Wrong Info!

What a day! We got much done. The dog to the vet for her bath and pedicure; Bible class; cleaning the children's area at the church; buying a much needed printer (yay!); picking the dog up after her ablutions and doing some digital and practical chores around home. I am happy with most of it, but less than proud that I was a basic dead head in Bible Class.

First I had not adequately prepared. I was up all night last night and was dull witted. Left my notes home, but they were less than complete. I gave unreliable info on part of scripture. I talked it over with Mike later and he says he gets into the same trouble at times. Of course, we all do, and I would feel less bad about it if I had been better prepared. I know how unreliable my brain is, so I ought to prep twice as much as anyone else.

I'm so glad there are precious Bible lovers in that group and they set it straight.

I have an appointment with my neurologist tomorrow and Giveback tomorrow night plus some web work to do for a friend, so I am heading for bed soon with a prayer that the folks in Bible Class will forgive my poor performance today.

And my days were like this...

• 22:49 (yesterday) Finished with brain injury web site for tonight. I am happy how it came out. Now to do my planner and relax. 
  
• 16:55 Hooking up new laser color printer. Samsung for only $159 at Sams Club, wow!
  

The Good Life

Monday, Monday... Old Mamas and Papas song. I liked it a lot. I loved that group. Sonny and Cher were also favorites. My mind is wandering back to old times. Sit-ins, protests, flowered bell bottom hip-huggers.

I had an old Studebaker with the long sloped hoof and trunk. On my trunk was a giant peace symbol made of glow in the dark reflective tape. Richard was in Viet Nam. I was being hauled off by the police during a non-violent protest of the war. I called the white house and my congressmen a gazillion time. I ran for county commissioner on the animal rights platform and lost by a mere nine votes, Praise God! I was arrested and went to jail for a parking ticket protest.

Ah to be young, but not again, please! It was wonderful, but once was enough. I've enjoyed every stage of my life except, perhaps, the last part of seventh grade when I was a changeling, not a child yet not a teen, either. But life was and is still good. Life has new surprises for us every day, some good, some seemingly not-so-good, but in His own time and way, God weaves them all into a marvelous tapestry uniquely our own, just as He has promised throughout His Word, see Romans 8:28-29, for example.

Richard went to Dr. Lama today for his initial visit. Dr. lama is my primary care physician, too. A wonderful man and caring, capable doctor. God led us to him. We always go to doctors together, as we told Dr. Lama, "we're a set." We also went shopping and to the library, then pulled weeds, picked up dog doo and got our yard mow-ready. Mowing is set for tomorrow.

I spent much of the afternoon waiting in vain for a prearranged telephone call from an expert who will prepare a loss of earning potential report for my lawyer. The call never came. Finally, Richard prompted me to check the dates. I had the call in one planner for today and in another for tomorrow.

We go back to Dr. Lama's office tomorrow morning for my appointment. Just a routine thing - I am not sick. Dr. Lama is a popular doctor and even though his office is often full and we usually have to wait, when he is in the office with you, he is all yours, never rushed or hurried, always ready to discuss any issue and answer any question. We are indeed thankful for him, and for health insurance. There have been times when we had no insurance and that always seems to be when you will get sick or have an accident.

And my day was like this:

• 08:15 - Off to the gym.
  
• 09:42 - I'm now reduced to a digital workout machine. The machine tells me if my workout is on track. My body already does that.
  
• 16:42 - Waiting for conference call from lawyer and lost income expert.
  

$1,800 Less

I'm so glad we already bought and paid for our flight, hotel and rental car to go to Crystal's wedding in early August. If we hadn't, I'm afraid I might have been tempted to say we couldn't afford to go. I might be tempted to worry about money...

Not long ago we got notice that my California disability benefits had been exhausted, and today I got a letter from Workmen's Comp saying the next check I receive is the last one one I'll see because I have now drawn $18,000 in permanent disability payments. What is that some kind of magic number that pops out of the air?

When I was injured on the job I was earning over $45,000 a year. That was like four years ago. I've been really getting rich on those benefits. Actually, I was drawing temporary disability until 2006, and that was more than double what I've been getting lately.

Nonetheless, between those lost influxes to our coffers, we will need to live on about $1,800 less. It's time to do some serious budgeting. But it is not time to worry, because God has made some glorious promises and He has a plan and a purpose for everything He allows to come into our lives.

I've been so used to eating out any time we felt like it, buying anything we want and generally being worry-free about money that I've forgotten that we used to live on a very tight budget, and I do mean tight! When our son was seriously injured in an accident and we had no health insurance, we both worked and struggled to get him needed medical care and equipment, provide for our large family and keep from sinking into hopeless debt. Even now, I doubt our kids fully understand the effort it took.

Don't get me wrong, those were great times, too, but we were often tired and stretched to the limit. My faith was much less strong then and I had the idea I had to fix everything... you might call me compulsive, maybe still a bit that way, but God and I are working together on that.

So! I am glad the trip is all paid for and we chose a nicer hotel than our previous trips. It will be interesting to see how the Lord provides...

And my day(s) were like this...

• 10:08 AM July 18 - Off to the gym! I need to make it a happy habit. By nature, I'm a slouch. 
  
• 12:45 PM July 18, 2008 - Got a decent haircut. I was shagged out.
  
• 3:54 PM July 18, 2008 - Finally got $9.60 discrepency in home insurance cleared up with mortgage folks. Been messing with it three weeks! Should have paid it myself.
  
• 4:33 PM July 18, 2008 - One last try to get Sprint to refund the money they charged for future service even though we were no longer on their plan. No luck.
  
• 1:38 PM - Today - Home from cleaning church. Stopprd for a quick blessing at the Maddox house. Now lunch and MT.
  
• 3:12 PM - Printer is down an all driver data is hiding.
  
• 7:22 PM - Playing with graphics. 

Brain Drain

Home now from Giveback's organization/business meeting. I'l let my Twitter define my day since I am brain drained and ready to drop...

And my day was like this...

• 09:32 All my to-do lists are in total sync. Now let's see how amazing I can be with a false memory. Pseudo memory?
  
• 14:21 Finally got address books out, will send to all family. Finished class roll, only 3 months overdue?!
  
• 17:28 Frustrated!!! Can't get Mac and PC to play nice together. Almost time to leave for Giveback. Quitting! 
  

Digging Out

It is amazing how often and how quickly my life spins out of control. Before you make any assumptions about that statement, let me place a few modifiers on the term "out of control." First, let's eliminate any associations related to drugs, alcohol or illegal behavior, and, except for the occasional food binge, basic self control is still operational.

So, what is chaotic and out of control relates to tasks, memory, organizational skills, executive function and the like. Things begin to pile up and I am terrible at prioritizing, so I end up spending tons of time on things that happen to catch my attention, but at any moment, I can get side tracked into one or more other undertakings. Often, I can't remember if or how much I have done. As time passes, disorganization and clutter mount until there is complete loss of control and I am buried.

I am now trying to dig out from just such a condition. I spent untold hours getting organized on my computer, iPhone and planner, however somehow completely forgot that there were a number of things I had promised folks (including me) I would do, which, of course have not been taken care of. For example, I was to call Michael Sunday evening - I just found the note. I stopped and pondered why I was to call him. Finally, I remembered that it was because I had not called him as promised back in June! I must stop making promises!! Or find a better way to track them. I have an iPhone, I can make the note right away and always have it. 

I feel better already.

Also, today I realized that I am supposed to go to the gym every day. I stopped going when we went on our recent trip and it somehow never entered my mind to resume my daily workout. I'm going back in the morning. I made a note in iCal (my Mac planner) which will sync with the iPhone and I also wrote it in my low tech, paper planner. The iPhone which I wear all day, rings to remind me to check my planner, which is stored right there in the phone itself. Ingenious!

I am not naive enough to believe this system will solve all my problems with spinning out of control, but it has at least made me feel like I am actually digging out and regaining control so that I can better focus on what is truly important in life.

And my day was like this...
14:33 After Bible class, we lunched at Doughmonde. Very good! Now, it's back to work...
18:36 Catching up on personal & financial paperwork. Computers were supposed to simplify work, instead folks just set higher work load goals.

iPhone Mania

Armed with a bottle of water and a James Patterson novel, I was parked outside of the Lakeland, Florida AT&T store at 11:30 pm Thursday night determined to snag the long awaited iPhone when the doors opened at 8:00 am.

Several cars cruised the area, but no one stopped for about two hours. Then, within an hour several more cars came and one man brought a chair up to the store and sat under a light. I decided it was time for me to do the same.

I read and visited with others in the line. It was all very civilized. The only real problem was lack of rest room facilities. During the next six hours, our numbers grew, and I am unsure how many people were gathered by the time the store opened. I was blessed to buy the first unit from that store and had none of the problems reported by some news media. My phone worked fine from the start. I think Apple's iTunes system, which is needed to activate and synch the phone, didn't become overloaded until more buyers in time zones west of here entered the fray.

Knowing I was planning to have my phone Friday, I registered for an iPhone workshop at an Orlando Apple store. It was a mad house! People were lined up in both directions and security guards worked with Apple employees to do business in an orderly fashion. Needless to say, since the workshop was held in the open area of the store which was crowded with people, I got almost nothing out of the training. I did take some interesting pictures of the lines. See link below.

The iPhone is basically simple to use and I absolutely love it. It is ideal for brain injured folks. All the stuff I need to know is now in my phone. Now all I must do is remember to keep the phone with me 24/7.

And my day was like this...
07:49 Actually slept all night even after my day nap yesterday.
15:40 http://twitpic.com/3rpk - apple store at mall
16:41 Went to iPhone training at 2:00 and also got Leopard book and genealogy software for Mac. 
17:42 Got cat food and now wending my way home. Will stay off the crowded freeways I'm a city person now!
20:27 Too tired for dinner, both of us. My body is OK but my brain is fried.

All Nighters

I was up all night last night getting all my contacts together in my Address Book application on the Mac. I entered everyone in my planner and gmail and all other contact lists, all 712 of them. They are sorted and I even have pictures on some of them.

I wanted to be up all night so I would sleep today and be ready for an all night vigil at AT&T. Everyone selling the new iPhones will open at 8:00 in the morning and the phones will sell out fast. I want to be among the first to get it or I probably wont get it right away.

I've never waited outside a store to buy anything, and I always thought those who did were a bit dingy and far too materialistic. Ha! Never judge, for you could find yourself eating your words. Here I go. Will write how it went tomorrow after I sleep.

And my day was like this...

• 07:20 ¨mI workem all Nihjtbut I 
  
• 14:56 Awake again after a long sleep following an all-nighter fixing up address book, etc. I was pooped. Last post says it all. 
  
• 16:37 Will my cable work for you? I can lend it to you.
  
• 21:49 I am home from Giveback and getting ready to go to Lakeland to wait all night to buy my iPhone. Never done that before.