"Peek-A-Boo?........Or..........Hide And Go Seek?..........&..............Cold Weather Still Sucks!!!................."

Good Morning;

Another bitch of a morning as regards getting up and out and moving. The water bottle with only an inch of water in it was frozen solid again, and the depression has me moving as sluggish as a lizard in the snow. If I was not having abdominal pains I would not be up yet.....well actually I'd be getting up right this minute and heading to the bus to Prologue for my 12:15 pm. meeting.

It may have been better NOT to get up and go to the Giant though! I opened the shed door and sitting directly in front of the door facing me across the lot about 25 yards away was a Baltimore County cop sitting in his car doing whatever it is cops do when they sit in the semi-secluded places you sometimes see them at.

IO just kept moving as if I belonged there put my bags down on a snow free patch of asphalt and latched the door. I picked up my bags, looked his way, (and I could not tell if he/she was looking or not due to the sun glare off the windshield), and headed on my way to the Giant. He/she did not move, and I passed another police woman walking that way past me from the Giant who did not stop either. When I cmae out of the Giant the car was still there and I walked over here to the library.

It's kind of a weird feeling, not knowing right now. I guess they either know who I am and don't care, or thought I belonged there.

Okay I have to get the bus down the street now, may be back later.....may not be back until tomorrow.......(I got invited to a poetry reading and discussion at the Baltimore Hostel across from the Main Branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library tomorrow at Noon by e-mail from someone who must have read the blog)......or Sunday.

Later.........Dave

" Litlle Bit Of This...............Little Bit Of That........................"

Good Afternoon;

So...I never made it to the library yesterday. Jenn called and said it was a good day to come over and do laundry and shower.....and entertain the soon to be 3 years old Devin because she, (Jenn), felt like crap. There's always a catch...right......lol.

(Oh damn, this is going to be a short post today,(or not as it has turned out.....lol!), my damn fingers are spasming, and if it was not for the backspace key and spell check all this would be illegible!....From a spelling sense...any incomprehensible content I will claim as my own............LOL!)

Anyway, I went over there in the morning and left just after Ed got home from school and my clothes were dry, around 4:00 pm. Between the detour from the serious auto/pedestrian accident on Patterson Ave. and all the police and FBI agents canvassing the apartment complex interviewing people and looking for clues relating to the 16 year old girl who went missing on Dec. 28th. It took me 90 minutes to get to Mt Washington, (normally a 25 minute ride on the bus I took, the #60). (And I can't believe that I actually started to flirt with the FBI agent who was talking to me at the door of Jenn's apt. after the serious discussion was over...lol! Actually what I really can't believe is that she gave me her card and told me to "Please call with any information I may find...or when the case is resolved".....with a kinda of strange little smile!?! She looked vaguely familliar, but I don't recognize the name, but when they took my name for there list of who they had talked to she looked up and stared for a minute. Between the TBI from the car accident, and my CRS......I figure she has to be someone I cannot recall from the past. Maybe all the way back to elementary school, because I have been running into a lot of folks I have not seen in decades recently.

But I digress, it has been a rough couple of days, as you could probably glean from Tuesdays post. I have been in pain ranging from long lasting chronic severe discomfort to sudden and intense totally draining and debilitating periods of extreme but very short agony, in my back, gut and leg. I am pretty sure a gallstone became trapped in the neck and then fell back into the gallbladder this morning, and it has wiped me out. Add in the fact that the average temperature in side the sleeping bag is maybe 80 degrees, and the ambient temperature in the shed has ranged from 40 to 25 degrees, then figure the shock of crawling out and getting dressed and experiencing a sudden 40 degree drop while putting on cold clothes and shoes, well is it any wonder that getting up and out when I have no place I need to be is not a priority? My hands are in pain by the time I get to putting my coat on, and i still cannot get an answer from the neurologists office about my referral and appointment, even after many calls.

I did have an e-mail and a call from my caseworker at Prologue though and we have a meeting set up for 12:15 pm. Friday, (tomorrow), afternoon to discuss, S.S.A. filings and Tuesday's (the 11th) court date, so that is one good thing.

My friends 'Iokepa and Inette, (www.returnvoyage.com and the book "Grandmothers Whisper"), are in town and I hope we can meet this time, the last time they were here the logistics never worked out.

To backtrack a little, to Tuesday night.... I had gone over to the Whole Foods for a minute and when I returned to the coffeeshop on my table was a large garbage bag filled with breakfast sandwiches.....at least 50 of them!!!!.....with my other bags and my back it was way more than I could carry, (and obviously more than I could eat), & more than would fit in Jenn's refrigerator and freezer together, I am not hooked in to the missions or the shelters anymore so I have no distribution network and although the weather is cold enough, even if I could get them there, the mouse in the shed would be calling his friends for a party! I remembered that the young lady working at the Whole Foods mentioned that her church does a soup kitchen/food pantry so I asked her if she could get them to refrigeration before they spoiled and she said yes, so I left them with her as both the coffee shop and grocery store were about to close. I just could not throw them away after they had been entrusted to me before being assigned to the dumpster...it would have been criminal to throw out that much edible and storable food! I did manage to add a few more of a different variety of sandwich than I had gotten on Monday night to my supply also, and at some point yesterday while I was out of the shed the mouse managed to squeeze in the box I had them in, eat through the bag and the packaging and nibble on the corner of the sandwich....(then the little bastard left with out eating any more of it!). I am getting real tired of eating sausage, egg, and cheddar, on an english muffin; bacon, egg, and gouda, on ciabatta roll; & reduced fat turkey bacon, swiss, and egg white on a whole grain english muffin....for threeeeee meals a day!, (sometimes within a 6 hour period.....lol), I can't wait for the Food Stamps tomorrow!!

I guess that is it for today, I'll be back tomorrow...maybe in the morning if I have enough time be for my meeting, and maybe in the afternoon when it's over....or Saturday at some point......who knows? I'm hoping to find a place to trade a steak dinner (I'll supply and cook) for a bed or a couch, because even if the snow that is forecast for Fri./Sat. never materializes........it's supposed to be 17 degrees with nasty wind chills at night over the weekend!

Oh well, WTF!, I'm outta here, time for...'Breakfast'.....yummmm.......lol!

Oh and I forgot to mention it, the 'Dunkin Dumpster' is back in operation since the store reopened....I may have over done the crullers though....I feel like the French army....all I want to do is 'Give Up!!!'......LOL!

speaking of surrender, I went to the Wednesday night "30 and Over Group" NA meeting last night at the same church Jenn's meeting is at. (30 is an age not a clean time requirement).

I ran into an old acquaintance at the Starbucks where everyone was meeting before the meeting and was introduced to the woman who was celebrating 13 years that night, so I wandered over. it was pretty impressive to realize that the cumlative 'clean time' among the 'old timers' there was over 300 years...."It Works If You Work It"

Later.....................Dave

"Reflections on......'ION'-ization........"

Good Afternoon;

Well the holidays are over and I can drop the facade that we put up so as not to spoil other people's good times. I was just so NOT into the season this year. Like a flashlight with weak and fading batteries I could begin to get into the spirit of things, but fade fairly rapidly and slip into darkness, and after a period of time, again put on the cheerful face and happy attitude for a while. It went on for a few weeks in this cycle, finally failing for good over New Years Eve and Day. The time spent with Rachel and Ed and Devin was too much seesawing back and forth between joyful and stressful to be any relaxation at all. Not like my time with Rachel alone over Xmas weekend. Even after Rachel went home and Jenn and Tom and the grandkids went out, leaving me alone in her apartment for 4 or 5 hours, I still could not unwind. I ended up back at the shed about 11:00 pm. Saturday night and could not relax enough to fall asleep until about 3:30 am. After the 3 hours sleep I ended up with on NYE I wanted to sleep all day....

Depression, Agitation, Frustration, Confusion, Exhaustion, Isolation, Indigestion, Confliction, Infection...et.al. And the Lack of Affection, Direction, Motivation, Ambition, Protection, Possesions

But first thing Sunday morning I was up and out at 7:00 am. first to the Giant to pull cash off the card, (it won't swipe anymore and it costs $5.00 to get a replacement...by calling the out of state 'service center', and then having it mailed out, with the usual efficiency and promptness one can expect.....HA!, it took a friend a dozen phone calls and 45 days to get her replacement card, that's why I was freaking out when I thought my card was lost and gone back in November!), and on the bus and out to the Metro to get my monthly disability bus pass then take the train and the bus to Monkee's to get my meds for the month, then back by bus and Light Rail to the coffee shop and Whole Foods for breakfast....about 1:00 pm. by this time. After meeting and greeting a bunch of people who stopped in to say Happy New Year and closing the coffee shop and catching the bus and the bus back to Pikesville, I ended up in the shed around 9:30 pm., read for an hour and fell asleep...aka, passed out...with the lantern on. I woke up about 5:00 am. with an aching back and a bursting bladder and after dealing with one by intake, (of morning meds), and the other by outflow, I went back to sleep and woke up at 12:30 pm., feeling like crap, both itchy and stinky. I called Jenn and asked if I could stop by and shower and caught the 1:05 bus after a high speed dress, pack, and stow. After a cup of coffee and a shower and shave I felt human again, and the post holiday blues sloughed off, leaving me with just the normal clinical depression to deal with. (That's pretty effed up when you re-read that sentence ain't it? When one is happy to return to a state of depression is considered 'normal'?.....Should I LOL!...or COL!...?)

Anyway I really did not feel like going to the library and doing what I am doing now, (and I still don't....but if I let it get too far along without writing....things get worse and seem worse, and that needle starts looking awfully good again. And as much as I want to go there.....I REALLY don't want to go THERE!) So I jumped on the bus from Jenn's and headed over to the Starbucks about 2:45 pm. just before Ed and Tom got home. I ended up eating my first meal of the day about 4:30 pm. after going over to Whole Foods and committing one of the cardinal sins of food shopping....'Shopping While Hungry'. But I did not go too far overboard and the mini baguette was still warm and the bloody roast beef had only been given a brief glimpse of the fire, and the fresh squeezed orange juice mixed so well with the vodka.......so it was well worth it as MY New Years celebration.

I again saw a few folks who were not yet back to school or work who had not been around recently and Allen stopped by, (and he just walked in here too), and we talked for an hour or so. And again I realize how lucky/blessed, (take your pick depending on your theological stand.....lol), I am, even as effed up as my body is. He goes in for a needle in the eye today, eye surgery next week, and on the 31st has his right shoulder replaced. (I told him it will help balance the missing left leg and he laughed...it's a good thing we both have a 'black' sense of humor and an appreciation of the absurd and the ironic!).

We may go the $3.00 movies later this week if there is something decent playing.

I have to call the neurologist to find out why they have not called me with anappointment as they said they would when I stopped in to make one and was told I had to call, and when I called and was told they had the referral and would call me. I also have to get ahold of my paperwork for both court and S.S.A. from Prologue since after a few e-mails and calls I have not heard back from my caseworker. I have court on the 11th, Tuesday and I also need to check on the records JAI sent to the court, I think it was before my last visit to the doctors and does not include the most recent set of tests and referrals...that is tomorrows agenda, so I do not know if I'll get here to the library or not. I have a feeling I'm going to have to go places in person, (based on previous phone results....lol.).

I'm going to talk to Allen for a minute and then head over to the coffee shop and eat. I recieved a bag of breakfast sandwiches last night, 10 sausage egg and cheddar on english muffin, and 6 turkey bacon, egg white, and cheese(?) on whole wheat english muffin. Jenn picked me up after her meeting, actually I walked over after the coffee shop closed and waited outside for 30 minutes and lost feeling in my fingers while she took 'only a minute'......HA!......to come out. (Another thing we both share is this damn Reynauds Disease), and I sent the majority home with her after we finished wandering the Giant as she did her shopping. She's going to put them in the fridge and freezer and I have a few with me for today and some in the shed where it is plenty cold enough to keep them from spoiling. Last night it again got very cold but except for the back problems and getting cold hand and fingers when trying to read, I was comfortable. I have found that part fo the secret to keeping my feet from getting extremely cold and painful is to walk on the blanket in my socks as little as possible before getting in the bag. The one blanket seems to hold and transfer the cold very quickly right through my socks, whether they are dry or wet, warm or cool to start with.

Times up, gotta run

Later....................Dave

"# 1...# 750 ...& 10,000 +...... = 2011."

Good Evening & Happy New Years!

So....visitor # 10,000 stopped by at 6:13 pm. Dec. 31st, N.Y.Eve............Thanks!

This is the first post of 2011 and # 750 overall, and it's going to be a short one because I'm over Jenn's and about to head out the door and grab the bus up to the shed.

Yesterday afternoon, last night and this morning were more nerve tightening then relaxing, the grandkids were on a roll and plucking my last nerve, even Rachel was getting fed up. They were asleep about 11:00 pm. and I had no interest or intention of gettting them up at Midnight. I missed the countdown myself and did not tune in until 12:01 am., and had the TV tuned back to a Marx brothers movie by 12:10 am. There was just no interest on my part at all, I sent a couple e-mail replies: "Happy New Year......yadda....yadda....yadda.....Auld Lang Syne.....yadda....yadda....yadda....." And that was it. I slept poorly and only about 2 hours from 3:30 am. to 4:30 am., and from 5:30 am. to 6:30 am. and have been up since. Depression, blues, blahs..whatever....no enthusiasm at all.

Anyway, thanks to all who took the time to log-in and read over the past 2 years, and especially to those last 41 folks who kicked it up to 10,000.

See you tomorrow or Monday from the library,

Later..................................Dave

"The Return Of the Lost Libido & The Kiss Of The KENO Gods"........Plus Random Ramblings On The Last Day Of 2010............."

Good Afternoon;

So the post title sounds like a Nancy Drew Mystery double feature does it not.....lol.

Last night at the Starbucks I was talking to someone I see all the time and have taken no notice of (nor she of me) as anything other than "person I know and talk to/female" (and the reverse....lol), and things were as usual. But...the other day she had her hair down and it was the first time it had been that way and the physical change to her face was quite noticeable, as was her demeanor, which was due to some personal issues as I found out later, but the combination was striking and as I engaged her in conversation both our words and our body language subtly shifted. I did not realize until after she had left that, as I said to my self...."dude....yOu were hitting on her!?", (uh...yeah, sometimes when I have these 'internal conversations, one of me is 'dude'.....lol), and it's true, subconsciously I had been reacting to the changes she was projecting, (again, I think, sub- or un-consciously). which is no big deal, except that I have been about as actively romantic/flirtatious as a three toed tree sloth, (& try saying that 10 times fast...lol) recently. Then this morning I awoke from a dream wondering why the sleeping bag seemed to be a bit snug.....then realized that I had it all bunched up in a hug at one part...and the other....welllll, you can figure it out.....lol! I just wish I could remember the details of the dream....not just the 'who'!

P.C.......................Ha, Not Me!!

As I got off the bus last night I stopped in the gas station and had the intuition that I should take a chance and spend 1 of my last 2 dollars on a KENO. A really, really strong feeling. So I told myself I'd try $1.00 and stop if I lost.....well the last 3 numbers out of the 20 that are picked at random from 1 to 80 were my 3 numbers that I always play, 4-5-13, representing Rachel's birthday....."BINGO"!!, (or should I say..."KENO".....lol!), $25.00 in my pocket! I tried one more time with the other $1.00 bill....lost and left.

So this morning I was able to go into the Giant and pay Mike the $10.00 I owed him, (before the end of the year), and get some things for this evening for NYE with the kids, and still have enough for bus money on the 1st and the 2nd of January when I will get my little bit of monthly cash.

I wish to emend my statement of thanks about boots from the other day;

...except for Uggs, the rubber farmers/firemans type, [on anyone older than 12, no matter how colorful or decorated they are....lol], and the stupid pointy toed 'wicked witch of the west' style that extend 6 inches beyond the end of the foot tapering to a point that a mosquito would be jealous of!

Something to think about.....I have been to a LOT of Doctors recently and have noticed a peculiar trend, those of a racial or ethnic mionority seem to be more patient, take more time with me, and actually listen. I am out of time so more musings on this next Year.

A Happy and Safe New Years Eve To All, and Best wishes for 2011!

Later........Dave

P.S. 10 hours and 20 minutes left until 2011 and only about 30 hits needed! to make 10,000!

"Xray Madness.............."

Good Afternoon;

So...I've been to get X-rays taken.....and in typical "Dave's World" fashion it was somewhere between a 'SNAFU' & a 'Clusterf*ck'!

When I got the referral from the 'skull cracker's' office I was given a list of Radiology centers to choose from, I asked whether I needed a referral from my PCP at JAI, or whether I had to go to JAI, and was told "NO", and the woman called to check on it. So this morning I went to American Radiology in Owings Mills because they have my records from the MRI and CT scans a few weeks back thinking it would make things easier because I am already in their computer system.

Well it did....at first. Then I was called to the desk and told they needed a referral form from JAI, (the neurosurgeon wrote it as prescription order as sometimes is the case), and which center did I go to and who is my Doctor. Well I had that information and also the phone and fax numbers for them. Next I get called to the desk and told that I have to go to JAI to get the X-rays taken there, because they do their own. But at least I was able to get a printout of the previous exams and the radiologists report.

Okay.....back on the bus to Pikesville and transfer to the #54 down to Cold Spring & Park Heights, in the 'hood'. This corner is like Arlo Guthrie's 'Alice's Restaurant', where..."you can get anything you want.......excepting Alice", the only difference being, down here even Alice is available for the right price! Anyway I hand in the form and wait for 30 minutes and I'm called into the back to the X-ray and Blood Lab waiting area for 15 minutes then into the X-ray exam room. First standing and having shots of the Cervical spine area taken while relaxed and while under various degrees of 'flexation', or tension. (And I need to have the Neuro(tics)....lol....explain why when I bend my neck as far forward to me chest as I can....there is a pain in my low, low left back region?) Then it was on the table for Lumbar spine shots, again at rest and 'flexed'. The worst was on my left side curled into a fetal position, not only back pain but both the spleen and the gall bladder hurt.

A 5 minute wait for the films to be downloaded to disc, and I asked for a copy of my records for court on Jan.11th and found out that a copy had already been requested and sent to the Court, then back on the bus to Pikesville and another bus to here. All this on a delicious breakfast of Land 'O Lakes butterscotch cocoa and instant coffee made in the Giant with the really hot tap water, and 5 Chocoltae Covered Cherries (in the 'creme filling' not the liquid filling, but still yummy and half price from Xmas).

I'm heading over to Giant to see what 'real' food is on clearance or markdown and then over to the coffee shop in Mt. Washington.

Where last night I shared my table with a young woman named Julia and her Mom and Dad who had come up from Annapolis to look at a used car they may be buying. We had a nice chat and in the course of the conversation we talked about the blog and being homeless and her Dad handed me $5.00 as they were leaving,

(Thank You guys!, It came in handy as I have today and tomorrow morning to get through and this is food money.)

It is like summer time outside, at least 45 degrees and sunny! I had to take off my sweatshirt because when I left the shed it was cold inside, (it holds both heat AND cold), and by the time I had walked into the sunshine, I had 'locked' it up and did not want to go through the rigamarole of unlocking and taking off the vest and relocking....etc. Also I figured it will most likely a rapid temperature drop as the sun goes down, so I may as well keep the coat, etc. with me. The temperature is supposed to be 50 degrees and a possibility of rain on New Years Day, Saturday, which is okay with me, but the 'Winter Classic' Outdoor Hockey Game in Pittsburgh could be a 'wet mess'!...........LOL!

Times up here but before I sign off I want to offer a very grateful and heartfelt THANK YOU!! to the fashionista who decided that this years winter look is 'Boots and Tights'....Thank You, Thank You, Thank You...........(LMAO!!!!)

Later..........Dave

"Dem Bones.................."

Good Morning;

A quick stop to check my e-mail and I'm off to catch the 10:50 am. bus to Owings Mills to American Radiology for my x-ray session.

Then contact the Neurologist about my appointment there.

Thanks Frayda...a whole bunch of Facebook referrals from yesterday afternoon through this morning!

96 hits to go and 2 days left.....

As Bob the Builder says:

(and appropriated by Pres. Obama......)

"Can We Do It....Yes We Can"

(Hmmmm, "Politcal Campaign Theory By Nickeloden Jr.",

THAT explains a lot about American government.....LOL!)

Gotta run,

Later............Dave

"library............Finale.........."

Good Afternoon....Again;

Well Rachel, and her mother and the 8 or 10 Orthodox (Jewish) teenage girls she is involved with in the homeschooling round robin, have just left, (and now the computer tells me I have 5 minutes left).

So....Rachel and I registered her Furreal Friends toy kitty and printed out it's adoption certificate and played on the www.PBSKIDS.com website and picked out 7 books and read some others. I'm on my way out now too, I have to go to the Giant and get breakfast...a little late I know, and then to the Starbucks to eat it.

Later..........Dave

"On Those Days When You Feel...'Missable, Right!,...When You Can't Find Your Little Green Pill That Gets You 'High On Life'..Then Try Some 'Fukitol'."

Good Afternoon:
This is great! A true 'Wonder Drug' or 'Silver Bullet'!

Click on the link below:
http://www.fukitol.com/

The menu bar is real and the Stages and Symptoms and the 'Testimonials' are hilarious! some one went to a lot of work on this site.
The best part is all the ads and links for real products and websites,
but the topper is the link to the Scientology website.....LOL!

Later......................Dave

P.S. The 'Missable...right!' is from an old comedy satire of the same name by either George Carlin, Robin Williams, or Cheech and Chong...(Now you know where I get it from.....LOL!)...that I cannot remember....(CRS exacerbated by a lot of...'you know' use in my youth....LOL)....who did it.

"Library Interlude...............Part 1 = Rachel And Me!................"

Good Morning;

3 days left and 129 hits needed.....tell your friends....."10,000 by 00:01 am. 2011"

So the phone rings around 10 minutes of 9:00 am. this morning and it's Rachel asking me to come to the library around 10:00 am. because her mother is bringing the older girls and Rachel wants to come also. Well of course, I said, 'of course!'...lol...and got up went to the Giant for my coffee and here I am........and......here comes Rachel! I'll be back to finish this after she leaves, unless I get a ride to Owings mills and American Radiology for my X-rays from the 'ex'.

Just want to throw out a "Thank You" to Josh for the breakfast sandwiches the other night,...between, Jenn, Tom ,and myself they did not last long and there is no worries about spoilage beyond the expiration date on this batch!.....LOL!

Later...............Dave

"Glow In The Dark Pin Cushion......................OR.........................Hell Yes It Hurts When You Stick Me There!!!!........................."

Good Afternoon;

Well the 'Skull Cracker', (aka Neurosurgeon.....lol) has sent me to the Neurologists for more testing, nervous system and nerve tests, something called an EMG, I figure I'm either going to be filled full of pins like a VooDoo novices practice dummy, or strung up with electrodes and made to dance like Pinocchio when the juice is turned on.....LOL! I also have to go get some more X-rays, so it's a good thing I'm through with having kids, (planned ones anyway...lol), because with all the assorted radiation and magnetic fields I've been exposed to.... a 3 headed baby would be one of the better mutations......LMAO! These X-rays are supposed to be taken while flexing certain parts of the back, leg, and neck/shoulder I think. I wonder if it a stop motion type of thing or is there such a thing as 'video capture' X-rays? We'll know tomorrow, just look for me over in the corner at the Starbucks in the evening, I'll be the one with the built in reading lights....I'd much rather have a 'post activity' glow from some other type of exertion, but.....oh well, such is life in the slow lane.... ;-(

Anyway, after the walk along the 'Helen Back' trail to and from the doctor's office, (it's called that because it seems like I walked through that damn wind and cold all the way to 'Hell And Back'!), I caught the bus to the coffee shop. I ran into a gentleman named Abe from Russia who I had met last week. He is a professional photographer who has been shooting the work of a Jewish Viennese glassblower and sculptor, Whose name is well known and on the tip of my tongue.....(I'm short on time, I'll Google him later and tell you). He was another who was surprised that I am on the streets from our talk and as he was leaving he asked if he could give me a $20.00, well being X-mas eve and being short I accepted and thanked him, gratefully. Last night he came in and asked if I liked fruit and handed me a bag of oranges and grapefruits...and 1 apple, it must have been lost,,lol...not being able to eat all of them and not wanting them to freeze and go to waste, I shared them on the bus and with some folks at Starbucks.

Last night in the shed I was really comfortable and almost did not get up to go to Jenn's to shower and do laundry. I finally did get up at 10:00 am. and the damn wind made me wish I had stayed in.

I'm leaving her house now and heading over to the coffee shop for a few hours, then back to the shed. It is warming up outside, it's nearly 37 degrees!! tonight should be another good night for sleep....once I get in the bag. No not THAT way, alcohol is bad for you in the cold, as I well remember from the days when I would leave a club sweaty and hot from dancing and with a full load of 'anti-freeze' in my system........yeah, not a good idea.........LOL!

Later..............................Dave

"Ice Sailing....................&........................My Pre-Lobotomy Examination Appointment.............."

Good Morning;

Well the storm by passd us here in Baltimore as far as snow is concerned, but it's cold as as a divorce lawyers heart out there as the wind is a real b*itch. 25 to 30 mph with the occasional gust up to 40mph, it had my bags pushed out to the side and acting as sails. I hit a patch of smooth ice and just stood still and was passing cars as they slowed for the traffic light. It was pretty funny to see the looks on some of the faces as I glided by grinning.......lol.

So I'm just here for a minute at the library checking Google Maps for the location of the Neurosurgeons office...of course it is on the FAR side of the hospital grounds, where I do not see a bus route within the immediate vicinity. I will have to walk from one side of the hospital all the way around the perimeter because of the fences and buildings that block a direct route.....And it is INTO the wind.....of course......damn if I had a pair of those 'wheelie' sneakers I could use my sail bot experience and tack into the wind....oh well, just the floppy soled boots today.....lol!

Rachel and I had a real nice time Saturday afternoon and Sunday at Jenn's, she left about 3:30 pm. and I left to head up to the shed about 7:45 pm. Of course the damn bus never showed so I had to walk to the subway and catch the train to Owings Mills to catch the bus back down to Pikesville to the gas station and the shed....or stand out in the slush and the wind and the cold for an hour........I took the train!....lol!

With two pair of sweatpants, my sweatshirt, a pair of the bootsocks, (that Jenn and family gave me for Xmas), and a second pair of socks on, once I got in the bag and flipped the blanket over me and warmed up I was almost too warm. Getting up to pee was no fun, but I was able to slide back into the warm covers quickly. Getting up this morning was a whole different story! I did not even swap clothes it was so cold, just put on the frozen boots and latched the door and hit the Giant for coffee and hot water to defrost my hands. I'll change in the doctor's restroom if I get the chance....maybe. I'm out of here now to go stand on the bus stop(s!) to get to Sinai Hospital. I may spend $2.00-3.00 on a cab from the last bus stop to the doctors office building if I can find one.

I may be back later, if not, tomorrow morning,

Later......................Dave

P. S. 5 days to go and 169 hits needed to make the 10,000 mark.

P.P.S.......Go RAVENS!!!!, WE ARE IN THE PLAYOFFS!!

"New Math Or Old Math.......Needy families in Baltimore often can't access affordable housing - baltimoresun.com"

Good Morning;

Another mathematical puzzle fo your perusal;

Look at the income numbers vs. the rental costs in the story linked below:
Needy families in Baltimore often can't access affordable housing - baltimoresun.com

As the robot in "Lost In Space" was prone to saying:

"That does not compute!"

Later.............Dave

"Sunday Morning Musings Of A Seriously Messed Up Mind!......................"

Good Morning;

So it's 8:15 am. Sunday morning and I've been up since 5:30 am. after a whole 2 and 1/2 hours sleep. I woke up when Rachel got up to go to the bathroom and never got back to sleep. I emptied the dishwasher and put away the dishes for Jenn and my back and feet hurt so bad I tried to lay down on their bed...(they are not in it.....lol!)...and between the cats and the old mattress and box spring could not get comfortable, but I did see the laptop I thought Tom had taken up to his mother's when they stopped past on their way up to Monkton from Gaithersburg, so I've been cruising the Net and watching the news on the cable and watching the track of this damn snow storm that is due in an hour or two. Anywhere from 3 to 12 inches are forecast depending on how far east the center is out to sea.......Grreeeeaaaaattttt!!!! And the best part is the up to 40 mph winds that will be bearing down on us here in Baltimore on Monday, with the drifting and blowing snow that will accompany it!......NOT!!!!!

But as I keep saying..."Perspective!!!",.....

...............N.Y.C. and Boston are REALLY going to get nailed!

A great headline and a great story, and a what agreat name for a band...

"The Atomic Tumbleweeds"....LOL!...:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704694004576019280235026892.html

check out the link to the Wall Street Journal, it's a funny story that is not meant to be so. Yeah, well so it's not about homelessness....I don't spend ALL my time focused on what is really only a symptom of my current situation.

Okay, Rachel is up and about now and finished watching "Barbie in Mermaidia", where the really 'hot' CGI Fairy Barbies meet with the really 'hot' CGI Mermaid Barbies......(Damn,....either the CGI guys have gotten really, Really, REALLY!! good.....OR.....I really, Really, REALLY have to find some intimate female companionship.......really, Really, REALLY soon!!!...............ROTFLMAO!!!!!!......[maybe]......), and wants bacon for breakfast so it's time to hit the kitchen.

Hope everyone had a good Xmas, and today starts Kwaanza, and of course Hannukah just passed, so I'll just wish a "Happy....Festivus For The Rest Of Us!!!"

Later....................Dave

P.S.

(I don't know when I'll be back, depends on the snow, if any....which reminds me!!

I'm supposed to see the Neurosurgeon tomorrow.....sh*t, sh*t, sh*t!!!

P.P.S.

189 more visits and we will hit 10,000 on the Sitemeter hit counter (at the end of the page if you scroll all the way down the blog)...can we do it by the end of the year?

YES WE CAN......!!!!!

(with apologies to President Obama for borrowing his catchphrase......lol)

"The Polar Express.......Or.......Xmas Train To Nowhere.............."

Good Evening;

A Quick check in and a Merry Christmas Wish for everyone.

Spent 5 hours last night riding the Light Rail just killing time and people watching all the others who had no place to go and no place to be on Xmas Eve.

Anyway, I'm over Jenn's now with my Rachel and just have a minute before the laptop goes on the road to Tom's mother's where they are spending the night.

Later................Dave

Balto. Co. remembers residents who died homeless in 2010 - baltimoresun.com

Good afternoon;

As you travel from warm house to warm stores,

or to vist friends and families in your warm cars....

take a minute and say a prayer for those who could not...

and those who cannot.

(see the link below)

Balto. Co. remembers residents who died homeless in 2010 - baltimoresun.com

It always keeps me humble and grateful to remember,

no matter how bad it gets, I am blessed by having friends, family,

and all of you who read this blog.

At the very worst, at the end of my rope,

if I really, really, really need help, there are people who will respond.

For many different reasons, some of which I can relate to, others we will

never comprehend, some of these folks would not or could not ask for help.

Or worse...they tried and no one listened, nobody heard that silent scream.

God Bless and Good Luck;

Dave

Homeless: Baltimore County works on 10-year plan to end homelessness - baltimoresun.com

Good Afternoon;
Homeless: Baltimore County works on 10-year plan to end homelessness - baltimoresun.com

Dave

" Raus!!!!!...........Maus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.............................& A Grateful Holiday Wish................"

Good Afternoon;

So, I'm here at the library in passing on my way from Owings Mills where I just met with my friend Paul, who is a 'Loyal Reader' from almost the beginning of my blogging who contaced me by e-mail, we messaged back and forth for a time and then finally met. Now we get together for coffee and lunch when time and circumstance allow, (he's a busy guy..his job took hin to St.Louis for a week end once....that lasted for 2 weeks....lol). I met him at the St. Thomas Starbucks where I used to frequent and renewed some acquaintances there with employees and a couple patrons who also read the blog, and we wento Wendy's where he bought me lunch. We ended up spending a couple hours talking and catching up, and as we were getting up to leave, he presented me with a $50.00 gift Mastercard as a Christmas present to get some things for my daughter and grandkids. Wow!!, Thanks Paul! Merry Christmas to you and the family.

I'm on my way next to the Starbucks in Mt. Washington and the Whole Foods where Michel, (hey! I forgot about her, that is Another Michelle in my life....lol!, [even if she does spell it with one L and one E]...) told me to come by before 5:00 pm. today because she has something for me...(and I think it may be her family's famous Sweet Potatoe Pie!.....Yummmm!).

Then it's the close the Starbucks and back to the shed for the night, and it's supposed to be another cold night. Last night was cold but I was warm enough, (as I was the night before which I forgot to mention yesterday), except for having to get out of the bag to chase away the pesky mouse who was getting into my food! For the first time in 2 years of sleeping in this shed I had an intruder that actually got into my food bag! Luckily it was only a 7/8 empty bag of Utz chips and the foil covered plastic of the packaging was crinkling loud enough to wake me. The first half dozen times I did not realize that he was actually in the bag, but thought he was just in the walls or rafters, scrabbling around on the paper side of the insulation. Sit up, turn on the lantern, bang on the walls, ....repeat x 5; then I saw the bag wiggle and jumped up and just missed the little bastard as he took off running through a hole in the wall. I emptied the bag and inspected every thing and found that only the chips bag had been breeched by the perp, though the outer bag of my package of spiral sliced ham showed signs of illegal forced entry, (sorry, slipping into 'cop talk' from the bad old B&E days.....lol!), though he had left a few tiny black 'calling cards'. After I shook out and repacked everything, Thank goodness my Willy Wonka 'Scrumpdiddlyicious' bar was untouched!!!, and used a rubber strap with S hooks on either end and hung it from the center of the ceiling. Of course this was at Midnight and I did not get back to sleep until 8:00 am. and it was too cold to put my hands out of the sleeping bag to hold a book to read. Good thing I have a really vivid imagination and a great fantasy life.....LOL!, that helped pass the time. It was another "I don' wanna get-up it's too cold....." whiny morning and I finally got up at 10:00 am. to hit the Giant, use the facilities to wash and etc., and make a cup of Land O' Lakes French Vanilla Hot Chocolate with a couple of tubes of Nescafe Classico instant coffee tossed in for octane. Yay!! the Ginat's hot water is really HOT again. Enough so that the drink was to too hot and I had to wait for it to cool....of course with a double wall and air gap insulated travel mug that works really, really well...it took a while......LOL!

Anyway, I'm pretty much done here at the library today, and they are closed both Xmas Eve and Xmas Day, & I'll be over Jenn's with Rachel on the 26th, Sunday, with no laptop, and on the 27th I have the Neurosurgeons appointment.....sooo, I may not be back online until Tuesday.

I want to wish everyone, 'Loyal Readers', Followers, Newbies, and those who just googled something and were referred here and are wondering WTF?, the happiest and safest of Holidays. Try to extend the holiday spirit you share with your friends and family to someone who may have no one else say a word to them all day.

Food, Mittens, Money.....or even an acknowledgement of their humanity, NO...of all our 'shared humanity'. A simple greeting of Merry Christmas and eye contact and a smile could be the difference between the strength to struggle on for one more day, or just giving up and letting go.

Between the cold and hopelessness, who knows how many winter deaths are a form of passive suicide?

Merry Christmas....Happy Holidays

Later..........................Dave

"BAH HUMBUG!!!!.....Oh, Who Am I Kidding....It's All An Act!..........LOL!.................."

Good Afternoon...........Again;

Maybe it's the season, maybe it's serendipity, maybe it's synchronicity, but what ever it is ...I like it!

As I was signing off of the computer I got a call from one of the longtime followers and 'loyal readers', Paul inviting me out to lunch and coffee tomorrow. This is kind of cool, 4 folks in 2 days, 2 new acquaintances, but familiar electronically, and 2 older friends, face to face friends, falling into my life.

I guess that's what comes when you are a contradiction such as myself, a gregarious loner, a likable curmudgeon, and an anti-social 'people person'.....LOL!

Just wanted to share that with you ;-)

Later...............Dave

"Sometimes You Win......Sometimes you Don't..........."

Good Afternoon;

Well,....Win some!

I picked up a bag of gifts for Rachel that I am grateful to Prologue for, and that I think she will love. A LiteBrite, a yellow knitted hat with pom-pom, a puzzle, a baton/wand with a spiral ridge running through it that is filled with tiny balls that run from to to bottom every time it is inverted, and make a weird amplified humming-buzzing noise....lol, (yeah her mother is going to love me for that one....lol!), and a 11.5 inch 'fashion doll', (read:Barbie knockoff), who is named Michelle, which is a hoot, because my caseworker; two of my closest friends who I am secretly...(oops not any more!!......LOL!)...in love with, are named Michelle, and it is Rachel's middle name. I may keep it for myself....LOL! Many Thanks to Prologue; to Shelly for these lovely presents, and to Stu for taking the time and effort to track Shelly down and make them available to me today.

Lose some!

I met with the gentleman who is setting me up with a laptop after I left Prologue and he drove us up to the Woodholme Starbucks to show me the computer and the programs he had installed. We sat down, powered it up, and....."Operating System Not Found" shows up on the screen, after many attempts, plugging in the power cord, re-seating the hard drive, etc. and crossing our fingers...nada! He had checked it out at his place after setting it up and it was working okay, so he knew it was functional and operating. Possibly the socket into the hard drive fits is not making a proper connection, maybe there is some other connection that is too loose or sensitive and became separated as the laptop was handled? Well, frustrated we just went outside and sat and talked and he said he would look at the problem back at his bench at home. I am obviously disappointed, but still extremely grateful for the effort and attempt. Thanks Erik!

I'm leaving now for the Starbucks at Mt. Washington to eat for the first time today, I'll be back tomorrow.

Later...........Dave