The newest news is that I am ow wearing contacts (again). I needed new glasses, so decided to try contacts as well. I'm in multifocal lenses, which means that I can read as well as see distance without glasses. In a perfect world I would have clear vision 'at all distances' as the marketing writeups claim. It is a work in progress, but these lenses are pretty close. Now to see how much I can get glasses for on-line. I mentioned in an earlier post that I did go to Mexico for glasses, but didn't like any of the frames. I haven't liked any of the frames around here, either. So, I'll see what I can find in the world wide web.
Getting a clean bill of health, especially for my back, has left me with no excuse to not exercise. I have not been back to the gym as that was what seemed to accelerate the pain issues in my back. I am trying to remember to do the Step 1 of the Convict Conditioning exercises to start getting my core stronger. It does tend to involve a lot of watching the videos of the guys demonstrating the exercises on YouTube. They seem nice.
With yesterday's rain the triple digit temperatures seems to finally be gone. I've started cleaning the massive amount of dust off of things on the screened porch, and even swept my walks and carport. I continue to get rid of a few things here and there, and hope to get the piles of papers scanned and/or shredded. Staying home on weekends until the first weekend in November when I go to Las Vegas again.
That is most of what is going on. Mom is fine, the cats are healthy and happy. Work is... challenging. Less said about it the better.
Sunday, October 18, 2015
Sunday, October 04, 2015
First Day
Actually I'm on the 3rd day at this point. The picture I sent in the previous post from when I was in Las Vegas is my Before picture. Let's just say it was a bit of an awakening. I don't see myself that way. So, now that my back is not hurting so much I'm on a major makeover. I'm back to walking more as it is cooling down a bit here. I've added some more supplements suggested by my doctor.
And, let's talk about my doctor's appointment. I'm in better shape than I thought in general. Just a bit of arthritis in my back which is fixable to some degree, my cholesterol is below 200, osteoporosis is just barely starting to register. I do have a nodule in my throat area to have checked out, and basically just do weight bearing exercises to get my core strong for my back and my bones. Hense, the first days of the rest of my life.
Financially I'm going to really, really tighten up so I can see an end to my work life and a start to retirement. I will continue to weed out stuff and get rid of things. That has been going well, but I'm at a bit of a slow point where I've gotten rid of most things that I knew I was ready to let go. Time to get tougher with this. I'm cooking more at home for health and financial reasons. It is just time to start attending to the many details that life had gotten in the way of handling up to this point.
So, I may or may not post 'in transition' pictures. However, it is good to remember how to post via email for the times I'm on my phone and want to just post a quick picture.
And, let's talk about my doctor's appointment. I'm in better shape than I thought in general. Just a bit of arthritis in my back which is fixable to some degree, my cholesterol is below 200, osteoporosis is just barely starting to register. I do have a nodule in my throat area to have checked out, and basically just do weight bearing exercises to get my core strong for my back and my bones. Hense, the first days of the rest of my life.
Financially I'm going to really, really tighten up so I can see an end to my work life and a start to retirement. I will continue to weed out stuff and get rid of things. That has been going well, but I'm at a bit of a slow point where I've gotten rid of most things that I knew I was ready to let go. Time to get tougher with this. I'm cooking more at home for health and financial reasons. It is just time to start attending to the many details that life had gotten in the way of handling up to this point.
So, I may or may not post 'in transition' pictures. However, it is good to remember how to post via email for the times I'm on my phone and want to just post a quick picture.
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Coming up for air
Mom and I went to Laughlin for 2 nights, on Harrah's dime. We took the bus from Surprise. It was about 4 hours each way. It was an ok vacation. Not a lot to do without any transportation. I enjoyed the river taxis and am in awe at how personable the guys are to everyone. I'd be done quickly dealing with folks all day like that. The casinos, none of them, were paying anything. I don't think I'll go back anytime soon.
This trip had been planned when I was on nights to coincide with my nights off. When I went to days it was with the stipulation that I still got those days off. I accidently scheduled the trip to start on Labor day, so I got holiday pay for that one, and comp time for the other holidays I'd worked this summer to round out most of the rest of the time. It irks me that they now have so many of us on days that we were all pleaded with by our team lead to please take some vacation. So, I ended up with the rest of the week off. Meantime, my former night partner is working alone because the one they put with him in my place is off for surgery. I'm not bitter much. Long story.
So, with the heat still on, but cooling a tad, and the casinos not paying and work not fun at all, I've stayed quiet. I am still sorting and getting rid of stuff. No pictures of the damage from the storm here at the park for a couple of reasons. Since most of the damage was of lost awnings and carports and skirting, unless you knew how it looked before it just looks like we have a bunch of newly arrived mobiles here. The ones with more damage I just find really sad and don't feel like putting that out to the world. Mom and I were blessed with very little damage, and that was cosmetic, fixed with a few screws tightened here and there.
I did finally get to a doctor. So far I've had blood work done and my back x-ray'd. I have some more tests scheduled, then I go back for a look-see at what was found. My back is getting worse, but the pain is moving around. All lower back, but it seems to be traveling up down and sideways. I'm getting back to walking. Found a fitness routine called Convict Conditioning that starts out really easy, so I'm easing into that. The name is obviously a marketing thing, but if you check YouTube there are all the directions. I watch them a lot. I need to get the movements right, ya know. The guy demonstrating may or may not be especially motivating to me. :)
This trip had been planned when I was on nights to coincide with my nights off. When I went to days it was with the stipulation that I still got those days off. I accidently scheduled the trip to start on Labor day, so I got holiday pay for that one, and comp time for the other holidays I'd worked this summer to round out most of the rest of the time. It irks me that they now have so many of us on days that we were all pleaded with by our team lead to please take some vacation. So, I ended up with the rest of the week off. Meantime, my former night partner is working alone because the one they put with him in my place is off for surgery. I'm not bitter much. Long story.
So, with the heat still on, but cooling a tad, and the casinos not paying and work not fun at all, I've stayed quiet. I am still sorting and getting rid of stuff. No pictures of the damage from the storm here at the park for a couple of reasons. Since most of the damage was of lost awnings and carports and skirting, unless you knew how it looked before it just looks like we have a bunch of newly arrived mobiles here. The ones with more damage I just find really sad and don't feel like putting that out to the world. Mom and I were blessed with very little damage, and that was cosmetic, fixed with a few screws tightened here and there.
I did finally get to a doctor. So far I've had blood work done and my back x-ray'd. I have some more tests scheduled, then I go back for a look-see at what was found. My back is getting worse, but the pain is moving around. All lower back, but it seems to be traveling up down and sideways. I'm getting back to walking. Found a fitness routine called Convict Conditioning that starts out really easy, so I'm easing into that. The name is obviously a marketing thing, but if you check YouTube there are all the directions. I watch them a lot. I need to get the movements right, ya know. The guy demonstrating may or may not be especially motivating to me. :)
Monday, August 31, 2015
Electricity is on
Life looks and feels much cooler now. Amazing what more than 24 hours without electric in Phoenix in late summer can teach about dealing with things and what my limits are. The cats and I were about at our limit. More later.
Sunday, August 30, 2015
Shelter from the storm...
We had a bad storm last night, heavy rain, strong wind and hail. Mom and I had only very minor damage that we've found so far but there was a lot of damage to other mobile homes in the park. The only issue now is that several light poles blew over at the main street and we have no electricity and therefore no air conditioning. So far so good as there is a bit ofa breeze aand it isn't too hot yet. I'll get us and the cats aotel room if it gets too bad. Pictures once I'm on the computer rather than the phone. Forgive the typing errors please as I'm not good on this phone key oars.
Monday, July 27, 2015
Controling what I can control
Given that my life will be turned upside down (again) when I go on days in August, I decided the only thing I can do is exercise control over those things I can control. I was (am?) tired of my body hurting when I moved very much at all. I was backing away from things because I was afraid to put my back all the way out instead of just hurting a little as it was every day. So, I joined Planet Fitness. I joined that gym for several reasons. No contract, low buy-out fee, gyms near both where I live and where I work that are open 24 hrs., and low monthly fee. Gypsy (On the Road Again) has been my inspiration (see side bar) for just how much better life can be if I just take control. Also, when I started back walking every day my back pain started to minimize. So far so good. I've gone 3 times, and the constant pain is pretty much gone. I'm easing up to the machines, but so far so good.
Also, like most everyone on the internet I've been reading a lot about the decluttering and storage methods of Marie Kondo. I haven't read the actual book yet. She recommends putting all of a like item (such as ALL your clothes) in a pile and picking up each item and asking if it sparks joy. I haven't gotten that courageous (or fool-hardy!) yet, but I did fold all my tshirts the way she recommends and it does make a difference. For one thing, I can see each and every one of them when I open the drawer. It makes me feel more at choice which one I decide to wear that day. It isn't just what was on the top layer.
The decluttering is part of a deeper plan to get free of having so much stuff. The amount of stuff I own has driven so many of my life decisions in a direction that wasn't optimal for what I really wanted. Stuff costs money to own. It costs emotional energy to maintain and store. So, I'm in deep decluttering mode in order to move forward. A friend at work has a place to donate household goods so I'll be going through all my cookware, pots, pans and skillets , mixing and storage bowls, spatulas and mixing spoons, small appliances, and so forth. I have a lot. Hopefully within the next few weeks I'll have less.
All this is part of the plan not to be dependent on work. As I get rid of stuff I can look into being more mobile. As I sort and shred paperwork I can clear my mind and get my resume and job-seeking skills honed. I'll control those things I can control as I move towards moving to a space of choice rather than a space of taking whatever I can get.
Also, like most everyone on the internet I've been reading a lot about the decluttering and storage methods of Marie Kondo. I haven't read the actual book yet. She recommends putting all of a like item (such as ALL your clothes) in a pile and picking up each item and asking if it sparks joy. I haven't gotten that courageous (or fool-hardy!) yet, but I did fold all my tshirts the way she recommends and it does make a difference. For one thing, I can see each and every one of them when I open the drawer. It makes me feel more at choice which one I decide to wear that day. It isn't just what was on the top layer.
The decluttering is part of a deeper plan to get free of having so much stuff. The amount of stuff I own has driven so many of my life decisions in a direction that wasn't optimal for what I really wanted. Stuff costs money to own. It costs emotional energy to maintain and store. So, I'm in deep decluttering mode in order to move forward. A friend at work has a place to donate household goods so I'll be going through all my cookware, pots, pans and skillets , mixing and storage bowls, spatulas and mixing spoons, small appliances, and so forth. I have a lot. Hopefully within the next few weeks I'll have less.
All this is part of the plan not to be dependent on work. As I get rid of stuff I can look into being more mobile. As I sort and shred paperwork I can clear my mind and get my resume and job-seeking skills honed. I'll control those things I can control as I move towards moving to a space of choice rather than a space of taking whatever I can get.
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Still kerfluffering
About the time I thought things were settling back towards the middle again, a new wrinkle has appeared. I'm being moved to days, weekdays at that. I'm not to see it as a punishment, but an 'opportunity'. Right. Turn my world upside down and expect me to act grateful. I am on nights to get away from a mid-level manager I do not get along with. He likes to prod me and pick fights. Things settled down when I got away from working with him at all. Now they are making me go back. But, it is not a punishment.
I am looking around for more stuff to get rid of. Looking for more ways to save money to pay off the debt. I am about a year from being really able to make a move. I hate being this vulnerable, work enjoys that they have me caught by the... uh... have me caught. I will work on my resume tomorrow night. I have been spitting mad for 4 days, my eyes burn like I've been crying except it is that I am just so livid. I made myself sick the last night of work this week. My partner is going to try to push to keep me on his shift as we work well together. However, the powers that are want to show me they can, uh, mess with me whenever they want. I don't hold much hope.
So, I haven't posted, until now. I'm still so angry.
I am looking around for more stuff to get rid of. Looking for more ways to save money to pay off the debt. I am about a year from being really able to make a move. I hate being this vulnerable, work enjoys that they have me caught by the... uh... have me caught. I will work on my resume tomorrow night. I have been spitting mad for 4 days, my eyes burn like I've been crying except it is that I am just so livid. I made myself sick the last night of work this week. My partner is going to try to push to keep me on his shift as we work well together. However, the powers that are want to show me they can, uh, mess with me whenever they want. I don't hold much hope.
So, I haven't posted, until now. I'm still so angry.
Thursday, July 02, 2015
Just when I think things are going ok
A kerfluffle in the works. Nothing major, but request good thoughts. I'm getting tired of how difficult all this work stuff gets over stupid things, but that is how it goes these days, I guess. More push for me to just get rid of things and downsize again, this time to an RV. Pondering retirement as a real option. Not sure how realistic it is right now, but folks are living on less than I have. Hope this is just a dip in a life that was starting to get settled in for once. I have on 'good authority' that 'no one' will hire me because I'm 60yo now. May have to test that opinion that was handed to me as a bald fact. I'm just tired of the games.
Not one of my better posts.
Not one of my better posts.
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