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Thursday, March 28, 2013

A truly shit day

After a delay in Feb, (due to being laid off after nearly 12 years with CEC & dealing with COBRA & whatnot), I went in for knee surgery today.  After being put under General Anesthesia, I was the 'exciting patient of the day' when I went into Atrial Fibrillation.  
(Please forgive spelling & terminology issues, as I'm still in the hospital, posting via free wireless.)
Atrial Fibriliation means that the top part of the heart is fluttering around, which could cause blood pooling, or a risk of clots.  This isn't uncommon in the elderly (which I am not), those with chronic high blood pressure (which I don't have), those with chronic sleep apnea (which I've not been 'diagnosed' with), and it can be...hereditary.
Ding!  We have a winner!  
My (almost) 91 year old Grandfather has it, and...well....this isn't what I'd choose to inherit!  However, we have two BIG! FUN! tests tomorrow to figure out 'next steps'.  
Medication may help, they may shock me back into submission, or we may have to live with it.
THEN .... we can decide when to go back & do the darn knee surgery!
So....amidst the tests, pic-cushion-practice, and inevitable Hospital Food, I get a whopper of a headache going, just in time for a phone call.
From Allstate.
You know, where I had a GREAT interview, which went almost twice as long as scheduled, and where halfway through she began interviewing me for the position ABOVE the one I'd been brought in for!  A week later I had a phone conversation with her boss, as I'd "be part of his management team".  It went VERY well.  They even asked about my availability!  They were supposed to call me yesterday, and the implication was that it'd include an offer letter.
No call yesterday.
In fact, for the last week, the recruiter never followed up on my question regarding the higher level job's salary range, and in fact, never called after the initial "It went GREAT!" phone conversation.
...but I didn't expect him to call and say the positions had evaporated.  BOTH positions.  One to fresh budget cuts, the other to a recent new hire.
It really caught me off guard.  
Something about it stinks, but it's a moot point, it's gone.
So, it was a double-barrell-shit day, and rather than compensating by grilling a good steak, and having a nice bourbon with a good cigar ... I'm up late & unable to sleep in the cardiac ward of St Alexis.


Friday, March 22, 2013

Interesting stuff?

Looking at this picture on my wall, for some reason today it caught my eye.

Saturday, March 02, 2013

American Heritage Shopping

The other customers were 'real' American working men - Tire Shop employees, and various construction types. When I asked about the Iron Rangers and some of the other boots in the heritage line, I was told "Those are for poser 'office-types". It was a beautiful store, with experienced & knowledgeable sales staff. I didn't stay long.

Friday, March 01, 2013

Aloha Friday

Bourbon & Ginger Ale, with a chicken, bacon, and avocado flatbread.

Good for the soul...