Year 2-Day #61...
May. 16th, 2021 08:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatTurning on the A/C did wonders for my allergies. Kind of like night and day. So it obviously cleaned the air or helped.
Humid today and warm, low seventies. With sliding dark clouds, but alas, no rain.
Below is a picture of twenty year old me, in 1987, on a train platform outside London, England - I think we were coming back from a day trip to either Cambridge or Oxford. I cropped it so, it's just me in the photo. College buddy sent it to me - she'd found it while cleaning stuff out of her Momma's house. (I've two non-social media college buddies that I've stayed in contact with over the years, Wales (who is crazy) and Ames (who is sane). Both veer clear of social media for different reasons. One does it - because she's crazy, the other because she's sane.)
Sigh, I'm young, and thin. Look a little bit like my niece actually.
Also wickedly tall - the others in the photo's heads are in line with my waist and chest. My waist is in line with their chests. I'm like five feet of leg.
Now, alas, I'm middle aged and fat. I thought I was fat back then - I wasn't. I am now. I managed to somehow gain thirty pounds during the pandemic - and don't fit in a lot of clothes that I was wearing last year at this time. Pants yes, shirts not so much. Why? It all went to my bust and belly. I told my mother - I looked pregnant. She said that she did too - same thing happened to her. I've decided to go off alcohol and sugar this summer, just fruit. (I say that after treating myself to a bowl of vanilla ice cream with blueberries and blackberries on top, and melted chocolate (it's melted dark chocolate at least). So everything but the fruit was bad for me.
I did however manage to go through my clothing and put all the clothes that don't fit in a vacuum sealed bag which I shoved under the bed. All my turtle necks and winter clothes equally in one. Then put the rest in my trunk and dresser. The trunk got the swimsuits, and summer clothes that don't quite fit, along with some of the winter- early spring clothes that do.
It's supposed to get in the eighties by the end of the week.
If anything it motivated me to work on my diet, exercises, and walking more. If I ever get sent back into the office - I'll be walking more, at least.
Next up? I need to schedule some non-primary care doctors appointments. (I've been procrastinating.)
Took a walk to the farmer's market after church service - to see if they had any gluten free bagels, and still took clothing for recycling. Discovered the bagels were a lost cause - hard as rocks and cinnamon/raisin. And so was the recycling - they don't appear to be doing food scraps or clothing any longer. I was bummed. Stupid pandemic.
I don't know what I'm going to do with all the clothing I need to get rid of? I suppose I could just drop it off to the basement - it just feels wrong somehow.
During said walk, went a bit nuts taking flowers. Told one gentlemen who had a lovely garden - that I was just taking pictures of flowers - it was my new hobby. (Actually taking pictures of things that don't move is my new hobby.)
On said walk, folks wore masks and didn't wear masks. More and more people are popping up without them - but to be fair? That was true last year at this time - as it got warmer, less folks wore them. Personally, they help with allergies, but they are also hot and hard to breath with. I wore it, but admittedly pulled it down when people weren't about.
Talked to mother today - who was worried about father. He'd not slept well, his stomach was hurting, and he was not feeling well. So she couldn't go see him. My father like the rest of us, hates being around people when he's not feeling well. He just wants to curl up and be left alone. We're really hard for people to take care of - or we don't make it easy for them.
Me: I drove people nuts when I broke my foot. They wanted to help me. I wanted to be left alone. And didn't want any help. And I didn't want to ask for any. I'm a really hard person to help or take care of - I don't like being taken care of or asking for help.
Mother: You're no different from the rest of us. It's a family trait. Just ask your sister-in-law - whose family is the exact opposite - they are very demanding, and high maintenance, we aren't.
Me: Yep. I don't understand people who are.
Mother: Yeah, she didn't quite know what to do with us - we never demand anything of her or anyone else, while her family did.
Anyhow, she called me back at around 5, to let me know that my father was feeling much better. Wandering about. And talkative. Night and day. So apparently the meds for the UTI worked. I told mother to take the win. She was feeling helpless - and since she can't move about - she can't really advocate for him. I feel helpless - I should be advocating for them. But alas I can't. I know my brother feels that way as well. It's hard living so far away - but it's what my parents chose.
Watched the fourth episode of The Nevers - and I am having difficulty following it. It's hard to care about any of the characters - and I've the same issues with it that I had with Marvel Agents of Shield.
Too many characters, a tendency to fall into overdone character tropes, and
cliche.
There's super-powered aliens. The aliens left behind soldiers. Mrs True and Maladie were left behind and are apparently aliens. I think the aliens took over the women's bodies. Lavina wants to figure them out and do away with them - she's unearthed the space ship that caused the powers. Manson does to, but he's not in league with Lavina?? Swan wants to exploit them, as does the Beggar King, but they aren't working together? Women are disenfranchised, as is anyone who isn't white. There's class issues, although they are kind of in the background. Penance (who is a flaky inventor similar to the flaky inventors on Marvel Agents of Shield, Dollhouse, Angel, and Buffy - except I liked Fred and Willow better, they were smarter and less annoying. I don't know why this character archetype gets dumber in each version...but they do. It may be the actors? Hannigan and Acker played them as socially awkward, but super bright, while the actresses in Shield and Nevers play them as kind of like idiot savants?
At any rate, it's not holding my interest - I'm bored. I don't care about anyone. I don't like anyone. And I feel like I watched this already with Marvel Agents of Shield (which I also wasn't exactly into or liked), except without all the annoying Victorian trappings (and I don't like Victorian Steampunk. I was never into the Victorian Age - the appeal is lost on me.)
Wish I could say the writing was better than Agent's of Sheild - it's not.
The acting? Eh...about the same. Oh well, there's only two episodes left - might as well finish it. But I don't see myself waiting with bated breath for the next group of episodes.
I suggest everyone watch Jupiter's Legacy and Shadow and Bone over on Netflix instead. Or the MCU shows on Disney +. OR Mare of East Town.
Hopefully next week won't be too stressful. I'm not sure what my crazy workplace has in store for me. Or my parents health for that matter - they appear to be in a holding pattern. Taking turns going into the hospital, and taking turns feeling poorly. They do see each other periodically, but can't be together any longer. This is taking its toll on both - I suspect.
I don't know what to do. Nothing. I can't really do much of anything, but be supportive, and hope it turns around for the better soon.
Hope...such a fragile thing really. I get my hopes up, they get dashed. Yet, I realize how lucky I am. I have a nice enough apartment, a job, good health care, a loving family (if distant), friends (if distant), and for the most part my health. There are folks who have none of that. People with no indoor plumbing. No roof over their heads. No jobs. No health care. No bed. No family. And have lost loved ones to the virus.
My heart goes out to them. I feel for them. And yet, like me, they cling to hope.
Humid today and warm, low seventies. With sliding dark clouds, but alas, no rain.
Below is a picture of twenty year old me, in 1987, on a train platform outside London, England - I think we were coming back from a day trip to either Cambridge or Oxford. I cropped it so, it's just me in the photo. College buddy sent it to me - she'd found it while cleaning stuff out of her Momma's house. (I've two non-social media college buddies that I've stayed in contact with over the years, Wales (who is crazy) and Ames (who is sane). Both veer clear of social media for different reasons. One does it - because she's crazy, the other because she's sane.)
Sigh, I'm young, and thin. Look a little bit like my niece actually.
Also wickedly tall - the others in the photo's heads are in line with my waist and chest. My waist is in line with their chests. I'm like five feet of leg.
Now, alas, I'm middle aged and fat. I thought I was fat back then - I wasn't. I am now. I managed to somehow gain thirty pounds during the pandemic - and don't fit in a lot of clothes that I was wearing last year at this time. Pants yes, shirts not so much. Why? It all went to my bust and belly. I told my mother - I looked pregnant. She said that she did too - same thing happened to her. I've decided to go off alcohol and sugar this summer, just fruit. (I say that after treating myself to a bowl of vanilla ice cream with blueberries and blackberries on top, and melted chocolate (it's melted dark chocolate at least). So everything but the fruit was bad for me.
I did however manage to go through my clothing and put all the clothes that don't fit in a vacuum sealed bag which I shoved under the bed. All my turtle necks and winter clothes equally in one. Then put the rest in my trunk and dresser. The trunk got the swimsuits, and summer clothes that don't quite fit, along with some of the winter- early spring clothes that do.
It's supposed to get in the eighties by the end of the week.
If anything it motivated me to work on my diet, exercises, and walking more. If I ever get sent back into the office - I'll be walking more, at least.
Next up? I need to schedule some non-primary care doctors appointments. (I've been procrastinating.)
Took a walk to the farmer's market after church service - to see if they had any gluten free bagels, and still took clothing for recycling. Discovered the bagels were a lost cause - hard as rocks and cinnamon/raisin. And so was the recycling - they don't appear to be doing food scraps or clothing any longer. I was bummed. Stupid pandemic.
I don't know what I'm going to do with all the clothing I need to get rid of? I suppose I could just drop it off to the basement - it just feels wrong somehow.
During said walk, went a bit nuts taking flowers. Told one gentlemen who had a lovely garden - that I was just taking pictures of flowers - it was my new hobby. (Actually taking pictures of things that don't move is my new hobby.)
On said walk, folks wore masks and didn't wear masks. More and more people are popping up without them - but to be fair? That was true last year at this time - as it got warmer, less folks wore them. Personally, they help with allergies, but they are also hot and hard to breath with. I wore it, but admittedly pulled it down when people weren't about.
Talked to mother today - who was worried about father. He'd not slept well, his stomach was hurting, and he was not feeling well. So she couldn't go see him. My father like the rest of us, hates being around people when he's not feeling well. He just wants to curl up and be left alone. We're really hard for people to take care of - or we don't make it easy for them.
Me: I drove people nuts when I broke my foot. They wanted to help me. I wanted to be left alone. And didn't want any help. And I didn't want to ask for any. I'm a really hard person to help or take care of - I don't like being taken care of or asking for help.
Mother: You're no different from the rest of us. It's a family trait. Just ask your sister-in-law - whose family is the exact opposite - they are very demanding, and high maintenance, we aren't.
Me: Yep. I don't understand people who are.
Mother: Yeah, she didn't quite know what to do with us - we never demand anything of her or anyone else, while her family did.
Anyhow, she called me back at around 5, to let me know that my father was feeling much better. Wandering about. And talkative. Night and day. So apparently the meds for the UTI worked. I told mother to take the win. She was feeling helpless - and since she can't move about - she can't really advocate for him. I feel helpless - I should be advocating for them. But alas I can't. I know my brother feels that way as well. It's hard living so far away - but it's what my parents chose.
Watched the fourth episode of The Nevers - and I am having difficulty following it. It's hard to care about any of the characters - and I've the same issues with it that I had with Marvel Agents of Shield.
Too many characters, a tendency to fall into overdone character tropes, and
cliche.
There's super-powered aliens. The aliens left behind soldiers. Mrs True and Maladie were left behind and are apparently aliens. I think the aliens took over the women's bodies. Lavina wants to figure them out and do away with them - she's unearthed the space ship that caused the powers. Manson does to, but he's not in league with Lavina?? Swan wants to exploit them, as does the Beggar King, but they aren't working together? Women are disenfranchised, as is anyone who isn't white. There's class issues, although they are kind of in the background. Penance (who is a flaky inventor similar to the flaky inventors on Marvel Agents of Shield, Dollhouse, Angel, and Buffy - except I liked Fred and Willow better, they were smarter and less annoying. I don't know why this character archetype gets dumber in each version...but they do. It may be the actors? Hannigan and Acker played them as socially awkward, but super bright, while the actresses in Shield and Nevers play them as kind of like idiot savants?
At any rate, it's not holding my interest - I'm bored. I don't care about anyone. I don't like anyone. And I feel like I watched this already with Marvel Agents of Shield (which I also wasn't exactly into or liked), except without all the annoying Victorian trappings (and I don't like Victorian Steampunk. I was never into the Victorian Age - the appeal is lost on me.)
Wish I could say the writing was better than Agent's of Sheild - it's not.
The acting? Eh...about the same. Oh well, there's only two episodes left - might as well finish it. But I don't see myself waiting with bated breath for the next group of episodes.
I suggest everyone watch Jupiter's Legacy and Shadow and Bone over on Netflix instead. Or the MCU shows on Disney +. OR Mare of East Town.
Hopefully next week won't be too stressful. I'm not sure what my crazy workplace has in store for me. Or my parents health for that matter - they appear to be in a holding pattern. Taking turns going into the hospital, and taking turns feeling poorly. They do see each other periodically, but can't be together any longer. This is taking its toll on both - I suspect.
I don't know what to do. Nothing. I can't really do much of anything, but be supportive, and hope it turns around for the better soon.
Hope...such a fragile thing really. I get my hopes up, they get dashed. Yet, I realize how lucky I am. I have a nice enough apartment, a job, good health care, a loving family (if distant), friends (if distant), and for the most part my health. There are folks who have none of that. People with no indoor plumbing. No roof over their heads. No jobs. No health care. No bed. No family. And have lost loved ones to the virus.
My heart goes out to them. I feel for them. And yet, like me, they cling to hope.
no subject
Date: 2021-05-17 03:04 am (UTC)Yay for UTI meds, anyway. And thank you for sharing the old photograph, despite the changes I sure still see you in it.
no subject
Date: 2021-05-17 01:32 pm (UTC)And you're welcome. I guess I must have shared a current photo recently - oh right hair cut.
no subject
Date: 2021-05-17 07:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-05-17 01:31 pm (UTC)1) my clothes most likely don't fit them and they are men not women
2) Salvation Army doesn't take worn clothing, just gently used - and there's none near me.
3.) No food banks nearby that I can get too - also they don't take clothing.
Housing Works does - but gently used. Same with Thrift stores - gently used. And there's none nearby. I would involve lugging via cab or subway which is problematic at the moment.
Church? Gently used.
I've actually thought about it, believe it or not.
no subject
Date: 2021-05-17 12:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-05-17 01:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2021-05-17 07:25 pm (UTC)I also have about 15 books, all kinds, also no takers. But at least paper is compostable.
The flower pics look great and the ones on stalks, look amazing, like a fantasy landscape.
no subject
Date: 2021-05-17 07:52 pm (UTC)Yeah, it is impossible on clothing. They used to have places in the area to dump clothing off at - but those appear to be gone. I want the recycle textiles - because that works best. I may just dump it in the basement like others have and see what happens. Don't know. Maybe just wait a bit longer and see what pops back up?
Outside of underwear - I'm not willing to throw in the trash.
no subject
Date: 2021-05-20 09:29 am (UTC)Well, you've already been walking a lot, which helps greatly both with physical and mental health, and I can personally attest to that in my own sitch.
Ironically, being diagnosed with Type 2 was ultimately a benefit for me in that it gave me the push I needed to watch what I eat far more carefully. Doggone sugars and complex carbs sneak into almost everything once you start reading labels (which I rarely did pre-diabetes).
Another major thing I found to be helpful is my glucose meter. Having an unacceptably high reading number staring you right in the face I find to be an excellent incentive to curb my baked goods and ice cream binges when they start to creep in. For me fortunately, the pandemic didn't cause me to gain weight, but winter and the near-depression it always causes me is wicked good at doing that.
I even told my doctor when I was in for a routine checkup (this was February) that my A1C would likely be up, and told him why. (Sure enough, it was. Now it's back down again, thanks to that meter). I have no desire whatsoever to have to go back on meds for this condition.
But ice cream is tough. It's like my heroin, almost, and there's plenty of really, really good brands of it in my neck of the woods. Yeesh!
What? Turkey Hill All Natural Salted Caramel?? No, no... be strong, dude! Yes, it's... it's on sale at almost half off??? ... no, you don't wanna buy it... no, no, you don't.
Good lord-- Ben & Jerry's is on sale too???? Noooooooo!
( Quickly moves shopping cart over to the next aisle )
Eeek!