All's Well That Ends Well!

The technology bogies are still with me. However, not as bad as before. Interestingly, this last night 2019 as I turned on the computer after a day out doing my New Year's Eve celebration of going to a couple of movies and being out in the world for a while, my computer would not boot. I suspect that something's been going on the last couple weeks and I should've been more cognitive and done something about the issue. However true to form on the eve of the major national holiday my computer decided to go down. As I said all is not lost because I booted up my trusty dusty laptop that I got from Mark Anthony earlier this year and after a few minutes of finding the right chord, plugging the court in and then, with held breath, waiting to see if the machine would actually boot… It did! I don't think I've been happier for a long time then rejuvenation of this little laptop. In short time that I've owned the little beast I've nearly destroyed it and I appreciate it hanging around for these emergent situations. So my DragonDictate is working and it looks like I can get online so I'll be able to post this last document of 2019 I'm pretty excited.

This last day of the year I managed to take my broken chair into the shop. It's cold today, really cold, I actually wrapped my legs twice once with the quilt that Dianne gave me for Christmas And on top of that I dragged my woolly red jacket. I was truly dressed in layers. I was going to try is going to try the newVia program since its postal work in the area of the wheelchair shop. I couldn't figure it out so I just drove my chair over to the shop. My mechanic was working and no time was back on the road all systems functional. I did call the taxi service via and it worked perfectly on the way home except for taking me to what I thought was a Trax station turned out to be the front runner and I would have to wait in the cold 50 minutes for the next train. I called via again got taken to a bus stop that would take me home.

It's New Year's well tonight's New Year's. I really wanted to do the new Star Wars. So after checking in at the apartment – – by the way still no heat which was my best excuse to spend the afternoon at the movies – – I left a message on the managers door and caught the bus south. Of course the movie I wanted to see not beyond for another hour and a half so I decided watch “a filler movie”. Nice piece of animation and then Star Wars. It was good better than I thought it would be still confused with the timeline and seemingly powerful ability of the Skywalker's to bring people back from the dead. Quite a to take in.

When I got home the temperature inside my apartment was at 63° 2° cooler than when I started out this morning. Obviously everybody else got their heat except me. That's okay, ill get fixed. In fact when I went down to checkout the lobby I ran into the residence assistant, I was still dressed in my outside togs she thought us dressed that way because my apartment so cold. She brought back the heater she took last week (BTW I ordered a new heater this morning I'm pretty excited). Some feeling pretty good, the heater's been working for some time now in the front room area is pretty warm. I've got coffee with booze in it, I'm able to finish my last posting of 2019 and my wheelchairs fixed I think that's a pretty good way to end the year – – there are so many other issues as well that I'm happy about perhaps the most is my re-communication with my former life still best friend Dianne… Happy new year everyone.

Tech Storm

It is going to be one of those technology weeks, I can just feel it now. I bet uncomfortably cold all day in my apartment. The thermometer reads 68° which is not one of my better temperatures for winter. I've complained twice. This time the manager assured me that the system had just been turned on. Did had some issues with the water (?) But now is fixed and soon will be back to temperature. This made sense to be and I went back to my apartment and tried to be productive. I chased down the dietitian supposed to meet with and define a diet which will allow me to combat pre-diabetes. I don't know if it'll do any good however wouldn't bite something that would really help me lose weight. Three or four hours after my initial inquiry as to heat I wandered into my manager's office again, which by the way was a great deal warmer than it was five first visited which led me to believe something is going on positively, and said that I had lost a degree in the temperature. She said this is just normal and it would take a while for the water in the pipes, or whatever, to heat up. It's now been four hours pass that time and still the same temperature. I'm wearing one of my ponchos But didn't help much in my enjoyment of a Brad Pitt movie I just watched. It had potential to could've been so much better. It was science fiction however and usually any science fiction is better than no science fiction.

Once again my wheelchair is in need of repair. The switch on the footplate elevator is once again broken. This means that my foot box will go down but not raise up again and talk back in to the chair. Displease my feet extended to a point that I really can't do anything that I have to be close to something like wash dishes, shape my face, pump my arm bike. Was on the commode this morning waiting for my suppository to work I had my home health person drive my chair up to me where I can work with it and I found it was the same switch that I'd broke two or three months ago. This is not a good sign technology is against me. Not only is this uncomfortable and dressing is a challenge this causes me to put my weight on my rights) feel the pressure on my butt which is in good. My home health person put on a pretty good bandage/second skin on the hip this morning. This will help a little. I called my wheelchair shop and really wanted to get in today. I did have a plan that I was just go to show up and force them to work on the chair but like a dummy I called and gave him a warning which they told me of course they couldn't overcome my chair today but tomorrow yes. So I have an appointment tomorrow at 9 AM. This'll cause some challenges that hopefully I can get my chair operational by the new year. I thought perhaps I can transfer into my backup chair but of course that really is a no go because the footplate on that share does not work as well. I really try not to take umbrage at these events but the all our technology and the all directly affect me. I have to keep reminding myself that the chair could be inoperable on a whole lot different areas which would greatly affect my ability to get on with my life. So I'm thankful that even though I'm in the technology storm the technology does not seem to be operationally against me and perhaps that's best

It's doing 9 PM when I can justify hit the sack and reading for an hour. Have multiple blankets on my bed one of which is sort of a space-age blanket that Dianne gave me, Some toasty warm once I get into bed and get situated. I'm just praying that my bed will not go after me. I'll just make sure I have my cell phone in the fire department on fast dial

Mr. Vice Principal

It's funny how things stick with you over decades even a lifetime. 10 years ago (February 22, 2009) I posted an entry about the vice-principal, Mr. Washam, the vice principal of the junior high I went to back in the middle 60s. I detailed how I've had a couple encounters with the gentleman. How, he had somewhat manhandled me IE slammed me against my locker when I got frustrated with my combination lock and gave my locker a stiff kick. That sticks with me for some reason I can't seem to let it go. I don't, at least I don't think that I do, think about this all the time but obviously enough merit surfaced again the other day are rather morning as I was just after waking and thinking about things. I wasn't thinking about the incident per se as much as what other folks remembered about different educators that were kind of like rock stars. I think in a another life in another universe 1964 or whenever the incident happened I would've handled the situation differently and I had not kicked my locker and I would never had these feelings about Mr. Washam. I think I was somewhat enamored by the guy especially after I found he was special forces and that period of time I kind of wanted to be Airborne and special forces. I don't quite remember how I found out about special forces than but I knew all about them long before Barry Sadler came out with the song. It is probably because my brother was an Army about that time at Fort Bragg, North Carolina home of the seventh special forces group. I felt like I had inside line.

So this morning I actually made a posting in the Boise group that I am part of and asked if anybody knew of Mr. Washam. I was surprised at how many folks responded and how much this guy was liked. I was not all that surprised when two of his daughters posted a response. Luckily for me I had not been derogatory or inappropriate. I just wanted to know if other folks of been “roughed up”. Surprisingly, nobody responded that they had except his daughter who qualified remark by saying she had it coming. Both daughters obviously love the dad and said the he was strict but fair and I can see that. I was also surprised, even though I guess I should not of been, in a couple of responses that were almost defensive of the green parade warrior/educator/school enforcer. Whether masking why I had waited so long (I presume to ask the question). I did want to start fight I just want to know how many other folks had been caught by this guy. Really, I was too frightened of authority to go up against authority. Mind you, this did not stop me from attending the number of fights that happened across the street from our school usually during the lunch hour are right after school. The crowd to get large enough to draw the attention of Mr. Washam who often figure out a way to “bail in” stop the fight as everybody scattered like cattle in the stampede.

I was somewhat shocked to see that he was a Boise Idaho native more or less. He was a smoke jumper, another activity I was very interested in. I'm surprised he was a cop, I'm surprised at how smart this guy actually was. Looking back now, I wish that figured out a way to get to know this guy better. I bet it was made all the difference…

Cold Days – Cold Ways

It's cold again – really cold. The weather guy said, the temperature did not get above freezing all Day and I believe it. I was hoping not to have to leave the confines of my warm apartment all day. I had already decided I would forgo the pleasure of food bank for today. I have more than the provisions in my food closet/pantry and freezer to last me until the end of the month if not longer. I did however venture out into the cold to go across the street to the market and pick up a few things I felt that I needed before Monday. I really am trying to do this thing about limiting the amount of things I do on Sundays. I guess you could say I'm trying to keep the day holy – – but I'm not really trying to do that at least is not my focus just trying to keep the day that I don't purchase anything.

Management has put limiters on our furnaces here at the apartment complex. It's not like they're forcing us to live at 68°. However, the thermostats top out at 75° and really I should be able to live at 75°. It's not necessarily balmy the way I like. However, 75° is relatively comfortable. I was kind surprised because I am not the only person who noticed this phenomenon. We talked about a little bit at the coffee function on Thursday and then I brought it up with the new maintenance guy the other day when he stopped by to help me with my return package. Since the apartments pay for the heat I can't really complain too much is just interesting I think.

I almost went to the movies today even in the cold. Between the leg wraps I got from Dianne for Christmas (Carl did some tailoring on my poncho leg wrap). And my stockingcap I found on the way home A couple weeks ago.There were a number reasons I didn't like to go to the movies but the one I sort of held on to Was I want to be here when my cleaning person comes to do the apartment. She didn't make it yesterday and I knew that was going to happen because we talked about it in the morning. I told her she could skip Friday but would do Saturday. I did not have a problem with that I still don't however Annette did not show up. I guess I could've called but I did make the effort. I don't mind holding onto the 30 bucks for a few more days. It's just weird she's usually very dependable but at times she gets borderline ditzy, most the time it's not a problem. And I don't know if I would've gone to the movies given the opportunity. There really is nothing on that I really would be interested

So it goes, another Saturday that I particularly don't do anything to speak of except enjoy the sanctity of my apartment. We have another couple of days forecast of cold temperatures and am okay with that. The only problem I don't necessarily generate a lot of material to blog about when I hold up in my apartment away from the Ying Yang of the world.…

Just Make it Easy… Please!

There is a reason I don't do things, new things that is, and I know it makes me look like an old fuddy-duddy, Mr. conservative Mr. don't take any risks but I understand what's happened to be in the past and I seem to be doomed to forever repeat that one where the other.

Remember a couple of days ago when the assistant resident advisor, Diana requested that I returned the heater I been using for a couple of months in the apartment here. Even if I really didn't need the unit I really liked the heater and heat that it put out particularly during the winter months. Anyway like a good tenant I provided the heater when Diana showed up at my door and requested the device. That was when I decided to against my better thought processes to go online and purchase pretty much the same machine. I don't read done the research and I found what I thought was a good machine after all I search for the same as I had enjoyed with the heater from the apartment complex. I was pleased to be able to find a relatively inexpensive heater or at least a page of heaters on the Internet made by Lasko, I even thought that I'd gotten a deal because I selected a damaged box return. This got me the product for about $10 less than the regular priced heater which ran about 46 bucks, my price. I was so proud of myself I did the research I ordered the machine and then this morning there was a knock on my door, There's hardly ever a knock on my door but when I answered it was the postman delivering this big long box. It was the heater! I was expecting it tomorrow how exciting!

I figured what the heck I can do this so I am a box cutter to cut the tape on the box but failed to realize how heavy the device was and how awkward. I felt ashamed that I could not lift the box out of the shipping box by myself and I defaulted to the new maintenance guy who I am really beginning to like. He came down opened the box up liberated the device out of the shipping box and he even put the machine together all of which I would not been able to do. He even took the boxes out to the dumpster. Left alone in the apartment I quickly switched on the heater waiting for the glorious warmth to wash over me. Then typical to my life I found that what I had purchased was I a fan, and air mover and that was all. There was no heater. Now I was going to have to redo my steps and I don't know how I was going to do that since the talk and some very physical activity here especially retrieving the box the dumpster. That I went down talk to the manager and asked that the maintenance guy returned the apartment. I then contacted Amazon by text some nice guy named Justin helped me out send me the label I need to attach to the the box that was coming back. A lot of the conversation confused me but he was very kind and patient. I was hoping they could just switch out the device but no I'd have to order the new heater independent of the old one. Amazon is very good about not only refunding the credit card but also in freely picking up the boxed item for return. This is one of those things that is really prevented me from using mail-order was having to send things back, but invariably the item I ordered is not what I wanted. I got a hold of the maintenance guy he dumpster dived brought the boxes back and even packed the box. I printed out the label stuck it in the box and now have the box waiting by my door waiting for 2 to 3 days and UPS will be by to pick up the fan. I have not ordered yet the heater that I want. I'm a little intimidated I'm a little spooked That again I'm going to have nothing but regret for this next purchase by will to do it anyway and get over this bump and not be intimidated the purchase real stuff on Amazon…

 Which website

Final Chapter

Don't you just hate it when you're close to finishing book are then book is destroyed one way or the other ? I'm sad to report that happens more than I'd like to admit. I guess if I'm really committed to finding out what happened to the characters are the situation of the book then I'll begin the process of trying to find a way to check out the last chapters of that volume. Difficult many times and often I'll lose interest and go on to the next book. I kind of feel that way with people in my life who I've lost contact. I don't know what happened to them. I suppose not finding out what happened to their lives after I knew them will make any big difference one way or the other My life except satisfy a possible itch.

I sometimes wake early in the morning (like this morning 2:23 AM) When I wake this way I try not to think of anything which will allow me to fall back asleep but more often than not a mind to lock on a person and I'll start thinking about them and wondering how their life has unfolded. I really like the idea of social media because this allows me to some degree get a hold of what happened to these folks lives. What amazes me is how predictable a lot of these folks ended up. Like Roger used to stand next to me in PE every morning and eighth grade. We had to stand on our number of Coach Smith took role. Roger is kind of quiet and isolated and sure enough he sort of a mountain man type of guy. A bit of a survivalist kind and isolate probably want to be biker with a pickup truck equipped with an easy Rider rifle rack. My best friend John was pretty quiet is still pretty quiet living a quiet unassuming life. He had a career with the State. I think John is quite remarkable in that he is pretty much stayed off of social media entirely and again this does not surprise me a bit. His brother Tom was an active skier and worker who followed much of his father's example of working with high-power electric lines. Tom has at least an account on a social network and unable to follow his life a little bit closer. There are others that have toyed with social media but have shucked off that coil and gone deep into the quiet life of successful senior living. These are all the cool kids, I guess you call them cliques. You could tell from their flirtations with social media that they were still pretty well-connected and I'm sure still practicing their socializing a much more private level. I kind of envy them. I wish I could visit with them find out how they did their lives and what they did in their lives. Sometimes as I lay there in bed I contrived possible scenarios of making contact. Then I kind of lose my confidence wonder if they'll just blow me off is somehow I did manage to get through their wall silence.

This last Christmas season as I wrote out cards, follow people on Facebook – – Facebook is the only platform that I really use. It just seems too much work to learn the other platforms at this point in my life and maybe that's my problem. Maybe they're out there waiting to be contacted closer on twitter or Insta gram or whatever new social platform is offered. Hopefully I don't sound desperate, I just have a curious mind and  would like to know how the final chapters read…

MERRY CHRISTMAS

What a fantastic day! A skiff of snow in the morning when my home health person came and got me showered and ready for the day. It's overcast, but not really cold, but that's okay because I've got nowhere to go. The buses are not running today I suppose I could do a taxi but I haven't really thought that through but I'm just about finished preparing my Christmas dinner! I've had such a good time preparing my lunch/dinner. Up at the roast on little after eight to it's about finished with beautiful vegetables and I just put the green bean casserole in the oven getting it finished that should be about it. Roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, carrots and casserole white, brown, orange and green of got all the color groups in their. I guess I could open up a can of pickled beets which be really good but I don't know if I need a red in there. It would be nice to have something sweet white cake or pie are even Jell-O but I didn't get that much done that's okay I'm going crazy on calories anyway.

I didn't do the pickled beets and now I'm glad that I didn't. However, I probably ingested enough calories for three days! The roast was dynamically good, as with the vegetables especially the potatoes, however the Tate is the food bank – – the frozen mashed potatoes – – were marginal. I had a little bit of moisture (I scooped the vegetables out at the end of the cooking process and through in a can of Campbell's beef gravy which really did a great job I was kind of surprised. I did everything cool and then piled all the leftovers and no one long plastic container which I think will give me options for roast beef sandwiches (cold) hot rest beef sandwiches, and perhaps my favorite roast beef hash using all the vegetables left over from the roasting process and maybe a new potato baked and added to the mess and another can of gravy. I'm really begin to like that whole gravy thing In a can it just gives you so many options. I just visited with Dianne who actually made a pecan pie and a pumpkin pie for her holiday dinner and I am just almost motivated to construct an apple pie are pumpkin pie. I have the makings for both except for the piecrust and I could consider making something like that. Only problem is I don't need the calories. But then again it's Christmas – – what a lame excuse.

West much as I love spending time writing in my blog especially on holiday evenings. Cannot ignore the fact that I spent all afternoon trashing my kitchen making something wonderful but bashing just the same. I also expecting company from what I got a email earlier in the day from my son threatening to come over for the annual Christmas visit. It's almost 7 o'clock I expect he will be coming but I want to be able to get a little order back to my kitchen area before he does so I don't look like a total heathen.

For the few and the brave faithful readers– – MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas Eve

It's Christmas Eve and once again I'm alone. I finally accepted the fact that I must not be a Christmas Eve can a guy. Still however it's the holiday season and I love the season. I'm getting ready for the holiday. This morning I actually got up dressed and headed out across the street for the Fresh Market to get the roast which I promised myself I would cook for the holiday. I really contemplated why I was doing this whole roast beef dinner thing this morning, early. I'm sure I'm trying to fill some kind a hole in my life I mean it's so obvious. I did however stopped short from buying the biggest prime rib roast I could find. Mind you I'm doing all this with the hundred bucks Dennis gave me. That's kind of fun. I settled on this nice little roast guy. It's not very big but will be enough for a taste and give me the realization that I'm having roast beef for my Christmas dinner. I'm going to crockpot it. Throw in some vegetables and eat tomorrow afternoon at some point.

Thanks to my dentist I have spiked eggnog. I am trying to pick up around the apartment a little bit. Even though I had my person come in on the Saturday the units got a little messy. So I'll pick up a little bit around the apartment and put some things in order and have some eggnog and thinking of watching Scrooge to after NCIS. I'm sure it's a rerun but that's what I do on Tuesdays. While searching for Scrooged I ran across day video of a burning fireplace. The rents for three hours. I ran a little bit of it turns my whole screen into a fireplace is kind of funny. I thought about going out to a movie this afternoon or this evening but I'm a little worried about my rear end. For some reason it's been quite sensitive all day. I don't think the skins broken I think it's just irritated could be hygiene issues I hope not but it could be. I didn't necessarily want to subject my butt to rocking that would come about from even just going to the bus stop and from the bus stop over to the movies and back. I figured I had enough on my plate to deal with. The apartment. I've got my holiday meal, I've got my Internet connection and my ability to text. I purchased way more treats that I needed not so much sugar-based as much as carbo based – – which is a real self-defeating proposition. Have the roast the cook, I've got porkchops that got found out that I need to cook which might be good for the week. I've got Pepsi diet to drink and Netflix and Amazon prime was spectacularly wonderful Christmas Eve.

Of course tomorrow the buses will not be running its Christmas. Not that I go anywhere anyway and I guess if I really wanted to I could mount up the chair and go up and watch the new Star Wars are some of the other offerings. I could even use a taxi. I do have a couple hundred bucks in my transportation account that I guess I should need to spend. Either way Christmas is coming there's even talk of possible snow on the ground tomorrow morning maybe I'll stay in…

God Bless Us… Every One

I'm pretty much done Christmas for this year. It's not like I do a whole lot for Christmas any year. Think I've got over more than once by the fact that I'm a poor gifter. I know doubt blame it on my childhood, and impoverished family or maybe it's just that I never really learned to manage money, I'm still trying to pick up that skill set. What I remember was that I, personally,Had such little income that when it came time to spend that money on somebody else I just couldn't do it. In most cases I did not have the money to spend. If I remember right but money I did spend for family members came from my mom.

I'm kind of embarrassed because other people spend all kinds of funding on me and all I can do is Horde. Case in point. This year when of my best friends gave me 100 bucks for Christmas! This is only happened one other time that from one of my coworkers at one of my jobs couldn't figure out a present for me then in the last minute moment of frustration thrust five $20 bills on me it blew me away. I'm trying to figure out how much to pay my home health person for Christmas bonus. I finally settled on 20 bucks with one of my clearance Christmas cards. You have more than enough just from my friends gift alone the cover that and other options for family members or friends. However, I did use or at least broke the hundred dollar bill grocery shopping. Shopping for my Christmas week purchasing things I would seldom get independently. Deluxe mixed nuts for example. I went to Walmart looking for roast, that's right you heard me a roast beef. I went to Walmart thinking I would get a good deal but what I saw was overpriced and very little choice compared to what I could've gotten from the local market across the street from my apartment complex. I will check them out tomorrow before the storm. Yep, were getting a Christmas storm not much but wind, rain and snow. I would just as soon stay in. But I promised myself roast beef for Christmas – – I'm thinking Charles Dickens and an English Christmas dinner though, Bob Cratchit gotta stripling goose, the one hanging in the window I had not been sold yet, the one as big as the boy sent to purchase. Day before yesterday I bought two bags of potato chips for my holiday week treat. It's probably good that my dentist gave me a bottle of spiked eggnog (which is quite good with coffee). It's a good thing it be difficult for me to go to the Glasshouse at this point in time. I'd hate to try to bring home two or three bottles of liquor on public transport. I'm not too worried about being mugged is but does I'm afraid of intoxicating breakage. Dianne informed me I still had a number of bottles of hooch at the house. I doubt if I'll get any of that by Christmas who knows what will happen my New Year's.

I'm done. I still have three, five dollar McDonald's gift cards. Three or four visa bank gift cards from my credit union. These would go to family members probably for Christmas gifts unless I default just send them either Amazon gift certificates or some other Internet option which allows me to do a “quality” gift via the Internet and nearly immediately. The only drawback is the receiver has to do the purchase than wait for the gift to come unless they choose to use the gift card for purchasing an online movie which I guess is it's a bad. Still, it's not like having to dress warm and venture out into the world in battle with all the other Christmas shoppers finding that perfect gift for that perfect person…

Circling The Drain

I did okay this morning. I love it when I can get a second sleep. I called the second sleep the sleep I get into following a very early wake-up after just a few hours sleep. I suffer from this a lot but every once in a while I wake up very early like 3:30 AM and unable to get back to sleep and if I get another 60 to 90 minutes I'm amazed at how well I feel the rest of the day how delicious it feels to wake up from that second sleep. As I said today, I got a second sleep and when I did wake up my mind was racing and I had the weirdest sensation/prompting/ideas for a blog post. Which would be today's.

I've typically stayed away from any postings about the leader of our country right now. I think the guy has really got his tit in the ringer. I don't know why I had this vision but I saw the president last couple of images that's been posted of him standing holding onto the podium with both hands and having that desecration smile that happens when you just trying to get through to the end of his job.

I was really going to town on my thoughts I was thinking like a boss,Like who's going to hire this guy after he loses his job. With the new boss actually ask when Donald applies for the next job “ Does he have any priors?” I mean this guy has all the appearances of a man going down the tubes, He is circling the drain, anyone who's ever been removed from a job one reason or another in a a state or federal job knows the process understands of the situation the current Commander in Chief is going through. It's a matter of time now no matter what happens I think the guys out of here. At this point everything is just fluff, let's see his profile on the news ,a man standing at a podium grinding his teeth head down wondering how he got to this position in life. What did they promise him in the background when they told him that they could make him president of the United States?

You understand I recognize his position. I've been there, certainly not on the national or international stage but in that position where you're at your job and everything seems to be going wrong the matter what you do and all you're doing is trying to swim to the edge of the pool and stay out of the drain. The swimming is slim but sooner or later you just get tired and you let go and suddenly you're gone.

Not saying I like the guy, I don't and I'm glad he's in the cycle antes heading down the drain. I'm just saying I understand that look in his eyes but I see when they publish images of him talking to his constituency trying to convince them as well as himself that he's okay and everything's on line and tomorrow everything will be better. He never tells them About deals he's made with certain men in black, the puppet masters, the string pullers, that shadow group that's always in the back of every Stephen King novel. Their live in their out there and I'm just saying I recognize that look in the commanders eyes…

Art Of Dying

Peter Peter Schjeldahl

It's 7:30 PM and that means winter has officially started in this hemisphere! I know I've read a lot about winter solstice before but I just have to acknowledge how grateful I am that the days of darkness are early darkness anyway are done in from now until June the hours of daylight will be lengthening each day little by little until the light and heat of the new year is upon me. Dianne is my scout. Dianne reads voraciously and she's always scouring the Internet and Is always coming up with interesting and fulfilling bits of information. Today is about this writer was written a book about death action about his death which is coming shortly. Interestingly enough Dianne brought this to my attention but I had already heard a interview with this guy Peter something on Saturday Edition this morning on National Public Radio. The guy is a theater critic for the New Yorker! I'll try to dig out his name and listed it somewhere in this posting. It's not some academic treaty on that are anything like that but this guys feelings on his impending doom. As I understand the situation is that he has some kind of cancer or other critical death thing. He's a bit of a humorist and I believe that's why Dianne sent the article over to me. She says he sounds a lot like me or I sound like him. I don't know if I had a terminal disease if I would be as upbeat as this guy is our seemingly upbeat. The article is huge just what New Yorkers love, I shouldn't just say New Yorkers since it's quite a national magazine. But I get the impression New Yorkers like to indulge themselves on long wandering pieces of literature. Dianne reads extremely fast I'm always amazed how quickly she reads in the level of retention she's able to enjoy. Me, I take forever to read. I got through this article and am so pleased that I did, because I found this great device and I don't know if it's offered through The New Yorker Or Google. However it is a reader! It actually reads the material which allows me to follow along which I was able to do all the way to the end of the article. I know I would never been able to do such if I was trying to read it. Possibly, if I had a couple days to read this and agreed that. I would just hope I would be able to retain my focus on the document to its completion. I was able to do that today though which I think is great. Okay I went back and checked the guys name is Peter Schjeldah and he is the art critic for the New Yorker magazine. I think the title of his article is “The Art Of Dying”. He wanders through major parts of his life and how everything is winding up at this and. Oddly enough there's a bit of a upbeat feeling to the document. He's on some sort of regimen that's allowing him to buy a little more time. The guys kind of hilarious. He smoked all of his life and he is glad that he did. I like that I can understand that. I was still be smoking if I thought I would not end up on some sort of a reading device if I had stopped. He was also an alcoholic he was just plain creative and artistic and was able to pull off a really interesting life. He sounded really interesting like somebody you'd like to know. Actually, I am so fortunate that I have known this person in the other people who have been in my life. They're all like him: David Fix, Dan Roads, Dr. McIntyre, Max Gift. They're all dead however. It's a good read, I definitely recommend it to anyone. Made even be a good laugh…

My "Precious"

I was going to write about my friend Tom Cantrell and hot and this I was of him when I was growing up in his affinity for tobacco or at least one pipe and a girlfriend who sent him a card the cigarettes one Christmas to his locker. I just thought that was so cool. However, an event happened during the day I just can't shake.

Really a new week is a notice on the manager's door requesting people who had heaters to return them to the office. It seems like I wrote about this earlier but when I first received this item during the summer I'd requested a cooling device and this is what I got. Later I found out that it actually also worked as a heater. I've been using it ever since. I should've returned the machine as soon as maintenance got my air-conditioner maintained and operational but I liked the device so much that I just hung onto it. Anyway with just a little bit the guilt I decided to fess up to the manager that I still have my errant heating and cooling device which I did. Her name is Jennifer and she's a great manager. Jennifer of course had forgotten that I had the unit and asked if I still needed at. I was honest and said no but I sure enjoy it she said well go ahead and keep it until we need it no big deal. The sound good to me, since I could take the bank… Or so I thought.

This evening I was doing the wash in the wanderer is right next to the manager's office. It was after hours so Jennifer was gone and the on-site R/A resident advisor whose name is Diana. It's her job to fill in for Jennifer and her absence or overnight or on weekends. Diana and I have always seem to get along together. She's significantly older than I am and I guess she does a fairly decent job as the R/A. Anyway, I was a bit taken aback when as I passed her she stopped and turned around and called my name but of course I responded. She informed me that I needed to relinquish the heater as soon as I could. I advised Diana that I'd spoken already with Jennifer and Jennifer said it was all right for me to keep this piece of equipment. Thus when Diana said to con you know the power trip motif which Jessica can irritated me. Because in all honesty I really ready to give up the heater. And truth be told I'm kind of looking into purchasing my own glad you like the heat during the winter it provides will I work my computer station. So, identify be taken the stupid thing back tonight had my cleaning person not dropped my clothes in the cleaning water will she was washing my blinds. The gloves were soaked so now I'm using the heater as a dryer. So tomorrow, I will take the heater down to Diana's apartment and be rid of the equipment. I'm halfway tempted to hold onto it until Monday when Jennifer should be back in her office and return it to Jennifer. I always want to have Diana write me a receipt but I don't know if that will give her all defensive. What a pain.

I don't know why I want to attack the poor lady, which am sure she feels is just doing her job. It was interesting that Jennifer remarked when I advised her that I still had the heater that I was the only one who'd responded in this fashion. I thought that was peculiar. I mean I continue to fantasize all these weird scenarios where I stick it to her for taking my heater I don't even want the heater. I don't even need the heater I just kind of got addicted to it like opioids. It's my “Precious” and Diana is good old Bilbo…

One More Holiday Function

Every time I go into the area online where my blog is kept I get irritated. I go back as far as I can which is December 31, 2005. Blogger says that's when I started blogging but I know that it's not I started years before. I don't know what years means three for five years before. I started blogging, really when we're in the old building just off fifth East the building we shared with Department Determination Services DDS of the Social Security Administration. The reason I know this is because that's when I started working with the state in 1998. I transitioned from the independent living center. I kept a journal on my computer but that journal was not a blog. Sadly I lost the journal somewhere along the line. And I didn't start blogging today took over the reign of Access Utah Network. I had access to the Internet! I had a T1 connection it was fast. I spent my days when not on the phone answering questions cruising around the Internet and that's when I first became exposed to blogs. I'd been hearing of blogs but I wasn't quite sure what I was reading were blogs. I soon figured out they were. I wasn't sure what I was doing when I started my first blog. I'd gotten involved in reading the blog of a young medical student who I followed through the last of her medical school and then her training, residency in turn etc. Soon had taken off as a full-fledged blogger. I'm sure about like this before somewhere in this blog possibly numerous times but my main goal on the blog was to write 500 words a day, every day. I did pretty well I've done pretty well. The writing the 500 words used to threaten me because I'm not sure if I would be able to fulfill that personal commitment to myself and come up with 500 words of content. However, I've done pretty well I believe over the years.

Nobody reads my blog and that's okay. I probably have about seven or eight readers that are constant family members in such then I have a group of friends that periodically dip into the blog. Every once in a while somebody leaves a comment. But it's out there every day something new or kind of new. I have over 3000 posts now and that is significant to me. This tells me I could write a book (like I know I could write a book I just didn't know if I could be consistent posting which is like being consistent writing so I know I can do it now). So, I guess I can stop blogging but I don't think that's going to happen. Blogging, journalizing is my lifeblood. I don't feel accomplished now, especially in my “golden years” unless I blog for the day. Dianne, my best friend, says my blog makes her laugh and that makes me happy. Not that I'm a nice guy is important to me that someone thinks I'm funny, I guess. I don't know if Dianne reads every day, but she probably does, this something to read she's on it she's incredibly brilliant. So smart.

Today, once again I starred as Santa Claus,At the independent living center annual holiday function. I've done this every year for over 20 years, at least. I basically sit there have a person come up wish them a Merry Christmas and stuff whatever the shop pass from me to give them this year today was little cups of putting with pipe cleaner antlers sticking out. I hope we were not in violation is some sort of OSHA regulations. I enjoy the assignment. I enjoying meeting my old workmates and seeing them once again and thankful that they're still around and that I'm still around in that we all continued to talk to each other. Change is the only constant but the Christmas function hardly ever changes I don't know how that fits in the paradigm but it does. We had a real meal this year, not that we have not had in previous years but sometimes it's been really reaching. Today was a ham dinner with sliced ham (real ham not that pressed mystery meet ham stuff). The men felt somewhat rushed in a bit more chaotic than usual just because there was 150 new people touring the building today but I think we fed them all and we fed them well.…

Ho Ho Ho

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ajwSBuozVs

Today I had lunch with one of my friends from the acting company, 2^nd West Acting Company. I think I've discussed this before somewhere in the blog. However, she asked me what I was doing for Christmas. This was the second time I was asked that this day and I have to say that I had to report “nothing”, and that's okay. Really, World! It's not a big deal. A kind of used to it same scenario as Thanksgiving. There's no accessible homes that my wheelchair can accommodate (I don't know if that came out right but I think you know what I mean). Now, even if there were I would have difficulty getting there because I have no means of transportation other than public transit which is not running on the holiday. Luckily, I live in the fine year of 2019 just ahead of the roaring 20s, all over again, and I have texting, video chat which is really just like being there in so many ways except for tactically speaking. And really, touch can be somewhat overrated. I'm not sure what I'm doing for meal yet for that day but already am getting excited. I'm thinking of ham but I also like to think of the possibility of a nice piece of roast beef with a nice crust, mashed potatoes and gravy and something green. There's also the joy is something sweet as well. We'll have to see about that. But I can do all that here at the apartments and enjoy the holiday and not inconvenience anybody. Kids, they're all grown and they have families of their own and now have Christmas traditions of their own and I think that's just wonderful. Different families, different states, blended, adopted, separated and estranged it's hard to see people this time of year. I understand that no pressure, no pain and joy the holiday.

As for me and my house After I have finished with my home health person sense Christmas falls on one of the days that I have my aid come in (with holiday pay mind you) I will text, video text and Facebook I'm sure for a bit and then I plan to do some holiday viewing. I would like to see “Scrooged”, with Bill Murray. I love this version and try to watch it each year. I've already seen Holiday Inn, but since it's free maybe I watch it one more time or at least have the movie running in the background as I prattle around the apartment. For sure, however I'm going to watch The original “Die Hard” with Bruce Willis which I feel is the best Die Hard. I may watch a couple of the others I do have the DVDs that they're not quite as Christmasy as the original and maybe just maybe if I have the time or the endurance find the original “Home Alone”. I think that about Christmas me out if I can hack that many Christmas movies.

I still plan to hit the market for my grocery list three different kinds of potato chips, maybe a summer sausage and extra sharp cheddar cheese. I got a new canister of white cocoa mix and yesterday my dentist dropped off a bottle of eggnog so I'm set. I still have significant amount of time before I hit the market. I love this time of the year, I'm totally excited. I have lost my Santa hat and that's really okay I do want to be too dorky… Or creepy. I've got a few more emergency gifts to purchase you know the kind that you have next to the door so when people unexpectedly dropped by with gifts and such you have something to hand them like you meant to all along. Anyway, don't any of you worry about me I'm excited about the season, I'm set and ready to go… Ho, Ho, Ho Merry Christmas…

Softly With Crackers And Beer…

It's kind of weird, it's Tuesday the day that I usually have my Assist, Inc. meeting. Today we did not have a meeting. It does not surprise me I think we even talked about not meeting today at the last meeting we had but still I called in as I always do just to see. In fact all of the volunteer programs unaffiliated with slow down if not completely disappear over the holiday season. After all the real world continues on with the real world schedule. This time of year professionals who have vacation time accrued, overtime accrued or whatever tend to take them during this period. I don't begrudge them I knew that I did while I was in my work life and I love that time between Christmas and New Year's. However, festive/honorific of the holiday or whatever it still leaves a big gap in my life of what to do and how to fill that space.

I should see it as my Christmas gift, from those programs and boards that I serve on to myself. I could go shopping, I could take myself out to eat, take in a movie, a play are just wander around downtown at night looking at the lights maybe even wandered into the liquor store and enjoying the true celebrator's a Christmas. But you know just can't get myself up to do that. It's kind of a shame and a shame on me for wasting this valuable celebratory time I could be being Yuletide festive. I could be watching Amazon or Netflix there certainly a horde of viewing options there. I can even drag myself up to the movies, the real movies but there's not much playing right now that I want to see. Perhaps, next week during the real holiday maybe.

I love video chat. I cannot believe how great that technology is. I'm always amazed when I've had a session with somebody I really enjoy. I just hung up a chat that I have had with my old friend Dave, used to be my boss and Blackfoot Idaho. Dave is become an expatriate living in Mexico I'm so impressed that he is made the move. Dave lives on just the other side of the border he travels back and forth across the borderto do his business He consults and he also spends a lot of time teaching on the Internet site classes for an Internet University.He's really doing it all began believe it is left the “straight life behind”. He talked about one of his usual days, getting up late walking along the beach this breakfast and visiting with neighbors than setting down to grade papers or prepare his lecture for the video broadcast he does that evening as part of his Internet psych class. That's his day. He told me he feels tranquility/tranquil is the best way to describe him these days. It's like I spent an hour with him right here in my room visiting. Now, I feel I've done something productive with my day.

The clouds have moved on and the “Cloud River” has been replaced by a trough of Arctic air freezing the snot out of everything outside. I'm still wearing my shorts and getting lectured on by all the old fart's at the place here about how I will catch my death of cold if I don't watch out. Even but remaining professional staff seem be worried about my feet. I put on shoes to quell the comments. I'm even wearing a flannel wrap around my legs giving myself the most institutional look – – actually it's not true I do have a wool blanket which I think was my grandmother's dark plaid which would really give me that senior institutional, in the wheelchair look. However I think I will stick with my black flannel bah humbug.

Getting In The Mood…

It's cold now along the Wasatch front. Fall definitely now is nearly over In today's see more and more winter like. The best take away is that the cold temperature mixed with what moisture we have in the air is been cause for snow which has not been much (thank goodness) but enough to really get the feeling that Christmas is nearly here in the season is upon us. The time for me to want to be inside, homebound heater turned up (since I don't have a fireplace with a roaring fire) and just enjoying each day. Unable to do that to some degree just try not to let my conscious feel too guilty for not doing more for folks a Christmas. Actually, I think of written about the fact that I am a poor gifter.

I spoke with my son, Mark Anthony, tonight who in the course the conversation Was advising me about some family issues revolving around his daughter's birthday which was yesterday. That's right, my granddaughter, Jasmine had a birthday and of course I had no idea. I'm surprised I did not have this documented in Facebook one where the other. And I'll honestly I don't know what I would've done had I had a heads up that her birthday was imminent. I don't know why I just do not do well with these things. Now my brother Carl, is quite the role model he gives his grandkids cars for significant events of their lives. Carl truly is a role model. He totally blows my argument and possible copout that the grandfather doesn't do major events well. That celebrating these occasions is up to the grandmother. Dianne does this kind of support 100 times better than I.

There really is no excuse not in this day of electronics and multimedia. Amazon makes gifting easy not only for the purchase but to the delivery. Anything a person can think of our purchase could be delivered if you had the right address. Of course one has to worry about porch Pirates and if that were an issue I can always do the gifting copout of purchasing and emailing the grandchild a gift card for anything. Even just to get a to Amazon then let the drink you go wild within the constraints of the limits of the card. The gift card is truly the easiest and most antiseptic of the gifting solution. It lets the individual no that even if you forgot about them on their day he still thought enough of them to send the gift. In fact, I think I will do that. I already have sent gift cards as Christmas presents to one set of grandkids so and Amazon e-card should work as well.

I don't know how grandmothers do it. I have between four and six grandchildren and I cannot for the life of me keep track. My mother had grandkids for the double digits great grand kids in the triple digits and she seemed remember all of them even if it was just a card that's more than I've done. In my defense, if there be any, the stamp cost two cents in those days now it's half a dollar but there forever just like the birthdays…

The Big Swim Or You Can't Freak What You Don't See

I miss many things not being able-bodied, close dancing, karate, writing my name in the snow in one of the things I miss most is swimming or swim whenever I want to I feel like it. Now in order for me to swim I have to do some significant planning not only finding and accessible pool but getting there and back as well as changes in and out of my swim gear IE trunks.

I believe I close search of my blog posts should reveal a posting about how after my trauma and fusing of my neck I went to rehab and fall in the hover tank, one day I rolled off – – to the terror of my therapist – – and found I could really enjoy myself in the water. Later, when I got home, I was back to swimming at the canal with the help of friends at the bridge were I swam. The best thing I found about being disabled and being in the water was that the water greatly reduced my symptoms of disability. In fact in the water I could actually walk – – kind of – – and close dance with the most willing person. Water is my friend. One of the Enlightenment's that I shared with my occupational therapist, Nikki, the other day was my ongoing desire to get back in the water. However, in that same discussion I explained how difficult it is for me to even think about swimming during the winter months but now it have to be exposed to the cold temperatures while wet. Nikki seemed to understand that we're both perplexed possibly feeling that only swimming could be done during the summer months. Even during the summer months however there would be the issue of my swimming trunks. I would have to have them put on in the mornings that I have attendant care to get help dress me. Then I would still have the problem of getting back home and wet trunks.

I have been considering the idea of possibly paying for attendant care going to and from swimming. This could get pricey though. Still I could think about what it would take timewise to get in some source swimming routine since I have the option to use the Tosh pool. Swimming to be part of my wellness program but I have to be able to use the program independently and not tie up staff time which is understandable. This morning while lying in bed contemplating my Sunday is also contemplating my swimming issues. Then it came to me in a flash the only reason I worry about the wet trunks is because I'd be wearing them. What if I was not wearing them what if one way or the other I can take the trunks off independently? Seems to me if I can get a big and a pair of trunks I should be able to do that with an appropriate stick. Then I started thinking why do I have to put trunks back on? If I were able to use one of my flannel ponchos or like the robe Dianne made for me which is super modest I would be home free. It's not like people would know that I'm naked underneath the flannel poncho are robe they are just think I'm wearing my swimming gear! This could be a game changer I'm pretty excited to visit and share this with Nikki on my next Friday meeting.…

Lost Dreams

I really can't remember why I launched into a kata form At my occupational therapy treatment a couple weeks ago. It was really kind of weird because I really haven't done kata forms and I don't know how many decades. I'm surprised I remembered as much as I did at the Tosh facility. Whatever I did totally lit up Nikki's eyes. She thought I was totally cool I could tell. Not cool in like “I want to get to know this guy” cool in the respect that I can't believe what this guy keeps pulling out of his hat tricks. And this really is something that might be worthwhile looking into. I always wanted to do martial arts. I don't even know when I was first exposed to martial arts. Maybe, way back on the farm where the guys went our church was a big Hawaiian dude named Eddie Ho. Use a coach or something over at the local junior college. His big claim to fame was being a judo expert and Hawaiian pit cooking. Every couple years they would dig a hole in the back of the Ward yard and Eddie would cook the most delicious tasting barbecue I've ever had. I also remember watching some karate competitions on an old Saturday show called the ABC Wild World Of Sports. I was totally blown away. I didn't even think about asking my parents if I can be trained in martial arts I did think that was an option. I did notice one day and one of my comic books in the back for a dollar 97 you could get a course and corrupt a that came with the dummy that showed all the pressure points. I cannot believe they would send all that for one dollar and $.97. My older brother who I worshiped happened to be visiting at that point in time. He rarely visited that he was here than when the package arrived. A midsized brown envelope that had a mimeographed book that showed a number of karate stances and then a large folded chart of a felon with a gun pointed toward the observer then different pressure points on the individual and that was it. I was crestfallen my older brother kind of made fun of me which hurt even more. But I started trying to learn a little this thing had to offer I learned some things but not very much and that was about it. Growing up I got involved in wrestling and that was as close as I got until the number years after my accident when living in Blackfoot Idaho I happen to come across a karate class one Saturday morning while driving to a friends house. There's a group of about seven people in karate gi's going through the motions. I stop my car got my wheelchair out and rolled over and talk to the sensei. You is a great guy. He was a black belt (of course) but he was open to teaching me and we started. I can't even remember the style. It was not a hard style like shotakan. My training was very rudimentary. I can't even remember my sensei's name. He was very serious however and he taught me my ffirst kata form I worked on it diligently for possibly four months when I was finally awarded my first yellow bar on my white belt. That was as far as I got life intervened but I cherished my white belt with its little yellow piece of electric tape. When I ever went to my kata forms I felt good but I also felt how significant my disability was. I could not really do my rising blocks with the snap that the other folks used. When you go through a kata form you move in the form of an “I”. It's sort of complicated but not bad but it's really meant to walk through you lose a lot of the fact if you're in a power chair or a manual chair. But like I said when I asked went through this process for my occupational therapist her eyes lit up. She wants me to consider getting involved once again with martial arts. I don't know if I'm ready to do that commitment at this point my life are even want to put myself through that kind of physical stress especially to my body after what my first physiatrist said about me destroyed my joints at this point my life. Perhaps, this should be something I could do in my manual chair again. But even then I'm still putting unwanted stress on 70-year-old joints. Sadly, I've lost my dream of becoming proficient in martial arts. I can see now how unimportant that was her would've been at that time in my life. I was chasing a dream like a dog chasing the car when he could do if you catch it…

Getting Physical

I really thought today was going to be the last meeting with my occupational therapist Nikki especially after last week's session. I really got the impression that she wanted to be done with me and move on. I and the other hand really didn't care what we did I just want to use up by hours I had coming to me via my insurance. Today, was pretty interesting to me. We worked on the physical aspects of myself. Essentially we worked on the weight machines there at Tosh. I chose not to do the arm bike they have just because I'm so vested in my system here at the apartment. We tried to use the rickshaw to have their which I suppose is pretty good – – it's prettier than mine but not as good as mine I don't think. I learned quite a bit however. Nikki drilled into my head is not about the major left it's about a controlled left of many reps with less weight which kind of makes sense and certainly is less threatening than gut busting hundreds of pounds on the rickshaw. I like lifting heavier weights but Nikki is in the Riser M.D. Regarding my shoulders. Nikki not only is worried about my cuff s but my whole body particularly by spinal cord! I didn't pay much attention to her at first but she was so adamant it really is given me pause. Good bad or indifferent Nikki continues to be impressed with me which totally fuels me of course. She's open to exploring options physically but I might be able to pursue in the next year. As of this morning, I had two more visits this year on my insurance: next Friday and the Friday after that. It sounds like for going to use these times/hours to develop some sort of a physical plan for me to continue to strengthen and build endurance. She's most interested in me doing some more art stuff which is okay by me. However, I don't know how much I want to get back into the academics. I just want to do. We'll see what happens so come January and the new semester. I guess I sort of slipped and made the mistake and showing her my kata forms. I went through what I remembered of my basic kata she was totally impressed I hadn't thought about this in a long time. I actually used to do a Karate workout Every Saturday morning there and Blackfoot. I enjoyed it. Granted I was in a manual chair at the time trying to do that in a power chairs a whole different ball ask might be good to get back into the manual chair if I can. Anyway I got the impression that Nikki would really be open to me exploring options of the martial arts and adaptive training. Perhaps more exciting to me was the possibility of utilizing the swimming pool at Tosh. I guess I'd heard they did have a pool but it really think about being able to use that pool. However, I think I might. The only problem is how do I get in and out of swimming suits and such. These are things I have to contemplate in the back of my mind am wondering if it would be with pain somebody 23 bucks a session to dress me after the fact. But I kind of think exposure to swimming would be the best thing for me and so does Nikki. Lots to think about and lots to explore this last few weeks of December…

Like Playing Hookie

I'm not proud of myself but I cannot tell you how happy I was when I called the office today and found my Thursday afternoon bookclub had been canceled. I would've gone if they did have bookclub but the weather has been borderline foul. Not really bad but severely overcast and threatening rain or snow all day. I usually don't call to find out I just show up at the library,but today I did Call in glad that I did. Is able to stay home in the heat of the apartment.

If our bookclub was super active and we had a group of seven great folks then attending the bookclub regardless of the weather scenario would not be a problem. However, I've noticed in the past number of weeks a continual decline of participation of consumers or folks that we serve.. In fact the last couple weeks is mainly been staff from the DD Council. And that's a little frustrating. I'm trying not to take responsibility for such diminishing attendance but like I said in the past, many times once I get involved the program the program tends to implode on itself is that pathetic or what? So now I'm the Grim Reaper of the bookclub.

In fact, I really like the bookclub I really believe in the concept and power of reading. It really did not take me much to get behind this program. I was sore drafted into this position from my boss or my former boss who is the director of the DD Council here in Salt Lake. She's renowned for starting these kind projects and then spinning the projects off to cable folk. Where I did necessarily get stuck with running the program, thank goodness, I did feel a responsibility in helping keeping the project going. It's been kind of difficult trying to figure out just what I'm supposed be doing in this program since I'm not really affiliated technically with the DD Council anymore nor am I a member of the bookclub as a participant (as I see it). Maybe that's the joke is that I am one of the participants even though I see myself as not being developmentally disabled as the other participants. However, I am developmentally disabled by definition of the law because I had my major disability before the age of 18 are whatever that cutoff date is. So I could technically be an actual member of the group but boy I sure have a immediate step back from that particular level of involvement. That's just my silly pride. I liked reading with the guys in fact I'm so glad that I'm not necessarily in the more supervisory functions of the group. I'm sure those folks think I'm just another one of the DD folks that got sucked into reading every Thursday afternoon come rain or shine…

Going My Way?

I feel I did everything right—as right as a 68-year-old man somewhat befuddled in general can do something right. But I thought I cover the main points the biggest of which is I use a wheelchair, a big wheelchair with a motor on it for mobility. It's not a big deal but you think it would be something crucial for mobility company to be aware of. In the post yesterday I a somewhat briefly went over the fact that I was going to try the new Via, right on demand, system that Utah transit Authority is testing in the South and the Valley. Salt Lake. Now I'm going to go out of my way not to paint this as me being the martyr but I want to report a factual account.

The day is not half bad, the sun was shining but it was cold so I dressed accordingly. A warm jacket and a flannel blanket wrapped around my legs and a hat. I timed the buses from the schedule so I didn't have to wait too long and the elements. I tried to leave early but as things go I left about an hour and 10 minutes before my appointment. I caught my bus southbound And made it to the transit station in fairly good time still I didn't know how long it would take to catch the via vehicle once I got to the end of my route to 18 ride at about 11400 South Redwood Road. So I decided I would just drive my chair into the shop.

After it finished by business at the wheelchair shop I contacted Via, not bear in mind I went to the steps of not only contacting the organization/company but going through the process of registering and downloading the app for the program. I figure that pretty much touched all the bases. Actually the apps system is kind of cool if it really works. Took me a bit to understand. Since you registered with the organization it knows who you are and where you're at. You start your trip by confirming where your pickup point is, and of course they have that data because they've got you located by your cell phone coordinates, then you have to put new destination and what you've done that and the computer or whatever has everything set up you push the button that says confirm and it books here ride and charges your checking account/bank account or however you have it set up. It gives you the time expected which is about 3 ½ minutes which I was totally shocked. The computer also alerts your cell phone when you write is outside. That was the first red flag the ride was not outside it was way across the street which is a Big St., Redwood Road, the driver had the wrong address for some reason. I noticed this when I hit the confirm button and I thought it was just a computer glitch – – obviously it was – – I got counted as a no-show. I did flag the driver down and finally he saw me waving my arms frantically in my red jacket. He came over the shocked that I was in the power chair he said he didn't have means the transport me. So of course I'm on the phone talking to Via control who informs me that somehow the information that I was in a power chair was not entered into the system. The person then did enter in that information in three minutes later another vehicle shows up. It's another Mercedes-Benz type vehicle. It's probably an SUV, smaller than a van that big. The vehicle has no left it has a back and that the driver has to take the rear end sort of a part which opens up an area where you drive chair in and he locks you down, ties you up good. My driver had only five or six words of English down. “Hello Sir, goodbye Sir, how are you sir, I don't know sir,Other than that we are operating on hand gestures. He spoke no English. He seemed like a nice enough guy he was just unfamiliar with transporting a person with a disability. I am writing this off initially as learning curve. The organizations do the concept I guess is new and the bugs are being worked out. Once the driver figured out how to use the system and get me in and out of the back of the vehicle we were good to go. Forget the fact among the end of this variable large vehicle. There's no communication but I get to the place a one to go and that's what it's all about. I'll give the experience and 85% grade. I wish I had more reasons to go to the south end of the valley to try this system out some more. I do think it has potential and I do wish it was being implemented valley wide. The service can really make a difference. The cost of my ride was a dollar each way which is a deal she asked me. At my meeting today you talk Assistive Technology Program I brought up my experience that everyone was interested. They suggested I might contact the authority and volunteer to help them make the system better. I don't know how much I would want to volunteer but it certainly be open to looking at some form of consultation. I mean why not?…

A Little Bit Of Art

There's no question I'm a little rough around the edges. I would like to think that over the years I've smoothed some of those edges down to where my little more approachable. I don't think I really appreciated art much growing up. My older brother created smart which we actually had hanging in the house. I thought this was really cool but I actually think he is very cool, as well. So I had some art appreciation. I've been pretty excited all day. Dianne and I have been having the great communication the past couple weeks. One of things we talk about earliest I brought up was wondering if I might be able to borrow some of her art that she has around the Utahna house.

Dianne was the only person I think I have really ever known to had real art. Not that family art is not real it's is not famous are created by somebody known as famous. Dianne did. In a previous marriage Dianne and her husband collected a number of pieces of wall art. We had the art all over the house, on the walls in the living room, down the hallway even the kids rooms pieces of art hung there sprucing up the room and dividing the eye. I didn't know someone could actually get addicted to real art. I understand now how some people acquire and acquire and acquire more art even to the point where they put the art in a vault or in some source storage facility. They're going to enjoy the art at some other point in time. They're going to actually rotate the pieces throughout their lives. I can understand now why someone might do that or how they might do that.

Anyway, Dianne has allowed me to have a couple of pieces over for a “visit” and I'm totally excited. I'm now showing a Toulouse-Lautrec and a Marc Chagall I have another piece but I don't know who it's by but I love it very colorful only today after 20 years or more did I realize the colorful piece is actually an animal head of some sort I'd never noticed the teeth before I'm astounded. I have my very humble piece of art for which a been dragging around for years I have no idea who produced the piece but I call it the Matador in the mermaid. It's modern art given me by a neighbor I had 40 years ago at least. I've always cherished The piece. The Chagall knocked it off its coveted place in my living room and now the Matador lives in the bedroom which kind of makes sense now and I feel looks great. I requested these pieces for a six-month visit. I hope I do not get too attached. I think however in whatever time I have left on this dirt ball that may be I will even look at acquiring some art of my own. I'm very interested in Jean Dubuffet. Dubuffet is one of the brute artists which I really identify with and maybe I will consider purchasing one of his prints to hang on my walls.

My brother was so kind to stop by the house on Utahna and pick up these pieces and bring them over this afternoon and then of course went the extra mile and hung them up on the walls tastefully. I'm so lucky to have all these people in my life And now I actually have art too I feel my edges getting smoother…

It Don't Come Easy

I really had one project to do today, actually that's not true I had two. Run over to the market get a few things to get to the week (I know they said snow yesterday on the radio and the TV) and to wrestle down the process of using the new app the Utah transit Authority is pushing for demand transportation. It's not really a big deal but I have to roll quite a distance from the closest UTA bus stop in South Jordan to get to my wheelchair shop. This new program would send a vehicle picked me up at some point and take me to the future shop and I assume back again to that point.

The program is called Via, I don't know if the letters stand for anything or not, it's program you have to register for which means of course it's all modern fancy meeting you got a use and establish passwords and download apps to work on your cell phone or computer. I don't know why but the process is been very threatening to me. I started off by contacting the transit authority to switch the over to the program itself. They want you to set up an account to use the service. This means giving them your name and number and even some sort of means of plastic credit card are other form of payment. The little person on the phone made it sound like it is just easy thing to do but it wasn't for me and I may have been making a harder than the process deserved. This was just setting up the gateways like to get into the program. I downloaded the wrong at first there's a driver app and that's what I downloaded just not the right one and let me know that in no uncertain terms. This project was all been accomplished of course by multiple calls into the “support” center. Mary was the main person I seem to work with every time I called in with one-time exception of Simón. I mean really, I do have some tech skills or at least I like to think so. However, the questions I could trying to formulate and the way that I sounded I know I exemplified the out of touch senior citizen trying to use a phone system smarter than he. I'm hoping that with repetition the process will get easier. Right now the services offered just to programs way south of the city. Unlike the think that perhaps this demand ride system might be even more ubiquitous to the area. I don't really understand the process exactly. They say they're using wheelchair accessible vehicles-which in my case I'm going to need-but the system is supposedly a system like Lift or Uber which uses just regular people to drive people around. This is going to be interesting I think.

Tomorrow, I have a 10 o'clock appointment with my wheelchair shop. I've got to take two buses to get there route 217 and then 218. I have a significant wait some going to have to leave early. I was hoping to use the via system to go straight to the butcher shop from the 217 and the line or EOL. So I'm a little frustrated are a little frightened or maybe just a little old new things just don't come easy…