I went on a day trip to Daytona to look at a few apartments. I put down a deposit on a tiny beachside studio. I hope to start moving in on the week of NOV 6th. I left for Daytona around 6pm TH evening & got back FRI night around 11pm. I slept, if you can call it that, for a few hours at a rest area. It was a little grueling. Man I gotta have a place to stay. It's tiny but cute. Unbelievably I will end up downsizing even more as this place is under 300 square feet. :p
Above is a pic or head shot I sent in that my company requested for a name badge & the like. I am so terrible at that stuff.
Just wanted to say hello. The next amput33cast should be about not having insurance as an amputee.
I plan to shoot it in the next day or two if my schedule permits. It will give the different options I have experienced myself & with encountering other amputees over the last 15 years.
If you have any specific question...hit me up beforehand & I will try to address them in the video.
Intro Music Golden Slumbers by The Beatles. This song doesn't make as much sense unless you listen to it as part of the album. It actually runs into a couple of other songs on the album as a chain or medley. I can't remember if it is one side or both on Abbey Road where the songs all run together. Much to many a DJ's angst back in the day, they would try to play a track off of the record and end up playing the rest of the side because of this issue. Usually the three songs Golden Slumbers, Carry That Weight and The End are often played together as one complete piece because of how they complement each other and run together.
An old friend looked me up via the internet a few months ago. She actually found the site and was able to get in touch with me through here. She pointed out how wonderful she thought it was that I had a site that was focused on helping amputees. She also mentioned that I seemed to talk about myself a lot on here as well.
I didn't think much about it at the time. Recently I came to the realization that she was right and that it was wrong for me to use this forum in this way. This site was started as a resource to help fellow amputees get information. Somehow I had turned it into a place to post things about my personal life and how I was doing, How selfish of me. Here I claim to be someone who cares about people and want to inspire and be a resource for them. What do I do? Post things about my issues.
There has been the rare exception. I did a post about modifying your motorcycle for shifting with a prosthesis. Another about putting on wet liners, one exercise video and another about the differences between suspension styles. Other than that a bunch of dribble about my diet, my career and whatever else.
So I deeply apologize. Excuses are really just that, excuses. So I won't make any. All I will say is it has been a strange couple of years. I think I may have lost my way to a certain extent.
It is my goal to move the focus back to YOU. The people who come here and seek information about prosthetics, the amputee lifestyle and other issues such as support or finding resources.
I am so glad my new position in Florida is going to be solely focused on being an amputee advocate. No more sales for a while. I think this will be great and help me get back into my true purpose.
I really hate making grand statements because they can come back as hollow truths if you do not follow through. At the same time they can be a declaration of intent you can use to hold yourself to a certain standard,
Ratt - I Want A Woman This song actually reminds me of someone. I genuinely hope that person is doing well. All I ever want for them is the very best. Always. I genuinely mean that.
Biketober Fest went well. I apologize for no updates or pics during the trip. The weather was just amazing. I got an awesome ride in along the beach on a most beautiful & perfect day.
I visited a couple of old friends while there. Unfortunately it was not all good times.
I had no ideal how bad some of the flood damage was. Some neighborhoods in the area really got hit hard. It will be months before some of them are back to normal. I spent part of a day helping a buddy move items to storage. He was emptying out one of his properties so he could start fixing it up. I kind of forced him to take a break. I went and picked up dinner for he and his wife. I thought them not having to worry about dinner would be a decent gesture. It was nice to break bread with a friend, despite the circumstances.
I ended up staying in the Daytona area until Monday, a couple more days than I originally planned. I went on a follow up job interview while I was there. I had been speaking to a company over the phone about a position. Since I was in the area I decided to do our last interview in person. I thought in person would be a better feel, for both of us, before making a major decision.
I am excited to say I will be headed back to Florida for work. My start date is in mid November!!!
I actually have a couple of options on which part of the state to reside. I've pretty much made up my mind on where I am going to be. Unless...hint...hint. Something were to happen to sway my decision otherwise.
I do not want to get into whom or where I will be working until everything is official. I am looking forward to being back.
My sleep pattern is all out of whack. It is currently almost 6 AM here. I did some late night driving on my return trip and slept most of the day yesterday. I better sign off and attempt to get some rest.
I will be there, hopefully TH Oct 14th and be departing SAT Oct 16th.
I am going to get the true biker experience and ride my motorcycle from here in New Orleans to there. It's roughly 650 miles. The weather has been beautiful. I am hoping for an awesome trip. I plan on taking some back roads and enjoying some sights.
I will post my progress as I travel. I depart TH AM. I plan on it being a roughly 12 hour trip.
Sometimes you try the best you can. After a while some things become an exercise in futility. At that point you have to learn to live with the situation. It is part of growing as a person. Yes it can suck at the time. At some point in our life I think we all wish we could control a certain situation even another person.
If you really think about it...What fun would that be? Where would the satisfaction in life be?
Isn't that the ultimate love? Caring about someone so much that you put their happiness before your own? Acceptance? Letting someone go because that is what is best for them?
Pretty deep stuff considering I was just checking in. :)
I am in Browsburg, Indiana today to go to my Grandmother's funeral.
Unfortunately these types of events seem to be the only occasions I seem to come visit here.
Long story short my Mom & Dad divorced when I was young & were from different parts of the country. Once they split I spent most of my time up until high school living with my Mom. During my later teen years I lived with my Dad but he stayed in another part if the country. I saw very little of his side of the family.
Of course, in your 20s you get caught up with your own life & the next thing you know 30 years fly by.
3 of the last 4 times I have been here were for funerals.
The timing could not be worse. I'm tight for cash now. As a self employed worker I do not get paid for time off. So I drove in yesterday & will probably head back this afternoon. I got a little bit of sleep at a rest area last night.
I know it sounds like I am complaining. Coming here was the least I could do. She was a great woman.
Well, well I am back from my road trip. I got to spend a little time with my Mom, saw my daughter & caught up with an old friend. One of the few old GFs I have that I am still friends with.
BTW the intro music is: Baby by Donnie & Joe Emerson from the forementioned movie. It took me gorever to figure out & look up the tune when i heard it in the movie. There is a wedding/beach scene in the where the lead female character, Rashida Jones, gets hit by reality & acceptance. Something that builds up the whole movie. "How do you make a nun pregnant?" You really have to watch it to get it.
It hits home to me. I think because I have been in that same place before where I chose being right over everything else. Where you let stubborness & ego deny you from something special. It is hard to explain. Win at all cost...but then what? Nobody wins. Definitely a chic flic but I like it. I guess we can take lessons from all kinds of places if we keep our mind open. The song is super low tech which is always right up my alley.
I certainly did not get on the job search likecI planned during my trip. I was way tired from work. I could do little more than sleep & eat on my off time.
On the health front I found a belt I left at my Mom's 2-3 months ago. I had to add a notch to make it smaller because on the innermost hole it was super loose still. I was actually going the other direction when I left it there. Two going on 3 holes past where I used to wear it. So that definitely feels good. It means the vegan thing is working. I knew it by neasuring my waist before. It is alway nice confirmation when clothes that were getting tight fit good again; Or even become too big :)
Anyway I did get back on the job search today. I got a few phone calls about interviews or follow ups. I'm excited but want to make sure I do not settle this time. I deserve a good company & they deserve me. I know if I take my time things will work out.
