Clothes and Foods and Getting Up – Oh My!

Have these last few months felt strangely unfamiliar to you?  Right?  Well, I discovered this week (with the help of my stroke counselor) that I have triggers.  I knew what they were, but I, certainly, didn’t think I had any.  I have a friend who rages at times.  The rest of the time he is wonderful, but at these moments, he is a different person.  Now, he doesn’t rage at me, but at things in general, usually. I realized how angry I was after we had spent some time on a video game together on the Internet.  I was seething at him and didn’t really care if I ever talked to him again.  This bothered me because he wasn’t mad at me and I really like him.  I mentioned this to my Counselor.  We are gonna talk more about it on Monday.  But, the idea is that my father yelled at me; my 1st wife yelled at me.  Both of these people set me up to hear any sort of yelling as a threat to me as an individual.  I want to discuss more with her on how to diffuse this, but I find it fascinating and it helps me understand others better.  To an extent, I am an empath for  angry feelings and yelling.

That was before my grocery trip to Walmart.  I went there because my Insulin Rx is there.  I decided to just shop since I was already there. Things had been decent in the recent past but, as things were starting to get back to normal, I noticed that the customers and, to a degree, the cashiers were getting a bit mean and dicey.   It was not a fun, enjoyable, and relaxing jaunt.  It was hard and I got home so tired of being out even for those few hours.

I read an article this morning. It stemmed from Facebook, somehow.  Anyway, it was the general public’s responses to a LA article about how we are dressing during the pandemic.  WHAT!!!???

We are just getting along the best we can!  I figured the author must be one of those guys who finds it fun to steal little kids’ ice cream cones from them.  I found out that, while I had never heard of him, he was kinda popular.  I am not so certain that is true now.  People were upset.  This may have been an article on Twitter, which sounds right.  Anyway, he/she stated that we are getting paid for sitting home, so we outta dress like it!  I want to yell and scream at this jerk!  I guess, in some ways, I am! lol  However, now I remember.  I wanted to know if I could safely wear shorts yet to the grocery.  This article was one I can across: work from home

I did like this one that is satirical in nature (please keep that in mind): pants?

Finally, one more shot to the midsection for my last 48 hours.  I chose that, for now, I would live more on a 2nd-3rd shift schedule and have told most people about this.  That, basically, means I go to bed between 3:00-4:00A, read for an hour, then sleep until about 3P that afternoon.  I don’t answer any calls except from my doctors or hospital, my Mom, and calls I consider emergency.  I try to let all of them go to voice mail so that I either see the phone number or hear the voice.   I am pretty firm about this.  I have told my family and friends and, for the most part, enjoy my days.  I had a stroke (severe) about 10 years ago and it reset my brain.  I don’t sleep well, so I simply make use of the hours I can’t really sleep well.  I live alone, don’t really date and with this virus, don’t go much of anywhere.  So it should be fine.  One of my friends doesn’t agree and tends to call me between 2 and 3 in the afternoon.  It throws me off of my early schedule and, for instance, I literally forgot to take my Insulin until almost 2 hours late.  My answer to this, after some thought, is that instead of getting angry, I am going to consider it his fault and simply not answer anymore until after 3 and take my time calling him back.  It might appear passive-aggressive, but I think it is a positive approach to not having the same talk again in which I tend to lose my temper.

Well, that’s my weekend.  How was yours?  Oh yeah, I still have Sunday to go, don’t I? lol

Namaste,  Stay Safe

Scott

What’s “in Store” for Us?

Mom and I spend a decent amount of time together.  She having lost her Husband of around 6 decades and her daughter of late 50’s, and I having lost my father and sister, do truly need to rely on each other many times.  I realize that she is my only original family left, and she, I feel, is worried I might die before her.  She has some vision problems and arthritis, so I take her to supper, often at Cracker Barrel, and to the grocery when that merits the time.  I call each night to check on her.  So, us being out together is nothing new.

Earlier (is it really 12;11 AM?) we trudged off, first to the hospital for her therapy, then to Meijer (super store) for groceries.  I know this Coronavirus is a serious thing, but OMG!  there were so many people there and their carts were so empty as compared to normal.  We began shopping and I soon saw the reason.  The shelves had very little on them.  I am used to having to do without a couple of items or get other brands when that works, but milk?  I know I get Unsweetened Almond Milk, but I had to buy a brand I had never noticed before and got the last three 1/2 gallon containers.  I don’t eat much meat, but the ground beef section was completely empty!  Not only that, but they had about 5-6 cashiers besides the DIY belts and all those 5-6 had around 4-6 people with, finally, full carts.  I bought some things that I really didn’t need right now because, well, what if?

People were not as happy as normal and were all-consumed with buying.  I was careful not to get in anyone’s way, but, often, found the aisles blocked by those who had left their carts in the middle of the aisle to get something or where there was a cart next to another going the other way.

I had so much trouble trying to get the milk and then, it happened.  A man came up behind me as I was stepping back and said, “I saw you having some trouble and wanted to know if I could help?”  I said, “No thanks.” and we shared a word or two before he and the woman he was with went on their way.

It was just plain nice that, in that mess, someone wanted to help a stranger.  And who is stranger than me? huh?

The world can be a messy ordeal, but there are those moments to remember…

Namaste,

Scott

Going Through Withdrawal!

Okay, since my horrendous visit to Walmart, I have been having difficulty. Remember, I was there a LOT!  So, it’s been difficult to stay away.  I would still be willing to buy at Walmart, com (I don’t have to deal with people and get free shipping on orders over $35 or $50 can’t remember which), however, I don’t do that often anyway.

So, this was my 2nd trip to Meijer’s yesterday (I survived!).  I found most everything easily and, since I wasn’t angry, I had a decent time.  The checkout person was very nice and I talked to the woman at customer service for about 15 minutes about Walmart (lol).  She is going to try and read the above-linked post.  We shared ideas.  Hers was that she stays out of Walmart so as to not go to prison (to each their own!).  I don’t think that needs much more in the detail dept.  We laughed and I left Meijer’s feeling pretty good (and, it wasn’t RAINING!!!).

So, just goes to prove a leopard can change it’s spots, a horse can be a different color, and whatever other cliché you want to drop in there that fits.  I am going through withdrawal, but have the proper injections (Meijer visits).

Have a great day.

Namaste,

Scott

Starting the New Year – Right?

Well, it just goes to show that even the simplest of resolutions can be difficult.  One of my “easy” ones was to continue to post every night.  It is only Jan 12th and I almost missed setting mine up tonight.  Actually, I did as it is Jan 13th right now (1:32AM), but since the post is for the 13th, I am still okay.

I did a bad tonight and took the night off and went to Indy, ate lunch, shopped at Goodwill, had supper, watched a movie, and sat and talked, all with a very good friend from 2pm until about 12midnight.  I was doing so well.  I drove home at night in the foggy rain (and did good!), stopped at Wal-Mart so I could eat better tomorrow, picked things up, went home, and — dropped a full jar of low carb jelly on the floor.  I spent a bit of time cleaning up the mess (fortunately, it was really thick and stayed pretty much in one piece – the jelly, not the jar), then went to relax a few minutes before bed and saw that I had not done my post!!!

Now, I can already hear all of you out there, “Scott, it’s okay if you miss a night.” or, perhaps, “Scott, just be quiet!” Regardless, the point is:  it was one of my 3 easy resolutions.  So, now, I will tell you just a bit about the movie I watched and be done.  Of course, this also means I didn’t get Friday Fictioneers done this week as I was behind and missed the post!

We saw “Jack Reacher”.  Now, I didn’t know much about it.  It was an excellent movie!  Tom Cruise (I don’t like him, but I do like his movies) was very good and the plot was a great one.  Trailer is below.  Enjoy.

Namaste,

Scott

The Right of Way – I say RIGHT!

I had a very busy day today.  I went and had lunch with a good friend of mine.  Then, on the way home, I stopped at Wal-mart to pick up the first half of my fix-it order: a new 19inch monitor.  I decided that I could do groceries, get the pork chops I am making for New Year’s Day, and my nose spray while there.

As I entered the store with cart in hand (well, pushing) a large woman came walking out the in door and I had to be the one to move my cart!  Right of way!  In America, you take the right side to leave and enter, making us- supposedly – in different doorways.  This happens at Wal-mart all the time.  I asked the greeter if it was legal for me to knock someone down with my cart if they went the wrong way.  He smiled and said, “No”.  Doesn’t sound right.

Now, topping this off, people in the grocery aisles do not stay on their side of the lane with their cart.  A lot of times, they drive down the middle and block both ways!  Again, Right of Way!

Tonight, when I was leaving with my monitor (which 3 different store people sent me to 2 very wrong spots) I came down the aisle on the right side.  One set of 2 ladies approached on my left (excellent) and another large woman, her guy, and a child came right at me on my side!  It was good, I guess, that the two women passed me and gave ME time to MOVE to the WRONG side so I didn’t get run over.  Worse, the Woman with the cart looked at me as if it was my fault.

That was my original thought  for my post tonight – BUT, it does get better (or worse, depending on whether you were actually there or not).  I picked up my groceries and realized I had forgotten my nasal spray.  It, of course, is on the other side of the store.  I went over there, had to get down on my knees as it is on the bottom shelf, and they were out!  I could not even find a sticker for it.  I went quickly to the Rx counter and asked if they carried it.  “It’s on the shelf (right shelf).  If there’s no sticker, then we probably don’t carry it anymore.’  I gave up and just started off.  The woman called after me, “Sir, I found it!”   They had changed the box and moved it one shelf higher! (Argh – lol).

Then I got in line was 3rd person back and the woman took forever (not really, but a long time).  Then the people in front of me not only wanted to buy a few things (why I got in that line), but also cashed their Social Security Checks!  This took even longer.  Just before this I realized that I had bought ice cream and it had been sitting in my cart for almost 30 minutes and I wasn’t even being checked out yet!

Got done and headed to the car.  It had begun snowing several hours early!  Needless to say, the car was covered and I had to clear it off before I could head home (even more time).

When I arrived home, it took 4 trips to carry in the items and I had to go slowly on the snow.  So, now I get in here (finally!) and realize that I forgot the pork chops!  Tomorrow said my mind and I heartily agreed.

I just finished putting up my new monitor.  I was nearly in tears as I could not get the terminal plug to fit into the computer.  I tried several times, checked the adapter, had decided that I would have to either buy a new adapter or take the monitor back, and I looked harder – I had it upside down!  Long Day! lol

I don’t mind this so much after I share it with all of you – laughing at yourself is good for the soul – and, it doesn’t make a bad post either!!! 🙂

Namaste,

Scott