Calm day

Some children go wild as soon as they hit puberty. My daughter just got there but not going wild. Instead, she has just widened her existing views. Trying to understand her world both outside and in. Though I am happy to say she is becoming more social and making friends at school she gets along with. I don't want her to be quite as reclusive as myself. 

I will say a large part of my personality has been formed by environment through the years, including currently.

We didn't do much today. Ate at her favorite restaurant and brought the rest home. She was writing and drawing until a minute ago. She watched an episode of Ancient Aliens with me and was very interested. I like it because it brings up discussion not only about aliens but about known history. Since I like history and she shows a lot of interest in it, it winds up being a good thing. 

Started some more tomato seeds today. Had 4 pots started so far. New seeds are mostly Better Boy, rest are Beefsteak. Hoping the established plants in containers revive when temps get warmer. I don't think the roots ever got cold enough to freeze, so they may be just dormant. 

Got a catalog from a seed company advertising a Beefsteak hybrid that grows up to 3 lb fruit. Definitely  ordering some of those seeds. It is a reputable and old seed company. If they do well, I'll take cuttings to try and propagate them and keep them going.

Yucky morning

Snowing again. Really wet snow, now nice. Still falling as I write. 

So, the most important aspect of whether the CBD works for me is in the morning. That's when I have the most discomfort. This morning I do feel somewhat better than average but not without discomfort. Probably because it wears off while asleep. May be less of an issue with continued use. Chronic inflammation is a cycle which must be broken. Didn't begin overnight, not going to tend overnight after apparently decades of it occurring. 

With no negative effects identified, decided I am going to mix the CBD with regular nicotine liquid, so I use it on a frequent basis but low concentration. I will keep them in separate vials, though. I did try one drop sublingually last night but didn't find any added effect which I could determine. That leads me (for now) to think there is a maximum effective dosage for me and anything above that is just waste. 

Since it does help with inflammation, I'm somewhat hopeful it will help with my allergies, as well. Not counting on it but hoping. 

Yes, I have turned myself into a human lab rat. Not much other choice unless I want to take standard medications which have toxic and dangerous side effects which I would rather avoid unless things get really bad. 

Not bad at all

Went to the gym tonight. Now up to 130 lbs on bicep isolations, added tricep presses at also 130 lbs. Up to 250 on the back extension, which is the limit of that machine. I will admit I'm not doing a lot of repetitions at those weight levels but the fact that I am increasing weight stacks so quickly says my method is effective. 

I changed up the exercises I'm doing for chest and abdomen, so weight levels are lower than I was doing but they are much more effective exercises. Chest and ab muscles are showing good definition. I expect I should have a well defined six pack in about two more weeks. Not like a wrestler or professional body builder but decent. 

Never made it to the leg press tonight. The gym was a bit slower than many nights but there were a lot of people hanging out on machines, sitting and doing nothing at all. 

I think the place should start slowing down a lot in the next week or two. All the people who want to hang out will get bored and vacate while the people who made New Year resolutions and haven't the stamina to stick with them will wander away more slowly. If they don't get immediate results they give up while they don't take the time or ask questions to learn how to maximize their results. I even see guys who obviously have some experience who do things really wrong if they are trying to build up. 

Meanwhile, I increase my ability but still don't look like I can do anything near what I can do. It's a difference between muscle density and muscle mass. Mass does not necessarily equate to useable muscle. The best combination is mass and density but if you must choose between the two, density is better for useful muscle. Mass is better if you're focusing on appearance. But density also lasts much longer and regains easier. 

I am now about 3 times faster on the ski machine than when I started the first week of this month, while going 3 times the distance. My heart rate remained around 120 at a near run.

On the heart rate issue, I actually credit some minor part of that to the CBD I received today. I used it as soon as I opened the mail. I think it decreased inflammation, which was causing my heart rate to accelerate. Though my heart rate has been coming down with repeated use of the machine.

The CBD also helped calm my digestion a bit. Before using it, I had some gastric rumbling going on and minor discomfort. Ten minutes after using it, those had calmed down considerably. No buzz involved. That does pose the question of how to know how much to use. From what I can tell, the time it is effective is about two hours. 

Not going to call it any kind of wonder drug but from first evening of use, I will say it does seem to help me. Very hopeful to see what happens with long term use, as inflammation is reduced and hopefully appetite increased. It does not increase appetite like causing raging munchies, which I had somewhat actually hoped for. But as long as it calms my digestion so my appetite increases naturally I'll be happy. 

Snow

Wet snow falling this morning. Nothing like up north or Colorado. I expect most of this to be gone by noon. However, glad I don;t have to drive in it with local drivers!

Checked the tracking. CBD is at the local post office. Should be delivered by this evening. With the weather across the country, couldn't be sure until now. 

I'm waiting for a return response from the NM DOH on my application. If they deny my application, this time I'm going to tell them off. In professional, lucid, intelligent terms. Of course, a denial is exactly what I am expecting from them. Even though there is no sane reason for them to deny my application. 

Taxes done

I was going to go to the gym tonight. Then I got my W2 in the mail.

Stayed home and got taxes done. Return was already accepted by the IRS. Big advantage to filing early. 

Not getting quite as much back as I hoped for but not bad. That's okay, long as I don't have to pay in it's good. To get something back at all is really good.

Work is also picking up. Made at least an extra $20 per day two consecutive days. Not yet back to an extra $30-40 I was making before the holidays but getting there. For now, if I can maintain that rate, it's an extra $100 per week. 

Couple of other reasons I didn't get to the gym. One is that my coat needed to be dried. Washed it last night but forgot to toss it in the dryer today. The other is that I'm hoping tomorrow will be really slow. It's the start of Stupid Bowl weekend. 

The electronic cigarette is helping me cut back on regular smoking. By about half, so far. Going to keep trying to change that percentage further. Long as my guts go along with that idea. One difference I have to keep in mind is how I use them. When I smoke a regular cigarette, I smoke a whole one in one shot, which increases the nicotine in my bloodstream sharply. When I use the electronic cigarette, I don't use it as much in a short time. I'm trying to adjust my use so it feels more normal to me.

CDB is supposed to arrive tomorrow. Then it will be a matter of experimentation to see what works best for me. Vaping, oral, sublingual? If it isn't too sedating, I may mix it in very low concentration with regular vape liquid. That would mean a more consistent serum level. If not, I'll try other methods. If vaping full strength is most effective, I'll get a special tank for it. Without the THC, I'm not so worried about using it on a regular basis.

Maybe not me

Maybe the fact that I was irritable was not just me today. Think I just fixated on the delivery because it was something I was looking forward to and was frustrated because of the time it took.

Several times today I was affected by people who purposely neglected their job, causing complications for me and frustration for callers. In each case, there was simply no valid reason for it. Just dumping their responsibilities on someone else.

The shipment finally arrived. My new tanks, replacement coils and juice for the electronic cigarettes. Tried them out this evening and they are much better than the old ones. The juice has a good, strong menthol as is my preference. The tanks put out considerably more vapor. Bottom coil, no wicks. Bodies are stainless steel and Pyrex, so should last and not break or leak in my pocket. Still, I think I will order some extras this weekend. With this better function, I think it's more likely I can transition over to heavier electronic cigarette use, maybe completely and decrease or stop regular cigarettes. 

Leave it to me to be backward. For most people, resistance training is the best, most effective way to lose weight. The more muscles you use and the more muscle you build, the more calories you burn. Not me. The more I am working out with resistance training, the more my weight remains stable or even increases. I understand the reason but not going into it. Just laughing at the irony. 

Irritable

I am highly irritable today.

Seems like standards across the board and across the country have gone to crap.

Brain dead people on the phones. People half-assing nearly everything they do. Religious people using their professed belief system as an excuse for unacceptable behavior, even when the behavior is in direct contradiction to that very religion. 

Right now, what is getting on my nerves is a lot more basic. Waiting for a package. Something I ordered on Fri night. Ordered it via Priority 2 day shipping. However, it did not ship on Sat, as would be expected. If it had, it would have been here on Mon, two days ago. Instead, it shipped on Mon. So I am still waiting, even though I paid for faster shipping. 

I don't know. Maybe something biochemical is going on which is causing me to be irritable. I'm not usually so easily agitated. Allergies have been really bad since I woke up today. Slightly sore from my workout last night. But those aren't things which usually affect me much. Too accustomed to those things. Weight is at 158. Not great but not bad. 

Whatever it is, I hope it passes or at least lightens up.

Still improving

Got to the gym tonight. Can say I am happy with progress I'm making. 

I've doubled my original distance on the ski machine while halving my time from where I started. Meanwhile, my heart rate doesn't go quite as high as it did.

Roughly doubled my weight on the bicep machine. Not a lot of repetitions but when you increase weight you always start the higher weight with lower reps. Went from 55 lbs to currently at 100 lbs. Not bad. It is a machine, not free weights but still not bad. 

Started at about 100 lbs on the back extension, now at 210 lbs. 

Down a bit on the chest press but by the time I got to it I had tired out part of my upper body, which would explain that. 

Starting to see a little outline of a six pack. Not much yet. Maybe a 3 pack because it's only halfway there? Think it should be decently defined within another month or less, with the exercises I'm doing. 

So, not bad advances for less than one month of getting back to the gym. I'll keep going twice a week for now. Skip tomorrow and go Thur. 

Good news. I wasn't sure how long it would take my CBD order to get here but tracking says it should be here Fri. New electronic cigarette supplies should be here tomorrow, which is longer than I had expected. Guess if I order from them again it won't be on a weekend. 

CBD oil

So, thanks to someone I know on FaceBook, I learned today that CBD oil is legal in all states. No license, no prescription necessary. It can be ordered online from a lot of sources, including Amazon. Of course strength (and probably quality) vary quite widely. 

Same day I learn this, I get a letter from the NM Dept of Health asking for more information on treatment I received for ulcerative colitis. My application included everything there was to know. However, it is apparent they are insisting that I undergo traditional treatment which places myself and everyone around me at risk. All before they will approve treatment with something which I now find is over the counter. Their route is also much more expensive. 

Wish I had know this before I wasted time and money going to a doctor and paying an application fee. 

My first best guess is that local dispensaries are also much more expensive than the ones online. 

So, their response has eliminated any profit which would have been made in this state because the vendor I am ordering from (and most vendors, if not all) are out of state. 

So, I ordered some CDB oil. I also ordered some hemp seeds (not cannabis). Hemp has some level of CDB, though very low. Still, it would be unlikely to result in any illegal status. I'm just looking for enough to be therapeutic. I'm not even sure the seeds won't be sterile. If they are, I hope they at least taste good. Supposed to be high in protein and have no real medicinal properties which are not anecdotal. 

This is a case where the medical savings account has come in handy.

Writing a letter back to the NM DOH with more information. Pushed aside the urge to tell them to piss off. I would rather go about this as legally as possible, including getting a license to grow. Be a lot less expensive than anything else. 

Fixing up

Daughter and I shot bows and arrows for a while this afternoon. I'm glad I got her that bow and arrow now. She has a continuing interest in it and they now have an archery class starting at her school. She's taking that class and really excited about it. She's not extremely accurate but knows how to hold the bow and is past any apprehension about it. So I think she'll learn quickly and may become more accurate than myself soon, long as she listens to the teacher.

I need to order more arrows. We've destroyed or lost most of the arrows we had. 

Got a new kitchen faucet on the way home from dropping her off. Installed it when I got home. Not without complication. Seemed like the supply hoses were too short for the new faucet. (Old one had slightly longer intake pipes.) Went to Walmart to check on longer replacements and decided not to pay that price. Figured I'd go back to Home Depot tomorrow. Got home, took a look and something didn't seem right. Once I checked again, I figured it out. The hoses weren't too short. The pipes had settled through the floor. Once I pulled them back up, they fit just fine.

No sorrow replacing that faucet. I never really liked it except for the sprayer (which the new one also has). Otherwise, I had planned on replacing it at some point. I like the new faucet much better. 

And I don't have to turn the hot water off under the sink any more, like I've been doing for a few weeks now. 

Got the Christmas decorations out to the shed today. Finally. Can get around to patching and cleaning this week.

Looks like I was wrong about something. Drove past the fitness center this evening. Figured it would be really busy on Sun night. It was slow, no vehicles at all in the overflow lot. It was too late by then but starting next weekend I think I'll start going after dropping daughter off on Sundays. I like to go when it's slow and I'm more likely to be able to use the machines I want to use. Then I can target certain muscle groups, keep my time there to a minimum and leave. I'm fine with doing a 2 hour workout bur I want it to be a workout, not waiting for machines or hanging out. 

Disappointed

I'm disappointed. The electronic cigarette supplier I have been ordering from for years seems to have gotten popular enough that they cannot keep up with orders any more. They used to ship the same day as the order but that didn't happen this time. I even ordered 2 day shipping. What good is that when the order doesn't ship? 

Think I'll look around for a local supplier or check Amazon.

Bummer because I've used this same company since 2009. I may not order enough but always trusted them. 

Daughter and I drove out to Route 66 Casino for the lunch buffet special today. Really good. I now consider it the best lunch buffet in the area. I still like Golden Corral better but a wider range of choices and lower prices at this one when they have a special. Golden Corral never offers a special. Daughter likes it. So we'll go back as long as they still have the special.

We also went walking around the park across the river. Her idea. Haven't been there in a long time. Rather muddy right now but we still enjoyed it. 

Picked up some movers blankets from Harbor Freight to use for the front room. Good thing about those is that even if I move to something more esthetic (which I will at some point) these can be reused for something else. I could conceivably just sew some more decorative fabric on the outside of these and turn them into more attractive, heavy (insulating) wall hangings. 

Revisions

It's time to make a few revisions. My utility bills for this month were outrageous. Some of it can't be avoided. However, I've been keeping the furnace running too much to stay warm while I'm working. I need to do more to isolate my work space, so I can keep that space warmer and not waste energy on the rest of the house.

Going to get some movers blankets today. Put those up so they limit the flow of air into and out of my work area. 

Like I've written before, in a few months I'll have the office back in use, so it will be less of a problem. Before I can do that I have to run new electrical cable (which means wall patching, also) and have to get a new telephone jack installed for that room. That room also has to have the floor re-done because it has some nasty old carpet in there. It's not a small project but one I can get done fairly rapidly once days are long enough. 

Yes, I still hate doing things in the cold and the dark. 

It sucks. I have a lot of caulking, patching and so forth to do around here. Yet I hate doing some of these things during the winter. Aside from the fact that if the weather is too cold, plaster, caulking and stucco don't set properly. 

Here it is

So, the ex told me that daughter started her monthly ritual this week. One of those landmarks ever father of a girl fears. As a nurse (and just being who I am), I'm better equipped to deal with it than most men. I did know but as the ex said, I am daughter's father first, a male second and a nurse last. End point: Daughter does not want to discuss it with me. 

Yeah, that's okay with me. Not something I really want to discuss unless something is wrong or she has serious questions. Then I have no problem getting involved. Otherwise..

I ordered a bunch of supplies to make a serious attempt to switch to electronic cigarettes. I've had questions about some things and found an online guide. Wasn't quite sure if you would get more vapor from high resistance or low resistance coils. Turns out you get more with low resistance. Burn more liquid but that's okay. 

On average, 1 mL of liquid for electronic cigarettes equals one pack of cigarettes. So a 30 mL bottle equals 3 cartons of cigarettes. For a cost of (currently) about $18 per bottle. As opposed to about $150 for 3 cartons of cigarettes. Plus it is less negative for your health. Still not benign but for me, hopefully effective for ulcerative colitis. I ordered two bottles plus some other items (new tanks and replacement parts) for about the same price as one carton of cigarettes. The two bottles will be equal to roughly 6 cartons of cigarettes.

Sorry to say no word from the cannabis program application yet. Sucks. I've been having some symptoms last couple of days. Nothing too severe but could turn worse if it continues. 

On the other hand, weight remains stable. Been staying at 160-162 lbs. 

Got the rest of the indoor holiday decorations down tonight. I can put them in the shed in the morning, along with the outdoor decorations.

From popular media, it looks like other people are developing the same fear I have had for many years. Pandemic. I've been expecting it for decades. Shows on TV reflect a growing awareness and fear. "Helix" and "12 Monkeys" both have exactly that as the main subject. They do focus on some form of intent behind it for drama. I don't really think there is/will be an initial conscious intent, unless something escapes from a lab. That doesn't mean terrorists won't capitalize on something which already exists. But there are already strains of diseases which spread easily which now have no cure. They have developed antibiotic resistance. Not to mention flu and other virus mutations. Now there is a gene which was first seen in India. Not a virus, not a bacteria, a gene. It is spreading quickly. It can be passed from bacteria to bacteria and impart drug resistance, even between two completely different bacteria in a puddle of water. That is the most frightening thing to come along so far. Simply put, we have reached crucial (but not yet critical) mass where infections are concerned. Now it's just a matter of time.

This will play even more into the civil war I have been predicting. 

Other things leading to that are already at crucial mass. Just a powder keg waiting for the right spark. Religious extremism. Racial conflict. Sexual orientation and the attack on that from the extremists. It's not looking very hopeful. Toss a major disease into that environment and it's any guess what will happen. 

So, my prediction seems to have come true about research on recreational drugs came true. It was done under the umbrella of medical research and done in other countries. It has focused on cannabis but I think other things will be included (or is happening now). Even for cannabis, it may have focused on genuine medical use but it is inevitable that recreational use information was and will be gathered. 

Overdrawn

Bummer. It's been several years since this has happened but I'm overdrawn. Things just fell the wrong way. Long as the bank doesn't send one check back, it will be okay. Tomorrow is payday and it will be covered. Nothing drastic. Happened because the doctor had no active ATM and I had to withdraw money from the bank instead of using the medical savings account. A few other charges I had the dates wrong in my head and the rest is history.

On the other hand, it could be a good sign. Since the state cashed my check, I can assume they are already processing my cannabis program request. There was a $30 application fee for a growing license. It will really suck if they send that check back, since it's a state office.

Though it will seriously piss me off if they cash the check and don't process my request for several weeks. But if it is in process now, I should expect to hear something back within a few days.

Gains

My weight has been stable for at least a week now. Very happy with that! Not gaining but remaining right around 160, so a healthy weight.

I'm sore. Getting back in shape is going to kill me. Just kidding. I'm okay with being a little sore. 

My capacity is increasing rapidly. That's not hard to increase when you've been in shape in the past. I've gone up on all weight sets within two weeks by at least 30 percent, in some cases 50 percent gain. Yeah, not going to be able to keep increasing at that kind of rate. Though I think I'll be maxing out the back extension machine in a couple of weeks.

Increased distance on the ski machine by 70 percent and cut my speed in half. Sounds better than it is. I'm not stating the distance here because for now it's rather laughable. But I just use that basically as a warm up. However, I will keep increasing distance first and then increase speed in cycles. 

I'm gaining muscle mass visibly in some areas. Also definition but that's not hard, since I don't have much body fat to obscure muscle definition. Though I think it won't take me long to get a decent abdominal definition, which I've never had all that much of. But now I know that was because of inflammation in the past. 

I always wondered why I couldn't get abdominal definition, even when I could do 55 sit-ups a minute and run a 6 minute mile. Now I know.

My tactic for now is focusing mostly on certain core muscle groups. To some degree, it won't result in major definition or complete overall fitness. However, these are the major muscle groups which support other, smaller muscle groups which I will work on more later. You cannot work the major groups without working the lesser groups to some extent. Besides, I'm also increasing tolerance and getting endurance back up. My recovery time has gotten shorter and down time is decreased. 

The fitness center was a lot busier than I expected tonight. Not sure what to think of that. I know my first payment came out of my account today. Maybe that reminded people they're paying for this. Or they wanted to go one last time before they stop paying. I do know the center extended the $1 for the first month through the end of January. (Most likely means they're losing members already and trying to break even.) So, if it's more $1 for a month members it will stay busy longer than I expected. Still a huge number of people leaning on machines, socializing or walking around and texting or talking on their cell phones. Then there are the obligatory muscleheads but they seem benign. 

The whole state acts like they're freaking out because it's supposed to snow tonight. Places in the mountains I can understand to a point. They get more snow. Here in the metro expected accumulation is 1-2". I've been places it snowed more than that in an hour and thought little of it. Even so, you would think it never snows here. We see some snow here every year. Not like South Texas, where you see snow every 10-12 years. Just more NM drama. Is there nothing they can be un-dramatic about? 
 

Back in the saddle!

Work is finally picking up again! I had 82 cases today. I was still limited only by the rate the calls came in. And how slow some callers were. However, I'm seeing some benefit to one of the special programs I'm trained for. More benefit than that from the standards required for cases that do not go to review. 

Added benefit to that is there is less to be judged on audits, so my audit scores have a potential to improve. 

Hoping today wasn't just a fluke and the pace continues. Though there were a lot of angry people on the phones today. That's normal after a holiday. People pissed off they have to put out an effort, rather than happy they have a job at all. Just love how happy they are to be doing something to help sick people. sic.

I ordered an Aussie type safari hat and was waiting for it to arrive. Got here today. I was wondering if I should order one for daughter and now I think I will. I'll get her to try this one on this weekend but it seems like it would probably fit her okay. It has a wide brim, shades the face and neck from the sun and has a neck strap. It's also light weight and water resistant. I used to have a different hat and every time I put that hat on, she new we were going on an adventure. I think if we both had matching hats it would be even better. Then again, maybe I'm just being cheesy and she would find it silly. I'll ask her for her opinion and see. They do come in different colors, if she doesn't like the black. 

Not feeling so great today. Both my gut and allergies. I was going to go work out tonight but wound up not feeling quite up to it. I'm hoping the gym will be slow tomorrow, since there's snow in the forecast. 

I'm anxious now, waiting and hoping for my cannabis card. Knew it wouldn't be here today. Probably not this week. I'm just hoping I applied at a slow time of year. If the day I went to the doctor is any indication, this is a slow period. 

Slow day

Today is a slow day for work. I had forgotten it was a holiday until no calls were coming in for 5 minutes at a time.

Something I realized cannabis could help me with besides gut issues. My shoulders. It's difficult to exercise my upper body much because it puts my shoulders in pain, which radiates down the arms. This pain lasts for days and can at times be quite severe.

Now, without question the shoulder problem has gotten better over the last few years as I brought other issues under greater control. That only came with awareness.

I'm also hoping it helps with my having to urinate so frequently, which has been a problem for decades. Large part of that is just because the inflammation of my intestines causes pressure on the bladder. However, probably a lot of toxins being flushed out, also. Drinking a lot of coffee doesn't help. 

In the past, I've gone through different problems caused by inflammation which have cleared up over time with dietary changes. Now I'm hoping to relieve the core inflammatory problems.

Big surprise for me is that exercise helps ulcerative colitis and is documented in medical literature as doing so. That's a really good thing. May explain why my symptoms have worsened the last 2-3 years. Not complaining because I did not know what the problem actually was until that happened. Can't address a problem which is never found.

Daughter and I didn't do a whole lot this weekend. Too windy on Sat to do much outside. Nothing at the theaters we really wanted to see. So we rented a movie, had popcorn and root beer floats in some new large glass mugs which I froze in advance. She loved it. Rode our bikes and took a walk yesterday. Took down some of the decorations. I'll get the rest this week.

Unexpected luck

I had some unexpected luck today. Won $5 on a lottery ticket. Then checked my health savings account and found that my employer had deposited about $200 to the account. That covers the amount I spent out of pocket on the doctor and the growing permit application plus a little bit more! 

That's good. If the state processes my application faster than expected, I figured it wouldn't do much good because I wouldn't have the money to buy anything. Now I will. Not holding my breath on that processing time, though. 

The more I've learned, the more I am hoping for this application to be approved. 

I know a lot of my health problems are being caused by inflammation. That inflammation does not remain restricted to the intestinal tract. It is systemic, having effects on all body systems. That's proven by medical documentation. Problems with the digestive system affects everything. 

Oh, well. Wait and see.

I have learned one or two things that help. Magnesium sulfate on a more regular basis helps keep inflammation down. Figured out tonight that the toxins from my bloodstream make their way to my lungs and cause some inflammation and increased carbon dioxide. That's a good cause for chronic fatigue. One thing that helps combat that is simple. Deep breathing exercises. I think that helps the whole systemic issue of inflammation. Have to keep that in mind and do it on a regular basis. Probably one reason I feel better doing things which instigate deep breathing, like exercise, physical activity and even karaoke. 

Of course, in this case smoking is not helping. Still waiting for some supplies to be back in stock and order some electronic cigarette supplies. Kind of a no-win situation. Quitting smoking has already proven to make the condition worse. Blech.

Yeah, guess maybe I am

I've mentioned before how I am considered to have a complex personality type. I keep understanding that more and more. Then again, I think I may be becoming more complex.

So, here is an example of how my mind works. 

First of all, let me make clear this does not affect me directly. I identified a potential problem the same day I went through training for the program mentioned below and wound up reaching an agreement which prevented just this problem. It does still affect many other people, though. If anything, the net effect for me is positive because I pick up more cases not handled by other CR's (clinical reviewers).

For work, we are expected to process 9 cases an hour and are paid by the case. 

The new program I have written about before sends out an email every day stating a daily assignment for written cases. The general assignment is 12 written cases per day. The email we received this morning said a CR should be able to handle all 12 cases in 2 hours or less (average 10 minutes per case to review fax information and make outgoing calls if necessary). 

Now, this does not change the established standard of processing 9 cases per hour. In 2 hours, that would be 18 cases. So the mandatory assigned cases already mean a CR is 6 cases behind every day. Maybe they can make up the difference, maybe not. 

So, this not only decreases income but can have a negative effect on performance assessment.

I ran some arbitrary numbers. One CR who is thrown back by 6 cases per day loses 30 cases per week. Over 50 working weeks per year, that is 1500 cases per year. At $2 pay per case, each CR is losing $3000 income per year through this program. There is no additional pay for written cases or outgoing calls. Multiply that by an estimated 100 CR's working this program and the company is paying out $306,000 less per year.

Now, that sounds like a benefit to the company but not the case. It also means the company is able to process 153,000 fewer cases per year or must hire more CR's to do so, meaning they must pay for more benefits. It also means the company takes in less money by the amount above plus any amount above that the company charges per case. 

Now, CR's that make less money than before this program or simply don;t make enough money are more likely to move on to another job. This results in the cost to recruit, hire and train new CR's. Since training is at least one month per CR, this is a considerable amount of money. And the numbers are actually somewhat larger than stated.

I did mention a short version of this to my supervisor. Much shorter.

Like I said, there is no benefit or requirement for me to do these calculations. This is just the way my head works. 

Research

So, I've been doing some research on new cannabis strains which I read a small amount about at the doctors office yesterday.

From things I've heard and one episode of personal experience (which did not go well) a few years back, I had been under the impression that modern strains of cannabis had become so much stronger than 30 years ago. That was making me nervous. 

However, recent research (mostly in other countries, especially the UK) have identified 85 different compounds in cannabis, many of which have therapeutic benefits. The only one which is seriously psychoactive is THC.

One major compound found is CBD. From what I have read, CBD is the second most abundant compound other than THC. It is also not hallucinogenic and is counteractive to the hallucinogenic properties of THC. The anti-inflammatory properties of cannabis have now been attributed to CBD. The higher the CBD level, the lower the THC level. New strains have been developed which have very little THC (I believe some strains with no THC) and high levels of CBD. Anti-anxiety properties have also been attributed to this compound without the neuroses and paranoia effects. 

So, those will be the strains I will seek out most of all. 

Work is picking up again. Finally! I had 75 cases today. Had I think 71 cases another day. Came in at 68 or 69 one day. Didn't work a full day yesterday. 

Got out after work and cleaned up after the dogs and took the Christmas lights down from the roof. Have to get the rest of the decorations packed away tonight.

Still a little sore but nothing extreme. That's good, considering how far I pushed myself earlier this week at the gym. I can already feel a difference in my muscle mass in some parts of my body. Very happy about that.

Never mind

Nothing done. Too worn out, too sore. Soaked in the tub for a while and thought that would help. It did but not enough. 

Biggest issue is that I used up all my reserves going to the gym. Really sucks with my history of keeping going for days at a time. Just not normal. Trying to rebuild tolerance as well as strength. 

Oh, well. I'll count tonight as my unofficial night off from house work and get things done tomorrow and Fri. Not going to karaoke this week. 

It's definitely important to rebuild muscle mass for me. More muscle mass will mean more energy. More muscle mass requires more energy but my theory is that it will mean my body will produce more energy. It also means I will have more protein reserve. If I don't build up more mass, I have less major reserve if I lose weight. 

However, been sitting way too much for way too many years. The last 8 years I have nobody to blame but myself. I've tried to stay somewhat active but not much aerobic activity. Haven't known about the most major stuff holding me back until a year ago. 

More of an uphill climb but nothing I can't get past. Have to work harder and it may take longer but I intend to get in the best shape in decades. In some ways the best shape of my life. Not shooting for breaking a 6 minute mile like I used to. 

Now just waiting

So, got most of the day off for the doctor's appt. The appt was for 12:30 and I had originally thought I would go back to work after the appt. However, work was seriously slow this morning. Though not nearly as slow as the brain cells of many of the callers. So, told my supervisor I was just going to use the time off that was approved.

Went to the doctor. That didn't really take long. Though they gave me a packet and a little more paperwork to fill out and mail the whole application packet. Doctor said he didn't see any reason it should not be approved.

Got the paperwork filled out, took it to the post office and got it in the mail.

Now it's all a matter of waiting. Doctor said it would take 2-4 weeks. If approved, they will send me my license and a list of local dispensaries. 

The doctor answered several questions before I even asked. The dispensaries sell seeds. I was wondering where to get seeds and thought the dispensaries only sold finished product. He also said the dispensaries will help guide me through the various strains according to my individual goals and preferences. That's good because I want something with a low psychoactive effect. New research has shown various compounds in cannabis which have varying physical and psychoactive effects. Good to know! I feel really naive on this at the moment. But not looking to be a pro, just find out what works for me.

After mailing the packet, went to the gym again. Figured daytime would be a good, slow time to go. I was right. I'm doing heavy day/light day. Yesterday was heavy, so today was mostly light weights, stretching and hitting the hydromassage bed. I did use the tanning booth for 5 minutes. 

Think I'll lay down for a little while and then work on things around the house. 

Muscle failure

So, made it to the fitness center. I guess I'm better off going earlier. Or no real difference. I'll have to try going even earlier, like right after work. I'd prefer that, any way. Then have time to recover and relax.

I still hold by my theory that it will get slower very soon. The monthly payments for everyone are due on the 17th of the month. So I'm thinking some people won't be there after that date. Basically, the first month cost $1. They didn't charge my account last month and I'm guessing that was true for everyone who signed up. 

Still lots of people spending more time walking around, more time on their phones or hanging out around the machines than doing anything. Then others who hop from machine every two minutes, not long enough to do any actual good at all. 

Then of course there are the lunkheads. 

So, last week I tested my current limits. Learned it will not destroy me to push myself. This week I did just that, pushed myself. Took all my major muscle groups just short of muscle failure. Can't do complete muscle failure. When I take myself to complete muscle failure it is exactly that. I am basically unable to function for several hours. However, that's the best way to build muscle. The closer you get to muscle failure you go, the more muscle you build. I'm already able to extend my weight limit by a small amount over last week. Not going to push too hard but I figure if I can advance by 10 percent per month for each major muscle group it that should be reasonable and achievable. 

Cannot say I am happy with where I'm at compared to what I used to be able to do. I have fallen severely. However, when looking at fairly recent developments, how long it has been since I went to a gym on a regular basis and the average for my age, I'm not doing bad at all. 

Nothing much

Not much going on. I'm going to get to the fitness center in a little bit. Trying a little later, to see if maybe it's not quite so busy.

Not doing much else tonight. Take down Christmas decorations and patch the bedroom ceiling tomorrow night. I have the doctor's appointment tomorrow, so hoping I have more energy than usual after. I know I'll have more energy as days get longer. I hate winter.

Made another batch of fudge a little while ago. 

Snowed this morning. Not much. Supposed to snow more tonight. Wonder if daughter will get a snow day? Luckily if she does, so does her mother.

For some time, I've been going to a mostly Mexican chain market, especially for produce. Prices are really good. However, they sold out a few months ago. Since then it has become really ghetto. Not to mention the prices aren't as good as they used to be. Last few times I've gone there the music has been obnoxiously loud. (All Mexican music but I expect that since it's a Mexican market.) I thought the volume may have been something that only annoyed me. Then one day I took daughter there. She used to like going there and usually wanted to eat lunch there. This time, she wanted to leave as fast as possible. By the time we got to the register, we both had headaches. I gave it the benefit of the doubt that maybe that was all a holiday season thing. Last night I went again by myself. Music as loud as ever. Then the cashier was a diva. She checked her fingernail polish at least 8 times in the time it too to ring up myself and one customer ahead of me. 

Aside from that, when they make announcements overhead every time they speak a word in Spanish it's at least 3 times louder than anything in English. I know it's marketing and I know the culture. However, can you imagine having a face to face conversation like that? What would you think of the person you were speaking with? What would you think of the motivation for that behavior? Some people think I am racist in some way but the opposite is true. I am against racism. Wherever it comes from. I don't treat other people like second class citizens or make any attempts to make them uncomfortable, like they are less than welcome based on their race (or gender, religion, sexual orientation, etc). So I do not appreciate it when other people feel free to engage in such behavior in the name of "maintaining their cultural identity". At the price of.. what? Oppressing the cultural identity of others? As far as I am concerned, once you are part of the American culture, that is your primary culture and you share it with every single other American. You want to isolate yourself, that is your choice. Not my business. But when your choices start affecting others, you have made it the business of others. 

UNM

Here's a new one. The news reports that enrollment at University of New Mexico (UNM) is down.

So, the reason given by the administration is that they need to do more upgrading of facilities and renovating.

That may be a part of it but I'm certain the problem goes a bit deeper. For one thing, one attraction to UNM has been the price. In recent years, they have increased the price of tuition while not improving the experience. So in that, renovations may help a bit. 

But it goes much deeper than that. 

This state has been losing jobs while the rest of the country has been gaining jobs. Wages are flat or decreasing. New Mexico is absolutely not known for modern management techniques. The whole state is known for being stuck in the past. Any intelligent students are not just going to look at only the school. They look at the environment for what they are studying. So, why would they choose to study management in a state that is failing or depends on the federal government as drastically as NM does?

NM has been losing residents. The whole state promotes itself as being "local" and basically closed to outside influences. Why would anyone choose to study social sciences here? 

The literacy level here is tragically low. Why would anyone choose to study literature or English here?

The medical community here is not really behind but has had such a hard time retaining medical personnel that the reputation for the treatment of medical professionals will have an impact on potential students from out of state. Why will they bother with University of Texas one state over, a huge medical community in Arizona and Colorado with the Mayo clinic and multiple well recognized medical facilities? There is nothing to draw medical students that have high aspirations for their career. 

Science and art are the two areas where there are some hope. However, the art promoted here is rather limited in scope. The science programs have limited availability for slots and scope. The areas of scientific study which offer real promise are limited to what can be studied at Sandia Labs or possibly Los Alamos Labs (a long distance away and very inconvenient). Not to mention to study at either of those locations one would have to be able to pass a very stiff government security screening. 

So blame it on the decor of the locker room or fitness center all you want. It takes a bit more to convince me. And apparently a lot of students who are going elsewhere.

Haircut

Went to get my hair cut after work this evening. Since I get my hair cut free with fitness club membership, I went there. Though I had to drive to a center several miles away. One near my house doesn't have that service. Hope they add it later. Not counting on it, though. Wound up a little shorter than I really wanted but that means I can wait longer before the next cut.

Didn't work out tonight. Just as expected, the place was really busy tonight. I'm actually glad I live where I do. The center near my house is large, less crowded and less claustrophobic than the one I went to this evening. Would not want to be a member at that one except for the haircuts.

Didn't feel much like doing a lot else tonight. Kind of sore from snow sledding with kiddo this weekend. I'll get some stuff done this week. 

Only two days until my doctor's appointment. 

I've learned something unexpected. Vitamin C helps my condition more than I had considered. The more I take, the more the condition is kept in check. Can only take so much of that, though. I've had kidney stones in the past and no urge to go through that again. Too much vitamin C can lead to that. 

Work is picking up again. At least got 70 cases or a little more yesterday and today. Still drops off early. Some of the callers still think they can leave you on hold forever. Yeah, not happening. 

I miscalculated my budget a bit. Not quite as much slack as I had figured on but I don't have to skip the doctor and won't be overdrawn or anything. This month I'm trying to balance things out to keep expenses more consistent from check to check instead of the up and down. Usually first of the month is down and middle month up. Try and keep it more level. From my pay statement, I think the reason my check was so low was because they did not pay my PTO for some time I took off. It's somewhat hard to tell between case rate and hourly pay. I can check it elsewhere but it takes a bit more effort. It's okay. Still surviving and I have more PTO left over. 

Another lazy Sunday

Daughter and I didn't do much at all today. She still likes having Sundays to lay back from the pace of the rest of the week. Guess I do too, for the most part.

I'll admit I didn't feel too energetic today, any way. Exacerbated my medical condition yesterday and suffered through some fairly severe pain last night, then the aftermath today. Slowly getting past it now.

However, another part of that is just the weather. As spring arrives (eventually), I do want to get out and do more. I think we both need it.

It is funny. As she gets older and has reached the age where she is developing more abstract thought, the more similarities there are between us. So many things I see in her now which reflect myself at the same age. She reads beyond her cohort. To say she understands abstract thought is an advancement because she has had low level abstract thought for years. My favorite books at the same age were mostly science fiction and fantasy. Now that is her favorite. She tries to make sense of things and people. You would need a calculator to count the number of times the exact same words come out of our mouths at the same time in one day. 

There is a difference but that's related to upbringing. I was very religious at her age. 

Not getting the bedroom ceiling done tonight. Do that tomorrow night, most likely. Not going to the gym on Monday. May go get my hair cut, though. Got the dishes all done and that was quite a pile.

Picked up some lumber on the way home from dropping daughter off. Much of that was marked down lumber. Learned they usually put out the marked down lumber on Sun night or Mon morning. So I got what would usually be over $40 of lumber for $12. (Not everything I got was marked down.) The marked down lumber is good for anything not visible or that will be painted. 

I'm going to try something a bit atypical. I'm still not used to my bottom dentures. So, going to try sleeping with dentures in. I do take them out for at least an hour or two a day. Maybe if I sleep with them in place I can use subliminal conditioning to get used to them better. My gums are healed up. Not filled in very well yet. I still seem to have small tooth shards working their way out from the bottom gums, part of why I'm not adjusting very quickly. Getting there. 

My usual source for electronic cigarette supplies is still out of menthol liquid. Been at least two weeks now. So much for migrating to electronic cigarettes more fully any time soon. 

I still have multiple problems with the kitchen sink. Sometime soon I'm going to completely dismantle the plumbing to the sink and replace all of it at one time. 

Finally got some tomato seeds started today. Just starting right off with fewer containers but large ones. Need to look around and find more large (like 1 gal) containers to start some more soon. Using larger containers from the start will help decrease transfer shock later on. So I hope it means the plant will gain size faster. I've gone through it several times that growth was retarded because I let plants stay in small containers too long. Want to avoid that this year. 

The fall of OPEC

I read an article, I think in Forbes, detailing how OPEC is maintaining output even though oil reserves are extremely high and climbing.

The point is that they are trying to drive the price of oil down. That makes US domestic production less lucrative. They may maintain current output levels until oil reaches less than $20 a barrel. (Currently a little over $48 a barrel.) Current production is sending 2 million barrels a day into reserve.

They've done this before, in the 80's and 90's. However, the world has changed and they are not counting on certain things.

More people have gained an ethical view which leans toward renewable energy. More vehicles are on the road which get more than 30 mpg. Government standards in the US have mandated higher mileage. More people want to drive more efficient vehicles because of lower environmental impact, not just cost of driving. Look at how much people are willing to pay more for electric vehicles than standard vehicles. Huge vehicles are no longer the status symbol they once were. Instead more people see them as wasteful, frivolous and toxic.

Many products require less energy today than 20 years ago. Light bulbs may seem benign until you calculate billions of light bulbs across the country burning less energy than they did. Plus newer light bulbs last much longer and produce less waste going to landfills. Again, people are willing to pay considerably more for cutting edge LED bulbs rather than even CFC bulbs. I haven't gone that way yet because I don't like the lumen output. That is improving. Even with CFC bulbs, you can pretty much light your entire house for the energy it once took to light one room. TV's use less energy. Computers. More tablets being used then full PC's. More people use speakers hooked to computers or tablets, requiring less energy than stereo systems once did.

More investment has been made to graduate toward renewable and cleaner energy sources. Wind, solar, natural gas and clean coal plants. 

Billions of dollars have been spent on infrastructure and billions more already committed on natural gas production. Plus many processes have been automated. Once the systems are in place, it takes very little investment to keep them going.

Billions more have been and will continue to be spent on individuals and companies for solar and wind power. Partly for public image and partly because (no matter how low oil goes) it makes sense to pay one time for system which will produce power at no cost at all once installed. In some cases, those systems can actually produce a profit by selling excess power back to the utility companies. 

I cannot say that the tactics being used by OPEC will have no effect at all. However, definitely not the effect they are counting on. They are using tactics which did work when they were competing with the US simply trying to produce oil. It also worked when people were addicted to large vehicles and cheap oil. 

If the US government is wise, they will invest money to build massive reserves as the oil prices decrease. Use that as a buffer. 

For one thing, as oil prices decrease, profit margins rise. The less consumers spend on gas and oil, the more they spend on other things. The less oil being used for vehicles, the more can be used for other products, like plastics. The end result will be improved economies across the globe. Nobody is going to want to go backward. 

Once oil reserves reach a certain point, the only tactic OPEC would be able to use would be to destroy their reserves to drive prices back up. Doing that would bring first political and then military action from other countries because of the global environmental effects.

End result is that the UAE is signing their death warrant. At least, economically. Personally, I'm okay with that. They've had a good run of around 40 years. They have failed to read the signs, plan ahead and adapt to change. Their fall will be of their own doing and their own choice. Rather than changing and keeping up, they are trying to force the world to remain dependent on them, on increasingly outdated technologies. Blind to the fact that the world is moving on without them. 

It's far past time for this to occur.

Kid still sleeping

You know you did a good job being active when your 12 year old sleeps longer than you in the morning!

Daughter is just waking up. I had peeked in on her a few minutes ago. She sat up, looked at me without seeing me and laid back down. Got up a few minutes later and said her eye were going different directions for a minute. Okay now. 

She went to bed at about the prescribed time last night. So she slept for 11 hours.

I do note the time stamp on the blog is not correct much of the time. Don't understand that.

We went to the mountains again yesterday. This time we went and bought smaller sleds that would fit in the car. A bowl type sled for her and a shovel type sled for me. There are a few common areas where people go sledding in the East Mountains and we went to two of them. Plus did a bit of hiking at another trail. Saw lots of animal tracks which got her attention. Bear and cougar tracks, mostly. 

Low check

Today was payday. Lowest check I remember seeing with this company. Holidays and slow work. Meanwhile, utility bills were really high. 

Oh, well. Still better off now than a year ago. Mortgage is up to date and so are nearly all other bills. I think the garbage may be a little late but that's billed quarterly, I think. Nothing going to get shut off and not cutting back on groceries. And I'll still be able to go to the new doc, which is out of pocket.

On that, this will be initial consultation and submitting application to the state board for a medical cannabis license. Not sure how long it will take to receive a response. Not going to stress over it. That would be stupid and defeating the purpose. 

Went to karaoke tonight. Had fun. The group is growing larger. There were 6 of us at our table tonight. Only 4 of us sang and nearly everyone has about the same schedule as I do to leave. I had figured I would be the first out the door nearly every time, since I have to pick daughter up. 

Still awake right now because I ate something and waiting for Melatonin to kick in. 

Got nothing done last night. I was too sore. Happily, it faded away quickly and I barely felt it today. So I do still recover quickly. Still get sore on the same time scale as always. That gives me a good baseline for getting back in shape. Besides, kind of right in line with what has become a regular weekly schedule of Thur nights as a night off from anything productive.

Before karaoke, I did cut the sheet rock patches for the bedroom ceiling tonight. Not in place yet. The center hole is too large for the screws, so I filled the holes with plaster. Let them dry and then put them in place, maybe Sun night. 

I quit following a group I had been following online for a while. The American Humanist Association (AHA). I believe strongly in Humanism. Google defines Humanism as " an outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters. Humanist beliefs stress the potential value and goodness of human beings, emphasize common human needs, and seek solely rational ways of solving human problems." However, the AHA defines themselves as a strictly atheist/agnostic organization. Beyonce recently called herself a Humanist, while she is well known as a Christian. By definition, you can be both. However, many of the responses were offensive, some downright hateful. I refuse to associate with a group that becomes bigoted on the basis of their religious views. Including atheism. That makes them no better than any other belief system in their approach. Just another armed camp raising their flag, ready to attack anyone different from themselves. Part of the problem instead of the solution. I said openly that they need to change their name to more accurately reflect their true nature. I won't have any part of any group which excludes or attacks members of other groups based on religious views. 

I guess the way my mind works really is far more complex than most. Over the years, I have more closely observed human behavior and realized just how differently my brain functions. It's actually rather depressing, seeing how much people make the conscious choice to limit themselves and attempt to impose limits on others. How they need their small encampments. How many people are ruled by fear of "them" and have to have an "us" to belong to as a defense. 

Which leaves those of us who reject that concept much lonelier.

Sore muscles (edited)

I deserve it. Sore muscles in places I can't recall being sore since basic training. 

Oh, well. I'm still better equipped to tolerate it now than I was then. Know some tricks which I didn't know then. Not sure some of them even existed then. 

I pushed a bit harder than I should have. Just getting a new baseline on my current abilities. So, crunches maxed out at 80 lbs. Back extensions maxed at 140 lbs. Plus I was using the ski machine both nights. 

Interesting thing is what was not expected. Internally, my intestines feel better. That was one of my biggest fears, that I would wind up in extreme internal pain. 

I lost 3 lbs between last night and this morning. Regained 2 of those during the day but have not been eating, only drinking fluids. So what I gained is all fluid weight. Even more so with taking Creatine, which makes the body retain fluid in the muscles. Still, hoping it helps me gain some buffer weight. 

Just hanging out at home tonight. Cut the plugs and supports for the bedroom ceiling. Maybe get them in place tonight.  

Later- Yeah, never mind those tricks I know. I took some Creatine but no luck. Seriously sore. I'll get some stuff done tomorrow and this weekend. 

Planned renovations

This will take a little bit of money, a few hundred $ but this year I will get the office back in working order. Though it will cost, it will save money in the long term. For one thing, the office is one of the smallest rooms in the house. It can also be isolated from the rest of the house much more easily, meaning I could heat or cool that room while keeping the rest of the house less controlled.

Things I have to do are to run the wiring for that room, which I have not yet done. Then get another telephone line run to the office. Move my work computer in there. Install a window unit air conditioner. For winter a space heater will work. It has southern exposure, so I can probably get some solar heating going there, also. 

Other steps will be more for esthetics and convenience but I have some shelves installed in there. 

Right now my work space is in the entry room. Much harder to isolate the environment. However, I am working on ways to isolate various rooms in a decent appearing manner. The more this is accomplished, the less my utilities will cost. 

Removing my work space from the front room will also make the front room much more attractive, especially around the holidays. It takes a bit away from the tree when my desk is right next to it. Besides being too cramped to put a decent dining table in here in addition to the desk.

Taking down Christmas stuff starting tonight. Not sure if I will get to outside decorations before this weekend.

Second day

I went to the fitness center again tonight. Slightly different activity than last night. Reason is that I was starting to feel slight soreness to my abdominal muscles. I know my body. If I waited until tomorrow, my abdomen would be so sore I could barely move. If I went again tonight, it gets my body more accustomed to the activity and I experience less soreness. 

Also used the tanning bed. Not going to do that much. Especially as days get longer. I was just tired of being pale.

This morning, I woke up and started work late. Not normal for me at all. Once I started work (within minutes of waking up), it made sense. I had a bronchitis attack. Rebound effect from starting a workout program. So, going to set two alarms for tomorrow morning and any time I go work out until I get used to it.

Confirmed with the new clinic that they received my records. I have an appointment set for next Wed afternoon. 

So, since I went to the fitness center tonight, I'll do house cleaning and such tomorrow night. 

Right now, a bath sounds really good.

Workout

My first prediction about the fitness center proved accurate. Nothing supernatural, just know people. This evening it was considerably slower than last night. Still no small number of people hanging out, sitting, leaning on machines. Those will be the first ones out the door. Won't take them long to figure out they can sit or lean anywhere and not have to pay a monthly fee to do so.

I spent about an hour there. Not jumping headfirst after not working out for so long. Don;t want to put myself in severe pain. 

Besides, between this morning and this evening, I lost 2 lbs. I was drinking fluids all day, so it's probably not dehydration.

However, I can honestly say I feel pretty good, even though my endurance was horrid. Going to take a little while to get that back up. Maybe a good idea to take some Creatine before going to work out. 

For the moment, planning on going twice a week, Tue and Thur. Though I may check on how busy the place is on Sun night after dropping daughter off. I really do want to get back in shape. All of it depends on my tolerance and how stable my weight remains.

Checked today. My records were faxed to the new clinic today. (Took three calls because Pres simply did not answer the first two times. Not even voice mail.) Now just waiting to hear from the new clinic to set an appointment.

Fitness center fail

I tried going to the fitness center tonight. Should have known better. I never even walked in the door.

New fitness center. First Monday after New Year. People trying to force their way into the closest parking spaces so they don't have to walk to the door..of the fitness center. Just as many people hanging out in the parking lot than inside the place.

I expect it to be slower tomorrow.

I give it two weeks and attendance will drop by 30 percent. Another couple of weeks (after the monthly payments are all due) and it will drop another 15-25 percent. Per month for the first 2-3 months. Within 3 months the place will be a hangout for teenagers (mostly Spanish speaking), pedophiles and drama queens with a few random people actually there to exercise. 

Until then, I'll avoid going on Mondays and Fridays, when most of the poseurs are hanging out, taking up space on machines, in the dressing rooms and parking lot. Just stick with Tue and Thur nights, when it will probably be slowest. 

Today seemed like a good day for work in the morning, then dropped off completely in the late afternoon. 

I wrote a letter for the cannabis program this weekend and submitted it by email. Outlined medications and steps I've taken to control my condition. Included reasons I decline traditional treatment. Now just waiting to hear that they've received my records from Presbyterian. I've worked for and had too much contact with Pres. Not expecting them to do things in a timely or reasonable manner. They are too distinctly "local". Which means they put more effort into avoiding doing things properly, ceasing that behavior only just short of medical malpractice. Otherwise, things like medical records requests they drag out and make as difficult as they can. I find it highly unlikely I will be able to get an appointment next week because the clinic may not even have the records before then. If They get the records anytime this week I will be utterly shocked. Instead, I expect Pres will send me a letter (no phone call, no email) telling me I will have to pay for the transfer, submit more paperwork, pick records up in person (Mon through Fri, 8-5 only) or something along those lines. That is, if they respond to my request at all. Just as likely the request will be "lost". At least they can't claim in this day and age to have lost my records. Can they?