Another Weekend, Another Update

Not much to say in terms of updates: I've been home since last Monday, but I've been spending most of my time with my new hobbies of eating Percocets and watching the ceiling fan spin around and around and around...

Assume the Position: Been keeping my leg up as much as possible. Monday's visit to the doctor showed possible signs of infection (or else just a slightly-greater-than-normal blood pooling near the injury) so was put on antibiotics; another followup on Thursday showed that it was most likely just edema or whatever, so I'd better let it drain, with the good old "foot higher than the heart" position, which is most convenient on the recliner with a few pillows. Did I tell you about the ceiling fan?

Infrastructure attack! When I got home Monday after the doctor visit, and also after being down at my folks for the weekend, really wanted to play with the ol' computer -- and it was great, but later that evening... the thing crapped out. I was totally panicked, thinking I'd probably have to get a new one (maybe a laptop), but I got in touch with my friend Paul of Twin Rivers Computing (husband of my biker-chick friend Mary, we used to be neighbors when I lived over on Southside), and he came over, swapped out my bad power supply, and now everything's fine again. Sigh.

Meantime, while I was recuperating and my car sat in front of my friend's house waiting to be returned, it managed to get hit.

Escape: I'm bouncing around a little here, but I guess I'm going by themes rather than chronology. In between Monday's return home and Thursday's computer fix was the Chain Gang meeting. It was good to see everyone, even f I wasn't the person with the most internal metal in the room: Linda had a bunch of rods in her back; I hadn't realized that her surgery was so serious. Then, I stayed off the percocets all day yesterday, and took a cab to Which Brew last night for St Patrick's Day. That was definitely worth it, even if it was a bit of an ordeal and I probably won't be going out again on a weekend for some time. I hung out with recently healed fellow-injured-biker Kirk, Art & his brother, Ed, and a quite a few cuties. Ahhhhh....

Today I'm kicking back, doing laundry/dishes, trying not to kick myself -- it's beautiful out, and this would have been the day I got to help with the bear denning and cub census in NJ, for which I'd managed to wangle an invitation as a volunteer. Oh well, there will be other years, and other bears.

By the way, here are a few more ankle shots, which I actually posted up on Monday night. Um, enjoy!

Weekend Update

So here I am, down at my parents ("parents'"? "parents's"?) house...

Thursday: The surgery went well, and was pretty easy in terms of what I had to do: they wheeled me in to the OR, put me on the table, there a were a few businesslike conversations going on, then the next thing I remember was being in recovery. My first memory, while I was still pretty "out of it," was saying something like "my left calf needs to be stretched" -- I said that in darkness, then opened my eyes to the recovery nurse telling me to breathe deeply. I was thirsty, but they only gave me a little ice, and a small amount of water. Back to my room, where they made every effort to get me to wake me up, then decided it was too late for discharge, got me a room, told me I could sleep but by then I was awake anyway... More work getting water/soda; they didn't like the way I was guzzling it & were worried about post-anesthesia nausea. The overnight was pretty tough, with pain and discomfort, and I now have less respect for Morphine the Great And Powerful, which didn't seem to do shit...

Friday: Spent most of the day at the hospital, saw my surgeon -- Dr. Mitch Cooper, who reminds me in some ways of my high school friend Ron -- and he gave me the info on the operation: one plate, 7 or 8 screws, all on the outside bone because the inner one wasn't as bad as the x-rays originally indicated. The plates/screws are titanium, because I have a problem with nickel (as in, rashes from stainless steel watch bands, etc). Doc said I'll get my regular cast at my Monday appointment. I was told I could leave "any time I want" just after I ordered lunch, so I stuck around for that, left the hospital around 2:30-3:00 or so.

The ride home was uneventful (I was pretty doped up & slept), then I just vegged around Friday night.

Saturday: More vegging out, then saw my brother & nephew when they came to visit. Watched the Princess Bride, which I'd never seen but I know half the lines anyway...

Today I woke up with a quantum leap down in my level of pain/discomfort, in fact I stopped taking the percocets (which I'd been popping every four hours like clockwork for the past few days) this morning, will probably only need them again for sleeping. Finally got upstairs at my parents, where the computer is, and have had my butt planted here ever since.

Tomorrow I should be home, and I should be back to work Wednesday.

Ankle Update

I have two separate fractures, one in each of the bones of my calf (tibia and fibula, I think) just where they attach to the foot. I am going in for surgery Thursday, getting a plate on the outside bone and some pins in the inside one, after which will come six weeks of being in a cast -- then no doubt several months of therapy.

Here and here are more photos, some that my friend Brian -- who broke his bike frame just a few minutes later -- took during the "rescue." Tough ride!

Oopsie

What a revoltin' development! Riding today at Lehigh, I slipped, hit a rock with my foot, and -- broke my ankle. Quite disturbing, my foot was pointing completely backwards just after it happened. Managed to twist it back, get it comfortable, and my friends -- among whom were two nurses and a doctor, luckily -- got me un-dislocated & splinted up for the trip out of the woods (I actually sat on my bike while friends pushed it, all I needed was a Burger King crown). A quick ride to the hospital, a splint/cast, some Vicodin and now I have to get an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon tomorrow...

I Talk To The Wind

Said the straight man
To the late man
"Where have you been?"

"I've been here, and
"I've been there, and
I've been in between."

Well, got my car: tires & inspection are done, but there's been yet another snafu in getting the camshaft, so it's going in again next week -- this time, I'm getting a damn loaner. Meantime, I just got back from a cold and very breezy singlespeed ride down the towpath, and now I think I'll walk on down to Which Brew.

I talk to the wind,
My words are all carried away.
I talk to tthe wind,
The wind does not hear.
The wind cannot hear.

Where You Been?

Morning weigh-in: 182#, 4.5% BF (um, yeah)

Back to posting, just in time for the weekend after a busy and frustrating week.

Car: The car is still in the shop, which seems to have planning/communications/inventory problems. Hopefully I'll be getting it back tonight, but I thought that yesterday, and also Wednesday, and I took off work Tuesday because I thought I'd be picking it up in the morning (morning comes & goes, car is still not ready & I'm stuck at home), ditto Monday...

It went in for an oil change and inspection, but it needed tires to pass so I had to get tires ordered -- then, I thought they were on the car but found out they hadn't even been ordered yet -- then, while waiting for tires the replacement camshafts arrived, or maybe they didn't, but they're also going in hopefully either today or yesterday or... something...

So, I've been carpooling, and meantime I have not done any shopping/drycleaning/errands for a week.

Skin: It looked like it was really improving, previously damaged areas are almost healed but it took a sudden turn for the worse over the past day or two. I wonder if there is still some irritant driving it -- I stopped my cereal-with-organic-whole-milk-breakfast routine, on the off chance that the milk (from grass-fed cattle) could be the cause: no change. The irritant could be environmental, so I must now start looking around for other possible causes, like new detergents or whatever.

The doctor visit has been postponed, first because of the improvement, then until the car issue resolves itself. By the way, excema is also aggravated by stress...

Work: We are mucho busy here. I am also being trained in some hot new 3D design software -- self-trained actually, which sticks in my craw a little; other people were sent out for several weeks of off-site professional training, which still managed to leave them with their heads spinning. I am supposed to put in an hour or so a day when I have nothing else to do, see if I can dope it out... Well I did pass 8th-grade math, in fact I aced 18th-grade engineering math back in the day, so this should be a piece of cake, and it is some seriously cool stuff.

I think I could use a weekend, in fact, I could use a whole month of them.

And By The Way...

You Passed 8th Grade Science

Congratulations, you got 8/8 correct!

Could You Pass 8th Grade Science?

Just In Case You Were Wondering

Yes, I can pass 8th-grade math:

You Passed 8th Grade Math

Congratulations, you got 10/10 correct!

Could You Pass 8th Grade Math?

An Icy Wind

Morning weigh-in: 182#, 6.5% BF

So cold/dry lately, I think I may be dehydrating through my skin. I drank two pints of water in the night last night & still had a low percent of body fat -- which I think is not as accurate for body fat, so much as it is for hydration...

Meantime: car's in the shop, getting an oil change, new tires and inspection. I walked to Which Brew Friday night, hit the gym (via the singlespeed) Saturday, back to WB Saturday night to see the Roamin' Gabriels (very good), then rode Allamuchy on Sunday with Doug, Rich, Bob & Karen, Lee, Dave, and some couple I didn't know. Very cold, but a very good ride. Um, bike needs work.

That is all.

Except this: skin's doing OK but not great. I've pretty reached the pre-selected date where I give up & see the doctor; unless there's a dramatic change I'll probably make an appointment for this week.

Time Flies When You Don't Post

Morning weigh-in: 182#, 8.5% BF

Not much to say...

Wednesday night was the trail maintenance get-together at the Wildflower Cafe in Bethlehem. Not as rancorous as we (OK, I) thought it would be, though there were some rough patches (mainly between two different cliques of downhillers), some of which don't really look like they will end up getting smoothed over any time soon... Step one is communication though. We also started getting our act together for removing the trash lying around up at Sals.

After the meeting, then some bike talk with Dave (he lives in Bethlehem, rode his new bike to the meeting), Doug and I went over to JP McGrady's and met a post-work Eric for a quick beer.

Last night I was extremely tired after work, so no gym/run/etc, just dinner (tuna & wilted greens) and I was in bed by 9:30.

The Man With The Lightbulb Head

Morning weigh-in: 182#, 6.5% BF

Well, the benadryl didn't do much for my skin, but it sure helped with the ol' insomnia -- I basically passed out last night after dinner (chili, rice, salad); even though I had a ton of things that needed doing I just couldn't keep my eyes open, so I just went to bed.

Forgot to mention: Among my errands on Saturday was a trip to the barber. I've been going downtown to this old-school Italian guy named Leo, who cuts it pretty short but leaves the top somewhat longer, ie clippers on sides & back, scissors up top. It has a ridiculous egg-headed look before I brush it in the morning, maybe even after...

Free Milk! Oatmeal In My Hair!!

Morning weigh-in: 181#, 13% BF

Friday night was a run rather than the towpath (wind, time constraints, whatever), then I walked downtown to the good old WB to see the Insidious Rays -- who apparently decided to put their worst foot forward, starting with their lamer and more annoying material, but the show got a lot better when they hit their stride with the "good songs" ...

Saturday was gym/chores. I was in the organic food store, and I wanted to get some milk but they were all out. A woman buying four half-gallons actually gave me one of hers, which was way cool of her. I think it threw a monkey wrench into her planning though, because she sorta forgot that it was already paid for by her, so I got my milk free. Don't know her but the cashier said she's a regular; I'll make sure she's covered next time she gets milk.

Saturday night was a party down by the towpath: "Bad Andy" had a wine-tasting party at the house he's fixing up. Electricity & a functional bathroom, fireplaces & coal stoves but that's about it, no insulation or internal walls except the bathroom. I brought some chilean merlot, sampled a bunch of stuff but nothing really made an impression. Had a nice creepy/scary walk there along the towpath (his backyard abuts the right-of-way), much longer on foot than I realized, maybe as much as 4-5 miles. I therefore left early, a little before midnight, so I could get home at a reasonable hour, be ready for morning.

Sunday was another crockpot of chili, and a morning ride with Doug at Lehigh. I filled the pot before leaving for the party, so all I had to do was just put it on the heater and hit the road. Good ride, though I felt a little under the weather, no real high-intensity endurance right now. Got home, took a nap and then ate chili...

Today I decided to work on the underlying cause of my recent/ongoing itch problem, namely dry skin. The humidifier is back on anyway, but I also went online, found a few home remedies to help with moisture. The key apparently is hydration of the skin from the outside, then preventing dehydration with oils. Showers are out, baths are in; soap is out, colloidial oatmeal is the new clean. I went and got some of that stuff earlier, poured a bath & soaked for 20 minutes, then put on a nice coat of sealant/moisturizer while I was still wet. Right now I feel sticky and greasy at the same time, and my hair is stiff with dried colloidial oatmeal (I don't think I have all the bugs worked out of my methodology), but my skin feels pretty good. Next I'll pop a benadryl to stop any allergy-related itching, and if that bath stuff gets too expensifve I have plenty in the pantry...

Pow! Welcome Back

Morning weigh-in (Wednesday): 182.5#, forgot BF
Morning weigh-in (Thursday): 182#, 9% BF

The Which Brew "Anti-Valentine Party" was pretty cool, but not really much of a party, more like the usual Tuesday night at the WB. I had exactly one beer and a turkey sandwich (after coming from the gym), and gained three pounds -- this after eating chili (and having a beer with it) several days in a row, and losing weight earlier in the week. I must conclude that going to Which Brew & simply breathing the air there is the actual fattening factor...

Last night I went home "early" (ie at the normal time), did a few club-related computer and printing tasks, ran my two mile run, and then went to the Chain Gang meeting. Decent meeting, I think we covered a lot of ground, especially in the areas of trail maintenance and gossip about other clubs.

Tonight is laundry, dinner, the gym, and then grocery shopping while the laundry dries.

Like Deja Vu All Over Again

Morning weigh-in: 179.5#, 12.5% BF (I think I've seen those numbers before)

Went straight from work to the gym to take that spin class, arrived early so I did some major stretching beforehand. Same woman taught as last time (two weeks ago), and it was a similar workout, but the music was radically better -- anything would have been an improvement, but she had a good mix and I was happy.

After that I went home and finshed off the chili. I'll probably make another pot this weekend, or maybe try a diferent recipe. Amazing results -- though I think there's room for improvement in my chili recipe -- without all that much fuss or effort.

Tonight I'm heading back to the gym (running, weights), then I'm off to Which Brew for their Anti-Valentine's party.

Nothing To See Here, Move Along

Morning weigh-in: 181#, 15% BF

Not much to say today since I said it all last night, just thought I'd get my weight posted.

A Quick Tour Of The Weekend

Friday night I was supposed to go riding the towpath, with my friend Mike from up the block, but we were only about a mile into the ride when I got a sudden flat. While I was fixing it he says "there by your thumb, isn't that a slash in the tire?" Sure enough, there was a 2" long slice in the sidewall, no idea how it got there. I put a piece of cardboard behind it and we limped back home. He was OK with the abbreviated ride since he'd done a singlespeed ride earlier in the day, but I was pretty much shot down.

Saturday morning was coffee, then the gym, then I blew off the rest of my "selfish day" errands to do a little trail work at Sals. Me, Doug, Dave, John E and the Joe L, putting in a new trail. I'm not so sure about parts of this trail but we did some good work in other areas. We got to be in the woods for the first hour or so of the snowstorm, very nice.

Saturday night I made tuna & wilted greens over pasta, then got all the ingredients together and started my first crockpot experiment: chili. I put it on the stove at midnight, the it cook until I started eating around 6:00. I pronounce it quite delicious! After dinner (the tuna dinner, Saturday night) I walked in the snow downtown, to check out a surprisingly happening Which Brew, which nonetheless closed early.

Today I slept in a little, played with the computer and then went XC skiing with Doug & Lori at Jacobsburg. On the way back we stopped at Brian's house -- he had two crockpots cooking, the bastard -- to see his new toy the Pinzgauer, a six-wheeled, Swiss army-surplus vehicle. Very cool, he took us around the block a few times.

Went home, had two bowls of chili, took a nap, dug my car out (hours after all the other neighbors did it), and here I am ready to start the new week tomorrow...

Faster! Faster! Faster!

Morning weigh-in: 181#, 12.5% BF

So I worked an hour late last night, leaving at 5:30. My plan was to:

1. Pick up the Iguana (getting new derailleur cables) from Genesis,
2. Stop home to drop off the bike and grab my drycleaning & gym stuff,
3. Get to the cleaner before their 7:00 closing, then continue on to the gym.

Strangely enough, it worked just like that, except I got stopped by a State Trooper, got a warning for speeding, and a ticket for not wearing my safety belt. Could have been worse I guess...

Anyway, went to the gym, arrived a little after 7:00, had a great workout except aerobic (ran on treadmill and did not feel very strong, or fast, or enduring), and was out of there by 8:45. Home, check email, then out again to do get dinner at Which Brew while the regular laundry dried: Gonzo Project were playing, incredible bass player, and I had an interesting conversation with K-Jo's dad, who apparently has been investing in my employer's stock.

A good night, got a lot of stuff done, and was in bed by midnight or so.

Oh, Whoa, Whoa, I'm On Fire

Morning weigh-in: 181#, 6.5% BF

Worked late. Got home last night, ate dinner (baked stuffed tofu, sauerkraut, a salad), did some schtuff, including laundry and computer photo follies, then went for a run around 10:00. Back to the 'puter, then bedtime at 11:30.

Linux Voyager, Navigational Difficulties: My camera's memory card is "double-sided;" there's 128 Mb per side, and which side you're using is controlled by a little sliding switch on the card. I hardly ever fill the card with photos anymore, since I regularly offload the photos onto my hard drive --so what this means that I usually only use one side of the card. Last night I was cleaning up my memory card, and on a whim I checked "the other side of the card" and found a whole bunch of photos dating all the way back to 2003...

What to do? Most of them I know I've already messed with, one way or another, even putting some in galleries, but I'm not sure if I'd archived the full sized files even for those I recognize, let alone being sure about every last photo.

What I wanted to do was check that the full-size versions of the photos are on my hard drive, then erase them from the card, but there are so many of them that to confirm each photo manually would take hours. I'd like to be able to use a simple script, saying something like "for each of these files, look on my hard drive and let me know whether or I've archived it already."

Unfortunately, the directory structure of my photo archives were evolving back then, ie my early file storage didn't follow a standard pattern from photo set to photo set, thus the simple ways to do this are ruled out. To compound the problem, I habitually renamed my photos back then when I archived them, so even sophisticated approaches to "take this file named blahblah.jpg on my memory card, go look for a file with the same name on my hard drive" won't work.

What to do, what to do? I had a lot of fun with find, locate, and grep last night, but those photos are still on my card...

Fire: Meanwhile, my whole upper body is itching like mad, my skin has broken out in some kind of hive/ecxema dealie. This been been going on for about a week; I suspect that it's the result of a minor food allergy -- like maybe that flavored coffee?? -- taken in small doses over a period of time. I tossed the last of that shyte out when I restocked with my normal blend last weekend, so I guess now I'll just have to wait for my body to detox & calm down.

That leaves me in a quandary though: I was planning to do work a little late, do some chores, hit the gym, and finally have dinner at Which Brew while the laundry dries. I'm OK with the rash and the gym, but I'm not so sure about my weight progress and a bar-food dinner; also, though I do want to stop in, see who's there, and say hi, I'm not quite as OK with that rash and socializing. We'll see how I feel tonight.

Hi My Name Is Arnold Snarb

Morning weigh-in: 181#, 12.5% BF

Went to the gym last night directly after work. Felt really good, I was a little surprised but I'll take the win. Dinner was two lentil & spinach burritos when I got home, followed by a little reading and some computer play -- I created a new set of my favorite "nature/outdoors" photos on Flickr.

Reading: Just finished re-reading Pynchon's The Crying of Lot 49. Wow, so good it's hard to believe that it's actually his (second) worst novel. Meantime, I'm still working my way through Wittgenstein's Poker, which just keeps getting better and better.

Just thought I'd mention, Steve Gilliard is on fire today. Then again, the world is on fire...

Some Photo Housekeeping

Morning weigh-in: 181.5#, 9.5% BF

No exercise or chores last night: I uploaded a bunch of recent photos to my flickr account, including shots from Sunday's chili festivities and a recent hike at Salisbury; I also upgraded to Flickr Pro, the non-free but non-crippled version of the service. Enjoy! Enjoy them all, now that they are all available...