Miscellaneous

Yesterday I was in the express check-out lane when I suddenly realized I didn’t have enough money to cover my purchases.  This is always embarrassing.  You have to decide what to put back.  But yesterday, a woman in line behind me asked how much I needed.  “At least a dollar,” I said.  She gave a dollar to the cashier, who donated 30 cents of his own.  So I only had to add 6 cents.

There still are decent people out there.

                                                                                                        04/23/2017

That night, I called my pal, John, and asked to borrow $20.  Then I promptly fell asleep.  (Damn this disease!)  I awoke at 3 AM to find that John had let himself in and left $20 on the kitchen table.

                                                                                                         04/24/2017

This is a tough time of year for me because it’s when most landscape projects start.  I so miss the soil.  I miss kicking my spade into the ground.  All of the flowering trees, the sounds of a chainsaw, somebody mowing their lawn – they all get to me.

Yesterday, while driving home from the store, I saw two different people mowing their lawns.  I burst into tears and had to pull over.

I gave up landscape to take care of my mother, the woman who gave my toys to other children when I was growing up.  What an idiot.  I thought there was some honor or something in doing that.  Huh.  So, instead of enjoying a decent retirement, I’m a pauper most of the time.  I must be the only dope who actually believed what the Church was preaching as I grew up.  No one told me it was all a scam.

                                                                                                        04/24/2017    

Miscellaneous

I like this guy.  Having had 12 years of Catholic schooling, I've seen a few popes.  Pope Francis is the best of them by far.  He has repeatedly apologized and asked for forgiveness from those abused by the Church.  He smiles a lot and likes to wander out ihto the crowds.  He constantly stresses the work of Jesus Christ with the sick and the poor.  And he'll wear a sombrero to show to people that he is one of them.   Thank God, er, Pope Francis, um, whoever.

Miscellaneous

The transition from Time Warner Cable to Spectrum has not been without bumps. 

Last weekend I had a TWC/Specrtrum technician at my place.  He got my download speeds to the highest I'd ever seen them.  Then he said, "I think you're paying a bit much for what you're getting: "Ultimate" Internet with download speed of 50 mbps and home phone.  I paid $123 a month.  The technician said to call the office and switch to a Spectrum Plan instead of a TWC Plan.  Say what?  Yeah, they may be acting like it's a new dawn, but they're up to some old internet tricks.  The Spectrum Plan, with a download speed of 60 mbps, and home phone is $30 cheaper than what I was paying.  I'm now signed up for $93 a month, with more speed.  When I asked a guy on the phone why they weren't advertising this fact, he chuckled and said, "You know why."

So, I guess expect the worst from Spectrum.  Meanwhile, though, call them up and see if your TWC Plan can be changed to a Spectrum Plan.  It was no big deal for me.  However, the next day my internet speeds were like 9 mbps and 12 mbps.  I called them up and the woman said she was going to reboot my modem.  She did.  Now I get 60 mbps (or more) and I have $30 more dollars per month to throw into the maw of the wolf at the door.

Before this, I had heard only of more money for the same service.  They hiked me $5 per month (not bad).  However, I spoke with a woman at the bank who said her costs went up $30 per month.  Call them up.  See if you can't get some of that knocked down by switching to a Spectrum Plan.  Good luck.         

Miscellaneous

How many prescription drugs do you take?  I have 13, one being a cream.  I shared with my shrink my concern over taking so many meds.  He said that the average 65 year old has 19 prescriptions.  I find that hard to believe.  I know so many people my age who take no, or a few, medications.  Someone must be taking 40 pills a day to make up for each of these people.  I take all 12 of my meds daily, in varying dosages.  The cream was prescribed because my primary care doctor said I had skin caner running down the middle of my forehead.  He referred me to a dermatologist.  Christ, she was gorgeous, and, of course, had perfect skin.  She froze a spot off the center of my forehead and prescribed the ointment.  I was surprised when she said most of my skin damage was caused by the wind, not the sun.  That means I did my homework right when I went into landscaping.  I wear caps with long bills to help my sight, but they also protect my face.  I always used sun block.  And I'd wear a scarf on my neck to prevent becoming a redneck.

So, how many prescriptions do you take?

Miscellaneous

I want a grocery store in our apartment building.  Then I'd never have to leave except for medical BS.  Everyone here says "Hi" or "Hello" when they meet you in the hallway.  Everyone here is carrying some huge cross.  Everyone is willing to help one another.  I've met some people here who have blown my mind.  I want a little cart to drive around the hallways in.  With the drop in my kidney function, maybe my nephrologist would OK one for me.  I'd spend all day running around the halls, challenging other scooter drivers to drag races.  I'd modify mine.  I don't know much about electronics, but the internet can teach me.  I'd get a huge boombox mounted on it and blast rap music as I cruise by.  Maybe if we get enough scooters in here, we can get our own police force. 

Well, I can dream, can't I?

Miscellaneous

Announcing the start of an occasional feature on the JT Irregulars: "Miscellaneous."  Miscellaneous is essentially a gripe session to air your pet peeves and other grievances in this modern world of ours.  Add your gripes in the comments section below, or start another Miscellaneous blog.

For my first and foremost gripe: cars parking in the fire lane at Walmart Neighborhood Mart and Piggly-Wiggly.  I was at Walmart earlier today and the parking lot was total gridlock because a couple of cars decided to just stop and park in front of the store in opposing lanes.  I have sat behind such assholes and laid on my horn.  They ignore it.  I've walked up to some of the cars and told the people off.  They ignored it.  The only thing that works is the threat of the police.  Sometimes now as I see someone parked in the fire lane, I'll tell them off and then say that I've alerted the police to their presence.  That usually gets them moving.

I foresee a day when people will just stop their cars in traffic, get out and go shopping.  People have told me to ignore it because I could get into a fight or get shot.  See, everyone has ignored this type of shit for so long that it's almost impossible to get people to change.  Ignore it and it just gets worse and worse.  Ignore them and they won't go away.