December 19

I've been working out at the gym before I go to work every morning for the past year or so, it's been working well. One problem I often have is the loud overhead music. Sometimes I can't hear my own headphones because of it, so I decided to come to work to run on the treadmill downstairs at my office, I'm thinking, nobody uses it and there is no overhead music. It's a little different than what I'm used to, but it might work out. Anyway, I walk into the gym area at 7:30 to hop on the treadmill and there is one of my more religious co-workers, lifting weights and watching the FOX NEWS network on the big screen tv. AAAGGGGHHHH!!! That's worse than overhead music! Fortunately he was finishing up and by the time I got back from the ladies' room he was gone and the tv was off. I guess I can work around it.

November 18

My jaw is all healed up from having my wisdom teeth removed. I can chew on both sides and everything. I was extremely nervous about taking painkillers afterwards, but the recovery was not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. They gave me prescription Tylenol & Ibuprofen which I only needed for a few days. It's nice not having to worry about them any more. Really, they should have come out ten years ago.

November 7

I just had my wisdom teeth pulled on Tuesday , my jaw is still pretty sore. It looks like I have a big wad of Skoal in my left cheek. Not a good look by the way, if you needed a reason not to chew tobacco. I will post later on my progress.

October 9

Fucking Republicans and their terroristic tactics keeping the Government shut down and threatening to allow the debt ceiling to expire. "No big deal?" Obviously their only qualification for running for Congress was sleeping thru law school for 3 years. Imagine if the Democrats had held the Government hostage when Bush was in the White House in exchange for an Assault Weapons ban, how do you think that would have gone over? Or refused to fund the War in Iraq unless there was Immigration reform?

September 17

My shoulder's feeling great! I finally went to the doctor about it yesterday after waiting 3 weeks for it to heal and still being in pain. My friends suggested it's a pulled ligament, not a pulled muscle. Sure enough, the doctor shot me full of cortizone or steroids or something and it felt better by last night. I'm hoping to be back in the weight room by this weekend. I just bought a cool workout app- TNA Always Evolve with Jeff Hardy and haven't been able to do any of the workouts yet, thanks to my shoulder. Switched back to the satellite dish over the weekend, really missed HD & the DVR.

August 23

I have been unable until now to post on my blog, something's going on with my work computer. I've been pretty good on the treadmill, 2 miles every morning, but I tweaked my shoulder again, so I'm taking more time off from the weight room. I finally bought my Kindle Fire, very nice by the way. I didn't realize apps don't work without wi-fi, which I don't have at home. Oh well, I guess they'll work at the mall in the courtyard. Check out this woman's blog: http://traceyh415.blogspot.com/2013/08/have-i-ever-been-close-to-relapse.html She was featured in the movie Black Tar Heroin: The Dark end of the Street which you can watch on Youtube. Really does a good job in describing the life of a recovered addict. So many things we take for granted as non-users. I heard someone say that hearing an aspirin bottle rattle was a trigger for him after he got clean from drug addiction.

July 24

I was supposed to have my wisdom teeth pulled out (I only have 2 on the bottom row) but it turned out to be over $750 out of pocket, so now I still have them.  Keep in mind I made the appointment over 6 weeks ago so I could line it up with my week long vacation from work, the plan was to have the teeth pulled on Monday, the first day of my week off so I would have plenty of time to relax at home and recover.  The day before I'm scheduled to take my week off, the dentist office calls me back with the out of pocket amount which is now more than twice what they told me.  I told them very frankly I didn't have that amount, and they offered me some "Easy financing" which I've posted about in the past, no thank you.  So, I cancelled my appointment and am now looking for some place cheaper to have at least one of the teeth pulled.  My friends tell me since they're not hurting I shouldn't bother pulling them, just leave them be, but I think they are messing up my gumline.  How disappointing.  I really didn't do anything with my week off except drive up to Kentucky to visit family for a few days.  That's always fun, I got to show off my new tattoo.  My Grandfather didn't seem impressed.

June 3

I was not selected for jury duty, in fact, none of us were.  Both cases were settled at the last minute and they let us all go home.  Fine with me, the last thing I wanted to do was sit on some boring jury trial.  The window unit A.C. is back in my window, Summer is here in Atlanta.  I know it's in securely but that doesn't stop me from worrying it's going to fall out or break my window.  I suppose that's silly.  I ordered a dehumidifier in the meantime, that should help out quite a bit.  Ran 1.25 miles on the treadmill this morning.

May 29

What is my problem?  Why can't I let go of the past?  I sit and stew about things from years ago that any normal person would have let go a long time ago.  Stupid shit that happened in high school.  I know there are people who have had far worse things happen to them and they move on, why can't I?  Maybe I just need a girlfriend.  I know that I spend way too much time on the couch watching tv.  Last night I was watching Rachel Maddow talking about a money laundering scheme involving an insurance website.  If I were to need a small amount of money laundered, I would use a casino, personally.

May 20

I have learned my lesson when it comes to "Easy Finance" in store credit cards.  Never Again!!!   As anyone who reads my blog knows, I had Lasik surgery 2 years ago, and financed with that doctor's office on a particular credit card known for offering no interest payments.  Long story short, after the 24 months runs  out, they go back and tack on all the interest that has deferred.  I was able to work out a deal where I paid off the entire principle and they took off that interest for me, but that pretty much wiped out my savings.  No Kindle Fire HD this month.  No fun purchases of any kind really, not for a while.  At least I'm back running on the treadmill.  I've decided the pain I'm still experiencing is in my head and I need to star running again anyway.  I also got called for Jury Duty this week, hopefully they won't need me that day, no way am I going to some boring trial.

April 22

My first day back at work after spraining my ankle. Wednesday morning I was retrieving some files from the top shelf when the ladder went out from under me and I landed on my butt. Hurt my ankle pretty bad, I was on crutches for 2 days, but now I'm able to walk without limping. Funny, I posted on Facebook as soon as it happened and on Saturday I logged into my page after a few days away expecting to have several well wishers telling me to get well soon, but didn't see a single item in my inbox, nobody even noticed. Depressing.

March 26

Today is the big day, the Supreme Court will hopefully overturn Prop 8 in California and recognize same-sex marriages everywhere else. The tide is definitely turning in our favor, I'm optimistic.

March 1

I've made a conscience effort to donate more money to charity this year, I found a couple of reputable charities online, ASPCA & Action against Hunger.  There's also Save Darfur, which is just as important.  It's times like this that I wish I made more money.  It's not like I'm giving a lot of money, and I feel guilty for subscribing to cable, that's another $40 a month I could be donating. 

My procedure to remove the redness from my chin went well, it's healing.  I think the redness will be gone completely in another week.  My birthday also went well, my uncle took me out to dinner and then surprised me with a trip to the tattoo parlor.  Kenny hates tattoos, but he knows this is something I've been wanting for a long time, so he got thru it.  I got my Grandmother's initials on my right calf in black letters.  It looks great, I know she would have liked it.  She loved calligraphy and writing names in fancy script on paper, she could fill an entire notebook that way.  Nowhere near as painful as I was expecting, donating blood is more painful.  The artist told me I picked a good spot, fleshy muscle and not close to a bone like the tramp stamp would have been. 

February 7

My mother would have been 65 today, hard to imagine.  I'm getting a huge tax refund this year, don't know why people are complaining about increased taxes, maybe it's only affecting people who make a lot of money or something.  I have something special planned for my refund, on my birthday I have the day off, so I set an appointment with a laser light procedure place to have a treatment on my chin to remove the redness.   It's purely a vanity thing, serves no other purpose, but it will make me feel better about my appearance.  Ten years ago I was struck in the face with a five pound weight and had to get 17 stitches.  I have a small scar, but that's not what bothers me, it's red around the bottom on the scar where the impact was, and it's bothered me every since.  I'm hoping one blast of laser light will make it disappear.  We will see.

January 16

First post of the new year, so far so good.  I'm back to doing cardio at the gym, ran for a mile & a half this morning, after allowing my twisted ankle to heal up a bit.  Christmas went well.  It looks like I'm getting a bonus at work after all, sometime this week.  Couldn't have come at a better time, what with insurance, car tags & title fees etc, sometimes it feels like I only work to keep my car running.  Anyone know how to deal with someone who suffers from extreme depression?  I'm at a loss as how to approach this person, they won't return calls, texts or emails.  I had to let myself into his house to deliver a Christmas present.