Done Since 2023-10-22

[mdlbear]

It started out being a pretty depressed, stressed-out week (see previous post), improving somewhat on Wednesday with a referral to an oncologist and a call from radiology to schedule me for a PET-CT scan. (Which immediately queued up Perils of Modern Living by Harold P. Furth, because positrons are a common form of antimatter.)

Then Wednesday we brought the cats over to PurrfectCatBoarding -- two cars, because both N and m wanted to be with their cats, and so did I. I can fit four people and a cat, or four cats and a person, but three people and four cats required two cars.

And Thursday we set off for OVFF (Ohio Valley Filk Festival), which is winding up even as I type. It's been pretty good; some good catching-up conversations and lots of fantastic music (none of which I contributed to -- I pulled Plink out of her case for one song ("Ripple") at the Closing Jam earlier this evening. Then my back let me know in no uncertain terms that I needed to get back to the room and stay there. I was glad I'd remembered to bring my cane this trip.

Unhappy about the things I forgot to bring, including a water bottle, a pair of scissors, one of my several sets of bamboo utensils, and a toothbrush. I managed.

And despite being unhappy about missing last weekend's reunion, I'm very glad I'm here to help take care of N, who's been having a very painful weekend dealing with a toothache that turned into a serious infection.

Meanwhile, go over to Bandcamp and listen to (and buy) Bridge, Kathy Mar's two-disk compilation of "songs about the things that bring us together". Six of those were done at the release concert this afternoon, and two brought tears.

Notes & links:
1022Su
  * up 6:30ish; S=6:20; bed exercises, Dutch
    % didn't actually get out of bed until after 7
  ~ Columbae reunion -> skipping because of OVFF the following weekend
    -> wrong decision, but can't be fixed.  IDIOT!
  @ Unmasking Banksy – the street artist is not one man but a whole brand of people
  @ How to Reduce Digital Distractions: Advice From Medieval Monks
  % seem to be on a bit of a roll this morning in Dutch.  (didn't last)
  : 11:04 just got off a half-hour call from Ted K. (who also is not going to the reunion)
  @ Salad greens: Getting the most bang for the bite - Harvard Health
  % 15min:  finally got rid (I think) of the adhesive residue on my R leg.  Took two or
    three more alcohol preps.  There's some redness probably due to irritation.
  @ Neurodivergent: What It Is, Symptoms & Types  The fact that this comes from a
    clinic is kind of amazing.
  * 15min:  sort random power bricks.  Mostly 12v, 9v, and 5v with a few odd ones
  * Docusign:  Opening Letter, Escrow Instructions, and Seller Information Sheet.
  * 15min:  clear off and clean desk.  lp moved to a plastic folding table.
    (15min is of course a gross underestimate, but it was never meant to be accurate)
  * reading: The Science of Living Well (from PCF | Prostate Cancer Foundation
    -> I seem to be doing a lot of the right things, including not stressing too much
       about the diagnosis.  The fact that I have the house sale and cleanup to stress
       about might have something to do with that, though.
  % note:  decision to go to OVFF was made on 0915.  PC diagnosis 0930
  * email to kids about my diagnosis.

1023Mo  * litter boxen
  * up 8ish; S=8:09; bed exercises, Dutch
  @ History Says the 1918 Flu Killed the Young and Healthy. These Bones Say Otherwise 
  @ Mole Day - Wikipedia
    " October 23 between 6:02 a.m. and 6:02 p.m., making the date 6:02 10/23 in the
      American style of writing dates. The time and date are derived from the Avogadro
      constant, which is approximately 6.02×10^23 "
  @ Enshittification
    " Here is how platforms die: first, they are good to their users; then they abuse
      their users to make things better for their business customers; finally, they abuse
      those business customers to claw back all the value for themselves. Then, they
      die. "  -- from Wikipedia front page today
  @ West Antarctic ice sheet faces ‘unavoidable’ melting, a warning for sea level rise
    Unavoidable future increase in West Antarctic ice-shelf melting over the twenty-first
    century | Nature Climate Change 
  * email to Al about diagnosis and house.
  @ JavaScript anti-pattern: self-documenting code | Go Make Things
  * deconstruct desk
  : seem to have left purse and checkbook at Rest Stop.  how the fsck did that happen?
    -> it didn't -- was in the wrong compartment of the backpack!  how the fsck?
  * VOTE; see Marianne's Politiblog
  * pay Surety -- checkbook NOT left at RS, just misplaced
  * pack:  * CPAP, * folding phone stand; * star trek fanzines
  * 15min:  turned off email notification from birdsite (except mentions)
  : Ticia kept getting up on the counter, into the laundry basket, and showed signs of
    wanting to explore further.  -> apparently the arthritis med is working.
  % 19:21 eyedrops: L outside corner itchy
  % 19:54 feeling cold enough to put on the red fuzzy hoodie

1024Tu
  * up 7:30; S=7:53, BP=119/76, P=71, W=187.8; bed exercises+squats; Dutch
    & stayed in bed about half an hour before getting up.  Mostly incapussitated.
    : note that the scale took three tries before it stabilized.  Can't be trusted.
  * 10:00 - Healing Center - Memory Keepers group  -> from Lair this time.
  * 15min:  cleared birdsite notifications out of inbox.
  % 12:50 eyedrops: L eye outside corner (as usual these days)
  @ WA’s new tsunami maps show how long it would take to walk to safety | Sea. Times
    Tsunamis | WA - DNR
  % 15:07 cold
  * ask on NextDoor about septic inspections
    -> South Island Pumping 360.321.1820 Or email Bob at:  aleyiron@gmail.com
    -> replied via email:  call tomorrow to set up appointment
  * message from Dr. Hadjinian:
    " Given the inconclusive findings of your bone scan and the small lymph nodes on CT, I
      would like to evaluate you further with a PET scan that is more sensitive for
      prostate cancer than the initial scan. We use PET scans in this setting, where the
      findings are indeterminate. "
    " I will also send in your oncology referral to get the ball rolling on this. "
  @ Positron emission tomography Positron Fluorine-18 
    -> Perils of Modern Living -- Harold P. Furth, 1956
  * bring box of fanzines into house
  * take box of cat food out to Lair; along with the songbook and some 1qt bags
  * guitar: Desolation Row

1025We-31Tu cat boarding
1025We  o litter boxen
  * up 7:30; S=8:24; bed exercises
    & out of bed ~8am.  Having memory problems
  ~ call South Island Pumping 360.321.1820 to set up inspection appointment
  % some leakage around catheter.  Don't like; will worry if it worstens.
  * take cats to boarding house  between  4pm-7
  * Pack:   * Earnest money check to be returned, alcohol preps,
  * set alarms for tomorrow - leaving at 7; up 5am

1026Th-30Mo hotel 94602906  bogus: 97759610 -> 996.40 91224346
1006Th
  * up 4:45; S=6:35; bed exercises
  * Pack: wash bottle + syringe (don't really need squeeze bottle); q-tips, eyedrops,
    meds, lidocaine, neosporin;     extra thigh strap and stabilizers.
  * (in house) masks (moldex and synovia), PHONE, Plink; cane
  ...
  # Confirmation number: 91224346 -- 2 connecting rooms, 1 king bed in each
  # confirmation number:  KLTSZP Alaska flt 450 on 10/26/23. Seat: 9E★ Class: G (Coach)
  % 16:20 in room waiting for the dinner G ordered to arrive via GrubHub
  % and like an idiot I left _all_ of my portable utensils at home after re-arranging
    from the Netherlands trip.  Growf.  And no cord for the CPAP, except I took one in the
    backpack for the charger, which I don't need.
  % a little leakage around the catheter.  Ugh.
    -> and it had pulled through the stabilizer, so maybe not the best kind after all
  & not to mention bring the wrong kind of catheter stabilizer, and no toothbrush.  GAAA!
    and no scissors for trimming tubing.  And no nail clippers.
    % I seem to have forgotten how to pack for a trip.  Actually, more like assuming that
      I was _still_ mostly packed the way I used to be, instead of having deconstructed it

1027Fr-29Su OVFF
1027Fr
  * up 7:30; S=7:45; bed exercises (minimal), Dutch
    % stat-lock worked fine with leg strap, so that's the way to go probably
  : actually I did bring another IEC power cable -- in the bottom of the suitcase
    ... and there was a (small) nail-clipper in the back pocket of the backpack.
  ~ SL (hotel gift shop?) nail file, scissors, toothbrush, hairbrush, water bottle
    -> G got a couple of folding teethbrush and emeryboards, and a box of plastic forks,
       via shipt.com.  They'll do for this trip.
    -> should have brought a sling bag.  Like the OVFF sling?
    -> should have brought the OVFF badge holder (with FHoF pin)  DAMN!
    % my guess is that the disorganization is mostly due to the reunion debacle
  % I've been feeling cold all day.  N was feeling overheated downstairs.  ?!
  @ World Energy Outlook 2023 – Analysis - IEA
    Radical new forecast shows how rapidly the energy economy is changing | Ars 
  * pegasus concert.  Voted.  Tough choices as usual
  % 00:19 back hurts.  Possibly augmented by tight belt.  Wear dress tomorrow.
  % really not sure how much to tell people about my health.
    -> I've just been saying "I'm having health problems"
  : email from title company.  Don't have a probate form for Colleen.  Could be a problem
    -> something to worry about when trying to sleep, I expect.

1028Sa
  & awake 5:30; S=3:28;  may never have actually gone to sleep
    % cold.  Sleepy, I think.  Don't have a reading light
  * up 10:45; S=7:08; running late
    -> ice for N.  Used the stairs.
    -> flagged a maid on my way out of the room
  * quick breakfast in con suite; barely made it to Lauren Oxford's Toastmaster concert
  * Interfilk guest concert Daniel Kelly; sitting with Carole Parker
  * Leslie Hudson concert
  * Summer Russell GoH concert
  # PC:  told Carole; Alan T heard from N; told Fred, Robbin, et.al. -- F's a survivor
  : weird -- the room key I had in my pocket, in its paper sleeve, has vanished.  Good
    thing I had another.
  % annoying -- when they made up the room they took the dirty washcloth, towel, and hand
    towel, but didn't replace them.  Which was most of what I needed them to do.
  * Interfilk auction:  Flower the dragon went for $150
  % didn't stay for open filking.  Depressed.
    % don't know why I am so reluctant to sing these days.
  & did go to con suite for late snack (sandwich).  Met JT and Remy in the hall
  * posted mdlbear | River: The Reunion Debacle.  Started a little under 8 years ago.
    # possibly a record for post procrastination.
    # log says "This will also serve as a prototype for the new way of handling drafts,
      by leaving them in the top-level directory until they're posted"

Comments

[cornerofmadness]

sorry everything is being so hard right now

[mdlbear]

Thanks!

[kshandra]

I pulled Plink out of her case for one song ("Ripple") at the Closing Jam earlier this evening.

Whether or not this was a deliberate nod to the playlist from gridlore's memorial (Ripple was the last song on the list before the "formal" ceremony began), seeing this makes me happy. FSVO.

[mdlbear]

Coincidence, I'm afraid, but it delights me too. Probably my favorite Dead song.

[kshandra]

Nothing wrong with it being a coincidence. (It was one of the three songs he expressly asked to have played when the time came.)