Summary 20Feb2022: Lost Day

Getting started again at 6:30AM to take the steroid was hard on Sunday. The stiffness from walking and the up and down all night for proof of hydration had taken their toll. I am shakily tired now. I can barely lift the coffee pot when making coffee, and not all the water makes it into the coffee maker. It is a tough day. It is also Day 4 of Cycle 2 and thus the last day of taking the sleep stealing steroids.

The morning disappears as I am slow and tired and read lots of war news on Putin and financial information on the USA. I finally get started on the blog, and that habit helps. All of the disciplines help as it creates a framework to follow. I remember some of my classes on how to work at Nike and how to handle difficult tasks, and to eat the “frog” before it grows bigger and is hard to choke down.

So no giving up, no delaying, just keep going.

I am surprised as Susie calls me from the Forest Grove Rehab and Care Center, Room 44A at 3900 Pacific Highway, and lets me know it is OK that I don’t come today. She is pleased to hear my voice, but she knows and remembers what is happening to me and calls to stay home.

The cold sensitivity is improving, and the stiffness is fading (the stiffness is gone on Monday). But the exhaustion is full-on. It has been a long time since I have been this tired. I don’t dress and finish my spaghetti from last night for lunch.

Pills are, of course, taken on time.

I am late to watch the streaming church service but manage to catch most of it. It was done well, and Bob’s sermon was good. I have been asked to do one, and I might stay with the pre-recorded process like Bob. However, I will need to be a bit better before putting the energy into a 20-minute sermon.

More on speaking, sadly, I turned down a speaking engagement, all expenses paid, to Australia presenting Nike and its use of the SAP software. Previously, I was scheduled and approved to speak at the start of the pandemic (of course) and even had seats paid for Susie and Corwin to come (I picking-up very reasonably priced tickets for them). The conference was canceled and then rebuilt as an online product. Instead of speaking in some dry video, I did some fantastical online discussion using super well-working online conference software. I had a one-on-one with fellow software customers called SAP with folks in Australia. It was a kick, and I went all out to help the conference people as they were being crushed by the pandemic.

The Australians remembered me and wanted me back. I told them I was ill and hoped they remember me for 2023.

I used to speak at two conferences a year for Nike, often three or four times, and do a dozen international presentations online using Zoom+ or other software. I try to get my fellow younger team members into these habits too. It is scary and fun and a chance to grow those non-computer skills. Also, information Technology groups and church groups are by nature very forgiving to speakers.

In our Greater Portland Area, I also recommend Meetup to connect to people. My friend Garrett used to run Knowledge Mavins on Meetup, and I have enjoyed that when I can connect with him and the group. Sadly, a lot of sad today, the Meetup is now gone as it was not possible to keep it going during the pandemic, but I have hope that more things will return once the scourge of the pandemic fades. I still get updates from the Python AI group. Looking forward, someday, I will get to see Ernest and his friends again and discuss squeezing intelligence out of data. And I expect I will be smelling up some meeting with Garrett with solder smoke again in less than a year.

With all this hopeful writing, I have to admit Sunday sucked; I spent most of Sunday asleep or mostly asleep in Susie’s chair in the living room or lying in bed. Not much to tell about it. I would nod off, and then anything would reawaken me in 45 mins. Repeat. Not exactly restful.

Corwin vacuumed and cleaned while I slept. Our new guidelines are being followed.

Ingrid had reserved today’s Mealtrain, so we ordered Mexican food delivered. I found it hard to eat. The small meals thing is presenting. I managed to eat the food, but I will be more mindful of my choices now. Thanks, Ingrid!

Corwin wanted to watch the old show The Boyz on prime, I think, and I had seen it before. It is superheroes and dark and well done. I did not like it the first time I saw it, and it, for me, is not working. I managed to stay awake for three episodes before just falling asleep. The main character is victimized, and I never got over that. Not recommended.

I did slip in a bit of Reacher on prime and still like that show. I might have to read the books. Recommended and from a recommendation of the Smiths.

I got a photo from the New York City team, Jason, Natasha, and Cat. I had sent a copy of the modern board game (I learned that this is a modern board game in a video from Shut Up and Sit Down) Architects of the West Kingdom. This is a neat new system only a few years old that is easy to learn and hard to master. It also contains different focuses to win and thus luck’s impact is much reduced in the game (one of the strong complaints against another excellent game Wingspan). The photo sent was of the game board and a note that the lawyer, Jason, was already involved in the Black Market. This game, like so many, is best learned from a video and a teacher if you can find one. I learned it at the Gamestorm Gaming convention in Portland a few years ago. And, played it a few times with Richard and his crew (I was crushed each time). The game is designed in New Zealand and they have other fine modern board games that are considered, with add-ons, some of the best of this scale (a few hours of play). Corwin loves this game, too–he likes all the options. It also is a small heavy box instead of the monster-sized boxes. The last word on Architects of the West Kingdom, it is played with 1-5 players and I believe I have played all player counts and find it works well for all, an incredible job of game design!

Sleep did not really come to 2ish this morning, but I slept, blessedly, many hours and managed to start at 8:30ish. I am feeling much more positive today.