Day 2779

I was worried about Dash this morning. He was lethargic and didn't want to walk. He wasn't even interested in eating my banana. I tried several times to get him to walk after I finished my breakfast, but he wouldn't leave the back yard. After a while, I gave up and turned on the computer. Around ten-thirty Dash wandered into the office and began slapping me on the leg. He wanted a walk. I took him outside and we had a normal, uneventful walk. It would have been nicer if we'd left the house earlier while the air was still cool, but Dash was fine. He's either very lazy or very spoiled.

We encountered another loose dog this morning. This has become one of my pet peeves. Why can't people keep their dogs on a leash in public places? There are signs everywhere in the park saying that all dogs must be on a leash, but there's a certain type of person that just doesn't care. Today's loose dog was well behaved and kept following the jogger who owned him, but you never know. After the dog bite I'm more nervous about loose dogs than ever. Maybe I'm just not meant to live in a city anymore. Irresponsible people make me uncomfortable in the park. Irresponsible drivers make me uncomfortable on the roads. I've begun planning my entire life to avoid encountering anyone.

I could have easily finished watching season two of The Expanse today, but things have been so slow lately that I wanted to save the last show for tomorrow. Right now there is absolutely nothing on my to-do list. At least this final episode will keep me occupied for a little while. This extended inactivity is starting to wear me down. I really need to find a replacement for the steady diet of deadlines that has kept me busy since I started my company in 1990. Something tells me that there's not going to be a big demand for seventy year old web designers.

Janet thinks I ought to start doing some volunteer work. That may work for her, but I don't think it's a  solution for me. Volunteering usually works best if you enjoy working with other people. The last time I enjoyed meeting new people was when NASA invited me out to Vandenberg Air Force Base. I guess I could start applying to view launches again, but that could get pretty expensive. It's somewhat of an honor to get invited to watch a launch, but you've got to pay your own way to these events. That's always the problem. When I've got the time, I don't have the money and when I've got the money, I don't have the time.

I'll probably go out to breakfast in the morning. There's no reason not to resume this Friday ritual. When I started going out for breakfast on Friday mornings, it was just a way to get me away from the computer and work for a while. Now there's not much reason to even turn on the computer. The meals I cook for myself are actually better, but going out to eat could still serve a purpose. For a recluse like me, it's a fairly safe way to briefly reconnect with the world. Now, I've just got to decide what to eat.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1847

It's amazing what you can learn when you ask a few questions. I'm not good at small talk, so I've been asking my therapist questions about the body during my physical therapy sessions. I've gained a whole new respect for physical therapy. My therapist appears to know the name of every muscle in the human body and what each one of them is supposed to do. I'm making progress with my shoulder, but it is very slow going. So far, stretching muscles seems to be somewhat like tenderizing meat. I asked if it was possible to get cold laser therapy like Dot, but apparently the dogs continue to get the medical advances first.

I'm thinking about changing pharmacies. One drug I take every month costs $90 at one pharmacy and only $32 for the very same drug at another. This drug isn't covered by insurance, so this is just the monthly retail cost. Why would there be such a huge difference in price? Customers would never stand for such radical price differences in the cars, computers, and clothing we buy. We expect competitive pricing in everything except healthcare. The more I learn about health care, the more I realize that the entire industry is controlled by some very powerful forces. I'm at the very bottom of the food chain. The pharmaceutical companies, the hospitals, and the insurance companies basically control everything. The price that shows up on a bill isn't necessarily the price that a doctor actually charges or an insurance company actually pays. It's all a hall of mirrors.

It was still bitterly cold when we got up this morning. I dressed the dogs in their warmest sweaters and put on several layers myself. In the Summer I always think it would be nice to retire up North. On days like this, I'm looking for a tropical island. The weather continues to be totally unpredictable in Texas. Tomorrow, the temperature is supposed to get up to sixty degrees, but then on Wednesday it is expected to dip down into the twenties again. It's enough to drive you nuts.

I wonder what is happening to me? I got my instructions for traveling to Vandenberg Air Force Base today and they seemed pretty complicated to me. Jeez, this should be a piece of cake. I'm the guy who used to routinely travel to Germany on business and was once responsible for a forty person film crew shooting in the middle of the Olympic National Forest. Now, a trip to the post office is a major ordeal. I hope this trip snaps me out of my reclusiveness.  If I don't get a handle on my recent aversion to travel, I could wind up like those Kennedy sisters in Grey Gardens.

Dash has a trip to the vet tomorrow. Dot has been getting most of the attention lately, but Dash still has a few issues of his own. I need to find out whether a growth I've been noticing on his tail is something to be worried about. He's been licking his coat a lot lately too. I don't know if he has skin allergies again or if this is just another nervous habit. It's probably time to check his urine for crystals again too.

If it's warmer tomorrow, I'm going to go out in the back yard and look for dog poop. Now that all the leaves from our trees are on the ground, it's almost impossible to find the stuff. It just disappears under the leaves. The only way to find dog poop in the Winter is to walk out in the back yard. Then, it almost instantly appears on the soles of your shoes. I'm getting tired of cleaning my shoes evceryday, so it's time to find the illusive poop.

Lucy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day