Well, this picture is upside-down, but I hardly think that matters. This is my Christmas puzzle and I am constructing it in a manic fashion because it is a manic puzzle.
I was just on Goodreads updating my 2014 challenge. Some of these people's challenges are really ridiculous. I upped my number for this year- I'm shooting for 30. That's 2 or 3 books a month. I just did the math on some ding-dong's challenge of 200 books. That's over 16 books a month. I got a good belly laugh over that. And how about the person with 400? Was that to make themselves sound smart? Nope. Fail.
I did my writing talk today. It was an unprepared mess, but let's hope it was also an endearing mess. It started all full of stage fright as it always does, but it calmed down when I was finally done with my notes and was discussing some things plainly with my audience. But good grief. Does that ever get better?
I talked to Dad tonight- he's getting better, doing physical therapy. Yesterday he got to go outside (in a wheelchair with the physical therapist). He said they played some improvised bocce ball, and he was super happy to sit in the sunshine. His team is working on a consensus about when he will be able to go home. They told him he won't be allowed to drive for a while, which he balked at, but says he will abide by the rules. He says they have a fake apartment at the hospital where they're going to teach him how to do things like stand at the stove and cook. Weird, huh? No, wait. Here's what's weird.
He won't be able to use the stairs for a while, so Laura (his girlfriend) and his friends are going to drag the bed from the upstairs guest room down into his music room, and the drums will be moved into the garage. The music room is RIGHT next to the downstairs bathroom, which already has rails installed from the previous owner. In the other direction from the music room is the kitchen and the living room- the two places where he spends most of his time. Well, that and the deck, which is right off of those two rooms. Everything he needs in that pretty large house is in a very compact area. He's not sure if he'll be using a cane or even a walker, but on that note, guess what Laura does? She's got a defense contractor business, but she's also got another business that's a nicer term that I can't think of right now for taking care of old people. This woman helps with convalescing for a living.
Not enough coincidences for you? How about this: Dad already took an early out deal from his company. He was already transitioning out- they don't really need him at work. The onset of GBS struck during an interview at the company he wants to work for. The numbness was not that bad at first, so he was able to walk out when the interview was done. At the rate that feeling is coming back, his projected date to leave the hospital, and his response to therapy so far, he could potentially walk back into that company without aid as a new hire when that call comes.
Dad said he has looked at the bars in that downstairs shower many times, thinking that someday they might be of use to someone who stays at his house. He just never thought that person would be him.
Strange. As far as reasons to be stuck in a hospital go, I think this bizarre, out-of-nowhere, super rare syndrome is pretty acceptable. I think it's understandable that I was mad, partially because that's just what I do, but also because it seems like a reasonable reaction when you don't have any idea why. Suddenly, it feels like we're watching my favorite M. Night Shyamalan film.
On another strange note, I was contacted today by three male friends that I haven't spoken to in a long time. All today, all completely unrelated to each other. I mention that they are male because I currently do not have a large male presence in my life. In fact, my world is almost entirely populated by females these days. Something's up in the universe.
But weird is good. Weird is not devastating or otherwise horrible. Weird is only slightly disconcerting, mildly uncomfortable. Since staying comfortable for too long means eventually approaching miserable, I am ready to welcome weird. It's good that the balance is off. It's time for the next thing.
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