A Miraculous Recovery?

Since about Tuesday I can carefully scale the steps one leg over the other.

Their citing the location of the torn meniscus brought to light that I have had this in both knees since about eight years.  So what had been causing the pain and compromised ability?  Orthopedist couldn't say but shared that he'd seen a record number of patients about knee pain over the past couple of months.

Physical therapist was amused that I knew most of the exercises she was going to assign me for home, those which I was able to resume this week in fact.  She also echoed the orthopedist in that I am to refrain from any mile-plus walking, to keep them short.  I guess sticking to the designated home exercise regimen between sessions makes up for it, at least for the time being.

I'm sorry to say I had an ambitious walk from my primary to get some groceries then home yesterday.

Miz Gabi took time out to shift me over into the woods, so the wagon rolled down to it's new spot. All I can say is: ahhhhh!

Let the Healing Begin

Seraph Club enjoyed quite a debut.  The live singer - which was actually a karaoke singer (I suppose I'm the last to know how these types of performances work) was a perfect match as a 30s-40s style torch singer, with an hour of DJing by Mr Pearse following.  The turnout was difficult to gauge because the sim employs a parade of bots for shop window dummies and staged civilians.  You'd think for events they'd dismiss those to minimize lag. 

Anyway if I were to gauge I'd say there were over forty in the club at some point.  It was a good crowd, and I know most of them.  I'd imagine many had to set their RL alarms to attend for this special milestone...

I've just met with the orthopedist. Torn meniscus. Not the end of the world but it could be if I'm not careful.  Mayo clinic's description of symptoms is spot on.  It's not severe so surgery is not critical, so let the PT begin!

What to do about a shop next to the diner? Still feel I should have it somewhere else. I'm not as inspired as I'd like to be about what for a building I'd want for Cartoon World where I'm situated.  The toony ones I found were high LI (I expected better of mesh) and I'm at a loss for any private sims for shopping and whether their prospects are good ones.

Toonfest has been extended for a week to allow more people to experience it. With the deluge of so many players hitting Toontown Rewritten at the same time the developers had their stress test and made a maddening number of updates within a couple of days.  The new content is impressive and the prospect of getting doodles is promising.

September Pain Management Round Up

Friday:

They cut Dad loose early from rehab.  While he's regained most of his ability to walk, his mental abilities have taken a hit.  He spent several days in a mental fog in ICU due to an infection and thankfully emerged from it, but not without lingering consequences.  While the episode left him without memory of that time and just prior (including when he went to ER), he's forgotten discussions from two days ago and sometimes repeats things from hours earlier or the previous day. He's nodded off - not an issue of itself, but he doesn't remember doing it: "I was changing channels when it was several hours later." That's new and has me a little concerned.

Maybe it took this coming home alone on a Friday with no post-rehab aides for days (shame on Empire Blue Cross for this decision; how low and callous our healthCARE has descended!) for Dad to realize that a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom co-op all alone isn't a good place for him.  A month ago the thought of him coming home wasn't even conceivable.

He never listens to me except about things computer (and I still can't persuade him to get a Windows7 PC for $300).  It took a cousin overseas to recommend assisted living to him, and finally he's taking that notion seriously. 

Wednesday: 

In the meantime his Meals on Wheels has resumed and is now - after my contacting his rehab counselor - getting an aide coming a few hours a day.  That's awesome. 

My knee had its MRI today.  Results Monday.  Fonars are awesome, but for the knee (when you can stand) you stand at an incline for 30 pre-programmed minutes without moving the lower half of your body.  I came out of it walking better once I was able to move and feeling returned to my feet.  I tried to sneak a result out of them by asking whether I should start physical therapy with the referral already given me and he blankly said wait till I meet with my doctor.

I set myself back Monday by trying to walk one step over the other instead of one at a time exiting a subway station.  Since then it's leave 45 min early and take a cab ($10-11) to station in the morning to beat rush hour and students, then leave 15-30 min early to go home.

With the turning of the leaves it's time to head for the forest.

Thursday:

Standing for 30 min straight has caught up with me.  There are consequences of the diagnostic.  Not quite the same. 'One step at a time' I need to keep telling myself.  Forget that a year ago this month the elevators were being replaced and I was walking down and up 5 flights of steps almost daily with groceries.

Most days coming home I catch a bus at the station depot home.  I miss getting amenities throughout the week. 

Friday:

Probably would have taken today off if the boss hadn't.  Anyway results Monday.

Virtualmente:

Today begins Toonfest. One year since Toontown Online was shut down comes a 3 day celebration and open beta for Toontown Rewritten.  You may not see me too much over the next couple days. On the other hand the servers have been down since the relaunch. I sort of expected that.

Today is also "Talk Like a Pirate Day" which means I flaunted my Captain Blood edition pirate outfit while fishing.

Saturday night will be the grand re-opening of the Seraph Club at Vintage Retro. Expecting a crowd so I'll have my TIS HUD on before I arrive.  Am I thrilled that someone other than Mr Pearse will be providing the music?  Not very.  A place is only a place, and I'll have come for his unique presentation and set list.

Would I expect you to attend my monthly set there starting October?  If you've enjoyed what I've done in the past then by all means come for more each second Sunday from 12:30pm SLT.

Before that though there's Mieville's Halloween and fall festival and my October gig at Swing Moon. 

Avatars Gone Wild

Tatas, boobies, melons, tomatoes, titties...

I backed away from SL's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer (MSBC) like a hot potato shortly after it began last year.

All those people who died, more so because they wouldn't even get checked out of prudence or embarrassment.

Well what did you think you sounded like to most people?  You're so fucking immature you cannot bring yourselves to use "breast" in your promotions.  It's breast cancer.  You already know what it sounds like when people cannot say "cancer"; it's like being unable to face the disease. Everything for MSBC has to be a cheap innuendo for you.  It's disrespectful to those who've suffered and died.  Somewhere along the line "more birthdays" have have taken a back seat to "save the tits so we have more to fondle!"  You cannot face this disease without mocking body parts and where death is making its entrance.

Even now Firestorm's MOTD is promoting Rock Your Rack.

It's not that my standards are too high.  It's that yours are so low, and I speak for many.

A friend in Second Life passed away months back.  While she had a debilitating illness which left her paralyzed, it was the onset of breast cancer which was the final straw and she requested no more food and let it end.

I believe in continuing the fight, but not here.  I'll keep my participation for this in the real world.  Actually with a knee headed for possible arthroscopy I'll have to sit this one out in NYC as well.  That's okay.  Got my off-season Relay tools. 

I'll switch Relay For Life Volunteer group notices back on after Halloween when the coast is clear.  We'll meet back for the Christmas Expo.

Month of Liquidation

Reducing my Mainland footprint has gone well, with the bulk of available land waiting a couple more days for the longtime skybox rental to check in (they moved in RL).  I may have to try the new one if I don't hear back. After that it's parcel splitting and abandon as an absolute last resort. Update: She's taking some of my land. So far so good!

Everything else is to plan, with the Nova Albion parcel having sold quickly and an odd piece east of the diner going to LDPW as part of Bridge Road.

Working on the replacement build for St John, which will make its debut in less than a week.  I'll miss having an attic to crash in town; in its place will be a speakeasy for monthly swing.  Still working out some aesthetics.  A texture shop northeast of Hydrangea had exactly what I needed for the speakeasy walls, with a little something from me and antique clip art as well (and subject to change on a whim).

The manifestation of a Cartoon World shop remains a mystery.  I'm not inspired by atomic age or cottage style.  Would like round and whimsical mesh but only see it in my imagnation.  The recent Funny Puppet Fair town was close but the creator had nothing inworld or on the marketplace.

Funny Puppet Fair

Also I'm more game to take on a ground or sky shop with multiple quota to set some items out.

Is it the End of an Era?

The Starship Diner Fishing area was taken down Monday night.

I cannot afford to live on Mainland. Not as much as I have been. Work had too many wage freezes since the fall of 2008 and everything goes up.  Health insurance are crooks and joined the club of taking from the middle so now I have a co-pay PLUS deductible or percentage.  $40 per month just isn't feasible.  Then there's Linden Labs' shadow of a moderation team to protect its premium residents and allowing prims and particles to rain down for days.

I was thinking of going back to Bay City, but my final meeting with the BC Alliance reminded me why I'd left.  Had composed a detailed notecard to read about most things which forced me out and pondering whether it was time to return, but it wasn't to be.  I never got to read it.  It was an interesting hour of observation.

Goodbye, Bay City.


And Goodbye Nova Albion once my parcel sells (I've undercut everyone and with luck some landflipper will bite).  I'll be there for your special events and anniversaries.

The gallery is gone. I'll have exhibits around the grid at some point, but the Cartoon World shop will focus on salable art. It's crowding the ground level so I'll see about a sky shop or private estate rental. I'm quite sure I can unload any land Toryn doesn't need.

Meanwhile look for more activity in St John very soon, RL permitting.

Recovering... Recovering...

Ever have one of those days when you're done wearing purple but forgot how to wear anything else?  On the Monday after I honestly didn't know what to change into post-Relay Weekend.

Message to self: arrange group shot of team.

Holocluck Snurky Toryn Lemondrop Sev Seven BB Grey
(Lemondrop was invited for pic as nearby designer & friend)

 I woke up to a Toontown Rewritten session under way by ten minutes. Red bunny finally completed Toontown Central tasks.  They've added more servers and brought down the wait time.  The sessions have been far more stable. Pretty soon Seven and I will be able to coordinate playtime sessions.  A small cog invasion for part of it gave bunny a nice boost in gags.  Big question is who among my three docks-worthy toons gets to progress?

Penny Pincher on Seaweed Street

I rescued Tindy from rising waters to hang out at the Telethon Studios. We have to perfect our silliness; it went better last year.  I blame the high seats at the news desk.