Jimbo's Journal

Tonight is one of the LoA meetings. I have been waffling all night about whether (weather) to go or not. It's snowing like a sumbitch out there, but the place is only about a mile away. I decided that I would not use the weather as an excuse and go. So I got my coat on and went outside to get my car out of the garage and..... Holy crap! it's a lot worse than it even looked from out the window. I bet we have 2-3 inches already. Back inside. Not going. They haven't plowed the lot or anything, and I just don't feel like driving in this. Excuse? Maybe. Oh well.

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Oh, and I got half of my order in the mail from Amazon. A realty book for my cousin and ....

I have always had a special relationship with my dad.  I'm close with all my family, but my dad .... even more so.  A lot of the time he's been more of a friend than father (not always a good thing).  Over the last few months to a year, we've had this little thing where we'll buy each other things here and there, mostly just little things.  Anything from a pack of Tic Tacs or candy bar to a piece of computer paraphernalia.  We go back and forth.  It's a little game.  I think right now I've gotten him a few more things than he has gotten me, but (though we banter about it) we're not really keeping score or anything (well.....).  Anyway, I saw in the paper today that Leonard Cohen is going to be at the Rosemont All-State Arena next week and I thought, "I should get him tickets."  Earlier this week, after Chris Chelios signed with the Chicago Wolves (hockey), I thought of taking him to some games.  I thought of buying him DVDs of Boston Legal.  These are all things that I know he enjoys.  Now, I don't always (or even often) pull the trigger on these ideas (due to other dynamics), that's not the point.  The point is that while I often think of these things for him, I don't often think of ideas for my mom or sister or nephews, etc.  This then makes me feel a bit guilty.  Come "Holiday Time" (dread), I usually can think of and find things much easier for dad than for others.  This adds to Holiday Stress™.  I don't know where I'm going with this or if I have any point; it just popped into my head.

BEWARE: Possibly TOO MUCH INFORMATION within

( Medical stuff.... )

Saturday, went downtown to lifepart3's and gr82live's place to also meet up with luminousx,
drmagoo and family, and terani and againstathorn.  I think we all had a (surprisingly?) productive and great time in filming several scenes to be edited later into short movies.  Much food and merriment were had by all.

Sunday  I went and saw Inglourious Basterds.  I've wasted much of the morning reading reviews and comments that I had avoided before seeing the movie.  It is most definitely, and can most succinctly be described as A Quentin Tarantino Movie.  And I mean that in a good way.  I was very entertained; I want to see it again.  (a link)

After the movie, I hopped (almost literally) over to the folks house to watch the Cowboys/Giants game.  That's where the fun ended: the combination of horrible play and very unlucky bounces by the oblong ball resulted in an extremely frustrating loss.

Added:  I blame George W Bush

Went over to Rockford last night to have dinner with some family, specifically my cousin who is here from Thailand.  Chinese buffet.  Talked with my cousin a bit more about vacationing in Thailand (next spring?), but ..... well, I'm closer but still uneasy/unable to commit.

I woke up this morning around 4ish to go to the bathroom.  I could tell I wasn't going to be able to fall back asleep, so I sat in my chair and watched the first two episodes of Supernatural season 4.  As the second episode was finishing, my alarm went off, so I got up and showered.  I went back to my chair and, of course, almost immediately fell asleep.

Now I am really tired and can't get into the groove here at work (not that this is all that unusual).

Friday after work, I went and bought a new pair of gym shoes.  I also bought a pair of insoles for my work/casual shoes.  Hopefully they will help my feet and back.  I also picked up a gift for drmagoo's kid for the party Saturday.

Saturday, I drove down to Champaign.  I had an awesome time at Ethan's Birthday Party.  That kid is way too cute.

Sunday, I stopped off and visited with my parents while they were working.

Now it's back to work.  Ugh.  Monday morning started out pretty bad.  One of the guys in the shop wanted to return some parts.  When I asked him why, he told me that we will no longer be using them.  This touched off the whole parts matching drawings so that inventory is accurate .... blah, blah, blah....   I've been down this road so many times now that I have begun to intentionally try to run people over if they get in my way.....  Anyway, I was kinda grumpy the entire rest of the day.  (This is getting added to my To Do list which I may post about in the future.  It isn't about to go away, and I feel I'm reaching a breaking point.)

Saturday I got up early ... and drove up to The Jake's house.  Six of us then drove to Milwaukee for Summerfest.  We got there around 1:30.  Grabbed some fried cheese curds first thing.  Wandered around for a couple hours.  We the headed over to the stage and grabbed a picnic table in the first row behind the bench seating at about 5pm (?).  Proceeded to play Screw Your Neighbor and other card games for a while (I just can't grasp Euchre for some reason).  Groups of us wandered off and got food.  I had Gator on a Stick (which turned out to be a sausage in BBQ sauce, good but disappointing) and sweet potato fries.  I think I had 3-4 beers.  The musicians on our stage were pretty good, better than I expected.  Around 9pm-9:30 people started flooding in and trying to steal space which was really annoying (but not unexpected).  Also around 9pm it started raining, not hard, so it was ok. 

10pm finally arrived and out came Barenaked Ladies.  Opened with "Get In Line" and then "The Old Apartment."  Played some other lesser know stuff and some new stuff off of the upcoming album.  They played "One Week" (slowed down a bit) and ended the set with "If I Had $1,000,000," which, as always, was awesome.  They riffed on kernels of corn being thrown (instead of macaroni) and the fact that the stage and crowd was partially beneath an overpass.  Ed Robertson took credit for putting the overpass there in order to help block the rain.  More riffing and impromptu stuff - the best part of any BNL concert.  At one point early in the show Ed even did a short medley of KISS's "I Wanna Hear It Loud" and "Shout It Out Loud" - KISS was playing the main pay stage and he wanted that crowd to be able to hear us :)   That was probably the best part of the concert.  

After ending with "$1,000,000," they came back out for an encore.  I don't remember what they played, but then they ended with my favorite "What a Good Boy."  This was really the only time that I thought they missed Steve Page's vocals (his energy was missing generally from the show but others made up for that).  Ed just didn't seem to feel the song the way that Steve does.  .... Then it was over.  I was kind shocked and disappointed.  I had just been thinking about how this was comparable or better than the two other times I had seen them when the show ended after 1h20m.  Awesome show, just too short.

Sunday the parents came out and we hung out for a bit.  I gave my dad a couple things for belated Father's Day.  Then we headed out for some Mexican food.  Delicioso!  Drove around town in their convertible for a while, got some ice cream.  They left and I watched some tv that I had recorded - Harper's Island, anyone else watch that?

The End.

Saturday, I went to friends for a 8th grade graduation party of their daughter.  The same one that luminousx went to.  I knew he was going, but apparently he didn't know I was going, which made it slightly less comfortable for him than for me.  (Sorry about that.)  I had a good time (they had Italian Beef - my favorite), but unfortunately I had to leave midway through the showing of Hitchhiker's Guide.  It was just getting too late and I had an almost 2 hour drive to go. On the way home, I decided to push through a light that had turned yellow and ..... didn't make it.  Of course, the car behind me (too far back to see) was a cop.  He pulled me over immediately.  Fortunately when he came to my window he said that he had another call and let me go.  I believe that is the first time I have ever been pulled over (by real police) and not ticketed.  Whew!

Sunday I spent cleaning up a bit in anticipation of my parents coming over so we could do something for Father's Day.  Unfortunately my dad wasn't feeling too well after sitting outside in the heat, so we postponed it until this coming Sunday.  Bummer.

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Yesterday I stopped at the Condo Assoc and informed them of a few nagging problems.  I got a recommendation for a garage door repair company that they use.  Not that I have to use them but it takes out the agonizing decision making process that I would normally go through (and had partially immobilized me til this point).  I told them of the security door that doesn't latch (not my responsibility, but no one has reported it in a month apparently), and I scheduled a time for a maintenance guy to look at the rotted drywall above my wall-mount AC.  When I replaced my water heater the guy told me he thought it might be cause by a leak from outside water.  I have no idea if I will be responsible for this repair or not, which has kept me from doing anything until now.  Unfortunately I scheduled the repair for the day of my chiropractor appt, so now I have to change that - much easier than changing the repair though.

These are but a few of the things that I have let pile up and cause me quite a fair amount of anxiety.  These and a few more are thing that I absolutely must do before I can even begin to contemplate selling my place and looking for someplace new.  The fact that I haven't just stresses me out, and they pile up and don't ever let me truly relax, so this is a positive step.

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This coming Saturday I'm going up to the Jake's and then a group of us are hopping over to Summerfest to see BNL.... and hopefully I can relax enough to (get drunk enough to) have a good time.  I don't have to worry about driving.  :)   Then Sunday come home, clean up some more and take Dad (and Mom) out for a late FD dinner.

Then Monday will hopefully be the rescheduled chiro appt., Tuesday the home repair.  Thursday is a long drive to meet up with a friend from college who is in the area.

*sigh*  I'm exhausted already.

So I was driving my sister's mother-in-law home the other night; she lives about as far out in the middle of nowhere as I do.  She mentions that they are building a pipeline from Canada to Mexico and that it passes only a couple of miles from her house.   She says that they have someone stationed at EVERY intersection where the pipeline crosses a road, so that no one messes with the site, etc.  (Terrorism paranoia?)  Really, though, EVERY intersection?  Thats a LOT of people that they are paying to do absolutely nothing.  Sure enough, there's a van (a regular old van) sitting on the side of the road idling, in order to provide heat to the occupant on one of those bitterly cold nights that we've had.  I say, "Wouldn't it be more cost efficient to provide the poor guy with an (ice-fishing) shed and a space heater than an idling van?" 

The entire thing seems ridiculous and absurd, maybe even surreal, just begging for some form of conspiracy theory.

The closest mention that I could find is of a major nationwide project with this map, which certainly could include the area in which I live.

The weekend was pretty crappy.  First, there was the water heater incident on Friday, which, combined with the weather, screwed up a couple of things, like getting my drivers license renewed (leaving only Tuesday to do it before it expires).  Saturday I decided to be somewhat social and go out to my parents house.  I got some last minute shopping done with my dad before mom got off of work.  Then we went out for Chinese buffet.  Then it decided to really start snowing in earnest.  I watched the "football game" which left me angry.  The wind and snow got so bad that it created blizzardlike conditions and whiteouts.  I had little choice but to stay at my parents' house.  Not prepared, I had to sleep with my contacts in.  All of this made me increasingly impatient and frustrated, and I finally made it back to my place mid-afternoon on Sunday, tired and cranky so that I didn't accomplish anything.  Now back to work.  Yay!!!

Happy thing, day 2


Spent the day with parents Sunday.  My dad's birthday is today, so I went over there and we bought takeout.

Last Wednesday, my dad went and applied to begin receiving Social Security payments.  I was a bit surprised.  I knew he'd discussed it, but I was hoping that he would hold out for a while longer so that he'd get more money.  I'm sure he's thought this through and knows the specifics (more than I do), but I'm still a bit disappointed -   I know that sounds awful, and I feel bad for even thinking it.

He is transferring over the ownership of the company that they still own to my mom completely.  He says he's still able to make up to $18k per year, so he's going to apply a few places (he mentioned Wal-Mart - ugh!).  I just know that there is so much that he can still do and would be good at - sales, for instance.

Just got a weird phone call from my mom.  She's been working at Amcore bank for the last several months.  She wanted to ask me a favor.  Would I open a checing account at Amcore so she'd get the $100 referral bonus.  Aside from the cash, I'd assume that it is also looked favorably upon by management, but ... don't know.  Anyway.  I don't really want to switch or open an additional account.  Frankly, I'd rather just give her the $100.  I don't want to switch over all my online pay info, get new checks (which I rarely ever use, anyway), etc.  On the other hand, I could just not use it  But if I don't use it, then I don't really want to open it.  I don't need more stuff hanging out there to worry about or forget about.

Actually expressing all that is an entirely different matter ......

*sigh*

I don't like to think of myself as a pessimist, but all too often I suppose I am. I read too much politics, but it predates that. Anyway, every once in a while I see a little spark of hope out there, some sign that people aren't as shitty and selfish as I generally think they are. My sister's post gave me a big helping of that today.

She was asked to speak at a charity golf event for the Toronto Ronald McDonald House (where they are currently staying).

( CAUTION: Extreme examples of generosity and humanity behind the cut )

I couldn't sleep last night.  My mind wouldn't stop running.  My back has also been bothering me, and I just went to the chiro 2 weeks ago.  Last time I remember looking at the clock it said 1:36.  It started storming this morning and I woke up.  My alarm also went off (twice that I remember).  I don't know which happend first.  Finally I rolled over expecting my alarm to go off any minute again, until I realize it said 6:42 and not 5:42.  18 minutes to get up, shower, get dressed, and drive 25 minutes to work.  Was late; don't care.  Tired. 

Didn't do much of anything (AGAIN) this weekend.  I did some reading*, some tv, not much cleaning.  I did stop by and see my dad (mom wasn't there).  We briefly discussed financial issues.  I breached the subject, barely, about the need to find a way to more consistently have a steadi(er) income.  Don't think it sank in, but might provide an inroad for future.

Blah.  Now I'm hear at work.  Blah.  They signed the deal for new computer software last week.  They're supposed to call us when the software comes in to begin scheduling the training/transition.  Excitement and trepidation ensues.

*I bought John Dean's Conservatives Without Conscience at the dollar store last week.  I've been interested in reading it for a while, so when I saw it for $1 I couldn't pass it up.  Fascinating look into the mindset of conservatives and the modern version- the neoconservative.  I'm actually buying a couple more copies to give to people, so if anyone else wants a copy let me know.

Caleb started losing his hair a few days ago, due to the chemo.  Up until now he has mentioned it kinda jokingly, but I think he is a bit bothered by it.  Who can blame him.  He got his hair cut pretty short the other day in order to make it less noticeable.



Yesterday, he got an email from home from Hunter (oldest brother), stating that Hunter, Grampa Fassett, and Hunter's friend Ryan had shaved their heads "in honor of Caleb."

Lots of thoughts have run through my head in the past couple weeks.  At some point I may try to elucidate on them, if I work up the courage and initiative.

One of my biggest concerns, aside from Caleb, has continued to be my parents.  I've commented in the past about this, I know, but their financial situation continue to be worrisome.  I've avoided talking to them as much as possible lately as even something so important is dwarfed by Caleb's medical situation, but we have discussed it some.   From a brief discussion with mom yesterday, they plan on returning home (I think she said) by Sunday.  My mom's (new-ish)  job at the bank seems safe.  From what I gather, they've been understanding as to the time off, but she still hasn't been getting paid, and they won't allow her continue to be absent indefinitely.  Dad, who has been selling art, I'll call it "flea market style," has missed a lot of opportunity due to all the rain we've had in the past several months, and he unexpectantly missed these last two finally nice weekends.

My dad's sister (who's retired) wired him some money before they left to go up to Toronto.  I gave them a not insignificant amount also, much to their initial protest.  At this point I don't expect it back and would MUCH rather see them figure out their situation.  Frankly, I don't think their current (especially dad's) plans are working, but I don't see an easy solution.  I don't see dad being willing to go back to a regular "9-5 job" like mom has.  And it isn't exactly easy for a 62 year old man to find an "entry-level" job, to which drmagoo can attest.  It's not the easiest topic to broach with them either.......

Thursday Caleb was discharged from the hospital in Thunder Bay and got home late in the afternoon. He came home and spent the day playing, swimming, etc. Friday, Sheri (sister) got the call from the pediatrician. (Tentative) diagnosis: Burkitt's Lymphoma. Caleb came into the house and asked, and of course you can't lie to him. Watching a mother tell her son he has cancer is not an experience I would wish upon anyone. They went back to the hospital in T.B. that evening. He spent the weekend there under monitor and observation. Monday he (and his mom and dad) were flown to the Toronto Hospital for Sick Children. They're doing more tests and biopsies. Hopefully, we've caught this in time and it hasn't spread to or from anywhere else. Caleb seems to be taking it fairly well (as well as an 11yr old can), putting on a strong front most of the time, as scared as he must be.

My parents left this morning to drive up to Toronto. I wait anxiously for good news. 

 
Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and prayers and wishes, etc.

*forgive the jumbled incoherence of this post as it was pieced together from several other postings I have made to my family.

My parents and I are up in Canada at my sister Sheri's place north of Ignace, Ontario. We got here Saturday evening. Sunday we had a luau for Sheri's (early) birthday. My youngest nephew Caleb's throat was a bit swollen and he was talking funny. ...... He wasn't complaining or in pain but it got bad enough that Sheri and Jamie drove him to the emergency room in Sioux Lookout. He was there over night and the tested his white cell count to determine it wasn't tonsilitis like we all had expected. There is a growth in his throat that no one recognized and they didn't want to just cut it out without knowing what they were dealing with. They recommended taking him to Thunder Bay. Jamie came back to the camp, picked up my mom and dad, and they went back to the hospital and then took him over to the hospital in Thunder Bay (all said is about 4 or more hours driving).  They did a chest x-ray on Monday, and it was clear. The E.N.T. performed and evaluate a CT scan on him Tuesday morning.   His chest looked clear and it seemed exclusive to his tonsils and addenoids.  Caleb went into surgery Wednesday morning.   It was apparently so inflamed that the doctor didn't want to remove it.   He took a biopsy, but said they may not know results for 2 days - 3 weeks (don't ask me why).   They want to keep him at least overnight and probably until Friday to make sure there are no complications or bleeding.  

Sheri said that "Caleb came out of recovery awake and smiling, the sweetie that he is. When asked how he was he replied with his signature, "Good" --his typical response when asked how he is."

So we got to spend 1 day together, then Caleb has been in the hospital since (accompanied by his parents and grandparents).  I've stayed at camp to try to help out a bit along with Jamie's parents who are pretty much running the camp as best they can.  We've all been mostly just worried sick and waiting to hear news.  And to make matters worse, we had a huge storm last night which took out the electricity, which at camp means not only loss of lights, but water (pumped from the lake), and most importantly the phone.  We were out for about 17hrs total. 

 I just got that call I didn't want .......


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News had been very positive.  Dad kept saying that he had been doing so much better.  More alert, walking better, etc.  Still didn't look very good, though.

Apparently, when he woke up this morning, Sammy was bloated.  Called vet, who said to bring him in right away ..........