David's Tangled Thoughts

When Battlestar Galactica ended a little while ago, I was left with nothing to watch from Monday to Friday. Okay, there is plenty to watch but nothing that I am particularly interested in with the exception of news which I primarily get from NBC Nightly and Fox *. I used to watch CSI on Thursdays but lost interest about two seasons back. Everything that I care to watch is actually jammed pack into Sunday night. It’s packed in so tightly that they overlap. 2000-2100: The Amazing Race ( CBS ) 2100-2200: Family Guy ( FOX ), American Dad (FOX), Desperate Housewives ( ABC ) 2200-2300: Brothers & Sisters (ABC) That’s it. Oh, occasionally I will watch The Big Bang Theory (CBS) if I happen to stumble upon it after the news. I did, though, make an effort to check out a new series that NBC came out with earlier this month. I’ve watched three episodes of Southland and I think that I have found a new series to get interested in. (BTW, damn you ABC for canceling Eli Stone !) At

After breaking my leg, I have decided that I will no longer do, or plan to do, roller skating, bungee jumping , hiking , skydiving , biking , and tennis. For the first time, I went to Walmart to buy some groceries. I tried to hold off as long as I could but today I had to suck it up and do it. I managed to get a good space just next to the ones reserved for handicapped people. I hobbled in and for the first time ever-decades before I thought I would-took one of those electric scooters. Now I have no problem with people who genuinely need to use a scooter. After all, this Super Walmart has a larger footprint than the standard Super Walmarts. However, I do have a problem with people who use the damn things but don’t actually need it. Usually they are middle aged and obese. Sometimes they are teens who like to fart around with a motorized equipment. I don’t know into what category strapping young men with broken legs fall into. Acceptable or not acceptable? Ah, screw it. I’m no

It's a big day for my sister! UPDATE 2300: Okay so that was a mobile post from this morning. I wish I had more pictures to show you but you know-cell phone, dim environment, the subjects being a 1/4 mile away-doesn't make for good photos. I'll have to see if my parents got any good ones. Anyways, today was the commencement for my sister, Kris, my cousin, Eric, and my aunt, Tina. (Congratulations to them!) We had only expected to see Kris there. We also knew that Aunt Tina and Eric were graduating but we didn't know if they were going to be in the same ceremony. It turned out that they were in the same ceremony and they even walked out one after another. Three family members graduating together, I don't think that happened for anyone else there. My sister is staying up in Kzoo for now. She's expecting to be accepted into a masters program and start this fall. I'm green with envy-not with Spartan pride this time.

Because I use the old-man walker, I avoid going out in public. Aside the necessary trips to the Doctor’s, lab, Walgreens , and gas station, I am only going back and forth from my job to home. I don’t really like the idea of people looking at me or, especially, kids pointing at me. I’ll save it for when I break out the crutches. BUT, I did go out last night. I was planning to meet up with Stacey and Kraig. Stacey was going to let me borrow her crutches (and save me about $100) when she also asked if I wanted to go to the movies and see Earth which was premiering. I took her up on the offer and saw it with her, Val, and Adam. So this movie, Earth is a big freakin’ rip-off. Hold on there, because I’m about to get even more confusing than I normally am. Anyways, the film is gorgeous and the fact that it’s narrated by James Earl Jones is just icing on the cake. The reason why it’s a rip off? I’ve seen it before! While they were showing the segment on the polar bear and her two c

“Do you want to hold him?” “Nuh uh. Babies and I have an understanding. I don’t hold them and they don’t lose their heads.” I did see little Noah on Tuesday. Like all most babies, he’s so cute ! He’s just a little thing being only three weeks old (and a couple years from being safely handled by me). Stacey took pictures so if she’s feeling good about it, you might see him on her site . Here’s the “new” desk. I’ve got twice the surface space and half the storage space now. Despite the fact that it’s a hand-me-down that’s about to fall apart (seriously, it won’t survive another transfer), I do like it.

2009 has not started off well for many people I know. Maybe there is some kind of cosmic conspiracy going on? It's so easy for me to get into a funk and with all that has been happening, I'm hanging by my nails trying to stay positive. Tomorrow I'm going to see Noah, Erin's new baby boy. Noah is probably the bright spot of these last few months. As long as I can look and not touch we'll be alright. Many of you readers are probably aware that I'm afraid of babies. It's pretty much like a bull in a china shop kind of fears. It's been over two years and I haven't even picked up Ethan, a kid of another friend. But really, I love to look at babies. To me they are like little miracles. They are new to the world and for brief moments while I am with them, it's like I am new to the world too. Oh I do hope that kid is asleep when I get there!

I made some quick calculations this morning to see about making a spur of the moment trip to Minnesota. I had just received a message from a friend that he tested positive for HIV. I cannot even begin to imagine what must be going through his head or what he is feeling. I called him and he picked up and asked, "how are you doing?". Sly guy had already turned the table on me because that was my line! I suppose that when you get right down to it, we are all biting our nails hoping and praying that the next results will indicate this first one to be a false positive. I honestly don't know how to react. When I called I was constantly fumbling because everything that was coming out of my mouth just didn't seem to convey what I truly wanted to convey. But there were things that I wanted to express too but had to make sure I suppressed them. I dunno...the whole situation is just a big fuck up. All I want to do right now is hug him.

One of the supervisors, out of the blue, came up to me and said that I needed a bigger desk. While I could use the extra space, I never made inquiries about getting a bigger desk. I tend to deal with what I've got but I certainly wasn't going to argue with him. So I'm getting a bigger desk and, I assume, more work and responsibility. Suits me just fine, I can use all the work experience I can find. So this is what my desk looks like now. It's definitely a step-up from what I started with . I've seen what the new desk looks like but I haven't taken a picture of it. When it is assembled and decked out, I'll let y'all have a look. Let me just say--it's big.

Another blogger, Edro Edro , tuned me into an artist I never heard before. Please check out Matt Alber : I haven't gotten around to listening to all the songs that he has available on his sites but based on what I've heard so far, I'm really digging him. If you like him too, please spread the word. Matt Alber is definitely someone I'd like to hear more material from.

The cast got taken off today and I got to see my naked leg for the first time in a few weeks. It's still pretty gross. I was told that I was going to be white, wrinkly, and hairy. Nope. I was dark, splotchy, smooth, and had very little hair regrowth. It still looks a little swollen and feels limp in some ways and stiff in others. The bone alignments is still great. The skin is healing well too. The bones aren't healing as fast as the doctor wants. He wants me to go through some kind of electro-therapy. My insurance company wouldn't pay for crutches. I have a feeling that they aren't going for this. And with a $30,000+ bill hanging over my head, I'm reluctant to take on any more than absolutely necessary.

In the building that I work at, most of the people work at the north end. There is a restroom for the guys and one for the gals at that end which offers privacy because it only accommodates one person at a time and you can lock the door. So as you prepare to unleash hell on Earth, you don’t have to worry about offending anyone. I don’t work at that end, and there is a closer restroom that I normally use but it’s not wheelchair friendly. I’ve been wheeling myself down to the north end to use this one and all the time I wonder who the hell is getting there before me because this isn’t the first time I’ve seen it: I mean, I just don’t get it. The urinal is right there . It’s no more scarier than the bowl. Kudos for lifting the seat but was it really all that necessary?

I figured out my taxes and for the first time, I actually have to pay money into the state government. What they’ve already withheld from my paycheck wasn’t enough. So there it is, a heavily edited photo of my three dollar check. I toyed with the idea of sending in a tea bag with my check but decided that it wouldn’t be worth the possible hassle.

My aunt hosted an Easter get-together for the family. I wasn’t keen on going since the last time I went to one of those, I got grilled. Considering the second eldest cousin (I’m the oldest) is now engaged to be married, I’m waiting for the questions to start flying about me. Although I’m pretty sure that they have a good idea that I’m gay already. If not, then they’re in denial—which is a pretty good possibility. I decided to go because, hey, it’s family. The food was pretty good. Grandma brought German potato salad which I like. My aunt made a large ham but also made some fake ham which I could have because I detest ham. Dad, missing no opportunity to take a dig, said that it makes me a Jew or a Muslim. My aunt’s efforts were appreciated but the fake ham tasted like real ham… which is the problem. And what family get together wouldn’t be complete without watching a right winger movie? They played some movie that I never heard of called An American Carol . It is a parody of

I had a half day today but I managed to keep myself occupied for the afternoon. Check out the to-do list: Call the insurance company and inquire as to why 1.) the ambulance charge was being “pended,” 2.) the x-rays were being rejected and 3.) they need me to tell them—for the third time over the phone—how I got injured. Call x-ray lab to tell them to expect to be hearing back from my insurance company so that I can get an extension on my bills. Call the hospital to find out if my ambulance bill was rolled into their ER bill because I haven’t received one yet but my insurance company apparently has (because they told me it was “pended”). Call my Doctor’s office to call in my prescription for my anti-blood clotting medication. Call pharmacist to arrange a pick-up of that medication. Go pay the wheelchair rent. Go pay the car insurance. Go and get the oil changed. Go to the lab and get blood drawn. Makes miss the days of only a few weeks ago which consisted of getting up, working for 8 h

Man, it seems like I just can’t catch a break! I’m just now getting back to normal cripple mode as the flu that I’ve been suffering under has broken. Hell, apart from remembering that I woke up at 1400 to use the bathroom, I don’t remember anything of Saturday. There were a couple of things that I remember on the news that I thought, “I’m going to blog on that.” Then a few minutes later I was probably knocked out. Pain pills are good for that. But here are a few that I remember in no particular order: President Obama gave Queen Elizabeth an iPod containing, among other things, recordings of his speeches. Are we trying to guide her to the grave? You would think that one of his advisors would have told the President that she’s already got one. Even I know that she’s got an iPod. But then again, what do you get for a person who has practically everything? President Obama also spoke of his support for Turkey’s entrance into the EU. Just shut-up please! We are not in the EU so wh

I'm writing you drugged up as I can possibly make myself. My right knee is fucking killing me. All the hopping and the supporting of my weight is just tearing that shit up. I've been cutting down on the pain pills for my leg only to start on them again for my knee. Scotty had it right. Whenever you have to tell someone how long a job will take, always inflate it. While my claims for a Thursday completion for the end of the month reporting was an honest estimate, I managed to get it done four hours before Boss 1 of 5's imposed deadline. And I got kudos for it. Go me! I knocked that crap out so fast that it amazed even me. One of our major clients (rhymes with phony) came in today for their yearly audit. I'll be part of the audit process tomorrow but they were here for stuff that doesn't directly concern me. They are young ones, probably recent college graduates. I got annoyed with the two. The first one annoyed me as he kept typing things into his iPhone.