vicarz | (no subject)

(no subject)

The other morning I woke up an hour early, and thought I would take advantage of the event to check out the lunar eclipse. By the time I got to work, the sky was filled with clouds - my view would have been dubiously possible due to city lights anyway. I pulled into the parking lot, and had to scoot around some canadian mooses. A lead moose stood between me and the flock, valiantly defending his brethren against my steel beast. I honked at the crew (with my voice, not horn) - as if to say "I'm with you, solidarity my brother!" I got strange moose looks in return. I parked, and stood atop a small hill to see the clouds remained and there was no sun or moon in sight at all. There were workers. The government hires a bunch of "Melwood" employees, or physically and learning impaired people capable of performing menial tasks. Most janitors and groundskeepers are melwood employees in this government building. The Melwood folks were spread in the parking lot with plastic snow shovels. They were moving to and fro, scraping the pavement. It seems draining the ponds did not get rid of the mooses, or the moose poop - the crew was shoveling poop off the pavement with snow shovels. So all was not lost - I missed an hour of trying to get back to sleep, and while I didn't get to view the magnificence of a lunar eclipse - I did get to see moose poop shoveled.

In other news, not knowing sucks. I still visit my father every day. He may survive, a new development, but he hasn't returned to consciousness even after having sedatives withdrawn for several hours. I did sit by him yesterday and see him move his head several times (confirmed by the nurse) - I have no idea if anything developed overnight. I asked to be called regardless of time if he woke up. I show up just in case he has some idea that I'm there. However, the odds are he does not. I'm not convinced he wants me there - if asked, I know he'd say go on about my life, don't want to be a burden...and mean it. For all I know he's distressed at hearing my voice rather than comforted. I wish he could tell me. I hope he can soon.

I'm finding it very difficult to work, go to the hospital, eat dinner, and work out each day. I do wind up with my evenings free, but not enough to do much with them. If I eat or work out after 8 I wake up in the middle of the night. I'm waking up anyway, but activity makes it worse.

Today I have covered though - I'm up early to work at home (WAH) so I can take a long lunch at the gym. I should be able to visit my dad about the same time (I never saw him this often in my life - maybe I like him better sleeping? ;P). There is a slim chance I'll hit chronos, though I'd rather do coffee. I probably won't go regardless - after the hospital I feel like quiet stuff. Tomrrow I am off, with the plan of going to potato mills 1st thing in the AM to beat the holiday rush. Yes, I am trying to earn me-time to go shopping. Look out Lindt, here I come.

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No pressure one way or de other, but I'd love to see you at Chronos.

You have Melwood too? They don't do such a good job at our facility. Hence the naming of cockroaches.

No, they suck horribly. I think they should have them as a crew with real crew to back them up. Perhaps there are non-disabled supervisors who aren't doing their jobs who need to be fired?

My favorite recent thing was seeing one go into each bathroom stall and grab the loose roll of toilet paper and throw it away. You see, there is another guy who puts the loose rolls of toilet paper in there...

They definitely require more supervision then they are getting at our facility. They will not stock soap for weeks and they barely clean anything. Apparently they are not allowed to handle certain cleaning chemicals including proper disinfectants.

Wow...yeah that does sound familiar. The bathrooms are filthy - you can see buildup on the floors. Soap is always out. I thought it was just our management...seems this "charity" is causing us all hardship. What a scam, all to "help."

It is almost comforting to know it isn't just us. They also cut back their hours around here so currently the bathrooms are only cleaned an stocked MWF and the trash is only taken out once a week! It is nice. We have been filing complaints left and right, but noone listens. When I got that staph infection two years ago I suspected the apt building we were living in and here as the culprits.

Next time we get together I can share some other fun stories. Just as a rule though watch your coffee pot? When we give you the little game thing for your TV I can tell you why;>

Wish I had read this earlier - I've been hanging out at Murky all morning.

I'm open for coffee tomorrow if ya want.

Glad you are taking some indulgent Jose-time.

Maybe the coffee - will see.

PLEASE....have some Lindt for me!! As for the rest...alone time is good, especially when by choice. Club time...if you are in the mood you will go. If not you can replay some random memory and have an 80% chance of getting the entire soundtrack right.

Any melwood employees in the administrative positions?

sorry, had to.

Again, I'm thinking of you.

Zing! I should bring that up too...

well, i'm rarely feeling clubby but i *do* have a stash of chocolates. my friend had an orgasm on the couch after eating one. really, all hands were in plain sight! and there is larry's, too...

(you know, I freely admit I liked my dad a lot better when he had amnesia and didn't know who the hell any of us were. I think it's because I'm just a bad person.)

Sounds like a good way to get off the hook! "It wasn't me" "Who are you?" "Told you!"

I've had random conversations about the chocolate at the wine shop in Shirlington with Fenris, Chad, Collin, and probably others I've forgotten. I think someone mentioned you had been there or should go?

My personal favorite is the pack of Michel Cluizel single plantation dark chocolate squares for a fairly decent ($10ish) for 16pieces. To me these are like the single malt whiskeys of chocolate. Not as smooth as Lindt, a bit harsh, made to be sipped and savored slowly.

Yeah, the Curious Grape in Shirlington. It's the bestest.
I love the Amedi Porcelana for pure chocolate. Any of the Vosage blends are great too.

Jose is chocoghettofabulous, and blanches at the prospect of paying over $2.50 for a chocolate bar. I think the sheer joy of sampling some of the best chocolate out there is soured by the idea of paying upwards of $10 for the pleasure.

Homigawd...I answered before I saw your post, but you utterly nailed me on that one. It seems we share our opinion of me! Uh, regarding chocolate.

You both even used the verb "blanch."

I love some of the chocolates there, but I'm a tad ghetto and cheap. I mean I'm not a hershey whore (wow that sound filthy) but when a chocolate bar is $10 I blanche. I do like their organic maya gold bars, green & black.

I do Lindt in part because I can get huge sacks from the outlet for $10-15. So I like the finer things in life, for cheap.

I've been to the store with Jen, Colin, & Nadra in various groupings. It is a hghly recommended store, though I know nothing of wine unless it contains an h.

I show up just in case he has some idea that I'm there.

That's not the only reason to go. It is good for you, too, even if it doesn't seem like it now. I regret I didn't stay more, but I kept driving back to DC in hope of keeping a job I eventually lost anyway.

I disagree. I can, and do, grieve on my own in my own way. I really am just going for him - just in case. If I knew he was unaware, I would wait for him to regain consciousness.

My point is that what you think you want right now may not be what you wish you had done many years down the line, and you don't get another chance. You are better off erring on the side of caution. What have you got to lose except a few hours of free time?

For the record, this has a lot to do with the fact that I DID end up missing the day or so that my dad regained full consciousness and was lucid before he died. You have the advantage that your dad isn't 4 hours away, but it is worth considering.

Wow, sorry and noted.

I didn't mean for that to sound as much like a guilt-trip as it came out, by the way.

No! It didn't come across like that at all. Just a possible sad outcome and interesting story.

I admit I've made myself readily available 24/7 for any important hospital updates. As I noted before, I can't get drunk in case of an urgent call to the hospital...I might have to drive. Ugh.

I highly suspect my daily visits are just silly though, but I think it's worth it just on the off-chance there is a reason for them.

..although I will admit that the only thing that took the edge off during the experience was a hot-tub full of naked lesbians. If you can find one of those, I'd recommend it.

I will keep that in mind. Because normally, I would have no interest in such things. At all.

I think I'm going to the club, especially if you'd be there. Really, I'm happy to have an excuse for a late dinner with a friend or hang out.

I'm really sorry your dad is having even more problems. I know you don't believe in god, but I pray for you both all the time. I think that your dad feels comforted by you even if you can't tell that he does. I don't remember the hospital hardly at all, but I do remember that things weren't bad there & I was in a pretty decent place. I think it was a nice place only because my family was there for me.

Hopefully you'll get some time to deal with all the things you would normally do, but you always manage & I'm sure you will with this too.

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