Well, I've turned comments back on. Nobody generally links to me other than Amy, so Trackbacks aren't a priority to turn back on...
If I suddenly develop a fan base (yeah, right), I'll make sure Trackbacks are workin', oh ya... :-)
Our Winter Solstice was a happy one. We gave Jareth an Imaginarium train set compatible with the Thomas train sets he's played with at a couple other places.
He loves it. He fairly quickly figured out how to put the tracks together (figuring out taking them apart was all but instant). Definitely his favorite toy now.
That night we went to a Solstice ritual at a friend's Unitarian Universalist church. It was more Wiccan than our particular flavors of pagan. Interesting, but not my thing, nor Amy's.
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Friday I sold a motor home to a couple who saw it on the Internet, called to ask some questions, and then raced out from Iowa to buy it and drive it home. While I was driving home afterwards I was on one hand happy about the sale, disappointed at having to split the commission with the other salesman (we split all the sales that come in from the Internet, which is fair in the end), and also sad for the other people I'd have to tell it wasn't available any more.
We had lowered the price on that one, and were getting a lot of people coming in to see it. One group was four guys who were going to take it to Alaska on a hunting trip. There were people excited about owning it. The lesson is that if they want something, they need to make a commitment and put down a deposit to hold it.
I just found my reaction interesting. I get excited for my customers. While I don't want to lose that, I think I'll need to develop at least a little bit more objectivity so I don't end up jaded in the long run.
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Last night we went to Uncle Bill's house for a Christmas Eve dinner. Lindsay brought her boyfriend Scott, and we all had a good time. We had in advance set some precedent that people could give Jareth one gift if they wanted, knowing that some people would just about insist.
Of course he got one present from everyone, so it was still a pile that intimidated him a little at first. *shrug*
Today we're headed over to my folks' house for another dinner. I'm letting Amy sleep in until Jareth wakes up. He had a very long day yesterday with no nap, and won't get a nap today, either. All things considered, he was very well behaved yesterday. But I don't want to wake him up earlier than I have to. The more rest he gets before starting today, the longer his behavior will last through the day...
But that's enough catching up for now. I have an omelete to prepare. :-)
Sunday night we drove about an hour northwest for a Solstice drum circle. We had some justified concerns about Jareth's behavior, but all things considered he was very good.
He did require a lot of watching, but very little intervention. Amy did the majority of that watching, which I thanked her for when we talked about it on the drive home.
Dad was there as well, and we're waiting curiously to see what he thought of it. They did a guided meditation and a small ritual welcoming the return of daylight that the solstice in part symbolizes. Those two components made it a bit more structured that drum circles I've been to so far.
It was held in what is basically a hunting lodge. They have a huge greatroom. There's a recessed pit that used to have an open fire hearth in the center. The center was decorated and had a huge assortment of drums and similar stuff on a table. There was couch seating all around the pit. There were something like 15 people there.
I had a great time and enjoyed the people. They meet more regularly than we'd be able to join them, but I hope to from time to time.
They're also doing a fire walk in May, which I've decided to do if scheduling works at all. More about that later.
We did decide to do a small gift exchange for Solstice. Not the all-out and stressful shopping of Christmas. Just one or two thoughtful items. (We blew it with Jareth and ended up with three.) Amy and I ended up opening ours a little early, in part because her gift to me was a very cool drum, which she wanted me to have for the drum circle. I gave her a pair of cookbooks, one for her gestational diabetes, and one specifically for people with irritable bowels.
Another Cauldron item. I don't know if I believe them to be true, but amusing nonethless:
When doctors have to jot down notes in a hurry, they sometimes forget about proper sentence structure. Why, then even forget what is anatomically possible.
"Patient's feces the same color as the doors in ward 19.""Is afraid of doctors. Has, however, seen two nurses. Please find them attached."
"These were the patients left lying on my desk."
"Bad sexlife - no partner."
"According to his wife, the patient is mobile when going to the fridge. The rest of the time he's confined to his wheel chair."
"The father has cancer and two cousins."
"The patient's parents died when she was 12. They have not been in contact since."
"Was told that her heart was healthy, but asked to return upon loss of conciousness."
"Could not stand up in the afternoon, due to not having legs."
"Walks with stiff back and head to the ground."
"Has been having problems injecting his penis, despite being a dentist."
"Patient has a headache in his head."
"Sometimes his shoes hurt."
"Has not been involved in sports, or any other trauma."
"Patient has lost his knee twice, for no apparent reason."
"Paralyzed from the toes down."
"Patient told me that she had been constipated for most of her life, up until the time of her divorce."
"No booze, no cigarettes, no children."
"Referred by doctor whose handwriting is illegible due to syndactyly."
"Am looking at patient in microscope, not getting any wiser."
"Patient can't make his chin touch his head."
"Is a farmer, but is otherwise healthy."
"Truck driver in good health, who can usually go for miles without getting short of breath."
"Lungs sound good and are released from hospital."
"The lymph gland was sent to Uppsala together with the patient."
"Man who has abused alcoholism."
"Gets meals from his son in the freezer."
"Has modern house and wife."
"Is feeling fine, and has therefore seen his doctor several times this year."
"Feels better when holding his head behind his neck."
"Ear movements are normal."
"New referral from the son who is related to the patient."
"Has recently seen her gynecologist, who proposed."
"When death struck, the patient's condition suddenly deteriorated."
"When they finally get the patient on to the balcony for some fresh air, she threatens to jump. Staff finds the situation hopeless."
"Pains in stomach, which is wandering around."
"Patient recommended to keep his penis up after sexual activity."
"Patient had an appointment because of back pains. When he did not show up, the hospital called the police, who broke into the apartment. Patient was found face down on the floor. Claims to have been massaging his radio."
"Patient arrives in ambulance after having been in touch with private practitioner."
"Patient gets gin and morphine intravenously."
"Patients pains are hurting."
"Patient with facial rash. Gets skin problems from his underwear."
"Patient died ten years ago and has been devastated ever since."
"Patient used to be heavy smoker, is now bee keeper."
"Patient was adviced to go hang himself."
"Patient had waffles for breakfast and anorexia for lunch."
"Gets a rash from strawberries, shrimps, and several of the kids."
"Patient left his platelets in another hospital."
"Patient has a green cold. Nice colours."
"Patient has not previously committed suicide."
"Patient has a urinary catheter, and it's hard do talk to him."
"Patient's prostate is the size of a mandolin."
"Patient has stopped moving since he was released from the hospital."
"Patient has little stamps in her vagina."
"Patient used to have ears, but they have fallen off."
"Patient has two teens, but no other abnormalities."
"Patient has suffered depression since she started seeing me in 1989."
"Patient was placed in a kennel, with some help from the social services."
"Patient's hearing is very bad. In fact, she's deaf on the left eye."
"Patient was told the results of the autopsy."
"Patient threw up entire bowl."
"Patient looks like a stranded whale."
"Patient released for examination."
"Patient is to abstain from all kinds of sexual activity until I can receive her."
"Patient was supposed to have his colon cleaned. Instead he started working as a stock broker."
"The patient was shot by Doctor Hultberg."
"Patient claims to have pains in his right heart, which radiate down to the left toe on the right arm."
"Patient did not consent to an autopsy."
"Patient think she's standing up, when she is in fact lying down, which confuses us both. Is referred away."
"Patient says left toe feels numb, compared to the other fingers."
"Patient allergic to cheese, milk, and butter, also mother and brother."
"Patient is attentive and disinterested."
"Patients weight at home was 78 kilos, before he came here without clothes."
"Patient is refusing to stand on his hips."
"Patient is a 65-year-old woman who fell in the street. Case further complicated by patient getting run over by truck."
"Patient is 19 months pregnant."
"Patient is unconscious during examination, but says that he's feeling fine."
"Boy, healthy since birth, good apetite, now weighs 4300 kilos."
"I point out to the patient that it's important to keep clean between the feet."
"Is prescribed a big glass of water before intercourse."
"Is told to call me a month in advance if the problems return."
"Back patient comes in for unfolding."
"Has red foot that comes and goes."
"Since the patient quit smoking his smell has come back."
"Told to go swimming in the pool. Will be brought up again in a week."
"Back pains appear when patient is lying with both legs on her back."
"Status: Unchanged, which is good. Seems to like doctors."
"Hickeys on back after alternative therapy."
"Swollen, pathetic, left arm."
"Comes to see me because of a tick on the head. Head is removed with tweezers."
"Has previously worked as tourist."
"Took two Nitromex and the ambulance arrived without results."
"Excited patient is holding his head in his left hand."
"Urine sample grown on the doctor shows coli."
"Status: Alive, but without permission."
"Regarding his impotence, we will let his wife treat him."
"Is allergic to allergies."
"Hereditary diseases: born in Finland."
"Contacted Doctor Hanson, who despite being drunk agrees to see patient."
"Is in pain, mostly in the evenings. Goes away when he takes painkillers he borrows from his mother, whose name he does not know."
"Patient vomited for lunch."
"Status: Not adequate - does not know where he is, and if so, why he is there."
"Treated for lack of symptoms."
"Legs are bandaged, am removing them."
"Lives together with married wife."
"The problems have been having this patient for around ten years."
"Probably died from a heart attack, and later from emphyzema."
"Drinks fluidly and possibly porridge."
"Got his penis stuck in a zipper, we're cutting it off."
"Young woman, pregnant twice, now with her head stuck in her pelvis."
"Had epilesy. Lives in an apartment. Is medicated because of this."
"Admitted after falling from a bus with back pains."
"Is in pain after falling from the thorax."
"Smokes and drinks a pack of cigarettes a day. Lives with father and mother who are alive."
"Status of stomach: Patient able to walk without problems."
"Neurological status: Has no clear extremities."
"Patient comes to see me after beating encouraged by the police."
Just a quick note that until I find a way to cut down on comment and trackback spam I've turned them both off. They just won't work. I'll try bringing comments back in a week or so and see what happens.
Okay, a few things have happened while I've been falling behind here. First of all, the aforementioned drama at work unfolded more quietly than expected, and pretty much blew over during a long closed-door meeting. Since then there has been a less dramatic issue that has ended with a firing. It took about a week, and yesterday it became official and he did the long slow walk out of the building. I was with a customer and missed it. The boss kinda felt bad about it, but it was the employee's choice. It wasn't really one of those things that can be just glossed over, but it isn't my story to tell here, either. Sorry.
The Louisville trade show was huge. We saw what parts of it we could in one day. We mostly saw what we needed to see, although I really would have benefitted from at least one more day. If nothing else, every competitor was there, so it could have been a tremendous training opportunity. But we were there to pick out a couple of new brands. We found one. Still working on the other.
At the end of each day at the show a few manufacturers each throw parties with free food (meaning reasonably elaborate buffets) and open bars (meaning wine and crap beer). So my boss goaded me into drinking...more than I would have normally. It was all about keeping up with the rest.
Now, tolerance has some to do with body mass. So I started at a disadvantage, let's just leave it at that. :-) One person nearly had trouble getting through security. It didn't help that he had trouble just getting his shoes off. I was fine, and I was sober enough to drive home by the time we eventually made it back to our cars at the store. Good time, very long day. I felt just fine the day after. Not everyone got to make that claim. *grin*
Today... It's cold. As in below zero (F) cold. And there's a to-do list, some of which involves being outside. Shoveling and salting the driveway and bringing in decorations from the garage. Whether we get to inside decorations today or not, I'm not getting on a metal ladder to string lights outside. Nuh-uh.