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 What the heck am I doing today? Shenanigans, General Tomfoolery or What? You never know |
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Talk about perks, my career had one of the best I can think of! I traveled in the course of business, delivering classes for my employer. I was a Senior Training Specialist for Motorola Solutions, and taught classes on a wide variety of subjects centered around 2-way radio communications. I knew that when the time arrived that I would retire, and I have. I've always said that if you can't stand the heat in the kitchen, get out! I can't handle the heat anymore. I was qualified to deliver approximately 32 different classes, but about half of those were 'Legacy' classes, and were not in demand anymore. My students were technicians, those who maintained, programmed, calibrated, and repaired large 2-way radio systems. Some of these systems are statewide, and use TCP-IP networking to allow sites to communicate with others. Some are small, traditional type radio sites. The size doesn't matter, in each case the systems must be kept operational at all times, since many of them are Public Safety Systems. So I traveled, sometimes frequently, 3-4 weeks in a row.... where have I been? Some of the places I've been (I can't list them all here, the list would be too long) are pretty interesting. 1. Hawaii - Four times, Oahu, Maui (twice), and the Big Island, Plus I lived on Oahu from 74-83. 2. Bangkok Thailand, twice 3. Frankfurt Germany, twice 4. Algiers, Algeria 5. Melbourne Australia 6. Bismarck North Dakota, Summer & Winter 7. California, especially the Los Angeles area, Too many times to count 8. Washington DC, Too many times to count 9. Seattle three or four times 10. Texas, all over the state 11. Florida, all over the state 12. New Mexico, HOME! Several times  Best Cultural And Regional Honorable Mention |
No Idea What To Say, So just Typing Here Please allow me to start by saying two things. 1. I don't follow Politics or Politicians. I think almost everyone who read my reply to JACE says Thank You!  's post about the SOTU realizes that ("The Political Future"  ) So why did I reply openly to it, or reply at all? Beats me.2. I don't argue well, if at all. Both of these statements are very true. If I argue with someone, I usually clam up quickly. Why? Because I am not one who is quick on the reply. My mind works super-fast, except when I get in an argument. If someone makes a point that needs a counterpoint, I don't have one. At least not right away. Maybe 30 minutes later I'll have one, but not right away. And of course by then, it's too late. I feel I owe an apology to everyone who has responded to my reply to that entry. I have not responded to anyone because I don't know what to say. Am I wrong and they're right? Or am I right and they're wrong? I honestly don't know. All I know is that I should have done what I always do, keep quiet. To everyone, I apologize. Not for being wrong, not for being right. For opening what I see as a Pandora's Box. I dated a girl in High School, we never argued once. She never started an argument with me, and vice versa. We're still good friends 56 years later (we met long before graduating in 1972.) One day we were chatting on line, and somehow we got into a political discussion. You know what happened of course. We had an argument! She commented one time saying, "Buddy (My nickname growing up), we've never argued! Why now?" We both knew why, we both apologized, that was it. Over and done with. I apologize especially to JACE says Thank You! , Davy Kraken  , and Elisa, Stik of Clubs  }}. If I could take back what I typed, I would. I can't though, an Apology is about all I can do.I realize I should feel free to provide my opinion, but when you don't have all the facts, and can't provide a counterpoint to someone's point, you should stay out of it. Yes, I feel free to provide my opinions, but I keep them to myself for the most part, because I hate starting arguments or discussions that I can't contribute further to. I hate arguments in general. In other words, I know my limits, and live by them. For the most part.  |
Minor Physical Things I'm Doing I've tried to be more active each day. Instead of sitting here on my PC all day, I get up and walk down the hallway into the kitchen, from there to the Living Room, then back to the hallway. I usually do at least 5 laps like this & repeat this about 4-5 times each day. Before anyone gets the idea of saying "Bravo!", you need to know something. I know I've mentioned that we have a small house. A Very Small House. It's less than 1000 square feet in size. What that means is, those laps are about 40 paces total! Yeah, not a lot at all. Since I'm a little afraid to walk outside (like around the block) because of worry about my left leg giving out, I walk in the house. I will say that I'm walking better, and faster. Even my wife commented on how I'm walking!The other things I'm trying to do, at least once a day are: 1. Remember those calisthenics we did in school? You know, the ones called the Windmills, the Wood Chopper, Trunk Twisters, and such. I do 10 of those at least daily. I don't do them all each day, but I do try to mix and match them, never the same sequence daily. When I think back, the PE teacher was really teaching us about staying physically fit in our old age! It all adds up really. 2. I go up and down the 11 steps to our basement, probably 3-4 times a day. But, I do it when necessary, and my left leg hollers at me the whole time. I'm doing it at the wrong time of day is all. When my left leg aches. Once the weather warms some, I will be spending more time outside, getting that necessary Vitamin D. Baby steps though,baby steps. |
Just A Quick Question I'm writing this question more to get a feel for your answers. I can't say this is going to happen, I can't say it won't happen. But, there's always that word, (But) huh! But, with all the health issues I've encountered in the past couple of months, should we keep that 2018 RAM Promaster CamperVan? Let's give you an idea of what we've had done so far. All prices are approximate, none are what was actually paid. Purchase price - $65,000. Five new tires - $1,500. The tires it had were in excellent shape, but were seven years old. On RV's, the DOT says change them at the seven year point. It was purchased 'As Is', I should have checked closer on things. You know, those unimportant things like a jack for changing tires should a flat occur. Not only that, but the small extension that allows the Spare Tire to be lowered from beneath the van. $200 for the Jack & Extension. $1,200 to have the Van inspected by a qualified RV Inspector. $450 to have deficiencies found by the RV Inspector repaired by an RV Technician. Yes, the inspector can only inspect, the technician is the one who corrects those deficiencies found. Not all were corrected, but all that were life endangering have been corrected. $1,500 Tax & Licensing in Illinois. Summing that up, we've paid just shy of $70,000 so far! (Again, these numbers are not exact, I use them as a guide is all). And now, if my left leg doesn't support my lifestyle, I may have to change my lifestyle. It's a bit of a HUGE step to enter the driver side of the van. (Almost a waist high step). The sliding door is much lower, and might be used. But, entering the sliding door means I'd need some amount of Dexterity to get to the Drivers Seat. My left leg has to have some amount of mobility to it. So we're back to that original question. Should we sell it or not? Not included here because we haven't done it yet, is a new radio with Bluetooth, Android Auto & Backup Camera. That is to be determined, currently on hold. And again, your responses will probably not sway our decision one way or the other. I'm just looking to see what y'all think. |
Doctor Visit Yesterday 2/17/26 I had an appointment at McLean County Orthopedics for Bi-Lateral Hip Pain. But my pain isn't Bi-Lateral, it's on the left side only. I thought it would be another evaluation for PT. It was far from that. The doctor asked A LOT of questions, and answered all of ours with ease. We both liked him (yep, she came along), and look forward to seeing him again in 2-3 weeks, after the MRI is completed. X-Rays of my hips were done, everything looked good there (Thank God, no sign of Multiple Myeloma). Completing the X-Rays was kind of funny in a way. I wore sweat pants, anticipating some kind of workout. But, the holes where the draw strings exit were metal reinforced, as were the aglets. So, I had to lower my sweats to my knees. I'm sure these young girls (women) have seen plenty of things like this, I'm just not used to dropping my pants when asked. I lived through it at least. It's what happened at the end of the visit that really opened my eyes. Kathy broke down in tears. Light tears, but tears just the same. As first I was a little confused. Not upset, confused. Then I realized the load of worry she has been carrying all this time. Worried about me, my overall health, my ability to function as a person. Not as a man, as a person. If my hips or knees give out, it's a nursing home for me, because she can't lift me, she can't do much when it comes to my care. If I fall? Wow! So she broke down because Dr. Jacob (I didn't catch his last name), answered all our questions, was upfront with the info, and best of all, he didn't dance around questions. He answered honestly, and fully. At least to the two of us, he answered that way. He's the first doctor to feel that this is probably nerve related. He's not a surgeon, but his advice/knowledge will go a long way in deciding my treatment. One of the things he stressed, is that he doesn't want to recommend one type of surgery (let's assume hip replacement), only for the surgical team to realize my hips are fine. He was pretty thorough in looking at the X-Rays and showing/explaining what he saw to us. I have that MRI scheduled for Tuesday, with a Bone Density Scan before or after the MRI. Then we'll see Jacob again on March 5th. We'll see what the future holds, huh! |
Summer Plans Seeing the title of this entry, I'm sure some of you are asking yourselves "Summer Plans? C'mon Jim, it's still winter here in the Northern Hemisphere!" Well, since we're both retired, we can sit and plan things like this! And remember that 'new' van, the Camper Van? Well there are still a few things we want to have installed before we take our first trip. The cost for all this? Maybe $2000, if we're lucky. I'm sure you're asking yourselves (again), "Jim, that's a 23018 RAM ProMaster Campervan with only 27,000 miles on it! What could it possibly need, unless you bought a lemon!" No, we didn't buy a lemon, the van could be taken out for a trip by a lot of you right now. But, don't forget we have 2 dogs. So, we need to buy a Doggie Gate for the sliding door, and maybe the back door. With the health issues I've faced recently, I'd rather pay someone to install them properly. Also, bug screens. Keep those critters out of the van! So, bug screens, and gates. This will ensure the dogs can't push the bug screen apart and exit the van, otherwise I'd just get the bug screens. Neither is very hard to install, but try installing it with a achy back. Yeah, you see why I'd rather pay someone than be in pain. Here is a website for the bug screens. I want screens for the sliding door, and the back door. It would be easier to have a garage install it for me, you know we'd pay more than the price on the page. Kathy's Brother-In-Law could probably install them, but we're hesitant to ask. He has his own health issues, and may not feel up to it. Don't forget we also want that dog barrier. Our dogs are pretty well trained and don't push again things. We can place a very 'non-secure' gate in a door, they will not push against it. They could jump over it, and won't, or don't. And yes, I've checked, our van can have both installed, often at the same time. If we were to camp in the van, we would need to also get a fence, large enough to give them adequate room to roam, to do their business far enough away from the van.. We'll see about that one. So we're planning for Summer already. I'd love to get a radio with Android Auto and GPS with it. That may be placed on hold. We'll see. Ahhh, the things we want to do/buy so we can have fun while traveling. |
A Potential New Story Idea Nixie  asked a question today in the newsfeed. "Note: Just curious...
Has anyone ever tried writing a..." That got me thinking again about a story I'm considering writing. It's still in the formative stages right now, so it might be awhile being written.First, let me explain how I write something. I'm not what I call a 'real writer'. I don't write outlines, nor do I use tens or hundreds of 3x5 cards that provide details about characters, scenes, etc. I just have an idea, and go with it. Everything comes to me as I begin writing. And now I have a purpose and reason to get it done. At least two people want to know when it's done so they can read it!' This is my reply to Nixie's note. I've been thinking about a story that involves AI. In it, a series of happenings occur, but the storyline the following day or shortly thereafter, from all news outlets, media, etc do not match what actually happened. A witness to the event knows what happened, but can't convince anyone because the eye-witness account does not jive with any of the stories in the media. Then something else occurs, this time a different eye-witness, the same result. No one believes this person either. This happens about 3-4 times before anyone starts to question the eye-witness account vs the Media. Finally, it's discovered that all the reports, all the videos, are generated via AI. It's kind of like today's world if you ask me. After the AI discovery, what happens? That's where my mind is at right now. That, and figuring out how to write this so it's believable. This is what happened with my latest story "A New World Order" I've had that story on my mind for over a year now, I just finished it last week.So, a challenge of sorts. The key for me is to not rush this. Let it percolate (that's how I think of it) in the back of my mind, and write it when I have enough to run with. |
So Many Things To Do There are so many things I want to do! At least my mind tells me that. On the other hand, my body is saying, "What? We're retired dude. Let's just sit back and smell the roses/coffee. I get what the body feels & wants. I also understand what the mind wants. So let's put their wants and desires side by side to see what we come up with. The Mind says: 1. "I'd like to travel to places we've not seen." The body replies, "You go right ahead. I'll stay home and keep the house safe." 2. The mind says, "I can still work, contact Jim Allenfort, he'll hire you. Travel then like before. The body replies, "You go right ahead. I'll stay home and keep the house safe. Remember, you have two dogs who cannot go everywhere with you." 3. The mind says, "Kathy needs to see more of the world. Take her to Germany, Normandy Beach, England to see Stonehenge. The body replies, "You go right ahead. I'll stay home and keep the house safe. Besides, have you already forgotten what it's like to pack and unpack clothing?" 4. The mind says, "We need to get out, get more exercise." The body agrees and says "Contact me when you decide to relax. Yes, there are many things I'd like to do, I just have very little energy anymore. There is far more than this short list. I wrote this tongue-in-cheek, I just wanted to have a little fun this morning. |
A Better Day Today One might wonder why today is a better day? Simple answer. I took Dex (Dexameethasone) yesterday. I didn't want to take Friday before going to the ER. I might have felt better and been stronger. So I waited until today to take it. It's just a once-a-week steroid to help make me feel better while takeing Revlimid. Believe me, it really helps! I'm still sleeping on the Love Seat, and will for the foreseeable future. I really feel it helps her to sleep better without me tossing and turning next to her because I can't sleep. Today though, NO Walker! I took a normal shower too. Did not need to sit on the little ench in our shower. I'm up and about dfar more than I was yesterday, but I need to be careful to not overdo it. Other than that, I want to drop a blurb for a movie. If you haven't seen it (I know at least one of you has), try and find a way to watch Electric Dreams. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087197/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_3_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_electri... It's from 1984, and is about someone who buys a computer, a computer that could do things we're just starting to do. And, it falkls in love with the female lead, Virginia Madsen. The soundtrack for it is far better than you might think. I believe S🤦♂️  wrote a nice review this a long time ago. But give it a shot! I donlt think you'll be disappointed one bit. It's the movie tha caused me to fall in love with Virginia Madsen. Okay, not real love, but you get the idea. |
Yesterday Was Quite A Day! As the title states. Yesterday Was Quite A Day. Please allow me to start from the beginning. We decided to go the ER. My condition had not improved much, if at all,. How bad was it? Well, even though I could get clean in 15 minutes or so, the whole ordeal would take at least an hour! Why so long? My legs do not support me well, if a all. Kathy can't pick me up, nor can she provide an arm for support when I try to stand. Plus, my legs might support me at the start, but there is a time limit on things. Once I'm on my feet, we have maybe 10 minutes to get me settled. And we both end up exhausted. Our next problem was getting me to the ER. After the Fiasco of trying to get to the lab for that MRI, we decided I would go by Ambulance. Not my first choice, but probably the safest. Until then I was almost pain free! Yet the minute I was on that Gurney, that back pain kicked in. Plus, Kathy told them that if she hasn’t been with me all the time, she would think I’d had a minor stroke. The EMT’s did their duty checking for stroke symptoms. The only thing he noticed was that my left hand grip was slightly weaker than my right. Nothing more was said or done about that matter. They ran a CT Scan from my head to groin. That game out good with no Cancer seen, and two small non-intrusive kidney stones. Once that was done we played ‘the waiting game’. I was discharged 6 hours after we arrived, there was no Medical Reason for me staying. I slept in the love seat as always. My new bed for the foreseeable future. Our big question is, suppose this is a permanent arrangement? Only time will tell. |
Oh To Be Young Again! No! Not really, You couldn't pay me enough to be in my 20's or 30's. Not in today's world. My days of being young and carefree are long gone. It's not something me or anyone else has done, it's life, Nothing more. In the past four weeks, I've progressed from walking normally, sometimes with a limp, to walking with a limp almost all the time, to walking with a cane, and now walking with a Walker! There is no way I could function as a person, doing what needs to be done, without that walker It's a cheap thing, made of Aluminum, the sides fold in for easy storage, two wheels in front. It get the job done. We have a nicer one, its left in the kitchen to use when needed. I saw my Oncologist yesterday. I wanted his opinion about the cause of the pain. Of course he's worried that it's the Myeloma causing it. I thought it was due to a pinched nerve. We'll find out about the Myeloma being the cause though. I'm having an MRI done at 1pm. I won't be able to lie there as needed, so I'll take a Valium at noon, and another when I arrive there. Imagine for a moment a life like this. You can't cook, about all you can do is sit around the house. Worst of all, what about showering? Think about it for 2 seconds or so. Maybe it will open your eyes.  Jim Dorrell |
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