that's what we did. The legend was not necessarily potluck in fact I wish it had been potluck. It was pre-made sandwiches by sandwich shop two trays that I could see and there was some sort of a hot dish still trying to figure out what it was it was beans and there was some protein in it I think it was hamburger it was pretty good actually I enjoyed that most of all. I had a sandwich one of those little pre-made sandwiches I didn't see really any condiments but I didn't really look that much for them. I always wait out the line because it's always set up so that there's always a long line of people waiting to get to there food Mecca. There was still food when I went through the line, not a lot but enough to satisfy me as far as filling me up goes. I didn't need a lot because I'm going through this weird phase where I think I'm trying to lose weight so I don't need a giant dinner and again that helped me deal with the dinner today. Anyway, it just seemed like a little weird when the agency puts on the lunch it's a little more put together more options warmer food. Like I said it was cold sandwiches, choice of chips some sort of soupy bean casserole which I thought was pretty good actually. And quite a bit of different desserts. They had to put them pie there from Costco so that's always good and that's what I had plus one big cookie which you can tell is homemade and that's probably the best. There's some punch to drink but I didn't go for that it was in a punch bowl with lots of ice and I just thought it was too cold for me to really enjoy. I think the rest of the crew really liked the event it's not like I didn't like it it's just not what I was expecting it never is I just need to learn to accept that. As far as I can tell the event was put on by one person here at the building who likes to really organize things. She didn't say it but it was like her gift to the building and that's quite nice and she did a good job as far as organizing this event. The folks wandered in, waited in line, found a place to sit eat their lunch and then quietly leave. I'm already looking forward to next year…

Technicolor to the movies

 I was out of the apartment today at about 10:45 one to catch the 11 something bus that would take me down to the movies down to the Regal where I watch my movies. Today I wanted to watch the next movie in the sequence of Wicked. This is some sort of musical Wizard of Oz knock off in two different movies it's kind of interesting. I have to admit that I enjoyed the movie I mean it's not West Side Story or even The Music Man but I thought it was pretty good. Another perspective of what happened to the dark witch and the black witch or the White Witch. It was a good day for riding the bus I didn't mind waiting out in the cold I had a fairly decent hood on I just had to make sure my patients was right on task. I was a little bummed out because the movie had already started once I got there usually I have to wait significant amount of time and suffer through significant amount of previews but not today. I purchased theater candy which is way too much what it was worth and didn't get a drink which I should have. I'm really going to have to start hydrating better or I think I'm going to run into some problems. I just have a hard time drinking during the day or night for that fact. Drinking my fluids should be that big of a deal but sure seems to be. Now I'm getting concerned about the problems I'm having cathing. I used to never have any issues using the catheter for now I'm just trying to find the appropriate hole to put the catheter in. I hate to be honest and say something like my belly just getting too big. I wish I could write it off as anything but obesity but I think that's what I'm looking at these days. I'm going to try to get myself on some kind of weight management issue program but I just don't know if I'll be able to do anything with the time I've got left. Transfers in and out of beds still going fairly well I think this morning getting dressed was not an issue that went pretty straightforward no problems. I have to take extra strong measures to make sure I'm sitting as upright in my chair as I can otherwise I tend to slouch and when I slouch I can't really raise my leg up with the sticks the way I have been used to doing. Again I don't want to blame my chair too and I think there is something going on there but not as much as my body itself. But I was able to drain a few hours ago however without really having to take all my clothes off and then catheterize. It was a bit of a challenge but for all that fluids I've taken today which hasn't been a ton but I've been trying to be fairly consistent drinking stuff every time I went past the refrigerator. I only passed around 400 ml. Not a huge void but any measure. It was enough fluid out that it stopped pressing the rectum or the intestine that's got the poop and make me feel like I was going to have a problem any second. Once I got the fluids out the other issue stop so I'm okay for now and of course I have Melissa in the morning so I'll be set until Friday. Tomorrow should be okay the only thing I have is some kind of a Christmas dinner here for lunch that didn't really come out right but we're having a late lunch at 1:00 we're having some sort of Christmas meal I don't know what's being provided by management or if it's bring your own stuff or you know when everyone brings a dish I haven't been notified so I'm not bringing anything but I might show up if I can wait till 1:00.

The birthday event

I initially woke up around 4:00 and I couldn't or I thought I couldn't get back to sleep but obviously I did and woke up at 20 minute intervents until I got up at 7:00 a.m. I know I slept in don't particularlyhhhhj know why maybe I was just tired. Laying in bed I kind of moped around feeling sorry for myself about how fat I think I'm getting. Now I have fairly decent Authority that tells me that not but I just can't accept her particular decision of how I appear. I feel I've been stuffing myself for the last couple weeks. Been eating a lot of mixed nuts, carbohydrates in general and all matters of other food matter. I don't know why but I feel I'm always hungry. I just have to get into another mindset and I think send for a scales I can attach to my body lift. After I got up I picked up around the place a little bit swept the floors basically waited for Melissa my CNA to get here so I can get my shower and toilet now the way.

The only thing I had to do today was to meet with my granddaughter's family for her gals birthday celebration which is going to be held at 6:00 p.m. over at is high-end ice cream shop. As I've written before we're close to Winter Solstice now which means Darkness Falls on this area very swiftly and very early me it's going to be pretty dark by 6:00 p.m. and I suppose a little chilly as well that wasn't too bad. Remember I said the only thing I had to do was to do the birthday event that wasn't completely true because I really needed to get something to have in hand to give to my granddaughter when I see her tonight. This of course means I need to find some place that has birthday cards. Across the street did not have a block from my apartment complex is the number of stores that have things like birthday cards. I wasn't worried about finding the right place for a card. I did my arm work out for the day you know pumping my arm bike for 60 Minutes on Mondays. Once I finished my arm pump I found a fairly warm hood and headed over across the street. I spent the good part of the afternoon trying to find a good card there's lots of them to be had I ended up buying four or five just so that I would have backup for other birthdays that are coming along this year. Luckily I only had to purchase granddaughter birthday cards which made the event a little bit easier. Back at the apartment I basically waited until time to catch the bus over to the Leatherby's the ice cream shop.

I got over to the part of the outdoor mall where Leatherby's is located about 5:30 so I had some ti Zme to kill I didn't think anybody would be there at the restaurant so I went over to a low income store did some browsing it was very nice. At 6:00 p.m. I wandered over to the restaurant and sure enough everybody was there and they'd been there for some time. It's an ice cream joint so I figured that's going to be it for the night I really wanted to have my favorite places like this is brand new coffee and vanilla ice cream. Of course tonight their coffee machine didn't work. And I'd eaten before I went actually cuz I didn't know how long it was going to really take before dinner. So I stopped at Market that's got a deli bought a couple pieces of potatoes and couple pieces of fried chicken bits. Enough to keep me going. Actually made me quite full so I didn't really order anything to eat. I just took some of Jackson's Ice Cream and I had french fries off of other people's plates that was enough. I didn't want to have a full meal especially there. After the event time to go home they didn't want to let me go for some reason I think they were worried about me I dress in black and it's night now very night. They even wanted to walk with me over to the bus stop I wouldn't let that happen so if I went. I told him I was going to roll home but I changed my mind once I got to the bus stop and just hung out there till eventually the 217 rolled in and home I came. How long eventful day I'm glad it's over. I'm glad to be home in my warm apartment writing this document

 

Savoring Sunday

 

KWith Mark Anthony out of town and the kids wanting to stay up late Saturday night I was free this Sunday morning to do whatever I wanted. This really was kind of a treat, one I totally appreciated. I made eggs and bacon on Saturday and I had a whole meal left over as far as that way so School in creation. I just nibbled on pieces, drunk some coffee and got ready for the day. My plan was to go to a movie which I did, and early movie I think it started at 11:10 that's when the seating started it didn't really start till almost 12:00 noon. They said the days are going to continue to be warm and they kind of were later in the afternoon but this morning getting to the movies, waiting for the bus was kind of chilly I took one of my furry jackets or sweater type clothing wrapped it around my neck to keep warm and waited for the bus. I went to a weird little piece of work called dust bunnies. I would totally recommend it if you're into such movies. Later I stopped at a Vietnamese restaurant very close to the theater and really on the way home on my way to the buses. I had coffee soda and the fresh egg rolls for chair very good. They even threw one in free for me I don't know why they did that there must have been a reason but I enjoyed having an extra egg roll. I brought it home for late night snack. I like this little Vietnamese joint it's been there ever since I've started going to the movies but I've only started going there the last couple of weeks. They kind of remind me of another Vietnamese restaurant I used to go two years ago when I first moved into this town.

Remember we talking about the long pants I wore to the assist open house couple days ago? Will this morning as I was wandering around the apartment trying to think of something else to wear for warmth up to the movies. I didn't want to wear one of the heavy old hobo coats I've got. I noticed there is some shirts possible sweaters folded up on the top row of the closet. Remember one time we stuck some clothes up there because I was too big to wear them anymore. Surprisingly however I forgot the clothes were there, I guess unsurprisingly. I've got three really nice sweaters that are almost new it looks like I also found a couple other shirts one colorful red which I wore today and I remembered why I stopped wearing them and put them up on the Shelf. I really think it's bigger than for me the shirt but it's made out of that clingy elastic stuff that climbs up on your body all the time you might just keep climbing climbing all the way up my stomach all during the show. I had to make sure that I kept pulling my jacket on my shirt down. That works pretty good for that I think I'm going to build these shirts back into my wardrobe as well as the sweaters. With this amount of sweaters I can have some good long leg outfits. I can go to a couple weddings and funerals and get togethers if I needed to… life is good

Saturday sentiments

I went to coffee this morning and hung out for an hour. It's nothing significant was happening so I figured it was best to get back to the apartment with a little bit of coffee and see what else I could do today, another December day that feels like April. I didn't want to waste the good weather so I decided to take a bus up to the Walmart area and cross the street and go to the movies. I only went to one something by the name of eternities. It was okay supposed to be a comedy but it wasn't all that funny actually. I almost rather would have gone to the second Wicked movie but that was not an inconvenient time for me and I certainly didn't want to wait around I had to wait around just for this movie to start. I use the waiting time to be over at Walmart where I was able to buy some bachelor buttons and a few other items I felt that I desperately needed actually that's not true I did that after the movie then I came on home. Did some movies or a movie on Netflix. When I contacted Mark to see if he wanted to go to breakfast I found out that he was in Las Vegas and I ended up calling Jasmine to see about if they wanted to go or stay home. Luckily they weren't too interested in going to breakfast either they're going to do some parties tonight and stuff and be up late so that worked out for me. I'll be able to just sleep in if I want to I cooked up the rest of the bacon this morning or this afternoon most of it anyway there's a couple pieces I threw in the freezer in case I need a bacon flavor for one reason or another in the next couple of weeks or days. I fried up some bacon this morning just a couple pieces to have with a fried egg which was great by the way. I did this before I went over to the coffee shop. I wasn't sure when I was going to have a real breakfast again thinking I was going out to Dee's in the morning. So I guess I'll be able to cook some more eggs tomorrow and have with the bacon I cook today throwing some toast and I should have at least breakfast taken care of. I do have the chicken legs that I could use for dinner or just have more break in eggs since I do have bacon and the eggs.

I got a message yesterday I think on messenger from Henry hensheid an old friend of mine from college days well actually even before that he's a friend from Camp Easter seal days that way linked up again in college. I had been thinking of him for the last couple days and went to contact him but he contacted me first. Didn't say much in the contact just that it was time that we communicated again and Merry Christmas and all that stuff. I I messaged back that let me have a time and I'll be able to visit with him longer and we can have a good discussion. I was kind of curious because I didn't know what his condition was and it's hopefully that he was still alive what he seems to be mean and I'm sure he's doing really well. He's in a real committed relationship and I think she takes care of him very well.

I'm quite the positive note I dress myself quite easily this morning comparatively speaking anyway. Still has some struggles on my left side but my right side came through really well and it really has to do with the problem I'm having sitting in my chair these days I totally got over to leaning on to the right side which means I think I may have done something to the right side of my chair and sits lower than my left side which makes me shift over to that side. Anyway hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to dress just as easily

Q

Long pants and open house

 

I really believe the abnormal weather we're currently experiencing here in Salt Lake saved my butt as far as attending the assist open house today in Salt Lake City. Remember I was worried about having to wear long pants, I know this is my decision, but still it's something I haven't done for some time. Thank goodness for Melissa, my CNA she helped put me together the rest of the way with the white shirt she found in my closet and the sweater that was also hanging up in the closet which is hardly ever been worn. I was kind of messed up actually because it was difficult putting the sweater over the shirt but I think I got it mostly done okay and by the time I got to the Assist office I still look fairly decent. Had the weather been cold as it usually is this year I think I would have been much more frazzled looking to be honest. By the time I got to the assist office it was just a little bit before the time the event was supposed to start but the food and everything is already placed out and a very inviting. It was your basic finger foods brought in by various members of the staff and other folks who like to contribute to this kind of stuff. Think the main Bell Affair was empanadas made by Andreas and your other pieces of holiday Fair cookies for instance, lots of Olives cold cut rolls that can be cut into mini sandwiches using the cold cuts another items on the tables there are cinnamon rolls this year which was very nice and many other delicious little Delicacies that tend to surface during holiday open houses. I was still a little nervous about the presentation they wanted me to do. They didn't give me any structure or anything and I basically decided I was just going to wing it but as I visited this folks who arrived earlier many of whom I've worked for decades here in Salt Lake I was able to form some kind of a verbal document that somehow turned into a fairly decent presentation at least that's what I'm told. There's a lot of head nodding from the director as well as for my friend Andreas so I think I touched all the bases I got the program that I work with covered fairly well more stammering than I would have liked but that certainly gives up the flare of authenticity that goes well with these kind of events. I don't think a lot of people would really tanked up on the wine yet so they heard what they heard and not the filtered version which is kind of too bad LOL. The previous director always shows up to these events he does really well and he and I are fairly well connected to each other and it was interesting to have him there validating everything I said brought back a lot of memories and this kind of event does that especially this time of year. Had I had any wine before my presentation it would have been really mopey and sad. As it was however I left while the event was still in high progress I had to cross the street over to the train station to catch my train home. It's dark of course this time of year very early and even though it's only like 6:30 feels like it's 9:00 and I'm going home all alone. I still had to catch two buses after the first bus the distance between that bus stop and home is fairly short so I just drove home the rest of the way. All Things Considered I think I

Closing the gap

I'm really not trying to let this little event that I got myself roped into, tomorrow, stress me out but you know what? That's exactly what it's doing. You all know that I wear shorts all the time summer and winter have been doing so for a number of years now it's just part of me. I thought I'd giving up the whole concept of long pants for two main reasons washing the pants and having to come up with button extenders. Shorts just makes everything especially dressing much easier than long pants. So anyway tomorrow I'm really seriously thinking of wearing long pass to this event that I'm supposed to give a small presentation that! I am really silly now I think to do this but I'm probably going to do it. I don't have any pants that have a waste larger than 35 36 in I think. This means I'm going to have to have some sort of button extender if I'm going to wear these. Since tomorrow's Friday Melissa will be here she can certainly help me get into the pants and maybe even do them up. I will have to wear the pants all day however cuz that's me I only change my clothes once a day if I have to. Anyway, how's your Imaging through some clothes that are in the mending pile and came across the pair of old cut-offs that I had ripped the buttonhole off from pulling on it too long and too hard. So I almost do these away or almost had my CNA Melissa told them away but kept them around just in case squashed into the back of the small desk I use in my room. Like if I harvest the top of the shorts typically the belt section I could make a couple of button extenders out of that. Just so that you remember a button extender is what I used to do my pants up when I can't do them up otherwise because I'm too big for the pants. And I can hide the button extender with wrong shirts and such. So I cut off a section of fabric this morning now if I can get Melissa to help me finish this one button extender I can wear the long pants tomorrow with my regular shoes. And like I said I'm doing this because I feel it's rude to show up in my regular clothes to address these people that I don't even really care about but they sort of expect( my expectation no one else's). I must care because I know they really don't and that kind of freaks me out. I'm just glad this will be over with tomorrow afternoon I can get on with my weekend. Another major problem about this event tomorrow that I'm suffering through the fact that we are just a few days away from the winter solstice the shortest amount of daylight in the year which means that night comes quickly and that means Darkness and I'll have to spend some significant time as well as exposure public transportation after Dark. That doesn't really bother me too much but I have to admit it's beginning to bother me a little bit. I should be okay the best part is that it's not cold I may wear my red jacket just the same but the cold weather isn't on me this year like it usually is and for that I'm grateful

 

Sign of the times

   

 It's a sign of the times. I know that's cliche but it certainly works for many different issues but this one in particular is right on. When I got on the train the other day this is who I saw another Transit passenger with a Santa Claus hat on. I didn't mean to stare but I had to make sure I got the image transfixed in my mind. You certainly looked working class and I'm sure he was but it felt compelled to show signs of the time and the season. Already where is it every day until after New Years. I wish I had thought of spending a couple days just riding the tracks and seeing how many people were wearing Santa hats or some form of Santa outfit this year. Who knows? I still may do it. I miss me quick however the days are fastly Falling Away and soon it will be Christmas Day not that we would know it much here in Salt Lake. The temperatures today was over 60°. It felt like spring I was out in the weather only once or twice I had a meeting in the middle of the day which took 2 hours and in the morning I had to keep an eye on my wash which means I have to run down and put three quarters in the mechanism push it in and start the machine again for another cycle. Remember my CNA usually throws my wash in the machines on Wednesday when she's here. Then before she leaves she stops by the laundry pulls the wet clothes out of the washer and throws them in the dryer. Then I go back once the first dry Cycles ended and put the quarters in again and start another cycle and try to figure out something else to do to keep me out of trouble till those finish. Today I actually worked on my arm bike pumped an hour. I'm glad I have something productive to do ask these clothes dry. I was able to pull them close out of the dryer get back to my apartment just as my meeting was beginning. I usually am very good about folding the clothes put in them away and hanging up the shirts right after I get back so they're all done but this project now will have to wait till after resume meeting at least.

Remember how I sort of complained about going to these meetings and not really saying anything the time that I'm there. I just can't think of anything to say that's important enough to chime into what's going on with the rest of the folks at the meetings. One of my buddies sometimes calls on me to make a statement just so that it shakes off the lost in the corner person that I tend to project. I mean I suppose they could say Mark please stop coming to the meeting if you're not going to participate. I'll have you know many times or sometimes if we don't have a full quorum nothing can get done and many times my presence at these meetings- - even though I'm silent as a rock- - allows work to be done started because we're barely have a full compliment to do the work but we can work at least and whatever we do will be. Today was the definition of assistive technology at versus other forms of technology which seems it could closely mimic the U.T. that we support. We sort of got caught up in the minutiae of what's  and what's not AT.

Fried Chicken yummers

 

Well, I did it. Remember the chicken legs I purchased last week then I had it in the freezer that I thawed them I'm out and I was going to cook them on Saturday so I'd have them for Sunday that didn't work out and then I threw him back into the freezer and then last night I pulled the legs out again and hope they be thought out in time for dinner that didn't happen in fact I even opened up the packages cuz they outside look like they were ready to go but when I started to work with him they weren't I put the package back into the refrigerator and was committed to cook them up tonight or today sometime but the same time I knew it was Tuesday and that meant I had to be gone early downtown for my assist meeting and basically hope that I would be able to have the energy that when I got home I'd be able to cook the mess up. When I got them out yesterday I actually tore the plastic off the package half of it anyway so half of them were exposed to the air all night long on the other half were basically under the plastic they all seemed to cook all right to fry all right. I wish I had stopped and gotten a box of shake and bake but I didn't on my way home I just wanted to get home. And I guess I could have put them in the crock pot but I just really wasn't in that much of a mood to do something new and to me putting those things in the Crock-Pot would have been something new. Plus I want to make sure I have enough barbecue sauce when I do that to really barbecue up the legs. I'm going to do them shortly so hang in there. I only used one frying pan tonight the last time I did it I had two frying pants kept me hopping pretty bad so tonight I just used the one pan and did four legs at a time which kind of turned out okay. The second batch got a lot more charring on them than the first but I ate a leg from each batch and they were good enough for me and it'd be good enough to skin and put in something like Frank or rice or something like that it'd be good donor meat for whatever meal I can think up. I finished cooking them about 3 hours ago now and they've cooled down enough that I can put them in some form of container and our plastic bag then throw them back into the refrigerator and then I can eat them when I want to over the next couple of days.

I was pleased but somewhat concerned about my trip into the office today. It was definitely spring it felt like. I wore my red coat anyway and I was glad that I did I had to wait about 20 minutes at the bus stop and it could have gotten chilly. But I was able to wear my stocking cap in my red jacket and when the sun was out or when I was getting direct sunshine it felt warm it felt like spring and like I said it was somewhat concerning because this is going to make a hell of a drought this next summer unless major events happen that increase the moisture in this area- - I don't think that's going to happen

Shake and bake confessions

Couple of weeks ago I bought a package of chicken legs. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with them whether I was going to fry him up or throw them in the Crock-Pot and cook them there. I've never done the Crock-Pot thing which still sort of intrigues me is that problem is the question that I've been thinking of what to do with these things all evening long. I kind of promised myself this morning fairly early, when I took the chicken legs out of the freezer that I would just take the easy way out and fry them up. I really like them this way actually I don't know how detrimental they are to my health but I do like them that way. I thought about even baking them I've never really baked chicken this way though I know it can be done. I remember one of the cruel things I did as a young person right after the whole idea of making chicken in the oven like fried chicken caught on. I remember that was the big deal with shake and bake put the put the chicken in the shake and bake then throw them in the oven and that was it. I was so incensed for my mom started doing this I thought it's her way to get out from frying the chicken cuz I love fried chicken and I still love fried chicken. Now I realize how good the shake and bake would have been and was actually. I should never have tried to intimidate my mother into not using shake and bake. There is really no chance of that because my mom is not going to go back to frying if she didn't have to. Well anyway I was going to have them thought out by middle of the afternoon and I have fried chicken legs for dinner and the rest of the week to snack on our for easy early dinners. So this evening when I was going to fry them up after the news at 6:00 p.m. I was shocked to see that the chicken was still frozen to the point that I couldn't tear them apart to fry up the legs. Now it's too late to fry it up tonight. I need to get to bed relatively early since I have to get up and go into the city tomorrow for my assist meeting. So now I think what I'm going to do is take the chicken as it is still in this package more or less wrapped one piece I took out the test up back in the package throw it back in the refrigerator and Fry up the legs on Tuesday or Wednesday. I've got to move fast because I don't think now the legs have been opened the legs will last that long.

I didn't go out today though I should have. I'll let the day control me. I stayed in after I CNA left, I should have gone out then. The news lady this morning said that where there was going to be in seasonably warm. It was more important for me to get my arm - bike done. This takes at least an hour on this first day of the week. I didn't I did puzzles at the table watch some flat screen but not as much as I usually do. Tried to follow up on the to Fox delivery which is being change this month since 3:00 the regular food box day will fall on the holiday and you know volunteers hate to work on holidays. So I did some phone tags never never did get the individual who's over the food box program to let them know that that would be okay of having food box day whenever they want it

Door decor and a whole lot more

 

What an interesting day. I was relatively pleased with my progress this morning getting dressed for breakfast. It still was somewhat slow going for a while but I was able to get everything on and fastened by the time I need to leave for the restaurant which was just a little bit before 8:00 a.m.. my legs are giving me more and more issues as far as Crossing them so I can get my shorts on over my feet and my shoes on my feet secured and somewhat presentable. The breakfast was usual just mark Anthony and Jasmine the boyfriend was home with the dog doing dog sitting. As usual we broke up around 10:00 or a little before Mark had to go and work on his sound stuff and Jasmine was meeting me at the apartment so she could carry through with her promise to decorate my door the annual Christmas door decoration. I wasn't sure what to expect but was pleased to have the company. I was even more pleased when she jumped in and started cleaning the apartment and putting things away so she could have room to work on the door decorations as well as fetching down the Christmas tree- - fake but beautiful - - and setting things up. Seems like it took quite a while to decorate the tree she really wouldn't to town on putting the bulbs on the tree and finding a suitable place to place the tree. We also did the front door oh I just supervised Jasmine did all the work. We did the front door front and back wreaths on both side quite a bit of fun actually. It was great having this time to visit with the granddaughter. She has a lot going on in their life as I guess kids do everywhere she seems to juggle it pretty well. She's got the end of the semester exams coming up and she should finish this semester with her associate's degree. I know it's cliche especially for a grandparent to say but I'm proud of her and her focus and her work to get this basic degree. I just hope I can encourage her to continue her academic pursuit of the other degrees she would like to have to do what she wants to do.

As I wander into the second week of December I realize that I have a meeting on Wednesday. It's a quarterly meeting so it's not like I was shocked or anything, better yet it's also going to be zoomed so I won't have to be heading out somewhere for an in-person meeting. This Wednesday meeting should take most of the afternoon starting at 1:00 and ending about 3:30. I have other meetings I think towards the middle of the month but even and in retirement things slow down at Christmas almost to a standstill. Usually I don't I don't mind particularly if it's bad weather but what I'm seeing right now is that global warming continues to show its warm face. Temperatures are above normal as is the moisture, very little snow or rain has blessed us this season yet. Like I said this works for me but it's not for everybody else. I'm contemplating now that we'll probably get very little moisture the rest of this month in particularly nothing in the valley over Christmas but that's not a shocker. My door is done and my apartment decorated for the holiday I'm pretty excited and I even getting into a little bit of the Christmas spirit whether it lasts or not that is the question..

Of meat sticks and Marvel

I  bundle up and cross the street to the market today. It's been quite a while since I've actually gone out to purchased foodstuffs. I'm finding I'm relying more and more on internet purchases just so I don't have to go out. That's okay to a point but for things like I really want to be sure it's my decision like purchasing grapes, apples, oranges any kind of produce that I just feel screamish about having some other person pick that stuff out for me. Things like canned goods or bottled Goods like my V8 juice or jalapeno peppers in a can like that I don't mind the shopping drones picking those up either but things that are real that's probably a derivative comment but I wasn't not meant to be but things that we're living very shortly before they are harvested for the market that I want to pick myself and that's what I did today apples and oranges and of course the ever-present bananas. But bananas are a challenge for me because if you buy too many they're going to go dark on you and basically spoiled or act like they are. Those that are somewhat gifted and focused can you use the Aged bananas to make banana bread which is always a great thing to make. I got four oranges I got four apples I don't know why I chose that number except that it seems that if I get larger amounts I usually end up not eating them and they go to waste but four I think I can do well with. My body seems to know when I stopped eating fresh fruit it doesn't like it. So I'm looking forward to ingesting some great pieces of fruit that was purchased at the market today. I also picked up a very small summer sausage which is like $8! That's all I'm going to say and not get into that old guy habit of complaining about items like that. But I'd like to have pieces of meat around that I can slice then and put on things like crackers or chop up to add the eggs and such. I would have really liked it got the wrong summer sausage but I just can't justify 14 bucks for a meat stick or maybe I should but again I don't want to buy something that I get tired of and leave it in the refrigerator till it dies. Sitting there mocking me daring me to eat it and at some point I know I just will not any longer until it gets to the point that is corrupt and needs to be thrown out and that's such a shame so I get the little guys always leaves you wanting more.

Once again I spent way too much time watching the flat screen. I guess I could kind of justify by saying I'm not really watching I'm just listening to the dialogue and letting the dialogue be background noise for when I'm doing other things around the apartment. But I did go out the coffee this morning so that was something I can say that I did not related to the apartment. Shows 2.2 miles on my odometer so I've been out doing things but it's been cold and that's really holding me back. If I really don't need something now I don't get it all right order it in and just enjoy the apartment in my electronics

 

Amazon delivers

Amazon continues to amaze me. For the past couple of months I've been struggling with this charging cord that fits into my Samsung tablet which I use everyday to write on my blog and whatever writing else that I do particularly through things like the kids letters that are right every month. The connector that pushes into the tablet which charges the tablet has been getting more and more frail and you have to push it in a certain way and hold it there for a few seconds and then be sure that I have the machine set it in the cupboard or it's a little bookcase so it'll continue to charge then it even then it may or may not charge. The charging mechanism tends to fall out from time to time sometimes very mysteriously. In my true fashion I dropped my charger sometime yesterday and it looked right on that charging plug while it was plugged into the tablet and kind of snapped it Off it was hanging by just a thread when I pulled it out and looked at it it fell apart completely meaning that if I didn't find some other option I wouldn't be able to use this tablet like I love to do. I thought about bundling up and then taking off to either the market up the street or going all the way into the 21st South Market that sells all kinds of office stuff as well as a pretty good selection of technical stuff computer tech stuff. I didn't want to however go out in the cold I'm getting to be quite a sissy. But I wondered what if I could order this in from the internet. Even if I couldn't use this tablet until it the order came in it would still be coming. I could use my cell phone if I really really needed to dictate somewhere else besides this tablet. I had just enough power in my tablet yesterday to work out my posting that I did yesterday so this morning soon after waking I pulled out my cell phone and check out a couple options as far as charging cables for tablet Samsung tablets. Sure enough there were all kinds of options I actually pull the trigger and ordered a couple of charging cables that should fit into my tablet and there is even indicated that if I ordered by a certain time they would get here today and sure enough this afternoon or early evening I noticed something blocking the light from underneath my door and sure enough my order has been delivered! I couldn't believe it. I was surprised to find out that I got three cables fairly long cables I only needed one so I have two backups I feel rich. I was a little concerned at first because the piece had a hard time fitting into the tablet but I work a little around and soon I got the sound that it was charging and I let the tablet charge all afternoon and just checked on it a few minutes ago and sure enough it was 100% charged I'm so excited not to worry about not having enough power to do my blog daily. As an aside I also ordered 40 count box of Layes potato  chips . I'm so excited. They're the small chips that you usually get in vending machines which is cool with me. I think the 40 count box will allow me to do some control of how many chips I eat at once. Portion control that's what I'm looking for and I think this will do it it will give me a variety of chips. I think one package is enough to have with a sandwich which is just right for me. I opened up one package of green onion chips or a regular chip with green onion specks in it and wolfed it down they were just fine!

You just never know

 Am I just paranoid? I'm getting spooked by all these weird little image projections on my tablet and handheld device. Like how it pulls out a date and shows pictures from that date images from that date. Doesn't come right out and say it but I know it's IA working. It's trying to second-guess me by trying to butter up my vanity by showing images of me or what it thinks that I would like. I don't like it not one bit I don't like it we're making around my image files and my other files and then throwing them out on display anytime that it wants to. I would hope that there is some way I could go in change it so it doesn't do that but that's just more time that it I just don't want to spend it in pandering to the AI s whims. I wonder how long it's going to take the whole AI thing to become sentient? To begin to get spooky as AI turns fiction into reality. Like I said I think I might be a little over dramatic but it's true and what really kind of weirds me out is how many people think this is a great thing. There's even some I think different entities trying to sell the concept that's a good thing and will help us out in the long run I don't believe that will happen. I think AI is going to start messing up maybe not because it wants to but just because there's too many things to think about that it thinks about way faster than we do. And if we don't have it programmed or whatever to not be dominant intelligence destructive wait baby in major doo doo. I can't believe I wrote that. As it is now I pretty much just go day by day and hope to get through it. I don't go out of my way to antagonize the various AIS that are running around out there yet at the same time I don't I don't try to cower around them either.

My main writing devices the tablet but your readers know that and of course the tablet runs on electricity and of course you got to have a charging mechanism to plug it into nightly at least that's what I do. Well I dropped my tablet today and of course it lit on the charger or charging mechanism that was still plugged in to the tablet and broke. I was a little worried that I wouldn't be able to extricate the end of the piece of the charger from the tablet but I was but I have one old charger that I've had kicking around for some time and the mechanism more or less fits into the tablet not very well or seems to take forever to charge the device if at all. I plugged it in this morning before I left for my lunch with a colleague and let it charge all afternoon and I don't know if it charged or not it didn't look like it cuz it's still in the 40s I just hope I have enough juice to finish this postings. It's supposed to snow tomorrow I don't know if I have the wearthal or they get up and go to go over to the 21st South store and buy another charger. I might go over to the dollar store which is right across the street and see if they have one that might fit you never know