Well, as you know, my wife and I took our youngest daughter (Megan) to Virginia Tech, for the (re)start of her college life. (She got her AA at the local college.)

It's been an exciting two weeks for her.

Meeting new people. Starting classes (again).
My beautiful daughter calls me every day, while walking to class. (She misses 'the old man', but won't say it!!! That's o.k. I know Meg loves her Dad!)

Then, this past week, the 'newness' is slowing down, and she's really settled in.
She LOVES Virginia Tech!!!

Then. . . . she starts talking about things that have happened. The 'not-so-good' things.

Let's see:
Her new MAC laptop got a 'soft drink' dumped into/on it. Emergency!!!
$2600+ laptop. Going back for repair/replacement!
(Where's that pulling out your hair emoticon!?!?!?!?)
Update: I talked her through 'draining' the laptop (upside down, on a towel. Lots of prayer. Warm washcloth and CAREFULLY wiping keyboard. Drying.)
She booted up the MAC a half hour ago. . . it's working!! Yea!!!!!

She also told me about the miscreants that got intoxicated and pulled the fire alarm in her building, at 1:15 in the morning.
(Wonderful. Let's all run outside, in our 'nighties' and let the fire department make sure the building is 'all-clear'!) I'm sure the fire dept. guys all like that!

Then, there's the guy (that lives in her building!) that keeps asking her to go to lunch. (I'm sure her police officer boyfriend really likes that! Ha!)




How 'bout everyone else.
What has raised your blood pressure this week (including "Irene")??????

 

Work, work, um......work.

 

What's raising my blood pressure? I could go on for quite awhile.

The short story. I have Sleep Apnea. So I need a machine that provides air pressure to a mask on my nose in order to breath at night, called a C-PAP machine. It's a pain, but it beats dying.

Night before last I noticed my mask had started to come apart and wouldn't seal to my face. One night of not sleeping, no big deal.

Called the supplier yesterday to send me a new one. Should take a day. BUT. I haven't bought anything from them for more than 6 months, so I need to redo all the paperwork. Can they fax it? Nooo, they have to mail it. That'll take 3 or 4 days. No sleep.

Oh, they need a new prescription. So I call the doc. Can he send them a new prescription for C-PAP supplies. Noooo. He has to see me first. Why? It's a frikken rubber mask. Actually he just wants to bitch about my cholesterol, cause that's all he's really ever done. Appointment next Wednesday. No sleep for a week.

I hate doctors. The medical profession is no longer about helping people, it's about paperwork. No sleep makes me grumpy.

 

Been there and still doing that.....the c-pap, that is. Never really liked the prescription thing. I mean what do they think we're going to do, overdose on silicone and plastic?

 

Work usually. I want to slam my head into the desk to put myself out of my misery on almost a daily basis.

Lol. Tell him that he should have put a ring on it. I want to say that 'Archer' put that line into one of their episodes.

Same here. Not quite 30 with high blood pressure and sleep apnea, lol. My doctor and supplier are great though. I lose track of time and wind up going 6+ months with the rubber piece (I can get a replacement every 90 days, I think).

It really is ridiculous the amount of paperwork you have to fill out.

 

I got my first machine in 1990, and back then you just needed the script for the machine and the settings. That made sense. The rest is just money making make work, as far as I'm concerned.

Fortunately I have an older mask that works. It just pushes hard on my face, gives me a rash and generally makes me grumpier.

 

John!!!!!

THAT's me, Brother! That is me!!!!!!!!


Now you know why I keep a 'high and tight' flat-top!!

 

David I've found two pretty good remedies for this. First is I use hand soap and water and clean the rubber that contacts my face every day. For the rash, on a whim, I tried some of my daughter's Pro-Active cleanser (She'd kill me if she read this) and it was gone by that night.

One nice thing is that over time, they have started making the machines smaller and smaller. Now, instead of having R2D2 sitting beside the bed and sounding like Darth Vader with asthma, I've got a nice little machine you can fit anywhere that's super quiet.

 

Me too Keith.....for obvious reasons.

My shears of choice are a "zero" no guard on the sides and back....way high. And a "number one" guard on the top. I can get out of the shower and dry off with a napkin.

 

Razor - back and sides. S L I C K.

Top - So flat you can put a level on it. Not too short. Not long.
Used to wear a 'horseshoe'. Deb didn't like that. She said I might as well shave the whole dome!


Shower/shampoo. Get out of the shower, walk past the fan. Dry! Ha!

Gotta go in for a trim, tomorrow!

 

I beat a gopher with a stick once

 

I used to do the flat top too. But now the hair on top is thinning about as fast as the contents of my wallet when the wife and kids go shopping.

 

I filed a claim with my State Farm agent today for my storm damage. My pool is totaled and my roof is pretty totaled. The roofer refuses to repair / patch and thinks it needs to be completely replaced and I agree. The ins. company on the other hand may not agree but we'll see.

 

Tim,

When hailstorm (last year) created a total loss of 1 car, and damaged 3 others, and destroyed my roof, and busted up the siding, State Farm's 'adjuster' was very good with us, except for the siding.

EVERYONE around us got new siding. Everyone.

He told us that he was only authorizing 7 pieces to be replaced.

When the contractor acted on our behalf, he said that we should ask for another adjuster.

We did. We got another one.
He came up with some bovine scatology like, "Well, we've paid out for all of your neighbors, we have to 'stop' somewhere."

"Fine. This ain't ending, here. Get another adjuster out here."
They did. We won.

Don't give up, just because SF may not want to be reasonable!!!

 

On the C pap, I made sure I got another mask before the first one went to pot. I can rotate between the nasal pillow (eewwww) and the smaller covering mask when I need to. Yea, pita, even to get filters. "Two at a time...". Hey, why not send me 2 dozen and save the postage--I figure they hope we die before they need to send supplies again.

Raising the BP today? Well, the performance review at work is out. Your raise is no longer based on an objective number system reflecting your performance. Gone is the "carrot" for perfect attendance and 100% accuracy. Enter the (now bigger) "stick" for making an error. Another step towards mediocrity....