The ICE STORM OF THE CENTURY never did materialize. It was cold and it did rain/freezing rain a bit around here. Apparently 30-50 miles north of here got it pretty good, while we escaped unscathed. But I guess in some sort of sympathy move they closed the local schools 2 hours early. I wonder which weather forecast they were watching?
Started down, went up, still up.
Top Transitions since 02/02/02: 333
I’m actually surprised that they haven’t already done that. The weather people are predicting freezing rain for tomorrow afternoon and usually around here in the wholly-unprepared-for-winter-weather south we close the schools and shut down the city government at the suggestion of cold wet stuff of any kind.
Way back in May/June when I was smacked with high blood pressure and the doctors couldn’t find a medical cause, I decided to take advantage of my company’s free counseling service to see if there might be a stress induced component to my problem. After my initial interview it was determined that I had a stress inducing boss and I should keep a journal of my stress inducing incidents and what my response was and what it should have been. I also needed to replace my rapidly declining cycling (because of a different medical problem) with a different form of exercise. As it turned out, because of scheduling conflicts and the consoler’s inability to operate her Outlook calendar, a couple of appointments were missed, so I never went back.
Two weeks ago as part of the counseling services quality program, I got a call asking how I felt about their services. I told them that they were definitely sub-par, the advice given made sense, but the level of commitment to keeping appointments left a lot to be desired. Two days later I got a call from the Head of Patient Services. He told me he was sorry I felt that way and if I was still interested I could be set up to see another counselor. I thought, what the heck, it doesn’t cost anything, go for it.
This evening I had my session with a different counselor. We chatted for an hour and he came to the conclusion that I was having trouble dealing with the fact that I was getting old. I should learn to deal with this, considering the alternative and he gave me a sheet of paper with some relaxation breathing exercises and if I ever needed to talk he gave me his card. You’re dismissed.
Now that I look back on these counselors and their diagnoses, whose problems are we dealing with? The first felt I had boss issues, I don’t think there is a big issue between myself and my boss, he is a lazy asshole and everyone knows it but himself (this is a universal truth and not just my problem.) So is it hers? She is a female and she is non-white. She kept a very messy office and obviously had no idea how to handle and set up appointments. Is her boss on her case a lot? Counselor #2 is in his early 40’s and his 19 year-old daughter recently presented him with a grand baby. I don’t feel I have a problem with my getting older, but does he?
Here is the final twist. Did my different reactions and responses to the different counselors cause each one to come to their different conclusions?
In my extremely lazy day around the house today I have watched a bit of TV. Everything from a rerun of SportsNight at 7:30 AM to some of the Saints/Bucs football game at 9:30 PM. As my habit, and probably most men’s, as soon as a commercial break happens we go hunting other things to see. In the probably 25 times I passed through MTV today, not once did I stumble onto a music video being played. Because it is of no interest to me, I didn’t stick around to see if it was Road Rules or Real World or whatever. VH1 is falling into the same rut as well, only about half the time we they playing videos. The rest was Behind the Music stuff….
It’s a typical Sunday, so the Miata hasn’t budged from the garage where I left it after yesterday’s washing. Actually, yesterday’s driving trip was out of the garage into the driveway and then right back into the garage. Total mileage for this weekend 1/10 of a mile! Heck I myself was only out of the house once today – a trip to the end of the driveway to retrieve the local Sunday papers, The Augusta Chronicle and The Aiken Standard. And you thought you led an exciting life….
Started up, still up.
Top Transitions since 02/02/02: 329
Washed the car today, that is why the top went up. It was fairly filthy. Not only did I was the outside, but the engine compartment got a washing too. Found some quick and easy instructions in a Miata.net forum post and decided that 7 years of road grime needed to go. I really need to wash off the coolant residue left behind by my leaky heater hose incident, I could still smell it and it made me think that the leak was re-occurring. The engine compartment looks a whole heck of a lot better now, won’t win any car shows, but looks good. As a bonus the coolant smell is totally gone, it has been replaced by the scent of Simple Green.
Started down, went up, still up.
Top Transitions since 02/02/02: 329
Watched about half of an NFL football game on TV this afternoon. It’s Thanksgiving, so I felt it was expected of me. Saw the latest loser version of a Dr. Pepper commercial with some sort of Buddy Holly/early rock ‘n’ roll thing that was absolutely without any redeeming qualities. Who were they expecting to appeal to with that? They ought to take a cue from the beer ads, those are funny as well as populated with young, hip twenty-somethings we all wish we were.