Grand Rehearsal

Speaking of my buddy Frank last week, Frank gave me some good advice he said to consider taking a few days few days of vacation or sick leave whatever since I was going to be able to take any time off for the holiday except for the holiday: the Fourth of July holiday. Traditionally, I take whatever days follow the holiday and use annual leave for those days it works pretty good like this year I would've taken Thursday and Friday off so forth false on Wednesday. But since I'm transitioning to my new office over Fourth of July weekend I I will not be taking the usual annual and quite frankly I think I did need time. Well I am taking with the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of this week but when I called the new boss earlier in the week to check out how things were transitioning she was under the impression that I would be here on Friday to meet with the I T person who is only in their offices from eight till 10 AM she really wanted see how I was going to fit into the new setting. She wanted me some especially to bring over my IT equipment, my computer and other paraphernalia I used interface with the system. Now earlier we Pretty much packed my office and my boss one to pack everything into her little convertible and drop it off at my house so I wouldn't have to come in on Friday but Amy want to be there so there I went.

I drove the van and, and this really reinforces how much I hate driving. I was pleased to see I still had my skills intact I made it into the office without injuring myself or anyone else. It was just Frank me which is the usual setting and we did tear down my laptop and support materials and box them up to get ready to transfer over. Claire finally showed up, she had been sick and I was a bit surprised to see make it in today but she didn't she showed up and we loaded up the equipment that anyone over there and Frank and I drove over to the new building. Now when I was there the other day I chose a cubicle across from the boss. This is a good political process so the boss of have a ability here me and keep notes on me as I transition into the setting. But in the meantime then hired two more personnel who Amy wanted next to her which is great because that's what I wanted the long run anyway. So I chose a cubicle far away from everybody else there some one from the other side of the wall for me that she seems okay. I got a good setting much for Windows but still that's the way it goes I'm just glad to be working. The more I see of his crew the more I think I'm like my time there for however long that will be. Become a stuff in the building squared away and I will continue my transition all over next week where I'll become a go through the indoctrination process learned their software to see how my systems will work with theirs. Looks pretty cool.

Frank and I got back to the office and Bonnie had purchased Brandury doughnuts, my care was running out of power quickly so we had a small party of donuts and talk and I went into the office charged up for about half an hour 45 min. Then Bonnie and Frank loaded my packed boxes in the back of the van and I drove away. We are planning on having at least one staff meeting a month where I would need to come back and interface with staff – –wink wink and call it breakfast.

Claire and I talked a little as I was getting ready to leave, really the last real boss employee moment after I drive away it will all be different -this would no longer be my real office of these would no longer be my real workmates. Since I'm technically tethered to this office we really have to put off the final meal until February when I do retire and leave the state for good. Maybe that's why separation today was not so hard maybe my psyche still waiting for the final final next year. Still this was a good rehearsal.

Vials and VIals of Blood

I had called last Friday the only appointment open this week, was yesterday at 1045. We decided I would go to work and Dianne would drive an picked me up and we would together go up to the University to meet with Katya, my provider. We got to the University good time, got checked in and got some premedical work up done. Becky did this work up she is very good and helpful. And again I only needed to find out why are what happen to the phone calls I place a got no returns and no prescription sent to where I had asked. I also wanted to get injectables for by HRT as opposed to the smear I have been using.

So when I got there I was not too concerned when Becky the technician begin to do all the medical stuff that happens at the first of an appointment: temperature, medical history, do you use tobacco? The usual. I always feel the medical technician question period similar to the warm-up comedian or prep band for the major brand. The practitioner finally got to me, shook more hammered than usual, she looked tired and frayed and that she started asking questions would already covered in early appointments and I began to get concerned. Early on in our discussion we found the prescriptions that we needed in the folder and were never sent to our pharmacy. This really sure the concluded my visit but then my dock one to see my butt. This is when things begin to go wrong, it seems my practitioner who is a nurse practitioner (who I used as an M.D.) was being shadowed by the M.D. she practices under and I sort of think this caused a lot of stress of her day. Anyway, she wanted to my butt on to see how it was healing which I thought was healing great as you think was so great. She made a comment that from now on I need to be down every weekend I. E. in bed with my weight off my butt. Then we revisited the need for a manual wheelchair, and a functional cushion which meant another appointment with my physical therapist which all should've been done in taking care of(another ball dropped). There's just too many weird things happening, what I thought was a 15 to 20 min. appointment was morphing into an hour. However, we did get the injectables we did get some counseling and Dianne did get some training on how to inject me with the HRT and I got my first week injection administered. We got some meds adjusted I got really spooked enough said. Needless to say I got the scripts and a whole lot more. I couldn't get out of place fast enough. I have loose ends of course, I have to make an appointment with my physical therapist, Sue and I get a few more things ordered hopefully. Dianne I are going to go to lunch but she had an appointment she had to get to and we ran out of time. I had to drop me off at Hires and had a great lunch, probably well my last since my cholesterol is way high and I have to take dietary steps to bring it down oh yeah – – they took vials and vials of blood and now waiting for the chem work to come back I'm sure will not be good for a quality-of-life issues going down the tubes.

Out of Sight Out of Mind

I have got one of the best medical practitioners I think a person can have – – she's European and she's good she does a great job of insulating me from a medical doctor she practices under. The only drawback, I feel, is that she tends to get super busy because she's in such great demand. That's well and good but drives crazy been trying to get a little medical advice that she just can't return my phone calls. This is been happening all week I am at the end of my first month of male hormone replacement therapy HRT and the stuff cost me about $400 a month which is ridiculous. Dianne has done some research and found we could do injectables much less cost. And I talked my friend Kenneth, who is a paraplegic and has been doing the injectables a says it's great. So I called the practitioner wanted no if 1. Could she give me some counsel on smear versus injectable and 2. Could just go ahead and write the script and prescribed an hour so training for Dianne in the process of using injectable HRT. Not rocket science, it should be straightforward but it hasn't been. So today Friday I finally remembered and called the hospital/rehab unit and set up an appointment to visit with my practitioner and go over these items face-to-face – – I guess it's only thing I can do. Have an appointment for Monday 10:45 AM and I don't know if Dianne could make it but I think she can hopefully we'll have to see. Why the things have to be so hard.

Okay okay I have never explained why I want to do the injectable well I sort of did, but actually I hate the smear. The processes I have Dianne's smear the HR on my shoulder my left shoulder and the process is really bizarre. Dianne has to wear a plastic glove and then be careful that none of the hormones gets on her is a can do weird stuff and even I have to be careful that I don't really get on me anywhere except for the point of contact at the smear hits my body or my shoulder. So the injectables is one-shot a month and that's it. That would mean I would not have to worry about having to wear short all the time when I have the smear on as well as just being scared around the smear all the time I met touch our Diane's gun touch it was just too strange and then again as I said earlier the cost the cost is prohibitive on the smear. I guess the smear is not covered under insurance so I can pay the whole load myself in this pricey. I my bottom line I just as soon not do the HRT at all but I really have seen some positive results of this therapy most significantly the wound closures so for that alone I will continue the therapy if financially feasible or acceptable.

It seems I just have one week left in this office, we begin the process of throwing stuff away taking down pitchers books and other stuff that makes an office and office. I really am sensing now I'm about out of this place is even if I still on payroll and out of this office when you're gone your gone. I wasn't born yesterday there's a reason for the phrase out of sight out of mind have a great weekend!!

Rose's

 

 

Anakah spent the night last night kinda rare this happens in the middle the week but it's summer to make sense having Ani during the week is a little awkward in that I end up going to bed pretty early and I think that frustrates her little bit we did okay last night. I went to bed they stayed up late. Cool.

So this morning, as usual, I'm up and at em ready to go. Before I went to bed Ani had been promised I would wake her before I left for work. I was up, dressed and out the door by six, said goodbye Ani and was gone. I stopped at Starbucks got my copy was still early enough to catch the 625 in the Salt Lake. This is okay but puts me into downtown at just about seven o'clock hour before need to be there. So I decided to the time do a little exploring.

Cool weather blew in overnight it was not chilly, especially after the past couple days and I 90 degree weather, rather quite enjoyable. With coffee in hand to have itself after disembarking the train I felt myself in front of Rose's. Had been the Roses before over lunch did never been there in fact I did know they even were open breakfast but they seem to be, I rolled inside. I do like the inside of Roses, the place has real potential they just haven't reached yet. The closest thing they offer for breakfast our pastries and rolls which can be heated up. Since I was essentially killing time, and already had my coffee, I decided to try the cheese rolls which did look good. A little pricey but would expect downtown Salt Lake? I was also disappointed and that the little place did not offer any Wi-Fi which is pretty shocking. The cheese rolls would've been good if they were just cheese rolls but they have to be trendy started sticking all kinds of herbs into the biscuits way too much Rosemary or some other kind of herb. Now the biscuits could've been saved had they had any kind of gravy to go over the top of particular bits of sausage but no nothing like that. I did ask do they have the capabilities to fry an egg that would've been good all things being equal that no they weren't up to that yet. The waiter, a frail and delicate figure with all kinds of strings tied around his wrist suggested they would some point in time offer a more full breakfast menu – – I can hardly wait.

The biscuits were supposed to be buttered and I'm sure they were I just couldn't sense the butter over the herbs I left one biscuit whole on my plate and washed the other down with my Starbucks coffee and left. Mind you this is not a review just my experience at this restaurant and it does hold great potential. I'm sure I will be going back in the month or two months in the hopes they have fleshed out their kitchen and offer a fine sausage gravy to drown the herb biscuits in.

Published!!

Back in November I posted to this blog that I had submitted a number of pieces of poetry to Desert Wanderings, the literary magazine published by Art Access of Utah the local affiliate of VSA or Very Special Arts. I went on and on about how Are Access publishes this document and if you submit your almost assured publication. And when I first started publishing and Art Access the editor was a close friend of mine which almost assured I publication. But Lori has separated with the organization and have gotten busy and with life and seem to always miss the deadlines for the upcoming publication. But at the end of last year, the submission date is the last of November, I had my writer's notebook out and I remembered and I submitted a number of haiku I have been working on. Actually, I'm trying to put together enough haiku we will publish a small book. Now I suppose a when does haiku but what makes my haiku different and hopefully alluring is that my haiku is focused on public transit. The genre I feel has greatly been ignored: the poetry of disability public transit. I hope that makes sense.

I don't know how much the volume is this year, in past years the prices been about five dollars a copy, a deal. So, if you want to get your hands on the latest edition of the Desert Wanderings before they're sold out, because the magazine is going to go fast. Contact Art Access of Utah at 801-328-0703 operators are standing by.

http://meadowlarksmind.blogspot.com/2011/11/submissionsno.html

It seems I've been out of the office a great deal this week today was no exception. I got back a few hours ago from the annual UILC's annual summer picnic. Picnic is always held at a place called fits Park at 3100 S. 500 E., Salt Lake City. The summer picnic hotdogs, hamburgers, chips, number three red dye punch and watermelon. If you are staff it's one of those mandatory things that you are there and you participate even if it's just speaking to other consumers. So, the summer picnic is a free meal, much as the Halloween party and the Christmas party are all free meals in these events bring out the consumers as no other events seem to do. It's a sure thing. Over the years I've fallen out of attending many of these old events for one reason or another, just another thing in the day to do. And if attendance wasn't mandatory I begin to blow off the event. I sort of promised staff at the 30 year open house last week that I would attend today and the promise made is important so I went.

It was a good day for travel, dry warm southerly breeze and best of all I could pick up the bus I needed halfway down the block on second South second best of all was that the headways for buses on second East is every 15 min. Now this is important right now since I have no faith in my batteries with what soever, the charger I have the office is kinda worthless but, I came in and charged and I made it to duck park without issue or problem. The picnic is a laid-back event nothing serious goes on just people talking in the good picnic stuff we've been doing it so long now I think it's also a place where consumers can look around and see who still live and thankful that made it to one more picnic. Today I got my mandatory hamburger and hot dog, potatoes salad and runny beans potato chips and pickles meant to the far side of the covered picnic area. With me in line of sight it when my old clients/consumers Tommy. Tommy has MS, is having since I've known him just 30+ years and is in the and stage of the disease process now. Tommy is still verbal and fairly alert, looks pretty thrashed but who would after 30 years with MS? Seems like Thomas respiratory system has been negatively impacted with the disease process every time I see them now expect this the last time I see him. But there is that the next function not Mr. wood chipper but he's there. I think, could prepare a lot better for the endgame, fuses a group that I facilitated for a number of years and I rode Tommy pretty hard to be more independent, to better prepare for the endgame did take to heart and sure enough his attendants seem a little spooky and questionable. As I said Tommy's breathing is labored makes it difficult to hear me speaks even more so in and out of doors setting like a picnic. But he was asking me a question today that I really want to hear so I leaned closer and he asked if I'd seen Steve, fellow trees to see Tom's company a lot 20 years ago I thought they knew each other from school and they were both in University. Steve was affiliated with a local low income food gathering program lost track of them over the years. But Tommy is asking had I seen Steve recently and I had seen Steve about a year ago and he left me with the idea he was going look Tom up and I guess it never happened. Of this meeting with a commitment to myself that I was in the fine Steve Johnson given meeting up with Tommy for Tommy passes away. It won't be long you can hold out much longer but then again I've been wrong before.

Popcorn and a Movie

I took off yesterday at 1:30 to head over to UCAT for some repair work on my power chair. I wanted to see if they happen to have any casters which would fit my chair.  The casters in the back of my chair had just about worn themselves down of the nubs and people will begin to worry.  In truth it was a beautiful afternoon and I felt like getting out of the office and I had vacation hours to burn.

So imagine my surprise when I got back to the office morning spoke with Frank.  Frank indicated the boss was taken the staff to movies and popcorn.  There happens to be screening a film about people with significant disabilities called the Untouchables. I watched the trailer this morning and the movie looks hysterical from a disability standpoint.  So, I am sitting here charging the chair, hoping to have enough juice to make the run over to the train station and then over to the movies should be fun either way.  Eat your heart out world.

Ahhh,Perchance To Dream

They say a race of giants were on the earth before the great flood they called these giants Gibborim. I would like to have seen these guys I would like to known just how big these giants were. Be that as it may I still believe giants roam the earth and every once in a while I am fortunate enough to sit beside one in my day-to-day life. One such giant in my life is a guy named Mr. Riggle-- Mr. Riggle, of course has a first name but that's not important at least not to me. Mr. Riggle is a person with a severe disability, college graduate and an employee of a local private nonprofit agency. Salt Lake that provides quasi-legal services for people with disabilities. Mr. Riggle is a policy wonk, this guy eats drinks and sleeps policy on every level. I think he's brilliant the Utah treasure sorry to say I think I am one of the few people who recognizes that he is the treasure he is.

I've known Mr. Riggle for five years now maybe a little longer I first ran into him I think on the train. I think he was kind of drifting at the time, kid gotten his degree and was out bounced around the community trying to find work or better yet trying to find someone who would hire him in a real-life job. I doubt I had anything to do with the the like to think that I did, I did speak to a few folks here and there. I noticed soon after Mr. Riggle begin to show up at some of the state Council and Board meetings that I was attending. For as I tended to show up to these meetings to sample whatever lunch stuffs were available Mr. Riggle jumped in to any and all discussions with gusto, intelligence and the focus to accomplish a goal, his goal. I don't know why from the onset we addressed each other by our surnames Mr. Smith and Mr. Riggle it just seemed right. Mr. Riggle has cerebral palsy which is pretty involved, please is a power chair from ability, pretty fast chair that. I'm pretty sure he has attended care who dresses him give be very difficult, for instance, for Mr. Riggle to put on or take off his own jacket which means he never wears a coat. Whereas I dress my huge white coat once the temperature drops Mr. Riggle never wears a coat are hardly ever. I see that subzero outside my window snow on the ground or snow flying and the lookup and see Mr. Riggle' zip past my window going to meeting in my building. Here we are on many of the same committee still and often ride the same buses are trains to these meetings. Me in my great height jacket and Mr. Riggle at most in the longsleeved shirt. Fortunately, Mr. Riggle is quite fluent speech and often speaks to different and specific pieces of legislation during the legislative season. Like I said the guys brilliant.

Mr. Riggle should be here in Salt Lake city, bouncing around the private nonprofit arena basically working for peanuts. Mr. Riggle should be working out of some senators office or Congressman's office help them develop and define legislation for people with disabilities and the systems that serve people with disabilities or he should be in some hotshot national phyz-diz private nonprofit agency or lobby bring about the same results changing influencing legislation to best serve people with disabilities. He should be getting big gun money for what he does but he doesn't and he probably never well and that sucks. The reason I bring all this up is that you today is on the train and Mr. Riggle boards and we settle indoor you discussion about this and that and some how the ideas of dreams come up and I make statement like “the tragedy of my life is the system robbed me of my ability to dream”. Mr. Riggle looked at me and shook his head and grinned," come on Mr. Smith, that's all I have is the ability to dream". And once again, I am put in my place by a member of the younger legions. I have so much, even my worst days, I can do so much I better get off the Crapper and start dreaming again , that's all we've got is our dreams... Thanks Mr. Riggle I knew that.

 I think they Photoshopped my head--but this was basically me thirty years ago...

I migrated down from Idaho almost 30 years ago to work at the Utah Independent Living center (uilc). I basically enjoyed my time at that I LC but eventually moved on. I was intrigued when last week I was contacted by the Executive Director of the center could called to inform me the center was having a 30 year celebration and asked if I would attend as well of the old staff. The event was timed late in the day and actually I think I can count the time away from the office community integration time. This would give me a chance to leave work a little early, bus over to the center and see old staff and friends. I figured two hours why not?

I was surprised to find the building seemed to be bursting at the seams when I got there. There was old staff and old consumers – – consumers I have not seen in decades consumers I thought were dead,. I was amazed it's interesting to go back to a place where I once worked – were in some cases I often felt like family. When I worked at the center there is really just for us and we were family back to nearly 80s we did just about everything together for a while it was like a cross between Seinfeld and Gray's anatomy. But we'll moved on, or at least I did.

Maurice was there, Maurice or Moe as I called in those days was the director of the facility when I interviewed for the job (which is another story entirely). Moe was one of those folks I thought was dead but he is very much alive. I think I like Moe more than the other staff, I think I understood Moe more than the other staff I appreciated the way he Moe thought, but we got rid of them there is a mini insurrection, I caved and was part of it. But we talked long time yesterday, we talked long time Moe and is relatively new life. I'm I look them up have lunch with some of these days if you live that long they look good so I assume he will live that long. I was amazed at how many of the consumers with serious disabilities, some progressive disabilities are still alive. I really thought that belong dead but there are there Tommy with multiple sclerosis, and others. I was surprised his love these folks have stopped coming to all the other events the center has been having, the Halloween party, the Christmas party the picnic and so forth the all really forth came out for the 30th anniversary. Unbelievable, really wasn't even that big of a food draw: cheese on a stick and cookies and number five red dye punch. So these folks obviously really want to be there which is cool. I mingled, got buttonholed spoke to some people way too long another's not long enough – – made promises to getting together knowing I never well. A couple of them I really do want to do that got some ideas and then their input would be important to the success of these ideas and there is a bit of a timeframe as well, I want to do something with some of these people before they die. So, I did the 30 year reunion--I wasn't a reunion but I'm pretending that was how if I just make it another 10 years for the 40 year reunion!

Computer Ninja

I've covered at great length in previous blog postings about my lack of social ambiance come five o'clock and I'm headed home on the train. I just want to sit in my car and from the train reading my book and being left alone. I think I've done pretty good job training most folk who travel the same train I do going home. I will smile, nod my head, of make appropriate gestures with my hands but always be sure, I hold my tablet so they can tell I'm reading. So I'm not a total social isolate--still, I just want to be left alone.

So I was kind of intrigued I noticed a smallish, younger fellow board the train. Short cropped hair, black rimmed glasses, angry bird T-shirt and a unique way of staring down as he walked down the trains aisle he started talking to all kinds of people not inappropriately necessarily, just way too close in cyberspace and questions that were more direct than is usually socially acceptable. In short he seemed a bit developmentally disabled. There is another patron on the train in a wheelchair dressed in military fatigues little guys begin to ask him questions is how I would fill given wheelchair, what branch the military had even then, the fly jets, and so forth. When the veteran retired of his questions the little guy got up and walked across the island sat down and ask a couple where, who were looking at photographs, book on camera the photograph are used, or the photographs taken, did you know there is a better camera that he could've used until the photograph are pretty much shoot fellow off the seat which is that point left only me at the far end of the train reading my tablet. I took a deep breath as this little guy noticed I was reading from my tablet and he asked "what kind of tablet is that?". I answer that it is I Thrive which totally excites the little fellow. He then launches in to a song and dance about did I like the tablet,am current on all the updates of the software for this tablet, and was everything I needed to end up on the tablet. In the process he actually requested to look at the tablet which I gave over and he expertly begin to go through the system settings and asking if I wanted certain changes made. I said no but at this point in time realized this little fellow had shipped into my ice shield and I begin to ask him questions. Turns out this little guy's is named Nick, the proud owner of Nick's Computer Fix. I asked if he is making any money. Nick said Jesse was. I asked Nick the have an storefront ready work for somebody else and he said no my offices here, wherein he reached around and patted his backpack. "All I need to fix computers is in my backpack". Nick indicated he was 14 years old and he could fix just about any computer plus he could unlock cell phones in their number of other items in the technical electronic field. I was transfixed with this little guy--I'm sure he's high functional spectrum disorder buddies out on the tarmac do it for himself. During the conversation he indicated that he had a Facebook account and I of course looked it up and indeed he is quite a little computer geek of the highest order. There were a number of testimonials to his expertise and gratitude for his ability to fix their problems.

Nick is a charmer, I'm pretty sure he knows he's a charmer but he also seems committed to make his business work. He knows what sells and I think he's worked his angle enough has tuned it well to meet his needs. He charges 20 bucks an hour and he comes to your house Monday through Saturday he's off Sunday's. He carries a cell phone and is there to help. I get the impression that many of his fixes he knows he can do in an hour. I'm sure the lead gets all kinds of tips is the embodiment of the American dream a little slugger out there with a disability making a difference in his own life. I'm a little worried for Nick about his lack of recognizing boundaries and in fact when I did explore his website noticed that he has already been robbed once that he's indicated that he continues on and that's admirable. So, I want to keep my eye on this guy I think his got great potential. He could rise to that of a leader in the disability community but that might be selfish on my part but we'll have to see. Below is a link to his face but Facebook page check Nick out, "like" him spread his name around. Nick could be the next big thing. 

Check his video

Train Ride

Last Thursday, I was ready for work, dressed and ready to go by 6 AM so I figured. At Starbucks grab some coffee and then jump nearly bus into the train station and you jump my day. Morning was perfect, warm breeze, was a clear and above normal temperatures for the afternoon a perfect spring day.

I had just settled in to my usual spot on the train turned on my Tab and was planning to read following to the Planetarium stop. As many great plans are foiled by the small things of this world so that this plan of mine at the next train stop when a mother with a stroller two small children in tow entered the train off the mini—high block ramp. So of course the little family settled down right across the aisle from me. The oldest child is a boy named Jeffrey who seemed pretty well mannered then there is Alexi was totally out of control, five years old for will be on report and district for any attention possible the third child was a babe in arms that I never did get the name of that made no difference. It seemed Alexi's favorite expression was”shut up”screen at the top of her small voice of voice shrill and brittle as glass. Jeffrey tried to stay a good boy as long as he could the but kept getting baited by Alexi… The mother seemed totally removed from the situation get involved only when the Alexi would would get so much out of control that the neighboring transit passengers would begin interfering with her children. The mom, who will call Maria, seemed and a couple enough talk about her life with folks on the train. There was an ancient couple sitting on the other side of the aisle, this couple were senior missionaries for the Mormon church who of course smiled benignly. Now the sister missionary sitting next to the window I think knew what was going on just kept staring out the window as your world washed by but her husband was another question. Whether he truly was a grandfatherly type or felt he was just doing what service missionaries did try to engage Alexi and her mother and conversation and smiles. As I said his wife stayed a little longer she could but the good brother soon had his arms full of both Jeffrey and Alexi and a mother forthcoming with all kinds of information which included she was indeed pregnant now and her husband was deployed by the military. What was interesting, was that the husband should have been home the week before but did not have enough money for the plane trip home so would have to wait to the next month. Now the mother also reported that the husband was a major in the US Armed Forces which means he actually makes a great deal of money all things considered so there's more to the story than we're hearing. Was interesting was the mother, with children in tow, was on her way to drop the kids off at daycare as she was on her first day of employment at Deseret Industries, training facility for low-income earners.

Thing one and Thing 2 were riding to the stop beyond mine and I was so thankful to disembark the train I reached the planetarium. He tried to put the morning-hell out of my mind as long as soon as I could. You cannot believe my chagrin at boarding the train on my homebound trip that might there they were Thing one and Thing two, baby sister pregnant mother luckily the day had worn Alexi down quite a bit, she was near sleep which I took as a perk.

City Creek Take Down

Wednesday, I must admit, is kind of a slow day so I was appreciative when any calls came in on my line. Access Utah network always been one of the "touch points" the Americans with Disabilities Act

(ADA). So naturally over the years and hundred of access calls. But Wednesday's call was one of the best. When I answered the phone there is a pause, there's always a pause, as the caller gets ready to launch into their explanation. The caller was timid to begin with and he asked if this was the A D A to which I replied--this is access Utah, Utah's disability information line and we can answer ADA related questions. So he launched into a bizarre story of the dog, personal the disability and a rent a cops with to much time on their hands.

Briefly stated the individual who called we will call him Dutch has a service dog--you didn't tell me what kind of dog he was but I assumed he was a hairy dog or furry dog, whatever. And he in his dog had gone down to the new Salt Lake City downtown mall, City Creek. Now, I really haven't written much about City Creek but is Salt Lake's new, upscale mall, it's an outside mall two stories, fountains and still parts under construction but is now open to the public. Well, the caller tells me was a rainy morning, and we've had a lot of rainy morning to late here long Wasatch front and he was telling me how his dog had walked through some mud and was was tracking mud all over the clean floors of the City Creek mall. So Dutch, like any self-respecting service animal older would do grabbed racks holding back to the bathroom and washed his positive the sink where else? I mean if I had a service animal in the service animal had muddy feet--and I and I cared--that's what I would do huckem up to the sink and wash his positive everybody else. So let's let this part of the story sit for a bit of the back burner and then we'll talk about the $.24.

So not only is Dutch a conscientious consumer worried about the tracks his service beast leaves in the public space Dutch is also concerned about the fish of the world. And not only of the world but in City and Creek. Now bear in mind that City Creek is actually built on a city creek weird is that is and the Creek, man-made as it is has been channeled the flow right through the mall. Another Creek is spanned more than once a cutesy little bridges that the patrons across and gaze into the running water and guess what there's fish in the Creek! Now remember people shopping across any bridges they have changed jiggling in their pockets and so more than one is tossed the extra pennies dimes and nickels into the Creek. It just so happens that Dutch is a conservationist at heart and he cares about fish. So he was horrified to see the gleaming coins reflecting sunlight off the bottom of the Creek poisoning the fish. So like any conservationist he started fishing out the coins – – to save the fish. Sometimes point of view (P O V) can be everything. Now City Creek mall employs a host of rent a cops which where Smokey the bear type caps which really makes the cops look quite ridiculous. So it's not surprising when the Smokies happened upon Dutch with his hands literally in the the Creek the Smokies took a dim view of him fishing out the coins. Now Dutch really didn't want to coins for himself in fact he is only pulled out about $.24 and laid the change on the side the bank of the creek. This went unnoticed by the Smokies who in short time hold them up to the office. Now there was some exchange of conversation where when challenged Dutch informed the Smokies they could only do a citizens arrest, hold him over, until the real cops got there and of course that's exactly what happened. It was when they brought him into custody they realized Dutch was the same culprit who washed his beasts pause in the men's restroom sink. Which soon became an issue is great as removing coins from the public Creek.

One can imagine I was about 45 min. of the call at this point in time and kept getting imagery of Alice's Restaurant, but Mr. Woody Guthrie and I was struggling to maintain my professional dignity. The long and the short is that Salt Lake City check the observation cameras and saw that Dutch was not keeping the coins in fact he was absolutely right about poison the fish not that they cared – – the Mounties not the fish – – but Dutch soon became a defendant and when brought before the judge begin to try to educate the judge regarding the Americans with disabilities act and what it does and how it doesn't which was way too much for the judge to hear him tell the case over for hearing which of course moved out of the arena of public defense meaning Dutch need to find Council somewhere somehow, which is one the reasons he was contacting my office. This is all $147. 00 which of course Dutch did not have an he also did not have money for the Council.

I left the call not knowing what Dutch is going to do--I suppose he will survive the legal system you may be in debt, is.maybe in debt but Dutch will survive the legal system. Another case in point at how quickly things get out of hand and a little information is a dangerous thing.

Just Another Irritation

I have to admit there or a hand full of things that has annoyed me as a person with a disability over the decades. In the old days it was people who violated directed parking or disabled parking, then there are those people who always asked if I wanted to race.( in my wheelchair) making race car noises One thing which has irritated me most over the years is the idiot who has their choice 5 to 10 stalls ( in a public bathroom)and invariably picks the one wheelchair accessible stall in the whole bunch. They sit in the like George Costanza reading newspapers, changing clothes staying in the accessible stalls long as possible. Well yesterday I finally came across my newest able-bodied peeve.

The end of the month and like every end of the month I head over to Salt Lake,downtown UTA station and pick up my new bus pass which allows me to ride the train and the buses for the next month. I was a little miffed I forgot that UTA pulled the customer service station now downtown. It's just an another irritation. There was a note scrawled on a piece of cardboard and posted in the window to empty storefront indicating that UTA customer service is now in the downtown Harmons store, the huge new edifice in downtown Salt Lake, a real market.

One of the best features of the new trains which UTA has purchased, aside from the being low riders and no longer having to rely on the train engineer to lower a ramp to exit her gain access to the train. New trains have of a button exterior and interior to the exit with little wheelchair guy, that you press which will then deploy a mini ramp and then open the doors. It's not cord system the best and I must admit to me some time getting used to but it does allow me to independently use the train. What I've noticed though is that from the time the buttons pushed until the ramp is deployed the doors open could be like 5 to 10,15 seconds long enough to have somebody who does not understand the process think something is wrong with the doors. It's bad enough when you're on the inside the train in the doors and do not immediately open and all that" helper guys" start moving in front of you punching buttons trying the force the door open. Usually I can say or act with enough authority to stop the guy for trying to open the door which is only been open on its own time frame. The real problem is the people on the outside of the door the do not realize the the ramp system is been activated so these guys are smashing the button on the outside door like crazy. This happened today and so messed up the door, that the door opened and closed several times and even though I was inside pushing the “wheelchair guy button” the ramp never deployed the doors never opened and I got whisked away to the next stop. The next stop where I had to exit the train wait around for the next train to take me back to the stopped that would get me to the UTA downtown service outlet that no longer is there. This is what pisses me off now: people who are to much in a hurry access the train to go blindly smashing the buttons when nothing happens the move to another door and asked to enter the train screwing everything up for the person with a disability trying to get off the train. I don't know how much more the second take.

I Wish It Were Me

It's been a bit since I last posted, in fact it's been a national holiday, three-day weekend a major family function on my part well my what my part more like on Diane's. The end of May is just loaded with family functions. Asher the newest grandson to the family birthday was over the weekend. Ashley birthday coincided with Brooks'visit. Shelley's birthday was yesterday just whole lot going on. And I'm not even yet going to talk about the tools birthday Bridget and Mark A's birthdays which happens first week of June = next weekend. Oh yeah and Anakah's sixth grade promotion is today which I think is a little over the top but I could be wrong.

Weatherize last weekend sucked, which is okay since good part of the weekend was spent going out to eat or hosting meals that are home for Brooks and family. I tried to stay away as much as I could but still participate as much as I could. We had gumbo and we had chicken and dumps a favorite of Brooks and I eat my fair share without grimacing, gagging or complaining. I have to admit I think I'm beginning to like Gabe's gumbo that even joyed the chicken and dumplings the chicken and brought more than dumplings but I did okay, all things considered. The days were cold, scattered showers the weekend was a goner.

Brooks flew out Monday morning and the world is returning to normal. We even grilled chicken last night. The summer has started meaning television viewing is nonexistent, it's a rerun desert. So, we easily and retire early – – which is okay during the week since I give up so early. I'm reading Norman Goundary's latest novel. I have the model saved in a format that all my handhelds and read so even going to bed early – while some still out and being productive and working through my summers reading list. I must admit Norman's novel has sucked me in. I'm vowing not to become Norm's editor, because Norm needs an editor. Content is provocative, I am enjoying the content and maybe the lab will go back and clean the book up before he turned it loose on the data sea – – either way I am pleased to be able to read his volumes before anybody else. I guess I must on my side of the social contract now and give Norm and honest critique but that will be difficult because I don't know how thick-skinned Norman is. And I did how serious he is when he says let him know how I like it to me and put I'd like to give. Weird, I don't want to be an editor for free. But I must admit the idea of editing would be so cool but editing is a lot of work and after the gleam will then what but a and/or live writer, someone who actually writes. I wish it were me. 

Pay It Forward

Yesterday was the quarterly meeting of the Survivors Club. Actually, it's more like the biannual meeting of the Survivors Club now. The Survivors Club is a group of folk made up of individuals who worked at the office I work at now, my first came to work with the State. As to the staff "jumped ship" and previous director took leadership of the office. I'm the last of the original staff. We launched at the new mall recently opened in downtown Salt Lake City, at the food court. I figured this was the best place for lunch since it was easy access to everybody's office and the train stops right in the middle of the mall.

In actuality, the food court is just the food court the matter how fancy these folks tried to make it. The anchor restaurant is McDonald's and that says about everything. There was fast food varieties of Mexican food, Italian food, and of course Chinese with Japanese throne in for fun. The selection was just not that appealing but I went to the process--I suppose as other group members--and got something Japanese. Now this is the weird part, I got a drink with my lunch, the meal is about $6. .95 in my drink was a $1.95. When I tried to pay for my meal the cashier just rang up $1. 95 and I was caught in a moral dilemma. I elected to bring to the attention of the cashier that I had not been charged for my main selection. She looked at me and said," Hh, your meals been paid for". I of course was a bit taken aback trying to fathom the whole thing. The people in front of me had moved on quickly and there was no way to see who the good Samaritan had been. Some one had cranked up their karma by purchasing my lunch. I even had to take a second look at myself , hopefully I do not look too gimped out-I don't think that I did.

It's Friday morning, this morning, noon feeling pretty good. My wounds are closed, and dressed and out the door it is not too cold. However, we are between low-pressure systems there are clouds out there that day's forecast to be warm as the old low center exits in the new comes in. Tomorrow, should be the rain day. What is becoming much too usual, me stopping at Starbucks and getting something to drink. I can't believe I'm doing this but today is Friday and I stop for a cop of dark blend, to pinks and half-and-half. This is the truth as the barista hands me a tall scolding hot coffee I swing my arm and gets the top of the drink with my hand spilling the whole thing all over the countertop in the floor below--fortunately none of the liquid touched my control mechanism on my power chair or I thrive either of which could have been toast. I have for to clean up the mess they just laugh at me get to work with napkins and mop. They pour me another drink and I had out towards the door feeling chagrined but grateful that I remembered someone did something very nice for me the day before. So I thought how could I do something for somebody it is they came up the idea. I did not want to be found out by the person who I treated so I figured if I ask a barista to count 15 customers and on the 15th take the five dollars I hand the barrista buy that 15th person thIer morning drink. Now, I don't know if the barista did my request, I have no reason to believe she did not, she looked like she liked the idea. Doesn't matter because I got the good deed off my chest, recharged my karma can got on with my life: paid forward.

It's kind of been one of those days, the kind that you got one thing in mind of what you're going to do that but revelations from the Internet I E, e-mail totally rearrange your schedule. This is what happened is what to me when I opened up my e-mail directory and sure enough I had a meeting scheduled over lunch to 130. Luckily for me the days a beautiful day, breezy temperature in the 80s, a great day for cruising. The only issue if any is will my batteries handle the stress. This is really a pain in the butt, never knowing if you have enough power start off on and adventure we have enough juice to get back home, the office or whatever starting point you need to get back to. I felt for some time that the charge in my batteries have become weaker by having the charge so many times during the day to meet my daily transit commitments. My indicator read 93% that should be well enough to go come back anywhere I needed to go in the downtown area, I thought I would be okay.

By the time I got to Courthouse station I knew I knew I was in trouble. The power levels had fallen to 65% and I still had a ways to traverse to my meeting and back again. I wasn't too worried even if my batteries are depleted to the point it no longer moves the chair a call on Frank or Amy to come rescue me: disengage the clutches of push me back to the office where I could plug-in and restore my energy levels. I knew for sure I could probably make it back to the Arena Station here, I was a little spooked.

At Arena Station my indicator was way in the yellow and showing 36%, I knew soon I would be in the dreaded red zone. I was almost home though decide to go for broke. I pushed my chair and number two speed level, and some misguided belief that if one uses a lower speed one does not burn his energy as fast as tearing around high-speed. I made I got off the Arena grounds and crossed the street than I crossed the next Street.

I was worried that I would not have enough power to even come up on the crown of the road but I was pleasantly surprised chair just kept on going. I was pleased to find myself getting all the way to the front door of the office through the door and back home in my office. Soon as charged in building charge or.

So, I really am going to have to consider getting a new set of batteries for the chair. A new set of could easily pay ba pay back $400 I don't need that right but you got to do what you got to do.

 Asher trying his new walking skills as Gabe looks on...

Weekends can be a blur I understand this and this last weekend was no different, it was not because we were doing so much the weekend was a blur maybe it's because we did so little that as I look back on the weekend little bit unfocused. We continue to work on the house, getting the house cleaned up for the Brooks visit which is to be this week. And of course, the most assistance I can be in anything like this (like the ramp project) is to assist those who can do and for me to stay out of their way. This case the help Dianne and stay out from underfoot.

It seems I am fastly coming to the last of the television season finales, this is great news for me, which means we are going quickly into that vast desert of summer reruns an poor viewing options on the tube. Friday night, was an example of this. Earlier in the year we were able to record good viewing from Thursday night and Wednesday night and use that viewing to get past the bleak spots on Friday evening and Saturday if we need to. There's always the option of Red box but not this Friday. You can only do so much with the Internet. Even though I stayed up way too late. Saturday morning came and I made some breakfast and stayed away--grabbed some McDonalds hamburgers and a couple movies from the Red box. We cleaned it we were exhausted, broke watch the movies and Dianne is not yet ready for bed so I stayed up and did the dishes another eventful day. Sunday dawned with promise of being a great day. Clean dishes and access to the stove I made green pepper ham and mushroom Fridays I fall short of calling them on let's. There are good and filling got us going. Again staying now the way, I went over to Al and Laney's and spent a couple hours with the old folks catching up. It'd been a while since we last spoke and I was feeling guilty. Spend a couple hours there talking with Albert and Lanay. It's a shame, I think Albert is on his way out, dizziness, poor feeling, and in severe chills does not sound good. To try to talk him into going in and having these symptoms considered that the old guy wouldn't do it. I can't say that I blame him – – because I sort of know where he is coming from; still I will hate to lose the old guy.

I dropped the movies off at the Red box and returned home, and visit number three half-hour since I left Diane's becoming concerned that once she found my dinner dizziness ancients all was already. The kids were bringing over Sunday dinner in the house was coming along fine. Sunday evening was the annular eclipse and Gabe was totally excited, he had pilfered his dad's welding masks in order to watch the event. The bread over great barbecue and we sort of settled in to wait for the eclipse to begin of course in the best Utah fashion the clouds rolled in just as the sun seemed to be being gobbled up. Gabe of course freaks and eventually throws everybody in the car and heads off to find clear sky that they can view the eclipse. Dianne and I eventually found the eclipse on the Internet being broadcast live with great color commentary. All in all it wasn't a bad weekend but still I hope for more.

I was out sick the first two days of the week because I had to endure another skin breakdown on my butt. I don't know what happened on Saturday and Sunday I don't know fuzz up to long are sitting Touche to crazy I don't know. What I do know is that my skin begin to break down extremely quick. So the days of been fairly quiet at the office and I decided to take the first two days of the week off to see if I can clear up the skin issue is much as possible. Thursday before I left the office I noticed there was an e-mail from my new boss Amy – – that sounds so strange to refer to her as the new boss. This is especially true since technically she will not be my new boss since as I understand things I'm going to be there only on loan as we work out the time issue of me becoming 62 and legal for retirement within the state system. But the e-mail said here is the name of somebody contact our office would like you to come over and check the surroundings make sure it's accessible for you and so we can make any changes that might need to be made to your workstation. There was communication with the new office. Somehow all this which is been happening to me recently has been sort of surreal my like I know them leaving but just hasn't really sunk in until the e-mail. Well I was sick the first two days but I figured I better get my butt in gear and make arrangements for the role through of my new workstation. I do not want these people to think that I did not appreciate them bringing me in to their hive, even if my boss here is going to continue to pay my salary in eyes bring my own equipment.

The first two days of the week were absolutely beautiful clear skies, temperatures in the 80s I really wished I had been at work even if just to take off lunch cruise around the concrete and enjoy the warm days of an early summer. Well I called Patty when I got back made arrangements to stop by that office yesterday at three o'clock and afternoon. Now our offices been light all week the boss and the secretary had taken off for hinter parts of the state to provide sooner support in those areas. They should be gone all week. And the boss and staff have been concerned about my fragility sort of leaving the office early to get home to get the weight off my butt. So anyway I took off yesterday about 2:30 PM

caught the bus which struck me off almost directly in front of the building.

The building is a relatively new building lots of glass lots of flat surfaces so I was a bit surprised when I saw there was a porch lift the front of the building to raise me up a host of stairs to get to the entrance. I was even more surprised to find this lift didn't work. Had dutifully written down Patty's cell phone number from her e-mail and I tried to call but couldn't but each time I called got the wrong number I still can't believe that. I did get a holder finally she came out got me and took me around to the back which is the best country to the building. On the front of the building are signs of companies in the building that seemed to be a great deal but inside the building that it feels almost vacant, quiet. There seems to be many locked doors. In the office space I was greeted by Amy another staff who all seemed genuinely happy to see me, eggs and excited to have me as part of their working group. I picked my own workstation which is a cubicle course of the fairly large cubicle. There are many workstations but there seem to be only a few operators which again shocked me from what I remember 211 had many operators. Now seem to be only one Spanish-speaking operator and the rest of us. The whole area still smells new – – and he tells me they've only been in that space two months. Things are still being done physically to the area. I essentially told what I needed to make my workspace accessible to talk a little bit of the questions that need to be asked before I really go to work there. Those questions well be handled between my current boss Claire and any who will duke out the fine print. But I feels good to be a good match and somewhat cozy similar to the work environment I'm in now. I'm a bit excited but a bit spooked I could tell these folks seemed to be hoping that I will be a benefit to their project. He seemed dismayed when I told them I cannot bring over a database as somehow the database I have here corrupted and disappeared years ago. But they bounced back from that news indicating it will develop one together regarding disability questions. What's weird only anxiety I had over this whole work thing work change was watching television last night at home and begin to wonder if I'm up to this new project. I think I am. I think I'm excited assist now see if I can do it. It looks like at this point I'll be transitioning to that building sometime in July. There was talk about doing the transition as early as June 11 but that doesn't seemed to be going to happen. I was kind of shocked that I felt a little bit let down that I would have to wait so long to make the transition. This is a good thing?

PS--I just liked this image

I am back in the office today. I am doing pressure releases like mad and tilting back in my chair and thinking as lite as I can but I can still feel the pressure of my body bearing down on the hip with the injury and getting stressed. I have spent the morning returning calls, emails and getting acclimated to my  office--it seems forever since I have been here. The boss and staff of the office also took off for consumer meeting is far reaches of the State. Everyone is encouraging me to leave early to go home and take the weight off my butt i.e. get off your butt, go back to bed!!! I cannot stand the thought of laying round all after noon. I actually put calls into my PT and durable medical vendor to begin the process to acquire a Roho cushion--I sort of love/hate Roho's but if sitting  on a Roho will extend my time up at work or play I am ready to consider the cushion.

So, I'm off home to bed for the remainder of the day--I really am trying to be good.

i kinda hate Blogspots new system--its very difficult to operate,especially the image upload and dictate software.

Long day of laying in bed and one more tomorrow but things are looklng much better.

Kid Day Revisited

The day did not start out as a kid day as much as the day started out as a way to keep my granddaughter, Anakah entertained. The 12-year-old is any American girl on the threshold of adolescence takes a lot of energy to keep entertained. So with that in mind I knew the best option was to do something on public transit. Since I have a pass and enough tokens to keep us traveling free of charge for hours it only made. And since I was still fresh from the journey I took earlier in the week to Clearfield Utah I figured a bus and train trip might be the easiest way to go.

It took a while but finally Anakah finally woke and worked with her grandmother on producing a waffle breakfast that could not be beat and soon we were ready to head outbound and begin our journey. Dianne dropped us off at the train station conserving my batteries. The day held promise still just teensy-weensy cool, I decided to travel just a hat and a longsleeved shirt. It was two or three a clock in the afternoon as we started out which in my estimation is very late but an adventure is an adventure regardless of the time of day. As we're traveling inbound to the new Salt Lake City mall City Creek I received a phone call from Mark Anthony asking if we still need his assistance cleaning out the garage. That was last week's tasks we did get that pretty much completed so we informed him we were out on an adventure and yes that he and Jasmine to join us resell of course.

As I've indicated before Saturday public transit is always interesting not plain frightening. I had the idea during the trip that the training was loaded with train zombies. We talked about even developing a game, video game, train zombies. Actually idea really interesting game sharing we don't have the skills to do the development. Belly wanders through the mall, the new mall and was astounded at the amount of other people at the mall. The good thousands it was hard to say but we went to the food court got something the and waited for Mark and Jasmine to catch up. I should back up a little here and mention we were expected back no later than eight o'clock – – what seemed like forever to me – – but I begin to notice the time seemed to be fleeting. Mark and Jasmine finally joined us. We doubled back to the food court where Mark and Jasmine got something to eat and Anakah and I continued to people watch and worry about zombies.

As kid days go, this kid day was pretty sedate. We watched a lot of people, who watched people spend money. Anakah scored big time as she wandered in and out of high-end stores grabbing as many samples she could get her hands on a perfume and any other items that were free. Anakah finally did purchase a couple so pieces which is kind of obligatory for Mother's Day. We hung out, watched people, hooked up with a son and cousin. There was a grand day even if I ran my power chair dangerously close to exhaustion. We had call grandma once regarded to our home station to came out and saved us in the van. Nice kid day though will have to do more.

Something To Think About

 Ani in the boat at sportsworld

This weekend was no last weekend by any definition of the phrase lost “weekend”but certainly this was a weekend her again my services as a family member seem somewhat minimized by my disability; which is cool, and I should not let this bother me ,but I'm finding that my lack ability of being able to assist in this projects is becoming more and more frustrating. So I spent a lot of time keeping out of the way of the worker bees. Add to the fact that this weekend the temperature is not all that warm, so I cannot spend time out in any of my usual hiding places basking in the sun and reading. I enjoyed the efforts of my family though in a concerted drive to clean out the garage which is my other refuge in life or I keep my wood shop as it is. So, Gabriel Mark A and Dianne spent the day in the garage separating useful things from garbage and putting the garage in order. So now I can get to my workbench and my tools and I just have to set up my wood lathe and I should be ready to go.

The secondary project of the day was to clean out our guest room which has been a depository of many things and was time to clean it out. The guestroom in many cases is also the granddaughter room or in this case Ani's room, and has not been accessible to on Ani for about a year now. Well, this room was cleaned out as well and I spent the night in her room. So Sunday morning I was able to get dressed Dianne and Anakah were at breakfast at the village Inn. On the return Dianne was so exhausted from the work the day before and Anakah was still interested in exploring some of the afternoon. As powered up, dressed ready to go so why not. He first went to Starbucks and got coffee and watched the Barbies come and go and waited for the bus which we are anticipating taking to the train station going to the city. About forgotten that the local transit authority had cancel all Sunday transit except for the train. So he get to the train year okay if not zero way out of luck so looks like we're going to do something local spent rolling for me but walking for the adolescent. So the afternoon was spent wandering through Toys "R" Us and the big sports store next to Toys "R" Us. It was fun to even took a break and enjoyed the lunch at Subway. The afternoon was a good time with finally returned home about 4:30. It's been a great day together, I didn't even mind Ani's best efforts at trying to get me to purchase her an MP3 player. I didn't of course this weekend, but I certainly keep it in the back my mind that is something she really desires at this point in time. She even suggested to the point of of willing to work for such a device-- like mowing yards, clean up rooms and who knows what else might be helpful. Something to think about.

By the grace of God there go I

At lunch, the weather was looking pretty good, sunshine warm temps and a brisk wind out of the South side figured what the heck I go this shop in downtown. I did I got the things I needed decide to stop Carl's Junior for lunch. I always think experience a Carl's Junior is going be better than what I anticipate. I'm not ready for is that at this particular Carl's Junior for the Salt Lake's hobo central. They have a great menu and it's relatively inexpensive as lunches downtown go except for the hobo element. And I know this sounds real elitist and I like to think I'm not (that kind of person ) but maybe I am – – and that's sad.

I am always blown away whenever I enter the downtown Carl's Junior, there is a mixture of white shirt and ties, working blokes wearing skull covers and work boots faded jeans and justice faded T-shirts or shirts and of course the hobos. Many times it seems like these folks made a mad dash from State Street to Carl's after they'd bagged enough enough to purchase any kind of lunch that would save them from Shelter food. Whenever I get there is always a line and I fall into line and begin trying to make up my mind before it's time to order. Today there is another power wheelchair and Carl's, but seen this guy before actually this gal – – she looks homeless but she has a mohawk haircut and hangs around with a guy who also has a mohawk haircut with about the same length as hers. We do that disability thing where we don't notice each other by noticing each other. She gives me in my chair the once over and thinks she has a faster chair – – I can tell. But she doesn't, she may have a newer chair, but not faster she has little so little Pronto's face on late-night TV the seniors and down outers. There's also hard-core Native American/Hispanics in here as well, I don't know if it's because of the largely Hispanic menu are those just downtown. I'm also impressed with the amount of Spanish speaking employees behind the counter being able service anyone who walks up. Carl's Junior has a breakfast menu which actually looks pretty good I've never used it but one day I might. I wonder how many of the hobos use it I imagine to be a pretty good caloric dump to the system to get to get you going on today.

As I sort of indicated a number of these individuals I have seen panhandling out on Main Street and State Street and in front of some of the larger high-end stores in the new downtown area. So the folks look pretty run down ratty tatty, and some look pretty good, all things considered. But I wonder sometimes is what I look like, with my long sleeved T to tight for me – – – really should not wear it, my backpack and maybe the power chair just wonder how many these folks think I am one of them. Oh gosh, there I said it, what an elitist remark I wouldn't blame you feel stop reading this blog after a comment like that. Today, I got grilled steak burrito sounds a heck of a lot better than it is, and one thing it really is his juicy. I really thought I had the bugger wrapped up tight but when I raised the burrito to my mouth slew of the burrito juice and oil came spewing out of it and over my T-shirt. There's no way I could have it had grease stains, red grease stains all over the front of me, I really did not look like someone who had a job but like someone who did not have a job one to have lunch. I took a moment and offered a short prayer to myself and Whoever being thankful that I was not one of those panhandling hobos… Truly by the grace of God there go I.

Two for One!!

I am finally back to work after being gone two days. I was scheduled to be got only one but as things go to one day morphed into two and I can truly say was a bit of a nightmare. Monday is by scheduled colonoscopy. I don't seem to dread colonoscopies as seems some do, the colonoscopy is not far but is a necessity of life. I had experienced the colonoscopy before the siphon the prep wasn't so bad. So I came into this colonoscopy knowing full well what was to be expected in fact it was better than expected in some ways as far as the prep is concerned. The flush the use this time was administered over a 12 hour. Caspian drank at the beginning that half four hours before the scheduled colonoscopy. And the material used when mixed with Gatorade really went down a lot better, smoother that I remember drinking before. The only difference really was that before in just almost a gallon of liquid which is quite daunting but certainly clean the bowel out and that was the goal. Oh, also the first time I literally spent the whole night on the toilet.

So I began the initial prep Sunday which was a day of pretty much fasting, was able to drink fluids and Sunday evening beginning a total prep. I had my tablet and Internet connection so even if just sitting around I would have something to do to take my mind off what was happening to my system. And I have to admit the evening went pretty swiftly set on the pot to about 1030 or 11 o'clock it actually went to bed. Monday morning about six to drank the rest of the liter, showered and shaved and got ready. We were a little concerned says for I was passing didn't seem to be as clear as the first time I got through this process so we called and to see if we would need to go and of course they wanted us and so we went. I'm sure enough after we got there and checked with it many nurse who checked with the doc they turned us away sent us home to redo the prep. Now this was disheartening and that I was really beginning to look forward to breakfast in the thought of having to fast a whole whole additional day was just defeating. But, I took it in stride saddle up and drove back to the house: my boss let her know be out another day.

The second prep seem to move a lot swifter and all accounts just in nearly flush, going to bed early and have a good night(that was surprising and an added bonus) if there was a drawback it was they had to schedule me in wherever they could and I was not scheduled to be at the hospital until 12 o'clock but the morning one fast seven Dianne I were University bound. We actually got there 45 min. early in the took us right in sense would pretty much done everything the day before resume through processing and I got into the endoscopy area, changed and was ready to go. My doc was a guy named Bowers interesting fellow just shy of a personality but not as droll pathologist. The process was quick the masked with oxygen put me under and soon I was in recovery. Dianne during my recovery tool when Dr. Bowers came in and gave us the talk to. I was clear, a great preparation, a few issues that nothing I did expect just no polyps and no cancer that is good. But what was weird Dr. Bowers continued asked me questions about myself, my life with a disability, and how well I have done. He would leave he just stared and stared making Dianne and myself most uncomfortable – – but sort of in a good way. But finally, he turned us loose on my two-day saga was over. I did two preps fasted almost 3 days and I was clear. A pretty good day.

Cool Down

The rains came in overnight pushed by fierce wind creating havoc and hail Nicole leaving for anyone unfortunate enough to be caught out in the elements. This makes sense of course sense we were to celebrate and we did celebrate administrative assistants day here at the office by meeting early and having breakfast--out in the communty at a small hotel not far from our offices.

Have you had one of those days where it seemed everything you did seem to be counterproductive to what you are trying to get accomplished? Are more interesting to me, do I need to recognize signs when signs are presented to me? For instance this morning I just couldn't get dressed. Maybe it's a little thing, that there was no hot water for showering or shaving. I managed to cold shave almost feel shave so I adjusted to that went upstairs got my meds and proceeded to start dressing. I got one leg in my pants then proceeded to drop the pants leg for the other leg, I usually have grabbing devices of one sort or another close hand but today I just couldn't keep any of those items in my hands. I struggle the got the pants leg up four times and dropped it four times, the same with trying to reach my hook which at phone on the floor, and the bungee cord hook I use when I can't get my other hooks everything kept dropping on the floor. And again I begin to wonder my being told something? Do I need to listen to the Spirit or what is the Spirit trying to tell me? I was wondering if I didn't heed the warnings now would there be something Karen this happen to me on the way to the train are on the train are at the restaurant? But after some struggle I finally got my shoes am okay, and I found a shirt that I could wear the wasn't too exposing and the vest to go over it cover the areas the skin that so offends Frank the guy at work and I made a transfer to the chair with little problems and is able to keep my shoe on. Yes these are good signs I don't know if they totally negated are equalized the challenges I do have and that point that many feel a little bit more comfortable in my decision to carry forth my day.

The cold front moved in overnight with the wind I talked about but by morning, early morning, it looks like the blustery portion of the front had moved on. I stuck my head out the door couple times though all was wet there was no precipitation happenings time I'd looked out. Dianne had indicated if need be she would drive me to the train station but I couldn't see the need for that. I actually had to dig out my red jacket to wear around my shoulders because the temperature drops so significantly as well as retrieve my gray cap. Those materials had been put away for the summer--in fact most of my long sleeve shirts we put away last week during the 80° weather. Too soon though,cool weather has returned and now it's a matter just getting through the weekend.

So one more weekend to get through bad weather which is okay, I have grants to read as a drag the bitter sacrifice a bad weekend weatherwise the good one. It will be a long weekend for me just because I have my colonoscopy on Monday--I thought I'd gotten away from it for a couple weeks but Dianne got back that's good uncomfortable speaking it must be done.

Meat Locker

One of the vehicles to ride us to the air terminal...

The weather in Salt Lake has been beautiful for last couple of days – – I mean beautiful beyond spring 60° days of warmth but full-blown early summer degree readings 85° – 90° readings. Were talking spring fever elevated the spring plague. The giant problem with this is that going back to anything less than 70° is like entering the frigid zone. So anyway with the first three days this week being such perfect weather I was looking for any reason I could to get out in it. So in a meeting popped up on my calendar I spaced out which was a trip to the air terminal I figured today was as good as any unit the office check in the public transit daytime.

I sit on the Salt Lake City Access Board, our job is to assist Salt Lake make in their city more wheelchair friendly. Of course, this is a volunteer committee, they always are, sometimes include lunch and a free lunch is always justifiable. Not only that but the the Salt Lake Airport Authority had their new accessible transit vehicles pick up our Council at City Hall to transport us out to the airport for the lunch and the meeting. I know I tend to dress my life with a certain amount of cynicism but I have to somewhat admit that yesterday's adventure was nearly perfect. I got to City Hall okay, the right out to the terminal went without a hitch, I fell asleep on the bus that was transporting us which is really great. The lunch was a cold lunch – – I wasn't expecting much more so that was cool and the presentation was actually relatively interesting if not low key. I couldn't tell if the if airport administrator who was presiding over the meeting was very serious about his job, he was really laid back. Had to admit it was a bit of a struggle staying awake after the lunch but I did and even made nice with other members of the Council which I thought maybe a little batty. The only drawback if there was one was the temperature in the airport at least the meeting area we were in the so-called you could legally hang meat in their and it would stay perfectly safe. Why is it is just the shell a little heat people start moving their thermostats all the way south on the selection slide. Even the bus ride home I noted was much cooler than the right out or maybe it's because I was conscious going home. Fortunately, the folks at the office have not lowered the temperature yet. But I know it's coming. So, you need to make sure I have one piece of foul weather clothing out and available. Tonight, a cold front is slated to move in Salt Lake with rain tomorrow and the temperatures dropping below 60° line. This is just going to suck. I just have to keep telling myself it is only April, and 60° is good for April but I've been bitten by the summer bug just have to dress appropriately.