Schools Out For Summer

I kind of get emotional anymore at the last day of the month. It means, to me, another month is gone they'll never get back and I don't have many July's left when you look at it that way even the best case scenario. So I hate to say fini to each month as a goes. Tomorrow, begins August which I deem is the last real month of summer. So I have 31 good days for sure of this summer. I also just wrestled my art clipboard back into the portfolio for the last time. I took out the last assignment Nefertiti and took a picture and I think posted the image to my E portfolio on my E Canvas or whatever I never did really figure it out. I posted my material somewhere and I'll see what happens. I know the sick and tired of hearing this but I don't really care because I AUDITED the class. I got what I wanted and now I'm moving on in them not looking back.

Tomorrow should be an abbreviated class. The instructor indicated on Tuesday that he expects students to be in class at 8 AM drop off their last image then be gone. He wants everyone out there by 8:30 AM I think that's fine with me I need to get back to my coffee club they're mad at me as it is. Just for the record I don't think I'm going to take another art type class soon. I probably should do something academic since the college is right there and it's so cheap to be part of that college scene which I do like. The only trouble is if I thought summer classes were intense with two meetings a week what would regular classes per semester be like with three meetings a week? Then there's the whole thing of writing real papers and examinations. I am not sure how all that works. I'm sure it's fairly simple and basic after all and not the only senior enrolled auditing classes. What if I were? That would be kind of funny. My apartment manager was in my apartment today dropping off the document I need to fill out and I shared with her my experience this summer with my drawing class. I shared with her my bookmarks of donkeys from the apocalypse which she immediately fell in love with. I gave her three or four bookmarks she was happy and impressed. This is just enough reinforcement for me to get back to work on my donkeys, bookmarks and possibly using all the rest of my huge tablet of huge pieces of blank paper. I do want to explore drawing on a bigger “canvas” to see what I can produce if nothing else but for my own wall art. I think if I were to take a class it would be in animation, cartoon or pen and ink. I think the biggest lesson I learned this summer in Intro to Drawing is that I just need to do it stop thinking about it so much and just fill up pages and pages of the tablets I have collected over the years now is the time…

With Apologies To Nefertiti

I should be working on thin up my last art submission for my Intro to Drawing class. Today was the actual last “working” class where he actually sat worked on the current project. Mine was drawing to bust of Nefertiti. You got it longnecked beauty from ancient Egypt, it was either Nefertiti, a great bust of a naked woman without a had our a bust of possibly Stalin. I didn't give myself much hope for this project except that I would produce something which I did. You can see it in the image of chosen for this posting. Once again I tried not to compare myself to what other folks in the class was doing it's hard not to though. These guys are producing masterpieces I'm so envious however I'm not letting their obvious skill sets ruin my class experience. We worked on the piece all during the days time limits with the information/instruction that show up at 8 o'clock on Thursday morning and hand in the project.

I messed with my image all morning long. I forgot my wallet I was going to go over to the bookstore and purchase some softer charcoal actually work on the old girl but since I didn't have any cash are cards that ended that idea. Without about rolling home and gave my wallet but then I figured why? The class is essentially over. I think I got my final posted to the E portfolio and then pretty much a shutdown. I think I'm supposed to shoot Nefertiti up there to but I don't know if I'll get to that point perhaps I'll do it, just to post and see what happens.

I had lunch with Lori yesterday and she was somewhat adamant that I take the next class which I assume is something like Intro to Drawing II. I'm sure that's not the name of the class I kind of look to see if there was such a thing I have not found it yet, there's just a whole lot of classes to choose from. I don't know if I need another class – – oh I probably you in the true sense of art – – I just want to go back to my brute art or art primitive. I want to do my donkeys and maybe mess with portraits and a few other ideas I have. I know Brendan “the instructor” would have me deal with the proper shading, values, vanishing points and other points in the art world pathetic know what I say that for. I don't know what I signed up for except for to use the community college just down the street from where I live. Perhaps I wanted it to taste one last time the sweet nectar of youth are to be surrounded by the youth on the college campus even a community college. That was fun for what it was. I think I was shown that I'm just an outsider looking in no matter what I do at this point. I'm just to freaky old guy who just keep showing up to class. I might audit some more classes and maybe in our class are to if I can find one that covers the subject matter I want and not the techniques of art. Maybe I can't have it without learning the intricacies of the subject. My donkeys can only look so cute before I guess they start looking old. Nefertiti deserves better than what I did to her host you forgive me for every she resides in the underworld…

BLTSS

I was pleased a few minutes ago when I noticed I got a text from an old school chum of mine from the days when I went to Borah high school. The committed reader will remember that because of my spinal cord injury and not being able to walk I was forced to go to Borah High School, built all on one floor in the late 50s. Larry C.was one of the few people I remember going out of their way to make friends with me. I have thought about this individual lot over the years but it's not really maintained a relationship. Thanks to the Internet and FB with connected again if not just superficially it's nice to be in contact.

I have this mental image of Larry in my mind. Long curly hair, wire-rimmed glasses and always seemed to be wearing a Nehru jacket. Vietnam was raging, the seem to be a lot of drugs floated around Boise at that time and I sort of felt I needed to do something. I wanted somehow to make a difference. I know that sounds dorky and in all honesty I don't know how much I want to make a difference are how much I just want to be “a big guy” and this was a way, in my mind, of doing this. My older brother got into some trouble with the law and they been shipped off to Vietnam (just like the verse from “Born In The USA”. It's true it's just the way it was. Between my brother's dossier and my spinal cord injury and my willingness to be visible anywhere I could be I had acquired a significant amount of social currency looking to spend it any way I could.

Somehow Larry C. And myself got together and somehow we're going to put together some sort of program/network/traveling show focused on bringing peace to the world. Neil Diamond was big at the time and seemed like his music was everywhere. When the songs it struck me deeply at the time was Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show(BLTSS). I had visions of some sort tent show with music, bands and antiwar rhetoric. Now, mind you, I was not a sky pilot by any means, and Larry, though not a sky pilot then, was certainly much more spiritual than I which I think totally impressed me. Of course like so many things in our adolescent years those ideals were fun to think about, explore even move toward but, life and practicality gets in the way and quickly the adolescent mind quickly turns to something else at least mine did. I'm not sure what Larry did with his life I want to think he followed his spiritual calling at least he was in a rock 'n roll band which makes sense in a funny sort of way. I even had this vision of Larry turning his neighbor jacket in for a spiritual collar and bringing countless law sheep to the judgment bar. Like me, Larry is retired now and but little bit I can discern from his FB page and other Internet searches he's had a great life with a great wife and I suspect a great family as only he deserves. Larry's one of the guys I would really like to follow up with just to see what he's done and how you doing. Hopefully, Larry is part of a little band that gets together on weekends and plays at waterholes serving 60s burnouts with the covert goal of bringing lost souls back to the fold. I smile and slipped back 50 or 60 years every time I did the strains from Brother Love,s Traveling Salvation Show…

It's official I've been screwed by my software DragonDictate which kind of shocks me. I mean granted I'm still pretty naïve in a lot of ways but I really thought DragonDictate and the whole Dragon software product was dependable. But I guess, dragons moneygrubbing as well. I first noticed something was weird with my computer a few weeks ago about a week ago actually. I was not being able to write to my software as well as filling in the blanks are writing directly to online pages like using Firefox or Google Chrome. Usually, I can just say what I want to search for and it writes it in the search box and away we go but something wouldn't let me in the longer I thought and I still think I'm partially right that I had worn the batteries down in my Bluetooth keyboard. I got this keyboard about a year and a half ago, it's Bluetooth, so no wires, and actually lets me enter data via the keyboard with fairly good distance away from the screen. I was thinking pretty much what was going on with my inability to type data into my screen (S) was just the need for new batteries. I did some quick research and found the call for two AA's. And I know I've got a stack of AA's around her somewhere but I couldn't find it so I had to go next door to the polygamist market and picked up a set of four overpriced power sources. And sure enough that solved part of the problem. I was able to dictate directly to open office writer and other “clipboard” type of media. However, I still is the not able to write to webpages and other areas on the Internet directly – not like I used to be able to. So, any time I have computer-related issues a call on my son Mark Anthony. I also find this a great way to have them come by to visit. I know sealed guilt technique perhaps that works now I just wish Shelley did live so far away I could guilt her more readily. Sunday, is probably the best day to get Mark over here since she does not go to church with his family and is not like he needs an excuse but visiting dear old dad is a great excuse to take off on a Sunday morning/afternoon. We both win, Mark and Mark. Mark usually has other items on his agenda so the visits on Sunday are often swift. Today he was given me a pep talk on my art self-esteem, not that I needed, but I think I come across that way. I've noticed a couple of comments on my last couple of Facebook postings. I didn't think I sounded as depressed as I think people thought that I might be. Appreciate all their concern and support for really am doing okay. I've got a great deal out of this drawing class and plan to use the text Drawing on the Right Site Of the Brain. It's a nice volume and it's got a lot of good stuff Incorporated in its text. But I will miss when this class is finished is the weekly assignment of an art project even though many times the art project somewhat threatened to me. I don't think I'm going to take another class right off but I'm going to try to draw as much as I blog. The instructor wanted us to draw a half an hour a day which is, I think, kind of excessive but maybe not I can sure see how much it helps drawing on a regular basis. The academic format was pretty good even down to the writing of the Final Essay and the instructors description of what and how he wanted the document written. I've got mine finished and is now have to figure out how to send it over to the instructor and into my E – portfolio. I guess I've wondered about enough but Mark did search through the software and indeed looks like by DragonDictate software has been “upgraded” and I'm being held some hostage with blockers prevent immediate access the total software which would allow me to write on the Internet functions or to complained about. I don't know if I will continue to use this DragonDictate now or find some alternative software maybe even Google writer has something that might work.and perhaps that's all I need…

Making Grade

I'm actually kind of proud of myself. I've spent the day off and on working on my final essay for my Intro To Drawing class. The task is kind of fun, kind of, it's fun to write with the purpose even if it is a paper for class. Like saying that makes you feel like I've got an important thing going on. I kind of think I can just about right anything and submit it and it would be taken and I would've gotten some sort of passing grade just for submitting something. The instructor gave definite directions on what to write about the gave us three choices to choose from.

I've included the actual document just for the fun of it:

[

Final Essay

• Due No Due Date
• Points 100
• Submitting a text entry box, a website url, or a file upload
  

You are required to write an essay for this class since it is a general education course.
The essay must be 2-3 pages, double spaced, 12 point font, Times New Roman.  You should include an introductory paragraph that includes your thesis statement, supporting paragraphs where you defend your thesis, and a concluding paragraph. 

You must make at least one reference taken from the textbook "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain," by Betty Edwards, at least one reference to an experience or concept taught in class, and at least one reference to your own personal life/experiences.

For the essay please choose one of the following prompts:

1.  How are the skills you have learned in this class applicable to your anticipated field of study, future career/profession, and or life in general?

2.  Many people believe that the ability to draw is only a natural gift some people are born with, not something that can be learned.  Write a persuasive essay to convince a skeptic that drawing is a learnable skill.

3.  Everyone has access to a camera of some sort, and more photos are being taken today than ever before.  Why is it valuable to learn how to draw realistically if you can just take a photo? 
Please upload your word or pdf file here.  You are also required to upload this essay to your e-portfolio.  Please add a link to your e-portfolio in your submiss]



I chose number two. I think number three would been kind of fun too, I did not choose number one just because I'm not going to be using anything I learned a career are professions and some at the end of all that now. Wow! Boy that statement sounds final but I suppose it's true. It came out so smoothly I think maybe I'm beginning to accept format in life that's really spooky.



I thought about writing something silly/stupid just to see how closely the instructor looks at the documents but decided just to have a good time and write what I want to write even if it's not what he wants to read per se. I guess it could be worse I could actually be writing this for a grade!

Naked Dreams

Last night I had that naked dream you know that night terror when you become cognitively aware that you're in public and that you're totally naked and you trying to figure out how to get by until something happens you're not sure what but you're trying to figure out either to madly identify yourself as being naked and getting some help that way or just act natural and hope all things turn out okay. I'm not sure where I was at but I could've been in a class setting are possibly on the train or bus but it seems like I was in some sort of a room. I kind of think I know what the ideology is for the dream. Seriously, I'm currently writing a 3 ½ page paper for my intro to drawing class. Actually, more than just the paper I'm dealing with a whole end of semester stuff. We got our last assignment Thursday which be due next Thursday which is also the last day of class. Brendan has gone over things that need to be “tied off” before the semester ends. Reaction have to post things to the “canvas” but to serve like electronic locker or something that the instructor can get in to see all of your work. So I think I'm stressing all these things being asked of me perhaps mostly the paper however.

Kind looking forward to this paper, I think I can be really creative with the paper and really write what I want to write since it really doesn't make a whole heckuva lot of difference. And actually, I really don't have to write anything or do anything because I'm not really getting a grade out of this class. I'm doing the audit! Still there something in me that's forcing me to act like I really am worried about how I come out of this class. I suppose this is good I like to think it means I want to do well just for doing well not just because a grade depends on doing well are not doing well. I'm always amazed when I go into my online account with the college it's called something like “My Canvas” like I said it's like my locker my E. Locker. Everything's in there which I want to be in their which a be counted. Anything else is there like my grades, assignments, even comments. I think I've gone there like four or five times. I should've gone there more and paid more attention to the assignments and things that were going on in their but I should've been doing out of class. Too late now but just the same pretty cool that they have this convenience for students these days. I wonder had this been available when I was going to school whatever made a difference somehow I don't think so I'm just not a good student in though I would like to of been that something you're either born with and perhaps its learnable but I sure didn't get a chance to achieve too much academically. Actually it's one of the main questions in the paper I'm supposed to write and that is is drying/art learnable? Really interesting question I think I believe so but it's the whole nature nurture thing and I should be able to do three pages, double spaced 12 times Roman, I should be able to do that on my head and be cute at the same time:-)

Final Dayz

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My intro to drawing class is nearly over I've learned a lot of stuff some stuff about drawing and others regarding my limitations and others perhaps about my desires. I found the class informative I've enjoyed the time particularly the early morning time, dashing from my apartment to the building Construction Trades bldg. When I started taking the class early in the spring I was taking the bus back and forth to class  but soon defaulted to driving my power chair and dashing back and forth in the heat of the summer. I was just too impatient to wait for the bus to pick me up and drive me the short distance to my apartment complex.

I must admit I was a bit chagrined as I was confronted with each project the instructor assigned usually at the beginning of each week. I don't know what I was expecting, really but this is a serious introduction to drawing class starting with the bare-bones basics. It's not like I think I'm better than that it's just that it's really difficult at least it is for me. The whole detail thing which I think is kind of fascinating you know vanishing points and beginning lines and ending lines and seems everything in between. I did not realize how intimidated I could be of boxes and spheres. The first half of the class was just line drawing you know pyramids, mazes and all kinds of things like that which is really hard! The second portion of the class was also just as hard but this was the beginning of shading, texturing and all kinds of fine point things of drawing. What I wasn't prepared for (and this is so true and to so much of my life) is how physical this project has been. Everything from what I consider the oversize clipboard, to the purchase of a really big tablet and of course the portfolio the sure sign of the art student, usually that big black case that keeps all of your art things together. Essentially a bag with a zipper that your clipboard fits inside. The only is this contraption awkward to carry back and forth to class. Even things as simple as going in and out of the building as well as on off the bus. I must balance the portfolio on my foot pedals and move forward trying not to catch the sides of doorways and turnstiles on the bus. I got a big size tablet just because I thought that was smart but it's not. Tablets very heavy I think I got 80 sheets generally used about five or six in the course of the class. I have to tear sheets out of the tablet put on my clipboard because the tablet itself to be too hard to carry back and forth to class. Then there's the case of just sliding the clipboard in and out of the portfolio whether it's at home getting ready for class or when I'm finished at class coming home sliding that clipboard inside the portfolio surreal trip but it's something you have to do I think if you're an artist but is that physical challenge I was not really prepared for. I'm proud to say that was able to pull it off given enough time and started early enough so people don't have to wait on me but it's a trip. Perhaps one of the most frustrating of my physical challenges is trying to draw on the big sheets of paper. Because I cannot access the horse I cannot draw with the tablet slanted upright. I have to use a flat surface this means to some degree that I cannot even reach the upper limits of the paper which greatly hampers what may end project looks like. I have to accept this and just go on and draw as good as I can regardless of how primitive my work appears. If I focused on this too much it would break my heart. Still, I am so glad I took this class but I should've taken 50 years ago in junior high not that it would have made much difference, I think, but it certainly would've let me know what my able-bodied self could of achieved but then again perhaps all things are best as they turn because what if I was really good and then suddenly have all my abilities taken away. Somehow I think this is the way it needed to be.

Cyber-Dine Paranoia and Pioneer Day 2019

Sometimes I just hate technology, let me restate that, I guess I don't hate technology I just hate having to deal with all the quirks and weird things that happen through technology. I spent, just now, 20 minutes or so trying to get into a file that I set up to help me when I have to access the password that I may have forgotten or for some reason I'm putting in wrong at the place I can go back and check against the right password. Well I was just now using the correct password (from my specialized file where I keep all my passwords and updating them religiously whenever I change the password. To no avail for some reason Google password Central will not let me in to make the change or Google won't let me in right now and says I have to try again in a half an hour…Grrrrr! I was trying to do this through Firefox however when I tried to access Google from my Google Chrome software I realized I was inside the file I was trying to access. In Google Chrome I could get around just fine. I locked my new password and I should be okay now. But that's just it, it's little things that are driving me crazy. Another case in point for some reason my voice to text software no longer works in some areas of my DragonDictate software. I used to be able to dictate/right to boxes and files with Dragon which is very convenient especially in filling out documents and writing directly to posts like my blog, texting, especially texting, and writing in other venues. I appreciate that I can still write in my Opened Office account, block copy and paste I just wish I could directly write/dictate directly into these online spaces. I was doing okay for some time but somehow last week something changed and now I can no longer achieve this task. I did update some software when requested and I bet that has something to do with it. Last week I also is having issues with trying to keep the keyboard that I enter data into my files with directly when not dictating. I am hoping I solved the problem by installing new batteries. I've never installed batteries in this keyboard that I have Bluetooth to the main computer. The keyboard would be functional and then suddenly stop writing to my document. If I then manually switch the keyboard off then on again the keyboard would resume writing to my screen for just a little bit. I finally figured out it was a low battery because one. The issues were getting worse and 2. And for some reason it just made sense that it was a power issue. Use the keyboard directly after the insertion of the new batteries AA's but seem to correct itself and now works like a champ.

I know it's paranoia are sound very paranoid but sometimes I think technology is out to get me definitely following me and definitely keeping tabs on me. Nothing truly ever dangerous happens or has not so far like my chair drive itself onto the tracks in front of an oncoming train or driving off the many high block as a train approaches. I mean there's a lot of ways technology could get me especially if the power chair and it has yet to be more than just a little pesky and pesky I can handle.

Today is Pioneer Day a Mormon holiday for the state. It's kind surreal it feels like a real holiday but not. The mail was delivered as usual, all the chain stores restaurants and organizations had business as usual going on but most of all it was just a normal day, just like that normal day hundred and 70+ years ago when those poor Mormon blighters came out of the mountains to see their “promised land” they said there wasn't a tree standing in the Valley of the great Salt Lake…

Dr. Allred Calling

A little while ago I was in the middle of trying to listen to what my favorite National Public Radio shows “Marketplace. Without going into the boring realities of Internet radio at all you missed the local broadcast of the show which is at 3 o'clock in the afternoon but I was busy at the time purchasing batteries for my keyboard. I was okay with that however because I knew I could catch the next version at 4:30 PM when I jack into my Internet radio which allows me to pick up broadcasts anywhere. I plan to listen to the 430 edition which is actually broadcast at 6:30 PM in Los Angeles. Anyway, just as I was settling into the show I noticed my phone ringing my cell phone ringing usually this does not bother me and I just ignore it because I know it's a Robo call but to my shock it was my internist calling. I mean no one ever calls me really. Seems like these days the sun was to get a hold of me they do it through Facebook and texting I can't remember when I got in another real call but there it was “Nathan All red” my internist. I was able to snag the call, which is really good for me. Because always on its second set of rings when I scooped it up and the doctor was still there.

I was even more blown away when I found the caller had a male voice rather than a female. I thought sure it was one of the nurses on Dr. Allred staff. Then I realized the caller was Nathan. Nathan was calling me direct and for a split second I was terrified. Was there something so bad in my blood work I had earlier in the week that Nathan was calling me personally. I steeled myself to get ready for the information I was about to get. Oddly, this was not bad news not really. One of my readings was way down which is really good can't recall which one it was it was a number of points are whatever is good down from last year. I was waiting for the cancer word but that never came. But did come was that I was still just below the cutoff line for pre-diabetes. Nathan says I can go another year and will check again then. I just have to maintain a decent diet and lifestyle. As much raw type food is possible cut out the pre-made stuff as much as possible cut out sugars and particularly sugar drinks and even fruits that are too sugary. I was hoping I could have the diet powdered drinks but I just invested in as well as I sort of got into diet Pepsi products. He said no even though they might be diet there something in the drinks that is not good for mankind. I don't think I was a static like I felt good not only from the news but that Dr. Allred called me direct! I don't know why but this is like totally blowing me away. This guy is busy and I suppose he calls everybody to get in a lab results I'm glad he feels comfortable doing this task over the phone. I'm surprised he hasn't figured out Facebook and texting. Maybe he does know all that and just prefers to do the personal touch over the phone line. Be smart enough to realize it would totally freak me as other patients out if he just sent out a notice of “see me”

Tomorrow's the holiday – – Pioneer Day. I totally disregarded the information Nathan gave me and got my ceremonial holiday bag of chips, peppers, wash soap and a few other things I felt I needed to get me over the holiday and into Thursday.…

I Too Shall Dream Of Electric Sheep…

I've just been scanning old posts because I want to make tonight's offering about wheelchair batteries. I was quite surprised (as I always am) at how many posts I have actually written about batteries. I live in fear that going to begin repeating myself, like an old man just have redundancy for a blog after a while. Luckily, however the information you want to write about today is relatively new in my lexicon/universe primarily because it's new information or maybe old information from a new approach sense really there is nothing new under the sun supposedly just a revolution!

I listened with and show us this morning on National Public Radio about how there is talk about a new season in the development of power options a.k.a. storage batteries. The most phenomenal thing about this direction of thought is not power sources for homes, automobiles and yes even power chairs but as a positive and relatively simple solution to global warming. Each day as the sun produces more and more heat domes across this country/world and people are actually dying it looks like the powers of this world are beginning to make some positive decisions in the name of global warming and one of those is to pursue the development of a powerful way to store energy to use when traditional sources of energy are too dangerous are in stable to use. So, they are looking at building bigger, more powerful and more compact storage devices that will not heat the environment in their production, storage our product dissemination as well as building compact reservoirs dense enough to store a significant amount of energy.

What delights me, in my cynical way of thinking, is that people with disabilities just be patient, for a few more months and most likely years but soon relatively speaking. People with disabilities to a certain degree of the world's bastard children. PWD is that population Of human beings too stubborn or too stupid to die are be stowed away behind institutional/medical doors. People with disabilities have survived so far on the trickle-down of everyone else. Sooner or later we benefit from technology and systems built for other populations. We are the quintessential embodiment of Dickens tiny Tim. And we will be patient and we have been long-suffering and we will be hoisted on the shoulders of an electronic Bob Cratchit Marching And dancing around in a more independent world.

I have dreams of a battery the size of a fist that will take minutes to charge and power chair all day for as long as the driver wants to go. To have a battery Small enough with enough power that I never have to be worried of being stranded. Of course, as I've alluded to already, this will only be after the technology has been developed for a larger, more wealthy and elitist population willing to drop these electric scraps for wheelchair users to dream of electric sheep…

Brushing Teeth , Spitting Blood and Making Bank

I am living in federally subsidized housing. I know if I'm in best to admit this our state this I certainly got accustomed to the accommodation. Actually, I'm here primarily because I needed housing immediate housing I made some phone calls and this is what came up. I actually think I could've found some lower-priced regular private housing but that would've been really financially painful over the long run but I think I could've done it but as it was I was at the right age and sitting on the right Board of Directors to get new is facility when I needed housing, immediate housing.

As I indicated this is federally subsidized housing which means my rent ends up being at the most one third of my adjusted income and there's all kinds of formula that goes into figuring out what adjusted income means but it's a good deal but it's really intimidating for me. Last week as I was traveling up by the front office the building manager, Jennifer. Indicated that it was time for me to start putting my financial package together. I was taken aback is always am it seems like I just did finish this just a few months ago but she assured me it was time and I ground my teeth forced a smile said yes I'll begin working on it. I working very diligently at changing my disposition as to this really one task that I am asked to perform yearly and really to my best benefit. But I have to do is put all the medical expenses and other kinds of expenses I deal with over the year present them to Jennifer who then presents them to HUD who then usually (if I'm lucky) lower my rent.. I'm always freaked out because this means I have to go into my records to get this information is always fully freaks me out. Luckily I suppose most of my medical bills are taking care of through Medicare and insurance I had with the state of Utah. However, good old dental did not fare so well. So last year, I have a lot of dental work done, it seemed like a lot to me, but it was a couple thousand dollars that I did not have however my dentist Alan Anderson allows me to put it on a charge system brand paying a couple hundred a month to try to pay this, weight around my neck, down. And I suppose is much as I hate having to do this it does add up which I'm able to apply to my HUD spend down or whatever it's called. I also unable to keep up good relationship with my dentist who is almost directly across the street from my apartment. And this even more important than came back and location is the fact that I'm afraid I have more dental work that is going to be needing attention in the very near future. Last night before going to bed I was dutifully brushing my teeth and when I brought the brush away and glanced at the vibrating head the vibrating head was scarlet!I spat and not tainted rose colored water emitted from my mouth but dark red rich colored blood. Luckily my mouth was also full of toothpaste which allowed that I did not have to taste the coppery substance. I felt there was a pile of loose skin by a molar in the back that has felt padded our stuffed or something. There's been really not a lot of pain associated with that sensation but something's happening because a lot of blood. This morning there was no blood when I brush my teeth and no pain in that region of my mouth. I will probably hold off calling Alan and scheduling an appointment. I'm really still embarrassed at having missed an appointment a couple weeks ago and not advising them. Hopefully, I will laugh it off when I make the appointment and roll across the street to see MY dentist who is my best hope at the reduction of blood and pain in my mouth and raised rent…

Saturday's Tears

I really believe we get the same test over and over throughout our lives. And I think it's more than one test I think there are many many challenges that are thrown at us and what we do with those has something to do with I would progress through this veil of tears.

Saturday morning, I'm feeling fairly good because my cleaning person said she was coming over today, she'd missed yesterday and I was a little worried about her. Gail is a little older than I am couple years she said freely good health I would not say she's frail but this weather is so bizarre that I become concerned when I don't hear from her on a regular basis are least when she usually planned something she follows through. Friday is the typical day she comes to do the apartment but yesterday was a no-show and there was no contacts that I could see. But Gail text literally to say that should be over later in the afternoon. I also felt fairly good because I had been able to keep the apartment fairly shipshape over the preceding week which is kind of a rarity. I was going to try to have a focus on some of the other parts of the apartment maybe the bathroom this week.

Like I said it's Saturday morning and I was somewhat excited to get over to the food bank for whatever options might be there for me this week. I missed last week due to the mini -family reunion. I made one of my very special breakfasts this morning which took a lot of time which helped me get to the time for food bank. I use my new flat bottomed wok and things are great. There was a bigger line and I would like at food bank that the same old faces just on different bodies. True to form, I got behind a somewhat stylish, down on his luck Christian. I really didn't quite know how to read the guy except for one cannot make many comments before he started coming on born again, give everything over to Jesus who saved my soul persona. Behind me (which I did not first notice possibly because she wasn't there when I first got in line) but was a interesting hard of hearing/semi-death, is that redundant?, Person who seemed really interested in conversing. This person communicated verbally and instantly I could tell me where. The three of us communicated a little bit or tried to waiting for the doorbell ring and the line to move forward. The hard of hearing woman was a mother who seem to be living on her own and when quizzed said that she had always been denied services in state and federal programs. This is part of the reason my Spidey senses begin tingling. I could sense there's a lot more to the story that she was telling me. And she was setting major hooks for me to bite onto. So she could reel me and be taken care of our get services. I backed away emotionally and somewhat physically. I did tell her about the DD Council as well as Utah's disability Law Center. She of course did not write anything nor did I volunteer to writing things down our figure out a way to get information to her and that's the lesson. I most likely was supposed to do just that. She was my test. She was the Pharisee laying on the side of the road and I was the Samaritan but I wasn't very damn good. I just couldn't get involved that sounds cold and typical and selfish as hell but by Spidey senses were screaming at me to back away and that this was a walking bucket of trouble.

I hope that she will remember at least the names of the organizations I suggested she contact, but I know that she will not. She's one of those that needed to be led by the hand as she totally consumed them and probably spent them out when they would do everything for her. Cynical, I know but right now I know my limits and go to stick to those limits. You know why? Because I know I'm going get the test again probably soon one or the other and maybe I'll do better next…

Blood Draw And Other Things Medical

A couple of weeks ago I got that notification on my email from the pharmaceutical provider that lets me order mega amounts of a prescription like three months of the time. I really enjoy this service is not only economical but takes a lot of pressure off me have a new worry about whether I will have enough medications to make it through a particular.. Anyway the notification said my order was declined and indicated I need to contact my medical provider who would provide a yearly checkup which should result in the continuation of my prescription. Annoying, as this was I went ahead with the song and dance called and made the appointment which happened to be today or this morning at 10 AM.

Like most people I presume I have more than one physician. Not only do I have a neurologist , Urologist But I also have a physiatrist. I don't quite remember why I got one but it was recommended that I do and I did. I guess supposedly the physiatrest Kind acts like the head honcho and supposedly pulls all the medical data together. I don't particularly see that happening in my situation. My physiatr est doesn't even know my the neural And I got the impression they don't want to know each other. This cannot be good medicine. I was quite surprised at how long my actual appointment/time with an MD was. I didn't get his name but the majority of my appointment was taken up by a resident who has read all the pertinent questions. He seemed real focused and committed. They did the prelims and then I was rewarded with FaceTime with Dr. Allred, my main guy. I found I was possibly prediabetic and I was rewarded with my attendance with a pneumonia vaccination Plus I also had my blood drawn. Kind of concerned about what the results will be from this. Even if I do end up being prediabetic I figure just another part of life something else to live with. Lotta people do and I see that I guess is just more difficult to maintain weight in the type II diabetes. Can't be a worse than living with spinal cord injury.

My cleaning woman usually shows up today but there's been no word from her thus far which is okay because I was getting a little spooked about her coming every week now. That adds up quickly. Luckily I got a call on my email or text message those are my occupational therapist who was calling to remind me that today I had a meeting with him. He was coming over to my apartment to administer a a butt mapping exercise. He has a pretty cool piece of software and equipment to map the pressure areas on your but. We did this at my place so we could use the list to get me up and place feedback down on the pad. This is pretty cool. Showed me a lot particularly how important it was to do the press releases. I can do pretty good press releases and below think I'm okay just got to be hypervigilant about getting the blood to my butt as well as getting the weight off of my butt.. I wish that I had asked him for a copy of the video showing the pressure centers on the but map. I may still ask for one.

It was a good day for me, I'd not really intended to do this much today so I'm quite tired but sometimes A person just has to sacrifice their Friday for the body's greater good…

Yawn, Gotcha Due Tuesday

I'm learning a skill set later in life you don't know how useful it is to me but I do notice I've picked up a skill which I don't know is good or bad. We don't want to say the skills is indifference or apathy or maybe I've just been worn down by my silly drawing class..

This morning seem to go pretty smooth. I woke about 530 and remembered it was a class day and finally got up around 6 AM. I made it to class with a half an hour to spare waiting with other class members in the hallway until Brendan got there open up the classroom. Brendan went right to work pulling things out of the closet to draw more spheres, rectangles, octagon's, pyramids etc. today we were/are working on working with charcoals. I knew this was to be the course but didn't think too deeply into it had I done so I would not of worn white shorts. Brendan went right to work making beautiful objects just like that.. He treated his paper by casually making charcoal swatches all over then blended altogether into a light gray I was envious. This guy loves to draw it is so obvious and I am so envious.

I don't think I'm really dejected but I'm something. I don't think I'm depressed either I think I'm just bummed out that I cannot seem to come to grips (excuse the pun) of being able to even reach the tablet are papers to even draw. I'm just amazed at how well the other kids in class take to this drawing stuff Brendan has a do. They make beautiful pieces. I eventually launch into the project we are supposed to choose three of the many are multiple objects to draw. I picked a sphere into pyramids, the pyramids one in front of the other. Brendan has light set up all over the area the overhead lights are turned down in the spotlights are on and I eventually go to town. I try to make the marks on my paper and I do but they're not gloriously smooth in flowing like Brendan's , Nico's and everybody else's except mine. We were advised strongly to get a shammy's cloth in order to blend the charcoals on the paper. I actually left the classroom when all the way over to the student union and couldn't find the shammy. Finally the manager of the school store went into the back room and came out with a cloth used to wipe computer screens perfectly for what I needed.

Back in the sweatshop/drawing room/I jumped in my project to try to use the protractor but allows that to weird and angle to get up all our circle drawn. So I elected inscribed the circles best I could with my left hand what a joke. I think I did a cardinal sin and blending charcoals I just can't get in a darker and darker field. You could see that I had ball on my paper somewhere but its true dimensions almost gone. The triangles came out okay but once again I feel very fragile and weak about what I've put together so far. By the in the class. I'm sort of making false moves like I'm working on my project. I have not called once on Brendan to come over and evaluate my progress are to ask for tips. Not that I'm ashamed it's the apathy I talked about in the first paragraph. I don't care this is about as good as I'm going to do in this class. In the class. On Tuesday which Britain is already said he will use to work on this drawing. He said he does not want us to work on it at home that he wants it to be alive piece drawing. Well since I'm auditing he cannot flunk me not technically. You certainly give me a call after where I'm sure and as probably as good as a dunce hat sitting in the corner. But I'm going to show up do more play like I'm working on my.project for the whole class. In turn in my work and motor out of the class but I'll remember to wear black shorts…'

Black Garbage Bags ad a Red Monte

It's Wednesday. Typically, I don't really have anything going on Wednesday which is good and I think I'm going to begin doing my laundry on Wednesdays. Tuesdays and Thursdays my days are somewhat booked with class and events going on the afternoon. Friday is a good possibility to do laundry but if I wait till Friday I'm really limited on close for Thursday and Friday to consider. Wednesday seems to be the day which I'm going to inaugurate Washday Wednesday. From my experience the day is also somewhat slow in the washroom another reason for the choice.

When I got to the laundry this morning there was another person doing their laundry. She was sitting there watching are more like listing to the dryer tumble next to her was a big black. You know how on TV or the movies When a person is sucked into a flashback of one sort or another you get that drizzle,drazzle,druzzle, drome effect (envision the kid in the Peabody cartoon on Rocky and Bullwinkle tumbling head over heels as they head back in time are back to the future). I was taken back maybe 40 years but has lived in Iona Idaho. We did not have a washer or dryer so every Saturday I would bundle up all of our wash and big black garbage bags and headed into Idaho Falls (four or 5 miles from Iona). I was driving a fire engine red Monte Carlo at the time and I would have all the bags sitting on the backseat.I loved that Monte Carlo. I actually got that vehicle from the Idaho State Department of vocational rehabilitation I DVR! I would never ever been able to afford a vehicle like that by myself. But that is a topic for another blog entry

I don't remember how I found the laundromat may be just out a convenience it was just on the way out of Idaho Falls to the rural Road which led to Iona. I must've stopped another one Saturday and just kept going back. Washing clothes was an all day affair for me, I think even if I was more able-bodied still would've taken the major part of the day. But I would do it. Bag the close up around 8:30 AM and drive into the city and take over about four washers and dryers and begin my process. The laundromat was owned by this old guy that is pretty nice to me, his last day was even Smith same as mine that's why II remember him so vividly. I'm sure he was a Republican a cantankerous old miser but for some reason took me in after I showed up at his establishment for the third week in a row. He even helped me unload my garbage bags numerous times or in some cases load the bags back into the Monte which I desperately appreciated. It would be 4 or 5 o'clock by the time I would get back To our house and Iona. I would be exhausted but glad to get this task completed. Looking forward to opening up a can of something heat up for dinner and then watch reruns on old black and white TV on the floor in the living room praying that no one would come over…

"Shut the Damn Door!

Do you notice in this image the door to the apartment patio is closed. I don't know if I'm blocking the heat of summer out or keeping in the manufactured cool of the apartment. The window in my bedroom is wide open and I know that somewhere in another reality my parents are consoling each other for a child who's gone astray.

Once again, the reader who is stuck with me all these years know that I am the son of a union sheet-metal worker. A heating and cooling servicemen. He made sure people with nonworking furnaces are coolers got there systems up and working fast. I am pleased to report that we always had heat and we always had cool air in the summer. However, it all came at a cost. In the winter it was not so bad after all good knowingly leave their windows open to he precious commodity heat escape a true life example the metaphor “going up in smoke”. However in the summer, that was another question. As far back as I can remember I've loved to have the front door open. Windows also were nice cancel that have open. I was willing to compromise I would to deal with the screen door as opposed to having the door shut completely. Spring and fall was nice with the front door open listing to the world and watching the outside. However, once the heat started we cranked up the old air conditioner which is at the back of the house. I don't know how dad got this air-conditioner but it was huge, one of the old ones with the insulation or whatever which had to be watered down every couple of hours if he didn't have a direct waterline into the cooler. We did not for some time which is kind of weird. It's that small copper tube which usually runs from someplace like the utility room and snakes through the house and out and finally links to the water pump in the cooler. It was my job to drag the hose around and spray water on the pads every couple hours. The water was freezing cold it seemed like even in the hot summer. But once the pads of been drenched the house was filled with near freezing air or so it seemed. But, it seemed we are under pain of death if we left the front door open and the precious commodity escaped. How would a closed-door just does not seem natural. I get claustrophobic.

Last summer I think I only used the air-conditioner once and that was when my home healthcare person gave me the ultimatum to cool the apartment to a sufferable point are she would no longer work as a home health person. A week and a half ago my.Stop through on his way to Blackfoot. I want to be a good host so I tried to cool down my apartment and my equipment did not work. I submitted a request and was informed that my heating/cooling equipment (like many others of this apartment complex) has not really been maintained, as they should, for nine years. The maintenance guy actually drained a bucket of black gunk from my unit. The guy nearly trashed my apartment trying to get to the furnace/air conditioner to install new pads are whatever they stick in their which is different, I guess, then but they replaced two weeks ago. He finally got the unit working and I got the place down to 72°, the same temperature as the hallway, I guess this is level. I was informed that if I was going to run my air conditioner I need to have everything shot windows as well as patio door. Right now, I have the door closed and I'm using the little oscillating fan I was provided with to get me over the hump. I have my door closed and the room seems to be cooling and I don't have too much stress not been able to access my patio by site. But I'm not telling management and they haven't found out as yet but I have the window to my bedroom wide-open and I'm sure my cool air is flowing out and my parents are shaking their heads wherever they are…

A Date To Remember

Another hot one but I didn't seem to mind as much as I did yesterday whatever reason who knows? You know I went I don't know how many decades not really ever remembering what day, during the summer month of July that I experienced the accident which changed my life. I've always thought that weird that others who have sustained similar disabilities is mine almost tend to worship that day are that moment in time. July 16, just never seemed to matter much. However, I think in the past six years for some reason I'm beginning to focus on the time around and the day of the accident July 16, 1966. I could run that silly photo one more time but for what reason? Certainly not who I am now.

I went out this afternoon following lunch and my workout to get a few provisions from the market when I got back I remembered that a long-term care organization was having a blood pressure clinic this afternoon so I figured I would drop in hoping there would be some kind of treats. No treats, really but of course they say they didn't forget but I know they forgot and said they were running late and would be here in about an hour. They forgot. So I can imagine the mad dashing around the office during all their crap together. I was impressed however that when they did show up they had their regular cheap plastics way a lot of ballpoint pens, notepads and keychains but they also drag somebody along which was a wheelchair mechanic. Great idea! That's something I get behind. They of course also had their heavy hitter a registered nurse qualified to administer real-life blood pressure checking. I don't know why this particular organization/company doesn't also provide the blood sugar creek as well. Hopefully that company still comes. So those of us who got there right at the initial time which was 2 PM had an hour to kill. So we all yammering around a bit. I'm a little bit excited just because I have not seen a lot of these people since I've started my summer course. Since I meet on Thursday mornings in my intro to drawing class I have not been coming to coffee so I was able to catch up on some of the gossip. Somewhere I was talking to someone yesterday and and told them about myself and Gene Diffendaffer, an individual I went to rehabilitation with and also suffered a broken neck but because he twisted doing a Boy Scout tree planting exercise Therefore being able to Sue BSA For none disclosed amount of money but enough to allow gene to disown his family move into a long-term care facility then almost crucify himself the sex drugs and rock 'n roll for the next 10 years. Needless to say I was envious. Anyway one of the people here at the facility heard me and was aghast that I would equate breaking my neck or our neck with a great event of our lives. The technique of all to explain the Eugene story and my story of not being involved in the armed robbery, being able to have two cars purchased for me and obtain a college degree. I still doubt that she believes.

So I spent the rest of the day off and on contemplating the last day of able-bodied hood 53 years ago. I'm sure I drug the hose out one of the cows, milk the cows, strain the milk bottles of milk and then wash the equipment. I may or may not of gone over to my buddies Charlie to hang out for a while but maybe I did for an excuse to ride the motorcycle. Really the day I probably swam at the canal twin Bridges and just goosed around. Obviously it was nothing memorable the following afternoon however…

Hot!!!

The day is so hot all I want to do is veg and I'm the guy who likes heat, I'm the guy who says I wait all year for this time but today the he is almost too much. I even started the air cooler that Jennifer (the front desk chick) Sent to my room on Friday when I could not get the air conditioner to work. I was going to actually bring down the temperature of the apartment because my clean person, Gail was coming Friday afternoon and I want to be mindful of my help and their comfort. It turns out that my furnace/air conditioner is not been properly maintained for the nine years it has been in the closet. Anyway, that is for another blog.

You know when you gets so hot that you can barely move? That sounds a little bit dramatic but it's kind of true. It seems now days, the heat just sucks the strength out of me. I may be overreacting just a little bit so that I can have an excuse for not doing as much sketchiness I should be drawing however, I've done about an hours worth of sketching since Thursday. This is kind of a pitiful amount of. but It is the pitiful truth. Yes, I know I've actually increased my liquids intake for this time along with gobs of ice. Have lots of tasty red powder to add to my ice-water liquid intake helps too.. It is so hot I'm even contemplating taking the bus down to liberty Park and falling in the pool at the park. I wonder if they have staff Who can actually load be back into my power chair if I actually did go swimming.

It's so hot that my head is swimming, you know like when it's so hot that you close your eyes you start drifting in the fall still walking I be afraid that fall over – – and that's called feeling feint. I know it was out and about doing something that the heat would probably not bother me as much but what can you do on Sunday afternoon in the middle of a heat wave? I already use by one justification that was yesterday while I went to the new Spiderman movie. I bought a small size drink (zero Coke mixed with Cherry Coke and lots of ice) and the midsize popcorn that was like almost 20 bucks. I actually bootlegged candy into the movie with my backpack but I never ended up getting into the candy which I suppose is a good sign. I'm glad the air-conditioning in the moviehouse was not too cold but kind of uncomfortable when the movie was over I was glad to roll in the heat wave I came out of the theater into the evenings heat.

I've had the oscillating fan operating now for three or four hours and I feel the temperature in the room has declined which is good. I just hate to be the worse the has to rely on technology to beat the heat…

Interloper

I don't know what I was thinking I know I did have some feelings of trepidation regarding attending this mini –Family reunion that somehow got concocted for the visit from Shelley and the girls. I don't know if Mark Anthony threw it together but it certainly did come together for what was. However if I want to spend any time at all with Shelley in the girls I would have to do it on these terms and I guess that's okay. Just seemed like a little weird to me.

The event was at Liberty Park.. I have not been to Liberty in some time. There was a time when I spend a lot of time at this park which I think is a pretty good Park now however it's still a good Park there's just a lot of stuff in the park these days.There's all kinds of togetherness type things, I do know how to explain it, the sewing tools to their and there now is a sprout pool , you know one of those Fountains that shoot up water that kids play in. I guess a civilized way to be wet. Tracy aviary is still a main attraction and seems to have grown a great deal of sugar surprised that. Just a bunch of other little things that certainly shows how the park has grown. Please to see however It's large trees are still intact for the most part in beautiful to be around.

I of course took public transit from the apartment to the park. I made contact with Shelley and Mark around 10 o'clock just to find out what the timeframe was.. I wasn't sure what to expect but they suggested around noon-ish around 12 which is okay I was not on the timeline so I figured I would get there when I did. I decided to go to the medical center station Murray Central then take the 45 up to 50 E. and jumped at 205 into the park. This actually went straightforward I was pleased how well is a will to make the connections and did very little waiting in fact I one driver on the 45 called ahead and had the 205 wait until I got there which is very nice.

Mark and the girls were just getting there I guess when I showed up. They are in their bathing suits looking for the pool. Mark was all focused on getting in contact with the Olsons the cousins and that's who this group would be pretty much was. What I thought about I kind of thought it was strange that I was really the only one there representing the old the adults from the old days. None of the other people for my generation was there. I did get the feeling at times I was technically an interloper. Interesting that many of the senior Olsons family system has disintegrated over the years. My particular branch is somewhat renegade Shelley handles it very well. Mark I don't think sees this very much but that's okay. He sees himself as a cousin and will always be a cousin no matter what. They all seem to have an infinity for each other which I'm glad still Shelley's sensitive enough to realize that there may not be a lot of acceptance but the same time she's not backing away from the group at all. I for some reason tried to fit in may be too hard. I was certainly welcomed early on and I think all the time but definitely I was an outsider. The one time I tried to enter fully into the conversation thinking that I was accepted was when I made a comment about an event I experienced when I was living in Iona and when the cousins looked at me like I had three heads like but what would I know about Iona. A new a lot about Iona I lived there for a least a year a year too long.

I enjoyed spending a little bit of time with the girls and Shelley. The flying out tomorrow and I won't see him again until the next time when that might be. Shelley still love time working long-distance via her computer and the girls Jessore clumped together. I still wish I was a better grandparent who knows maybe someday I'll get a better chance…

Seems Like Larry To Me

His name is Mike but Mike seems like a Larry to me.

For the past week or so my charity but making weird noises and they become louder and louder and sometimes scaring me like something horrible is going to happen to my power chair at any moment. I just had the chair worked on so I couldn't figure out what could be the problem. So when my brother came over to actually work on my backup power chair I had him look at my current chair he eventually found that my right rear caster did not seem to be turning. I had been making plans the back of my mind for a couple weeks to get over to U A T F which used to be the CreATE(The program from Utah State University which are utilizes disability equipment and makes it available to the public.) I had somehow flattened one section of my front caster so that every time the wheel spun around I was subjected to a “clunk”. This really jarred my teeth and actually were me out. I'd spoken with Tom the guy who runs the joint and he said he would or could replace the caster for $15. I figured well why not replace the one caster find out what was wrong with the other

Monday was a nice day for me, I'd had a fairly good experience with my home health person was showering etc. and I was set to start the day.. When I got to UATF I was initially disappointed because Tom was on extended Fourth of July holiday. I really wanted to change that caster if nothing else. Skinny dude older not as old as I got older, I thought was a volunteer, was all by himself listening to rock 'n roll in Tom's stead.. He informed me Tom is gone but he be willing to work with me what I needed. Almost immediately we had some kind of a bond. We spent a good 20 minutes trying to figure out what the noise was on my chair until he finally realized the back caster had seized. At last the Off the housing and the bearings had seized and no longer turned and each time I forced the wheel to spin there is a giant cracking sound from the ball bearings being forced to move. I didn't understand this exactly I thought it was the wheel that was not spinning around and around of what is actually was it was the axle that held the wheel onto the chair perpendicular, that's what it seized up. There is no way for me get out of my chair and I sure didn't want Mike to try to lift me but we figured out a system and a way to lift the chair up to one side and put bracing under the frame allowing Mike to change out the one caster and then work for an hour to not only free the other caster from it seized condition but then have to manufacture materials to get the bearings functional again. I don't know what Tom would've done had he been there but I don't think he would've put the work into the project that Mike did so I was really fortunate Mike was on the job today and Thomas gone.

We talked for some time it was fun I enjoyed visiting with Mike. He should charge me $15 at least for the caster he replaced. However, Mike said he did not how to do this and that I could take this up with Tom when Tom got back from vacation and I plan to do just that.. It felt wonderful driving my power chair out the door and out to the bus stop with no “thump thump thump”. I was really pleased to have the horrible screeching noise gone as well best of all I enjoyed powered my chair top speed with the wind blowing through my hair – – what little there is – – and thinking of my new friend Mike hope that he really works out with UATF…

Mini – Family Reunion

Another day and I'm entirely exhausted but that's okay, I like being exhausted at the end of the day certainly assists with the sleeping end of things. My buddy Dave slept him all I went over to the college and did my intro to drawing class which worked just fine. I was able to attend my class without guilt Dave got sleep in and we met for lunch over at D's. That alone would account a lot for my day but I still needed to make an appearance at Bookclub and then on top of that meet with the family at the apartment complex about 6 o'clock given me enough time to get home from bookclub.

I don't know why this always surprises be that we call for a time I show up in every sense of the only person there waiting alone, naturally. The only thing which justified me out front of the building sitting waiting for the family was that a storm, a very small storm driven by lots of wind but an enough moisture the clouds to equate a small downpour. Nothing extravagant mind you but just moisture hitting the ground from on high. One of the weather people had the audacity to label this atmospheric behavior as “monsoon” what a hoot.There was a little rain that fell as I was waiting for the family.

It was good to see Shelley and the girls. Their little families getting so large I'm amazed and the girls certainly have other talents. I'm still enjoying the controlling grace the girls had with their video that the recently published. They are pretty ragged out however they left early this morning from Oregon into Salt Lake arriving here sometime midmorning. They were tired so they rested up a bit but everyone got together at my apartment complex to make plans. There was some talk about Mark, during the van and then I saw driving somewhere but eventually we decided to order pizza and eat here at the park – – which is exactly what we did.

The girls are kind a grouchy but not bad inexcusable for individuals traveling as they are doing now. I communicated with them a little bit which is about all a grown up can hope for. Riley is in middle school now and Brisa is bringing up the rear. We were able to interview the girls about their recent video which I thought was fascinating. This was the effort I thought was a week but turns out to be about three months worth of work. The girls are kind and clingy for a while. Mark Anthony and Christie showed up and it seemed to help with the girls shyness if that's what it was. Once they realized there was a full grown Park just outside our building that portion of the event was much more amenable. Pizza was ordered in Mark Anthony and Christie picked up literally and figuratively the pizza dinner. I ate way too much pizza– –I totally enjoyed visiting with Christy regarding art and my drawing class is nice to have something in common. We had a good time I little swallow family group in our little park. Tomorrow they are going up to Snowbird and I'm back in the picture on Saturday for a function.liberty Park. It's a little family reunion and we all seem to be having a good time…

MSG

In all honesty I must confess that not writing the blog last night, when I should have, was kind of nice. What's even better was I was able to fill the spot with the link to the granddaughters music video which are just too much fun. But that was the crutch and I don't want to get into the habit of not writing just because it's late and I'm tired. But I was exhausted last night and actually I spent a good 20 to 30 minutes trying to figure out how to load that link to the girls on Facebook. I don't know if that came through or not but it certainly seems to have on my equipment. I tested it with my tablet and the one video came through just fine. Anyway , You dedicated readers might remember back in March I briefly commented on the cute little mortuary/crematorium across the street from my community college and very close to my current , favorite on that side of the\ street, Chinese restaurant where I was contemplating working but the place was not wheelchair accessible but it's not that's another story.

The individual I have posted at the top of this blog is Joshua. Josh is a good lad, a fine young man wishing to make a life working with his hands which brings into the community college. He's in the art class specifically to get when the art requirements out of the way so that he can progress onto mortuary school. I guess you have to have a vocational certificate, actually I understand they have an entire program there the Community College. Anyway, I like this kid primarily because the kid likes me. He rattles on about all kinds of stuff during class most of it gleaned from late-night television stations and anything bizarre offered up on the Internet the more bizarre the better. I think one of the reasons Josh talks as much as he does during class is that he works all night at one of those weird call centers (I can say that I used to work at a call center) and talking keeps the lad awake. Josh is begging for attention I think it's one of the reasons he wants to work with the dead they can't walk away. I like Josh, Josh has gone out of his way more than once to work with me and help me when I needed a hand physically. I would like to think I could return the favor somehow one never knows. Josh does not seem to have a speech governor are you know something that lets you know when your saying stuff that may not be appropriate specifically things like religion and Me Too infringements. Is very definitely what you see is what you get. SpaceThis guy's had a tough go of it and I really hope he is able to hang in there academically and get his coveted mortuary science certificate. This guys destined to do great things with the living and the dead.…

Thousand words Maybe More

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Hot, Cold… The New Summer

The weather just will not stabilize. It's not that were having bad weather by any means, another cold front is March through with lots of wind a few clouds and sprinkles the lightning here in this area of the state but there possibly could be. The weather guys are saying the weather patterns are different. We should see monsoon storms the next couple weeks but it wouldn't seem for quite a ways out still later in the summer. So as much site tend to bitch and moan about how “cold” it is I just have to realize and accept this is the new summer and enjoy the heck out of the days that I have to enjoy.

I've been trying to do this enjoyment concept last couple weeks but I have to include my time at class. Amazing that I am actually taking a college drawing class, I guess it doesn't matter what its college and not but the drawing class. I also can't believe I'm feeling the stress of having to perform from class to class and feeling poorly when I don't do as well as I should have. I've pretty much done as much as am going to do on the to pieces of work that must be submitted tomorrow. And that's okay, I keep saying I don't care that doesn't matter and what's important is what I'm learning. I kind of liked the maze exercise but painfully am being made aware of my physical limitations. I seriously cannot reach parts of the paper to draw on that must be drawn on especially for this maze assignment. I also cannot draw with the exactness that I think the instructor would like to see. I mean he's actually always been fair with me way beyond what I deserve and I really believe he just wants me to have a good time doing these drawings and I am and more than that I'm feeling pretty good every time somebody else sees my work and comments on how good they think it is. Because I don't want to let my instructor down Two and probably didn't give a rats ass anyway and just barely knows who I am just because I'm the last one out it seems every class meeting. But I have to admit no matter how much I try to downplay the importance or relevance of this class I get a little tight chested and spooked the net before each meeting. And maybe this is a good thing because it shows ours to live in that I'm accessing some form of emotion in my life. So that's productive.

We must be somewhere in the middle of this course now. If I remember right the class goes until the middle of August. Then, are even before then maybe I need to start realizing our thinking about do I want to take a course in the winter semester. If I do do another art course do I want to take the logical next class? Our search a class and I'm truly interested in like animation, cartooning (that may be redundant). I think I would need to be doing are learning something to do as opposed to just going to a course to sit and listen, like a history course or a sociology or psych course. Same way with music, vocal or whatever. I just have to figure out if I stay in the art zone do I really want to do this the part where I lug everything around, have my work adjudicated on a regular basis, doing the same for the other members of the class. Remember, starting off with the fairly simple but as the weather turns cooler and colder with the possibility of snow that's a whole different ballgame maybe we'll see, lots of things to think about decisions to make soon as the summer continues it's a rollicking adventure of hot and cold days…