Category: me

Weekend

Sorry for not updating much recently. I’m on vacation and have been extremely busy loafing on the sofa.

Because of the serious outlay of cash lately [1]And work screwing up my last paycheck, I’ve had to drastically scale back my vacation plans. Oh yes, yours truly has been forking over a butt-load of cash as of late. The most obvious reason is the accident. Unexpected expenses have definitely added up. Then there is the new bike and with that comes new gear. The latter was a necessity as my helmet and jacket were toast from the accident. The not so obvious, I finished paying off the lien my brothers had against our land. THAT little payout cut into my savings significantly. We still have to come up with money to get the land surveyed. This is the final hurdle before it gets separated into our individual names. So feeling the pinch right now, taking a frivolous vacation seems a bit selfish. Everyone keeps telling me to just put it on credit because I will be getting paid eventually. I don’t believe in doing that. I try to live within my means and don’t believe in using soft money [2]money that is not actually mine yet unless I have to. One has to only look at the current state of our stock market to discover the folly of that. I digress, if something were to happen or go wrong, I’d end up with even more debt. And, considering my shoulder isn’t 100% yet, it is probably better I’m not treking across the country.

Instead, TFA dropped in to see me which was a very welcome distraction. He knew I was a bit down and swung a last minute trip here. He only had a 24 hour layover but we made the best of it. Oh yes we did!

There will be other opportunities for vacation. I am hoping I’ll get some of the payment(s) within the next week. If I do, I’ll still try to make a long weekend in Fort Lauderdale before my vacation is over. If not, I’ll survive. Besides, I’ve had enough down time as of late. Of course, Gay High Holy Day #3 [3]Folsom St Fair is coming up this weekend. My buddy Frank is gonna be in town for the festivities. I’m sure I’ll run into Adam and Brad as well at some point. It promises to be a good weekend.

So now, I’m off to the gym to do dreaded cardio.

References

References
↑1 And work screwing up my last paycheck
↑2 money that is not actually mine yet
↑3 Folsom St Fair

Off and Running

Well, I’m definitely on the mend.  I had lunch w/roblog the other day and I don’t think I closed my trap once the whole time. lol  I’ve been so cooped up lately, I think I was a little stir-crazy.  Poor Rob, he was a trooper though.  He listened attentively and managed to get in a few words between my short breaks to inhale.

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The clan survived the hurricane.  My younger brother was up in Topeka visiting my oldest brother so he missed the storm.  Apparently, his trailer came thru the storm ok but his back porch is missing.  My Mawmaw had a trailer parked on the land that wasn’t so lucky. [1]She doesn’t live in it, it was just there.  Not one but two trees fell on it and it is completely demolished. 

My other brother has been out to the land and he says there are more trees down than he has ever seen.  Even as far inland as they were the wind was still pretty fierce.  I can’t do anything from here obviously but I’ve canceled my trip home next week since no one is actually there.  Ok, that isn’t exactly true.  I’m still going to Houston. 

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Speaking of travel, I discovered the plate in my shoulder will set off metal detectors.  This means I have to get a declaration card from my doctor.  Even still, I’m a bit leery of traveling.  I’m American born but having heard and read some of the horror stories surrounding the TSA, I am not looking forward to it.  I’m hoping my karma will hold true and I’ll make it ok. 

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In completely unrelated news, I bought this 915 [2]homeless person some food at Taco Bell tonight.  He kept arguing w/the clerk over the price.  I finally said, “what do you care, I’m buying, what do you want?”  He looked at me a little confused for a moment.  I think he was slightly inebriated and had forgotten I was paying.  Bless his heart. 

References

References
↑1 She doesn’t live in it, it was just there.
↑2 homeless person

Blog On Betches

And now for something not completely about me…

I’ve weighed in lately on several sights about the future/fate of blogging.  Some still think blogging is the next best thing since sliced bread.  Others think blogging has reached its peak and is slowly dying a painful agonizing death.

For my .02, I don’t really agree 100% with either camp.  I do think like any medium, blogging is evolving and will continue to do so.  The new blogs popping up every day have declined dramatically.  No argument there.  But, I don’t necessarily contribute that to a  slow death.  I think it has more to do with market saturation and the natural evolution of the medium.  Blogging is not the “new thing” anymore. [1]One might argue micro-blogging is the new/old “thing”  That said, it has managed to cross social, political, cultural, informative, and even entertainment boundaries to become an almost universal form of interaction.  Even the traditional news/media outlets woke up and realized blogging was changing the very way we disseminate and gather news in general.  And like any medium, I think in time blogging will settle into it’s niche market and continue to thrive and prosper.  Whether it be for purely personal or profit, I absolutely think blogging is here to stay.

I don’t really care to delve into the political or profitable side of blogging.  I think living in a capitalistic culture that speaks for itself.  From the social side, we’ve seen blogs come and go.  I’ll be the first to admit it is sad to see a favorite blog end.  But if you think about it, how is that any different from life?  People come and go in our lives every day.  From the mundane and random to the profound and life-changing, we get a birds-eye view of the true characteristics of humanity, good and bad.  We’ve also seen our share of fakes, flakes, and flashes.  To me, the latter group (and the fallout surrounding) shows us how much we still need to grow as a species in general. 

I firmly believe, like anything in life, you get out of blogging what you put into it.  If you just randomly post or interact then you should probably expect the same in return.  I often hear from many of my own commenters they are afraid to start blogging because they don’t feel their own lives are engaging or exciting enough.  To that I say, who cares?  If you find comfort or solace in being able to share your life and experiences however mundane, then I say go for it.  You don’t need permission.  You don’t need a rabid following.  You don’t have to be a prolific writer or linguist. [2]Good lord, look at the mosh pit of grammatical errors my own blog represents. heehee  From a purely social aspect, all you really need is an opinion, conviction to follow thru, and the ability to type.  It really is that simple.

My own venture into blogging was originally a mechanism to deal with a painful breakup.  Afterwards, it became an avenue of therapy and self-exploration.  Having chronicled such a significant part of my life has been richly rewarding.  I’ve always said I blog first and foremost for me.  That is still true today.  Yes, I know people read and comment and I appreciate that. [3]Being from the South and always having an opinion on practically everything has helped.  lol  Looking back over my own blog entries has shown me how much I have and am growing as a man.  The very act of blogging has given me a sense of belonging that I never had before. 

Will I always blog?  I can’t really say.  The future is a devious and every changing beast.  I will say I have no immediate plans to stop, that is for sure.  Do I think blogging in general will be around for years to come?  Absolutely.

References

References
↑1 One might argue micro-blogging is the new/old “thing”
↑2 Good lord, look at the mosh pit of grammatical errors my own blog represents. heehee
↑3 Being from the South and always having an opinion on practically everything has helped.  lol

It’s Official!

I’m the proud owner of a GSX-R750! [1]I’m also another 10g’s in debt. lol   I finished the loan and purchase paperwork yesterday.  Now, I just need to get the bike home.  Luckily, my buddy kristaki has generously agreed to help me (He rides too).  He is gonna come by Friday on my off day.  It will be at least a couple more weeks before I’m fit enough to drive again. 

As excited as I am, my priorities are in order.  I have no interest in getting hurt again from hopping back in the saddle too quickly, so to speak.  I’ll bide my time till I know I can ride.  I appreciate the worry and concern from everyone. 

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Speaking of healing, I survived my first round of rehabilitation yesterday.  It was grueling but they seemed surprised at my range of motion.  I’ll be honest, I had to come home and take a vicodin afterwards.  They mostly just pushed and pulled my arm in different directions.  I had planned to take a nap but I was so amped up about the bike I couldn’t sleep.  By the end of the day, I was doing ok again.  I am a still sore today though. 

References

References
↑1 I’m also another 10g’s in debt. lol

Good Spirits

scar

It’s been a good couple of days.  Friday morning I woke up in a funk and was a bit down.  Nothing really wrong per se.  I think the being cooped up was getting to me.  Anyway, Friday afternoon my buddy Frank totally surprised me by showing up at my door unannounced.  It was just what the doctor ordered.  I couldn’t have been more delighted and it immediately put me in a better mood.  We hung out, caught up over sushi and spent the evening watching Tivo and movies. [1]He is a big fan of Jon Stewart too! 

Today, we had breakfast (and lunch) with Adam.  Afterwards, I hobbled over to Adam’s place with the group and we played MarioKart and Soul Caliber IV.  It was so nice to feel like my old self again and just enjoy hanging out.  I think it was just what the doctor ordered! 

Afterwards, Frank tagged along to help me shop for a new bike.  I’ve forged a strong relationship with a dealer here in the city.  The same guys I bought my scooter and my last bike from.  They happened to have 2 bikes I was interested in, a Yamaha R6 and a Suzuki GSXR.  I was originally leaning toward the R6 only because they told me the GSXR was red.  I do not care for red at all for a vehicle color.

Well, I got there and they had a surprised for me.  They had 2 GSXR’s.  One red and one blue!  I think I pee’d a little I was so excited.  Needless to say, I chose the Blue GSXR750.  Wahoooo!

GSXR750

Here is a pic of the exact bike.  Did you touch yourself yet?  I know I did.  I finish the paperwork this week and should be able to bring it home by Friday.  Keep your fingers crossed all goes according to plan! 

References

References
↑1 He is a big fan of Jon Stewart too!

As The World Turns…

Life is slowly returning to normal (normal as can be expected considering).  My shoulder is a mild discomfort for the most part.  That is, as long as I don’t try to lift it over my head or stretch it too much.

I’m scheduled to go back to work this Sunday on modified duty.  For clarity, I’m not rushing it.  I’m more than able to type consistently again.  Work is more than aware I am not 100% and has agreed to alter my schedule to accommodate me.  For the most part, I’ll be on channel which requires significantly less typing.  Of course, lots of Union drama has been going on since I left.  Plenty of work in that regard waiting on me.  But again, that involves my brain not my shoulder. lol

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I got a little good news today.  The insurance company is gonna give me $3800.00 for my old bike.  I was surprised as that is slightly more than the blue book value.  Apparently, they take the selling price of the same bike from dealers in the area and then average it out.  I guess that puts the rate on my side as dealers always try to get as much as they can.  I still owe about $1100 on the old bike.  Minus that plus the deductible, fees, etc and I’m left with a little over $2000.  That is a nice down payment for a new bike. 

I’m going tomorrow to look at a R6 and and GSXR.  I know for some of you this is all greek. lol  I’m leaning toward the R6 only because it is the color I want.  My old bike was only 500ccs  The R6 is 600 and the GSXR is 750.  I actually wanted a CBR but the only two I’ve found that I like aren’t the color I like and have too many miles on’em.  There aren’t that many motorcycle dealers in SF so my options are a little limited. 

The best news of all.  I called around today and got a great rate from my credit union.  I’m already pre-approved which gives me a little bargaining power when I show up.    Wish me luck!

We Can Rebuild Him…

I thought I’d share my x-rays for all to see how bionic I am now. hehehe

Broken Bone - Closeup

This is the best one.  Notice how much the two bones are overlapping.  I would have lost a significant amount of motion had I not opted for the surgery.  Also, take a close look at the top bone.  There is a tiny broken piece sticking off the end.  This one was completely loose and just sort of floating between the muscles.  The doc had originally planned to remove it but ended up keeping it. 

 

Broken Bone

This one was to check my ribs.  While 2 of them got bruised up quite a bit there were no fractures.  Yay!  I was scared I’d end up with a flail segment (read very painful).  I also found out my 2nd rib had been broken before unbeknownst to me.  He said the injury was so old it could have happened when I was a child. 

 

Fixed

And here is the finished product.  The metal looks a tad larger than it actually is from the angle and the refraction. [1]Metal and bone are of different density hence they refract differently  Notice the little roundish looking blob of metal.  That is actually a screw holding the tiny piece that was broken off completely.  The doc says the breaks were clean enough he could keep it.  Now notice the line on the bottom of the bone.  See how even it looks?  That means the bone should heal up nicely.  The doc says I should retain about 98% of the motion and range. 

Sadly, it will be a least a month if not two before I’m hitting the weights with any significant intensity.  I go back in 3 weeks for physical therapy (if needed).  The good news is I’ll still be able to lift weights in the future.  Had I not had the surgery that would not have been the case. 

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I had several folks asking why I was planning on getting another bike.  Well, the easiest answer is because I want one. *G*  I find the question a bit odd actually.  No one ever asks a person who survives a car crash why they are getting another car.  heeheee

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Remind me some day soon to regale you with the gory tribulations of trying to perform normal bodily functions/maintenance w/just one hand.  lol 

References

References
↑1 Metal and bone are of different density hence they refract differently

On The Mend

Mending

 

Short and sweet, I’m doing better today. 

The longer version:
For those not in the know, I had shoulder surgery this past Wednesday to repair my collar bone.  I also got a nice metal plate to cover the bone. [1]I can’t wait till I fly again.  TFA came into town (on his birthday no less) to stay with me.  He had already planned to be here however, he deserves a recommendation for sainthood after putting up w/my constant up/down emotions.  That said, I can’t tell you how much better I felt having him here.  He stayed with me thru the surgery and made sure I got home safe/sound. 

I’m sad to say all of the friends who did sit around with me got to see my really cranky side.  Not towards them mind you, and I’m by no means a nasty person but, anyone outside my immediate bubble was an easy target for my anger.  I really am a big baby when I get hurt/sick. 

Anyway, yesterday the pain was almost unbearable.  I pushed my 4 hour limit all day long for taking pain meds.  Moving was almost impossible and trying to function in any capacity was a struggle.

Today was much better.  I was in about half as much pain and moving around did not send pain down my spine.  I got out of the apt a couple times and even found the energy to catch up on my blogroll a bit.

I must say all the well-wishes from everyone has totally blown me away.  I’m not yet able to type out replies to everyone but I want you all to know how grateful I am.  The replies and good thoughts brought me to tears more than a few times.

The doc says I’ll be back at work in about 2 weeks but the working out will have to wait several months.  I’m sad about that but it is what it is. 

Ok, I’ve reached my limit for typing w/o pain, more later and again thank you all so very much for checking in on me and well wishes!

References

References
↑1 I can’t wait till I fly again.