News from the Home Office

There is a lot to report on, so, without further ado, here we go!

Reading is Fun!
I've updated my reading list via AllConsuming.net. You can check out what I'm currently reading at Dan's Domain. There is one book I'm reading that is not in the AllConsuming.net database as of yet. That book is entitled Crime in the City, and it is edited by Martin Edwards. It features short stories with the theme of big-city crime. This collection was sponsored by the British Crime Writer's Association.

He Loves to Play Guitar!
One of my goals in learning the acoustic guitar is to be able to sing along with it. Since I first started in December of last year, I have longed to be able to put something together that has some meaning. Folk songs, children's songs, church songs, even the blues. That's why I was so encouraged to find the tabulature (that's guitar-speak for the fret-string positions) for a great blues riff. It's almost as good as having B.B. King here to teach me!

She Ain't Heavy, She's My Daughter!
Last Saturday morning, Keisha, Jake (our dog), and I went to the field near where we live for a walk and some outdoor play time. I had the idea that Keisha and I could race between two markers. I went first. When it came time for Keisha to go, she resisted. I offered to hold her hand and run with her.

We took off, but Keisha soon decided that it was too much for her. She tried to let go, but I clung to her coatsleeve, and then she fell to the ground. Eager to develop the fighter spirit in her (i.e., the resolve not to give up so easily), I bent down to pick her back up.

Immediately, I felt something "pull" in my lower back, and I knew I'd made a big mistake. I rounded up Keisha and Jake, and we headed home. I applied some topical ointment (not Ben-Gay, but something similar) and sat on a heating pad. Both of these seemed to help.

Which reminds me that I need to tell you about...

It's not really a McJob
I had my first night of training at my new part-time job Saturday night. I manned the bun warmer. This task, of course lent itself to several double entendre type remarks: "Here's your buns! They're nice and toasty!" "Hot, steamy buns! Yours for the picking!"

During my break I caught a few minutes of Forrest Gump, which aired on ABC. As a result, I broke into my Forrest Gump routine, talking in my best Gump-ish voice. That seemed to entertain my coworkers. There was that remark about whether my being around the grill had affected me, though...

Nevertheless, I helped the crew to close the place, and I made the 20-minute jaunt home. Which reminds me that I need to tell you about...

Sleepin' In On A Sunday Mornin'

Jennie and I forgot to set our alarm clock, so we wound up waking up when it was too late to get to church. I guess it happens from time to time to everyone.

I really wasn't in any condition to go anywhere, though. My back was feeling the pain in a major way. I wound up calling in sick to work, letting the shift manager know that I'd be going to the doctor on Monday.

Which reminds me...

Papa called the Doctor, and the Doctor Said...

Jennie needed Mom's car on Monday, so I planned to catch the bus to my doctor's appointment. I headed downtown and bought a monthly bus pass. Then I grabbed several bus schedules and headed toward the bus stop.

I had never been on that particular bus before, so I was naturally confused when the driver took us way past where the doctor's office was. After conferring with the driver, I realized that I could have gotten off a half an hour earlier and walked the rest of the way to the doctor's office.

Since he was heading back in that direction, that's exactly what I did. I arrived about 45 minutes early for my appointment, and there I stayed, caught between a rock and a hard place -- deciding whether to let the Musak put me to sleep or to continue reading the book I brought with me. The latter won out, albeit not without a fight.

Soon the nurse grabbed me, and I weighed in at a hefty 217 pounds. She led me to the examining room. Not too long a young gentleman, a student doctor, appeared. He mentioned that he'd be helping my doctor today.

I told the chap what was wrong, and he was able to manipulate the upper part of my back. I felt a little bit of relief. After he left, my doctor entered. He twisted me up like a pretzel (well, not quite) and was able to get the rest of my back realigned.

I'm still taking the pain medicine (8-hour Tylenol) for a little while, but the prognosis is good: No more picking up Keisha without proper back posture!

Yeah, I'm feeling better. Which reminds me that I need to tell you about...

Doctor EverythingWillBeAlright

Okay, so I'm being a bit sarcastic or otherwise loopy in this post. I went to see the psychiatrist today. Apparently there was an incident between a patient and him this morning that involved the police, so all subsequent appointments were delayed.

I decided to wait in the unbearable heat caused by the faulty HVAC system. I was afraid that the female workers were going to comment about my chest and bellybutton hair, though! (just kidding)

The wait was about 45 minutes, and I used the time to catch up with my planner. It was almost like meeting an old friend; I hadn't really used it since last Friday.

I eventually saw the doctor, and we talked about stuff that patients and psychiatrists talk about. He was interested in whether the scab-picking had subsided; I told him that it hadn't. The scabs are just hidden by my long-sleeve shirt, jeans, and baseball cap.

I also mentioned some depression episodes I'd had over the last few months. There were some really intense times, as I may have mentioned here, that I'd just wanted to die. The doc calls them "passive" rather than active feelings of suicide - i.e., not real, concrete plans to do away with myself.

We talked about how the past few years has been for me, how I felt I'd changed over that time. It was really uplifting for me to see how much I have grown, how my perspective on life has changed.

I think I'm gonna be alright. And speaking of things that are going to be alright...

Bookish voters approve library levy

That's the headline from today's Dayton Daily News. As a regular to the county's library system, I am quite grateful that others in the community share my desire to keep the library great. I'd even love to have a part-time job at the library. We'll have to see if they end the hiring freeze anytime soon.

Which reminds me of this other money-related story...

Dayton market sells $20M Mega Millions ticket

The Dayton Daily News also reports: "Ohio Lottery officials said Wednesday that someone bought a winning ticket for Tuesday's Mega Millions $20 million jackpot at the Food City store at 1829 Germantown St." Maybe this person is or will soon be one of my (new) friends...