Investing

Just a short post. Been sick for a few days. Lower respiratory infection last week. Now a sinus infection. Could not figure THAT out at first. Then realized my upstairs neighbors, complete pigs, were moving out this past weekend and before. They were dumping dirt from their balcony or on their balcony, which has gaps in the wood over my patio. I was breathing in their filth when I went out to smoke. I smoke outside always now.

Oh, well. Glad they're gone. Should be a while before anyone else moves in. At least a few weeks. I'd bet they have to redo the entire apartment.

Have to get well before looking for a job.

Been investing some of the money from the house. Some in gold and silver. Some in cryptocurrency. Some in Chinese yuan, which will definitely gain value next year. Some in coins. 

Biggest thing is avoiding US dollars and stocks or bonds. At least American or tied to American currency. When the crash comes it will be sudden. Maybe not as fast as 1929 but close. Then the dollar and anything traded in dollars will be worthless. I'm watching it gain momentum daily. Things people think are great signs are actually horrible signs. 

Right now the US and British governments are suppressing the price of gold. That will fail sometime soon. I think maybe January. Gold will rise rapidly when it does. That will be the first real obvious sign of impending collapse. Most people will see it incorrectly and think it's great. They will sell, expecting it to fall again. That will cause a false drop for a very short time and not by that much. Then it will rise again. More than ever.

The actual collapse will start with the stock market. That's when people will wake up but it will be too late. The dollar will crash within days, if not hours. That's when the yuan and probably the ruble will surpass the dollar. 

The things I am investing in will be the most stable things to be holding. Wish I had a lot more to invest.

Weekend with the kid!

Got to spend the weekend with daughter for the first time in a year this past weekend. That made me really happy!

We didn't do too much. Went ice skating for the second time. She enjoys that and is getting better at it. I had been holding one hand while she held the ledge of the wall with the other. We were doing that for a while, then I told her she was doing well enough and I was going to let her go on her own. She was nervous about it at first but then kept going and kept doing better. 

Yes, I almost cried. Had the urge to keep holding her hand out of my own urge to give her my support and hold her hand. However, in the end I would be a bad father if I did that. I am a better father to let go when the time comes and she can do it on her own. 

By the end of the 2 hour session, she had gained more confidence and was doing considerably better. I told her the only thing holding her back was her own anxiety. Not sure how much she believed me. I have NO doubt she is dreaming about ice skating. I know her. I expect if we go skating again this weekend she will release her grip on the wall for longer and longer periods. She was starting to this past weekend to go around people. I also encouraged her to take the corners in longer stretches without holding on and she was trying it. And she didn't fall or sit this time. 

Other than skating, we had BBQ at home and went through some boxes. She was looking at Pinterest and showing me things she finds interesting and funny. Kid has just as much of a dry and dark humor as I do. 

It was a great weekend.

Yesterday I went to the doctor. Actually nurse practitioner (NP) for medications to replace my medical cannabis. Symptoms I needed something for were insomnia, muscle spasms and lack of appetite. She prescribed Baclofen and Trazadone. Plus gave me a sample of a new form of Gabapentin which I had not heard of and she only recently came across. Made specifically for Restless Leg Syndrome. It worked really well. Though the combination made me sleep for 12 hours straight. That's okay, I had only slept like 4 hours the night before. Maybe less. 

When I awoke this morning, I had NO muscle spasms at all, anywhere on my body. That was when I realized something. I have had muscle spasms continuously for decades. Not painful and not extreme but definitely present. Especially my feet and lower legs. Standing up, I realized I did not have to flex my toes repeatedly while standing, which I can recall doing all the time when I was in the Army, which was 25 years ago. I looked at my hand next to my thumb, which is the only place my spasms were visible and there were none. It also relieved a lot of anxiety, which I now believe was caused by muscle tension. You can't relax emotionally when you have non-stop muscle tension. I am wondering how much that led me to self-medicate with alcohol and other substances when I was younger. No way to tell and not much point except to advise others. 

So, muscle spasms and insomnia are dealt with. Not much change in my appetite as yet. However, while at her office, they weighed me and I have gained weight. I'm back over 160 lbs! The nurse seemed to think I was crazy (by her gaze) when I was excited for gaining weight. Of course, everyone in the country is trying to lose weight. At 163.4 lbs, I've gained nearly 10 lbs since leaving Abq. Still want to gain 7 more lbs and reach 170. 

Montgomery

I made it to Montgomery okay. Got here on 9/3/17.

Money was supposed to go in the bank on 9/1. That didn't happen. I called on 9/5 because of Labor Day. Was told the money would be in that day. I became quite firm and said I was told it would be in on 9/1 and that it needed to happen immediately. I had the money an hour later.

Really happy I worked the extra shifts and did not call off. If I had not done so, I would have been stuck in Kerrville until 9/5 with the money for either the truck or the gas but not both. Definitely would not have had money for hotels.

During the drive, gas prices increased by 30 cents a gallon between leaving Albuquerque and arriving here. A contrived increase because of Hurricane Harvey. Processing plant near Houston shut down. Same plant shuts down every year around this time for several months.

What kind of idiots build oil processing plants in a hurricane zone?

Not cheap or easy driving a Uhaul while towing a van 1400 miles with gas prices up that much. Glad it hit the peak at the end of the trip. 

Got the stuff from storage in Kerrville. Dumped a bunch of broken or damaged furniture at the dump there.

Stopped and stayed with Mary and Dylan for one night. It was so good seeing them again. Wish I lived closer to them. I miss them.

Applied for an apartment after getting the money on Tue. Took them until Fri afternoon to finish the application. Never had to wait that long before. Then could not move in until the gas and electric were on, which did not happen until Monday, 9/11. Didn't have internet until 9/13. Not spending money on cable or satellite. 

Got some new furniture and pulled other furniture from storage from Kerrville. The ex doesn't need it. So I bought a futon, decent one for $100 on clearance from Walmart. Lucked out, it was the one I had decided on online and it dropped $40 because of clearance. Cheap entertainment center. Only $20 and a style I would have bought for the design. New coffee pot and microwave, black, which I like and most appliances in the apartment are black, as are the kitchen cabinets. Futon and entertainment center are black, too. So are my old sheets and comforter and toaster oven. Oh and bought a new black office chair. So it all ties together. 

Got the storage pods delivered yesterday. However, I was sick and could not do much with them until today. Got them unloaded today. Place looks like a warehouse for the moment. But got my bed set up. Tonight will be the first time I am sleeping in my own bed since March. That should be a relief. 

Any way, have seen daughter a few times since I got here. Only three times so far. I am trying to ease in to picking things back up with her without causing culture shock. Just visited at the house twice and took her ice skating and to dinner on Sat. First time she's ever been ice skating. Glad it was with me. I'm the only one in the family who has ever successfully been ice skating. She did really well, only fell (sat) on her butt once. I think she will enjoy it with practice. We have had some really good conversations just like we used to. I have not brought up what she said a few months ago. Maybe she will. If not, I may someday in the future. But give it time first. It would be stupid to start things off with what would come across as an accusation. 

So, getting settled in here. Have to get used to the city, state and culture. Weather is smallest concern for me. I have enough money to live for several months. Local Genesis facility is 23 miles away and not looking for any LPN's. I may go back to Evicore. If they take me. They may not if they look at my social media page or blog. I'm such a strong advocate for single payer healthcare they would not like it. But I will be checking into other options. Haven't even updated my resume yet.