| Thoughts and Insights |
| OLDEST |
(1-5) of 112 |
OLDER |
|
|
| 122 | 3:01PM 2007n 15 Aug 2007 |
|
| If You Were In Charge |
| I'm sitting here slacking at work and trying to decide what and how I would change about the US government if I could. I'm not talking about general ideas, but specific solutions to problems I see. I have some ideas about election law, health care, organization of the Executive branch, Congressional committee membership and procedures, gay marriage, education, judicial power, governmental salaries, drug policy, and taxes. Some of my ideas would require changes or (mostly) additions to the Constitution, but hey; we're just talkin' here, right?
I welcome your input on these and other topics. My plan is to explicitly state my changes for each of these and other topics in their own entries. I ask that if any of you have ideas about things you would like to change, let's talk about it. I'd like to hear some ideas before I decide exactly what I would do and how. | |
| |
|
| 121 | 2:10PM 2007n 6 Aug 2007 |
|
| Free Money |
| Last year after a talk with coworkers I had plans on opening an online, high yield savings account. Partially because I started working 70 hours a week but mostly because I am lazy, I never did. And who knows how much money it has cost me.
Today I opened an account at [Emigrant Direct]. Funds in this account earn 5.05% interest and there is no minimum balance. All you do is link the new savings account to an existing checking account and you are all set. I've read that there is a delay of 2 or 3 days associated with transferring money in and out of the account, but other than that there doesn't appear to be any downside.
If you want to be stupid like me, keep your money in the 2% yield savings account at your existing bank. Or you can stop throwing away 3% of your money and open a high yield savings account. (You don't have to use Emigrant, there are lots out there...)
I just opened my account today and I will be sure to post updates about the experience. Wait if you want, but I know people that have done this for years with no complaints. | |
| |
|
| 120 | 10:57PM 2007n 30 May 2007 |
|
| NZ, Leg, Bike |
| So I'm not going to New Zealand. Someone else on my team also volunteered to go, and the decision was made based on seniority. (I've been on the team for about a month, so no surprise there.) I'm not too disappointed though, because I actually had to cancel tenative plans to head down south and visit the Kidd to make room for the trip down under. So now that's back on. Yee-haw!
Also, my leg is a lot better. Dr. Dad took a look at it and told me it was too high on my leg to be the tendon. It was just a muscle tear. Armed with that knowledge, I started to put a little more weight on it and test it more and more. I am now hardly limping.
I was pleased as punch to discover that riding my bike did not aggravate the injury, so I proceeded to ride for almost 8 miles Monday. And over 17 miles on Tuesday. And over 12 miles today. Keep in mind that I did not traverse these distances all in one trip; but you'd be surprised how far you can go if you have a specific destination in mind and make a couple stops along the way. Anyway I am very proud of myself. I'll be even prouder if I can keep it up. | |
| |
|
| 119 | 4:21PM 2007n 25 May 2007 |
|
| Ouch! Reloaded |
| Some of you remember the incident a few months ago when I, in my haste to play the game that I love without properly stretching, partially tore my right achilles tendon on the basketball court. It was extremely painful, and to this day I descend stairs sideways most mornings as the tendon needs time to stretch each day.
Well sports fans, I plum did it again.
These past few weeks I have decided that the changing seasons should bring about a change in me as well. Specifically, it's time I stop being such a tub. With this in mind, I bought a nice new bicycle and signed up to take Adult Advanced Beginners tennis class.
I've had the bike for less than a week, but I was determined to try and use it in place of my car whenever possible. I was doing rather well, tallying up 10+ miles in the first 3 or 4 days. (Not too substantial a distance, but I was proud none the less.) This total included the three mile ride from my home to the Huntington Woods Community Center, where my tennis class is held. After waiting around for the children's class to finish and stretching my calves (with focus on the previously injured right leg) my class began. We were about half way through taking forehands when I felt a POP in my LEFT leg.
What? Yeah. That happened.
Luckily, this time the injury is not too severe. The pop was on my calf as opposed to the ankle, and it was not nearly as painful. I did however learn my lesson from the first time 'round, so I am taking this very seriously and taking it very easy. I called off work today, and have cancelled all my plans for this weekend. Happy Memorial Day. :(
I also learned a lesson about medical attention. Because I am stupid and stubborn, I did not go to the ER immediately; nor did I ever go to see a doctor at all. I believe that I could have been a lot better a lot faster if I had simply went in. Unfortunately, while i have the desire to go in and have this minor pain looked at (as little as it hurts, it was still a POP), I do not have health insurance until July with my new employer. Great.
Please everyone be reassured that this is not a situation where a doctor's visit is probably necessary. Given the relatively small size of the pop, the lack of any swelling and the location of the injury, I fully expect to be on my bike in a week, and back on the courts a few weeks after that. I'm just being cautious. If there is one thing that I learned from my right leg, it's that soft tissue injuries are not to be taken lightly. It's better to be bored for a week and healed than ambitious and couch ridden for longer.
Please wish me well, and stop by this weekend to say hello. I'll definitely be home. | |
| |
|
| 117 | 2:03AM 2007n 2 Feb 2007 |
|
| That's Assault, Brutha |
| Some middle-aged fat guy tried to put me in a choke hold at Eddie's tonight. Allow me to tell the tale.
There was an inebriated chick there, and slightly-drunk Josh was sassing me to get mad about some fat guy and his son putting their hands on her. I told him it wasn't my problem and let things play out. Which they did. Without incident.
Josh walked away for a bit, and I overheard fatty and offspring talking about how much of an asshole Josh was whilst they stood 5 feet from me.
I asked if they were talking about my friend, and I told them not to talk shit about my friend around me. Of course they were drunk and took offense. Fatty asked me what I was going to do, and being Jim I tried to deflate the situation I told him to calm down and I simply wanted him to refrain from bad-mouthing my friend in my presence.
Of course he got all puffed up and tough, and while I was sitting at my bar stool he got in my face and asked me what I was going to do about it. I put my forearm out, told him to back off, and when he didn't gave him a shove out of my personal space. Fatty threatened to, "choke me out."
Chatch son took offense to this, and took off his coat. While this went on, Fatty moved around to my left side and proceeded to wrap his arms around my head with both hands.
Nice. I'd have none of this.
I was smoking a cigarette, so when I put my hands under his hold to push him off, it apparently stuck to his fucking neck. Good. As soon as I broke his grip I got some leverage and threw him into a bunch of chairs. He tumbled, and by this time my comrades had gotten in between us. He hooted and hollowed, and while I had an adre | |
| |
|
| OLDEST |
(1-5) of 112 |
OLDER | |