Reward Myself

Today's the day we head to Assateague Island National Seashore.  It's also the final day of my half-year, which included a goal of three trips to Maryland Attractions.   I've admired the art at the Walters Art Museum after shabbos morning at Beth Tfiloh and strolled the boutiques of Chesapeake City.  I almost included a short time at the National Harbor during a trip to DC, but we really only had supper there, with more dedicated site seeing pre-empted by the closeness to dusk and the difficulty of parking.  So we just ate our supper, not itself an easy or entirely pleasurable outing, and moved back to our hotel.  I did not credit myself for a Maryland tourism visit.  Ocean City became the next destination, postponed at least once, but about to be fulfilled.  Always gratifying to complete these initiatives outlined six months in advance.

The trip, and some of the pleasures that go with petty travel, also qualifies as a reward.  I submitted an entry to the NEJM Fiction Contest.  Not a level of writing that has a chance of publication there, but a challenge to myself to see if I can move from journalism or op-ed writing, or from describing elements of my life, to fiction with universal themes.  I could, though with a lot of abandonments and restarts.  That gets a reward.  So does persevering on my exercise program, though at a reduced intensity, despite some right leg problems.  As my BP rose, I increased amlodipine.  BP down last evening and no apparent side effects.   My doctor helped with the decision of what to do, but I selected from the reasonable options.

Our curtains got hung.  Our living room approaches full entertainment capacity.  I'm off my SSRI reasonably successfully.  In the last six months I've read more than my quota of books, submitted articles for publication, have some semblance of herb and vegetable gardens.  Been a good six-month cycle.  Worthy of a reward.

Trapped in Hi-Tech

My Big Screen TV does not accept the Comcast Stream.  When I try to sign on, it takes me to authorize, gives me a code number which I enter, responds Success.  Then instead of giving me my shows, it takes me back to authorize with another code number.  I called Comcast who sent a technician who told me the problem was TCL Roku's TV.  I called TCL Roku which took me through the steps, concluding that the snafu rests with Comcast's inability to recognize me for their TV.

Doctors have a variant of this.  "Doc, I'm short of breath."  Cardiologist insists it's a lung problem.  Pulmonologist insists it's a heart problem.

While I personally suspect a Comcast issue, as my TV seems pretty normal, when I seek the assistance of the Google Repairman, I am hardly the first to report this.  The TCL technician also understood the troubleshooting steps, but so did the Comcast technician who had the advantage of being onsite.  I could get a new TV, but it seems an expensive way to resolve the impasse.  Or I could dump Comcast as my streaming service, which is always tempting to do, especially since I rarely watch this despite the monthly subscription.  There are other streaming services.  

Give Comcast one last try when I have an extended time to be left on hold until they connect me with somebody far overseas instructed by his company to read his script rather than listen to the customer.  

Going to the Doctors

Two doctor appointments this week.  Dermatology for followup of a pigmented facial lesion with gradual advancement.  I assume they will want to do a cancer screening as well, since technically for billing purposes I classify as a new patient due to the interval since last visit.  Forms filled out in advance.

Primary visit more problematic.  I really don't feel my best.  Withdrawing SSRI has made my mind more alive.  Joints hurt, BP higher, some lab concerns, Some decision branch points.  A few can be punted to the scheduled cardiology visit after a quick patch.  Or maybe the joints need to go to ortho.  I don't really want a knee arthroscopy if topical, or even systemic SSRI's will do the job.  May need some GI studies but very unhappy about what transpired with this last year.  May ask for referral to a different practitioner and GI group, if only to get a different prospective on safety of colonoscopy preparations.  Never had Covid, so not really Long Covid.  Some minor urologic symptoms.  While luxury Executive Evaluations at Mayo or Greenbrier claim expertise, their value is more to the companies that are highly invested in the highly paid people that get examined.  It's probably not good medical care for anyone. 

My medical care has been good, though with a few tweaks that may add benefit.  Best to just let it. proceed.

Deadlines

As the half-year concludes, I find myself with a few time-defined tasks, some externally imposed, others by my own SMART goals that mandate time frames.  Externally I have two writing assignments due and two doctor's appointments, and a synagogue activity that I agreed to perform at a certain time.  My donations are now overdue but I think I know where I want to send them.  I'd like to finish my audiobook to add to the list of books for the half-year and one more trip to Maryland stands in the way of completing my day trip initiative.  That's a lot, particularly the two writing submissions, but it gives direction to time that could proceed in a less satisfying way.  It is that tangible list of what I've done that generates inner happiness far more than the pleasures of amusement.  So at my keyboard and doctors' exam rooms and a few other places I need to be until the half-year cycle resets next week.

Forgot Shopping List

As inflation boosts prices, I've gotten to a more purposeful trip to the grocery about once a week.  The weekly ad arrives at midweek.  I read it usually the day it comes, marking what I want to get and what I might purchase, then create a mental sense of what I might like to do with what I bring home.  On Sunday, the ads from the circular take effect, so I log onto the Shop-Rite site and mark onto my electronic card what coupon requiring goods I might like the shopping card to recognize.  Then pick a day to go there.  Before I go, I return to the circular, putting what I am definitely planning to buy, including things I need not in the weekly ad, onto the left column and the maybes into the right column.  And so I did.

When I got to Shop-Rite, though, I had left the list on the kitchen table.  I could have gone home to retrieve it but took my chances at letting visions of the products on the shelves prod my memory.  Turns out I did very well without the list in my personal possession.  Only missed one item on the must list and considered all from the right column.  Not bad.  And I didn't deviate a whole lot from what I had intended, though a reduced half turkey breast is hard to pass up even if it forces me to make something else bulky from the freezer for shabbos.  I now purchase with what I plan to use it for in mind.

Hot dogs on sale.  Didn't need them as I already have some but they last forever.  Vegetarian beans on sale, not part of circular, but now I have two, maybe even three suppers.  No lettuce, always throw it out.  Yellow squash becomes accessory to shabbos dinner.  Scallions and red pepper and cucumber become salad for shabbos dinner and beyond.  Pretzels and corn chips become munchies.  My new desk lamp from IKEA could use a modern LED bulb, also on sale.  Added a multivit to correct borderline low iron on my last lab results.  Won't neglect the GI investigation but it gives me a fighting chance of returning as a regular platelet donor.  Some berries and Luigi's Water Ice for pareve desserts.  Everything purposeful, but sale price directs the purpose.  Best way to go in time of rising food prices.

Minyan for Friendship

As much as my synagogue experience leaves me seeking more fulfilling experiences, there are a few valid reasons for restraint on absolute avoidance.  While the intersection of Hebrew School and Rabbinical Junior College is where the Rabbi and lay leadership seem most comfortable, a more stimulating, if not more interactive version of Judaism hovers in cyberspace for my taking.  And I take some of it.  Worship doesn't attract me.  Some of the cultural norms do.  Most importantly, though, is support of friendships.  Not exactly the people I share meals with, not frequently people I share ideas with, either.  But people who have made commitments to their family for which I can help create the minyan they need.  The Gabbaim probably have their invitations rejected more than I realize.  Decent people.  I'll default to helping them out unless I have a specific reason not to.  The synagogue has not been very inviting a place for me but it is for them.  A few hours allotted for their benefit should not be withheld.

Juggling Ideas

Since my day trip tomorrow will fall victim to rain, I declare today and tomorrow writing days, allotted time for what I hope will be public expression.  Medscape monthly submission due next week.  NEJM fiction entry due next week.  Been off SSRIs long enough to tell that story.  Listening to an audiotape whose author deserves feedback.  

Ideas develop better when interactive, but often some undistracted sessions connecting my mind and my fingers on the keyboard generates the best thinking and more refined expression than the sponteneity of oral interaction.

See what I can create for submission in two days.