Fun fact: Today is president-elect Joe Biden’s birthday. He is 78, which is pretty damn old to start a presidency, but whatever, I’m not an ageist. I hope all his birthday wishes come true. In no small part this is because surely one of his birthday wishes is also my big (non-birthday) wish at the moment: An end to the insanity. I’m not going to lie, Trump’s refusal to concede gracefully (or even ungracefully) is causing me a lot of consternation. But, I'm going to do my best to try not to think about it for a while. There's nothing I can do about it, and the constant anxiety is only hurting me. I need to try to focus on other things: Can't let the terrorist's win.
Speaking of winning, the Seahawks scored a big win last night. They're back in first place in the best division in football, which makes me happy. When my sports team do well, it's comfort food, it's a nostalgic melody, it's a shot of dopamine. It really changes nothing about my life, but it makes me feel a little better, and we could all use things that make use feel a little better right now.
Because it is not looking good on the coronavirus front, that's for sure. I've basically gone into lockdown again. Not that I was doing much before, but we would have people over in our backyard or go to another couple's house for a cookout, that type of thing -- very small gatherings, outdoors, masks. But I think we need to cut that out again. For one thing, it's getting too cold to do things outside. (Winter is going to be brutal, trapped inside with the boys.) For another, infection rates are skyrocketing. We have our pod -- our family, one other family, and the sitter -- and I'm sticking to that for now. Even that isn't super safe (obviously I don't have much say in what the other family and the sitter do), but I also have to work, S also has to work, and the kids need to go to (virtual) school, so... it is what it is, so to speak. Hopefully, we can get that vaccine going ASA and P.
In other medical news, the results of my MRI came back. No structural damage. I'm not sure if this is good news or bad news, honestly. It sounds good on its face, but it's not like it makes my shoulder feel any better. Something is bothering me, and if it was something structural, it could likely be fixed with surgery -- fixed being the operative word there. I had microscopic surgery on my knee to repair a partially torn meniscus when I was 18, and the procedure itself was terrible*, as were the next few weeks of recovery, but after that it was like, Whoa, I'm totally better now! No physical therapy, no anti-inflammatories, no more pain or discomfort, whatsoever. It felt like a miracle cure. Since then, I've been very pro-surgery. But repairing a partially torn meniscus is a very easy procedure, as these things go, and I definitely don't have the same regenerative powers today I had 25 years ago. It's quite likely shoulder surgery at 43 would be a very different experience than knee surgery at 18. So, maybe it's good I don't have to go that route.
*Actually, the procedure itself was tremendous, because they gave me awesome drugs and then put me to sleep. But the aftermath, when I came to and the meds wore off, was the worst I've ever felt. It was like that scene in Trainspotting when the baby is crawling on the ceiling and its head turns all the way around.
Instead, I just have to live with arthritis in my shoulder -- that's what the MRI revealed. So it goes. I've entered that stage in my life. Now I know at least, and I can manage it, by which I mean I'll probably just go back to doing Krav Maga and weightlifting in about a month or so. I put a medical freeze on my membership, and once that expires, I plan to resume my training -- my Zoom training, that is. It'll probably only aggravate things in the long-run, but I'll deal with that in another 25 years, when, incidentally, I will still be ten years younger than the president-elect.
Alright, it's late here. Until next time...
I have not checked the news once since the AP called Pennsylvania. I do hear things from J and others, but I feel better having turned the channel on that toxic reality show. I will breathe even easier after Dec 10th (think that's when it is) when the electorate makes it official because I can't help but still worry some about chicanery knowing how desperate and corrupt he is and how all-in "his" congress and now the Supreme Court are too, but it is unlikely they can do anything at this stage and it makes me feel even better knowing he probably won't ever concede. Why? Because I think the best message his base can now be sent is it doesn't matter what he says or does because he is no longer in charge and come inauguration day he will be rendered politically impotent and instantly less relevant regardless of his claims to the contrary. But if he concedes or decides to claim the break-up was mutual or America doesn't deserve him or he can make more money in the private sector, whatever... then he can spin it as *his* decision rather than him being soundly rejected by the majority of voters which is, of course, what happened. So I hope he goes out kicking and screaming (or seething and sulking) because it makes him look weaker and ineffectual then conceding.
ReplyDeleteApparently his strategy now is retweet Cousin Eddie...
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