Arnin'....

Today was just a day spent inside. Just a lazy Sunday of watching the Seahawks lose (sucks) & doin' laundry. I wasn't blue or bored or staying out of the rain; I just think it's important to have some good time with yourself... and I had a ton of laundry to do. :)

In truth I had ALL the laundry to do. I've collected enough clothes over the years that I can actually go 2 weeks without doing laundry, though I don't normally do that. I usually do the wash on Sundays or Saturdays.

That's a habit that's so ingrained that I've not had much success breaking it. You see, for a long time I didn't have a washer/dryer in the house. So it was wait the entire week & take the clothes, (usually) Sunday morning, to the laundry-mat and do laundry. I did this so long that even when I actually owned a washer/dryer (as now) I still wait until the weekend to do laundry. If I ever get in the habit, I could knock out a load or two during the week & have the whole weekend free for once. Maybe some day. :)

One aspect of the laundry that I do most times is ironing; in the south it's pronounced "arnin'." Most folks are surprised when I tell them I iron my clothes; actually I really only iron my button-down shirts (no need to iron my jeans or dockers). I was taught to iron by my Mom, but I really learned ironing while in the military.

It is kind of a chore, but to me there's a zen-like quality do it. You can do it with little or no thought, and it has a repetitive motion that kind of eases tension. I also find vacuuming to have the same quality, back & forth, no real effort or thought needed. These two activities are so zen-like for me that I can actually sort out a lot of things that tend to be jumbled. Matter-of-fact, I've gotten some of my best ideas for the programs I write while vacuuming (none while ironing... yet).

The nicest two things I get out of ironing is a) the satisfaction when it's over. It always feels like I've done something. & b) the nice creases on the sleeves of my shirts. I don't like them starched or anything like that, but I do like to have creases. It must come from the military days.

Well, time to put the board away. :)

Star Trek's World Is Not So Cool...

I'll start by saying I'm a big Star Trek fan. With the exception of the Deep Space 9 series & the Enterprise series, I've watched them all & enjoyed them all. I also like the films that have come out so far. However, there's one aspect of the society depicted in Star Trek that bugs me to no end. The snobbery of music genres.

If you've watched any of the Star Trek fair, and paid attention, you might have noticed something missing in their version of the future. Rock/Pop music. With the exception of the First Contact film, the only music that anyone seems to listen for pleasure is either classical or jazz. Now I'm not knocking either. I really enjoy a lot of classical music, and I've found some jazz I like as well (who can't like Miles Davis), but what about other forms? I know I'm focusing on Rock & Pop, but there also isn't any Country/Bluegrass (which doesn't bother me so much) and no folk music (not that I've heard anyway).

Considering that as of now, Rock music's been around for 50+ years, it just makes sense that it would still be around in some form in the future, especially amoung young people. I also can't beleive that Klingons would not be listening to some Thrash Metal & Punk (Metallica, Slayer, Sex Pistols, Clash, The Stooges, etc.). Those guys would go nuts over it, & the mosh pit would become the new social center of the Klingon Empire. I see the Romulans as more fans of Industrial/Techno (Nine Inch Nails, Venus Hum, Kraftwerk); and I think the Vulcans would be prone to Progressive Rock (Pink Floyd, ELP, Genesis (with Peter Gabriel), Yes).

As I mentioned before, Rock was heard in the "First Contact" film. So you might say, "See, it's still around." But that's not correct; if you remember in that film, none of the Enterprise's crew acted like they'd ever heard it before. Also, Deanna Troi kept calling it "RockaRoll." So that proves that rock music is not around at all in the world of Star Fleet.

I also have earlier proof. Go back to the original series (with Kirk & Spock et al). There was an episode in which the Enterprise encountered a group of space-age "hippies" who were trying to get to a planet they called Eden. They said it was a paradise. Even those young counter-culturists played music that was more on a line with jazz or standards that any real pop music. It was nothing close to the Grateful Dead.

So in conclusion, the future represented in Star Trek seems great (no pollution, no poverty), but if they aren't going to have good music, then I'd just as soon continue with the chaos we enjoy today. I'll still watch the shows & films though. :) Live long & prosper! \\//

Ear Infections Suck....

In the last post I explained about how I have an ear infection. I have to say that of all these I've had previously, this is the worst one ever!

With previous infections, I've been able to carry on and work. I've had some pain, but not too much; at least not to the point where I felt incapacitated by it. That is not true this time.

Sunday, when it was first manifested, there was the "normal" pain I expect from an ear infection. Monday turned into a pain I've never remembered experiencing before. I've had fingers mashed, my right thumb broken, various scrapes from bicycle accidents, and wisdom teeth surgically removed. None of them compare with the pain I've endured with this.

Thankfully, the doctor prescribed Vicodin for the pain. However, at times even that didn't have much affect. I've had to double the dosage a couple times in order to sleep. It's been hell. I've not been able to work since Monday. This really bothers me since we have a ton of stuff going on & I know I'm really needed.

Another thing that I've had with this ear infection that I've not had with the others is nausea. I've been on the verge of throwing up (and beyond a couple of times) since the Ear, Nose, & Throat (ENT) appointment. The thing is, I can't tell if it's from the infection or the stronger antibiotics he gave me. Initially, I was thinking the antibiotics, but I'm now leaning toward the infection itself. This is because I've noticed being pretty wobbly just when walking around the apartment.

Well, I went to the ENT appointment, and he confirmed that it's probably the infection itself that's causing the nausea. He said that even though he felt that the infection was exterior, that he strongly doubted that any of the meds I've be taking would cause the nausea. He also said that though the swelling has gone down quite a bit, he still can't be sure what's up since he still can't see very far into the ear itself. So, he gave me more meds (antibiotics, ear drops) & another appointment for the 12th of next month.

He's also scheduled me for a hearing test on the day after that. I'm glad about that because I've not been able to hear out of that ear since Monday. I'm a bit worried about how this will effect my hearing. Luckily, I have two ears; so if I have a loss in the left, I'll still have the right ear. :)

I've gotta go lie down now before I hurl. :oP

Pain, suffering, and a new friend....

It all started Sunday morning. I woke up, and my jaw was sore on the left side at the hinge point. I just assumed I slept with my mouth in some strange position, and that caused it. However, there was more.

I took a shower, and as I was washing my face I noticed a tenderness just in front of my left ear. It was fairly painful when touched. That's when I knew what I was in for; and ear infection.

For a little back history, I've been pretty susceptible to ear infections since I had a really bad one when I was 18. Since then I try to be diligent about keeping my ear free of moisture. I swab with Q-tips after every shower and whenever I feel a tickle in my ear. I always have Q-tips close by, both at home & at the office.

Normally, I get a bit of a precursor in the form of slight pain when swabbing my ear (it's always the left one by the way). When that happens, I take a cold/sinus pill & try to lay on my left side as much as possible the rest of the day. That will avert a full-blown infection about 90% of the time. However, there was none of that this time. Friday & Saturday I felt fine. Sunday I woke up in pain. Of course I had to wait until Monday to make a doctor's appointment since the offices aren't open on Sunday. Well, by Monday things got much worse.

When I looked in the mirror Monday morning I could see the entire side of my face in front of my left ear was swollen. There was pain even when not being touched, and pain when chewing or yawning. I went on into work, took Alleve for pain (which had no affect), made the appointment as soon as the office opened, and tried to work the rest of the day. That didn't go so well. By the time I left for my appointment at 3pm, the pain was constant & throbbing. I also could no longer hear out of the ear at all.

I saw the doctor, and he was worried. He said it was so swollen inside that he couldn't see into the ear canal. He consulted with a Ear, Nose, & Throat guy (ENT) who told him to give me antibiotics, & drops. He also wanted to see me the next day (today). Luckily, the doctor introduced me to my newest & bestest friend, Vicodin.

Though there's still some pain after taking the Vicodin, it's not nearly like without it. I was able to sleep pretty well... until it wore off about 2am. I woke up in a whole new level of pain. Of course it took about 30 minutes for the Vicodin to kick in, but at least I was able to get back to sleep.

I went to ENT, and he also said there was too much swelling to see anything. He also didn't think the drops I had were making it inside the ear. So he put a wick in my ear and gave me stronger drops & stronger antibiotics. He also made a follow-up for Friday. He said the swelling should be down enough by then to allow him to make a diagnosis.

Now I think it's time to converse with my new friend again. ;}

A Little Sump'n Missin'....

I want to start off by saying that I am truly head-over-heels in love with Seattle. I so wish that I'd moved here long ago. That being said, there are still some things that my love can't seem to supply to me.
Today I had lunch at a place called Bayou on First. It's billed as Cajun/Creole food, and the food is good, but it's lacking a major ingredient.... Okra. Any true recipe for either gumbo or jambalaya is supposed to have okra. At least they always do in the south. This lack of okra is not just a phenomenon at this eatery, I've had either gumbo or jambalaya at 3 other restaurants in town, and they all have this same omission.
I also noticed that Bayou on First didn't offer Fried Okra as a side dish. However, in one of their veggie dishes, I did see okra as an ingredient. So this confuses me. Why omit a key ingredient in one dish, then offer it as a meat substitute in another? I don't know. I do have to admit that their corn muffins were passable. They didn't taste like Momma's, but they didn't taste like the "cake" flavored corn muffins I got at Ivar's. :)
I've also noticed that I haven't seen okra available in Safeway or QFC either. I need to do some checking at the vegetable stands at Pike Place Market. I think I might be able to find some there. At least I hope that I can. If not, I might be forced to bootleg okra up from Alabama. I might have to get Mom to Next-Day some to me. :)

F1 Sundays are Great...

After feeling sick all day Saturday, and pretty much just laying on the couch watching television, I was hoping to feel alot better on Sunday. I did. :)

Of course it helped by starting Sunday off with viewing the TiVo'd F1 race from Singapore. This was F1's first night race, and it was a great success all around. But I'll speak more on that aspect in a bit. The race was fun to watch even though my favorite driver, Kimi Raikkonen, crashed out within the last 10 laps. Kimi is the current world champ, and I hoped he would repeat this year. However, it seems that fate & other things are conspiring against him. Well, he's signed with Ferrari for the next 3 years I think, so there's always next year.


The success of Singapore will probably start a trend for all of the far-east races on the calendar (Japan, China, Australia, India?) in future seasons. From what I understand, F1 chief, Bernie Ecclestone, is pushing for turning the races in these locations to night races. He wants it in order to put the races on at a better viewing time in Europe where viewership is high. I can't say I blame him for that line of thinking overall. Europe's where the bulk of the money is for the sport, so he's going after it.

However, it does bug me that one man, Ecclestone, pretty much has say over what happens in F1. Oh, there is the FIA, the governing body of F1, but they pretty much do whatever Bernie says, and everyone knows it. I'm never a fan of one person dictatorally holding sway over anything. I think all sports commissions should be governed by a body of people who are not owners or sponsors, and they should have finite periods of service. Five years at most. Those five year terms should also be staggered, so that only one or two people are changed at a time. From that commissioning body a president or chairperson would be elected by the body. Also, that chairing election would be each year as well, and the current chair could not serve successive terms. They could serve multiple terms, but only every-other year.

I don't see that happening in F1, the NFL, Baseball, or any other organized sport. However, I think it would be the most fair way to run a sports organization. That way no one person could play favorites for years on end as has happened in other sports before.

TGIF and I'm glad it's over....

In a normal world, under normal circumstances, I enjoy my job & I love to see Friday come. However, yesterday was not a normal day (for some reason).

It started with me waking up at 6am instead my normal (hey, normal for me) 4am. I'm normally in the office by 6am, so my just-roused-from-sleep mind said, "Too late to get ready for work, just work from home." So I started doing that. Then I started having connectivity problems, four disconnects within an hour. After the 4th one, I got an e-mail from my boss. He shook me back to sanity by informing me that it was still early, and I could make it into the office. He was right, of course.

So then, I quickly showered & caught the 8am bus, making it into work by 8:30am. After that, the day seemed to be pretty normal. I figured I'd just work until about 5pm to make nine hours (counting the time I'd already worked at home). No big deal. (karma's voice) "That's what you think, bitch." (end karma's voice)

4:00pm started out okay, but I knew that my co-worker, Glenn, who is on-call this week, was having a bit of trouble with some folks who were setting up for an inventory count. I didn't know it was about to spill over on me. I'd work with these people before, the last time as recently as two weeks ago. It's always a pain working with them, because they can't seem to manually run a process that has no problems when it's running automatically. Whenever, they have to add an update file, it never seems to run successfully. This was the case yesterday. Add to that the fact that Glenn needed to leave no later than 4:30 to go to his daughter's school function.

So I was asked to take over the final tasks for the inventory (due to my previous experience). It's really no problem to me, I'm happy to help out when I can. However, this, as before, turned into a nightmare. That's because those folks, once again, sent up too many adjustments in the data file, and I had to find & correct them. Once I'd corrected that part, there were still 25 records that needed to be reconciled. I continually tried to tell them that they sent up the wrong transfer numbers, but they insisted that the system incorrectly generated those numbers. They were wrong; I was right. And I finally proved it by reminding them that we had this same problem the last time, when I was also working on it. I reminded them that it was there fault then too, and that we can only process the data that we are sent. Such a nightmare!

Anyway, by the time I got them set up to go, I left the office at 8:30pm! I had a nice 12 hour day on Friday. It was kind of a bummer to be on the bus going home after work with folks who were going out for the evening. Now, I'm not the party animal I once was, but I still like to go out when I can on the weekends. So there I was on the bus at 8:30 to 9:00, with my laptop, just getting off work. Such a geek I am. :)

Needless to say, I was so glad to get home. I had a beer to unwind, watched some TiVo, and called it an evening around 11. Not exciting, but it all ended well. I'm glad I don't have many days like that. I'm normally lucky that way. But like the old saying goes, "What doesn't kill me, scars me emotionally forever." :)