Finally Friday!!!!

 I hope y'all have as safe & fabulous weekend as I plan on having! I'm sure I'll come back with a few stories to tell about the shenanigans .....

HAPPY FRIYAY!!!!!!!

Cant Wait Until Tomorrow

A Weekend Away. From Friday 3pm until 3pm Sunday afternoon. No Stress- no worries- just playtime with my childhood friends.

No Computers- I love being on mine- but every once in a while I take a whole weekend away from it. 

No Phones- however I will answer EMERGENCY CALLS.*

*How will I know if it's an emergency call you might ask? I have a hard and fast rule- If I don't answer and you know it's an electronic free weekend- hang up and IMMEDIATELY call back. I know it's an emergency then and will answer.

Just going to sit on my butt with my two 50+ year besties( that's how long we been friends- not their ages- that's a few years more than that) and chill- watch movies, eat ice cream for breakfast and stay in our Jim-Jams all day if we want to(easier to nap if you are already in your Jim-Jams, eh?), reminisce about when we were younger....I'm SOOOO glad there was no internet and social media in our days!!!! If it rains we might go out and walk in the rain like when we was little too. See who can make the biggest highest splash in the puddles. I aint carrying no stupid umbrella either. I need to ground myself. I haven't went barefoot and walked in the grass in ages!!! 

So if you're out and about and see three elderly(ish) women acting a fool in the rain in their Jim-Jams- happily splashing around and giggling like 6 year olds.... Either give us a wave.... mind your biddness... or even better- Join Us!!!! :D

I'm counting down the minutes....no- the SECONDS!!!!!

I'm Not Ready...

 So on the drive in to work this morning I heard a advert about E-Cars.

They said E Cars run an average of 42 miles on a charge and that's more than the average person drives in a day- you can drop the kids at school, go to work, pick up groceries on the way to pick up the kids after school- and still have enough to visit the in-laws in the next county.

All without buying any gas- so apparently, according to THEM, E-cars are THE way of the future.

 But- are they really?

Not in my opinion.

I'm not your "average" driver. I drive about 12 miles more than the 42 from a charge will take me and that's just ONE WAY. There also aren't NEARLY enough charging ports at my sites- one site doesnt even have ANY, let alone along the way on my trip to and from work- I cant think if a single place along my route that DOES have one to be honest.

I don't think most towns/cities/counties are nearly ready for an increase in E-traffic issues. E-cars would only be useful  and viable in big cities/States like Cali, New York- and maybe a few more progressive cities/states like...tbh- I can't even think of anyplace else except maybe- and I do mean MAYBE- Las Vegas??? 

And what about the costs? Is the cost of the electricity to charge them actually less or equal to the cost of gas- or does it exceed the cost of gas now? How about repairs on an E-Car? I can tell you right now I dont think your typical hometown garage- or backyard mechanic we rely on has the capabilities to do proper repairs on one of the E-Cars.

I know I'm not ready on a personal level for it.... but maybe that's just me?

Time For a Change- But Not What You Think

 Did I mention I have arthritis in my right side? Everything- ankle, knee, hip, shoulder and wrist. Everything hurts. I had a surgery for carpal tunnel on my right wrist years ago and that helped a bit. The arthritis seems to flare when it's storm season tho still.

Well, about 3 months ago now my left wrist has started to show the same early signs as the right one. It hurts to drive, to write, to type, to cook or clean, and most importantly- to use a keyboard to game. ;)

I've got a doc appointment to have it looked at Friday. Already wearing the wrist support brace like when it started in the right wrist.

Now I didnt start out playing on a PC- I started out on an Xbox. With a Controller. It was soooo frustrating to learn to use the controller. But I did it.

Then I got a gaming laptop and realized that  using a keyboard was so  much more straightforward than a controller. So for the past thirteen or so years I've been using a keyboard.

Well, the pain from "running" everywhere when I'm hunting in a game (Very awkward positioning of the fingers and thumb) has really become so painful I almost cry. My sister, who games with me sometimes, noticed and bought me an Xbox controller so I wouldn't be in so much pain- therefore I can game more often. I love my thoughtful sister. Only she would notice and do something like that!!!

Now, mind you, I have been playing Ranch Simulator for about  five years. Have almost 3k hours invested in this one game- it's my fav, can you tell? I've been playing since the early release days- one of the first to buy it on release day. Had a bit of input into how it was improved and what bugs it had that needed to be fixed. I got my daughter playing it about 6 months after that and now finally got my sister playing. 

I love this game. It gives me the freedom and quiet I cant find in my daily life.  In it I'm a property owner- and I can build and hunt to my heart's desire. If I'm frustrated, I can load the game and  head off to the hills to hunt bear and wolves and foxes and deer to vent my frustrations with real life. Everyone benefits from it and best part- I dont have to spend real life money to drive to do it!!! And if I want some company- I just let Baby Girl or Sis know I'm going to be on playing and I host a fun hunting party!!

Now, having played so long I pretty much know all the little tricks and tips and shortcuts. (altho the new fishing side quest has me stumped- still can't catch a fish for love nor money....YET).

Sometimes I just go hiking to see what can be seen or done. I know they keyboard commands like a pro on this game. Mainly because I don't play games like a normal person and by just going on hikes and building and such I've memorised it- It's like being blind from birth and having learned it bit by bit and I'm in control. 

But-not so much now. A TINY bit of using the controller came back as second nature, but now I'm like someone who went to bed able to see and woke up totally blind... sis has always mostly played her games with a controller. So now the roles have reversed. I'm having to ask her where is this command or that command again? Which one picks things up- and how the hell to I access my weapon quickly?.. what is the process again so I don't die when attacked by a wolf or bear..... (you learn to save everytime you pass a save station and I've adjusted my Auto-save to 5 minutes now vs 20 minutes on keyboard.)

I also don't have a comfortable desk to work from. I've been playing sitting on my bed or on the sofa. But that has got to stop. Today I plan on going and getting be a comfy supportive  gaming chair- not one exclusively made for gaming but a desk chair of some sort that works for me. I might be able to convert my old sewing machine cabinet into a small computer desk possibly.....or I could make one like I did my vanity table when I was in England with a couple of file cabinets  and a lovely piece of wood. I actually have my old round coffee table in the basement that is too big for my Living room, but cut in half with a half moon cutout might be just the thing I need for a vanity table/computer desk for my bedroom. 

I'll have to look into it.

Anyway, It's going to be fun to  re-learn controller commands.... my sister and daughter are laughing at me because I'm playing like a newb... I wont get out of the vehicles in Bear or wolf territory. LOL- I'll get over that- as soon as I can have a few days of playing around with it a bit with no pressure to HAVE to do anything.  I hope.... 

Death Count from Day One(yesterday) using the Controller- 2

The Joys of Change!!!!

It's Not Always A Migraine...

 The past week and few days, I've had a horrible migraine that I just can't seem to get rid of.

My son brought his Blood Pressure monitor with him when he came to stay his birthday weekend with me. His Birthday was Saturday and we really made a weekend of it.... or that was the plan.

He measured his sisters first, then he hooked me up to it. 

To say it wasnt good is the understatement of the year.

177/105.... The migraine was my blood pressure rising steadily. 

I was able to stop taking my meds last year and control it by diet and exercise- just like my blood sugar levels. But something(I have plenty of ideas what those somethings could be) has triggered the issues again and I need to get it all under control again . I simply do NOT want to have to go back on a dozen meds every day to keep everything regulated. I refuse.

I'm guessing the stress of my family being sick from the moldy basement the landlord is too cheap to fix, my job(several issues in that one I won't go into again because there's nothing I can do to fix them and those who can fix em wont), the long tedious commute back and forth to work every day alongside the ever-rising price of fuel, my slow  and steady weight gain that isn't being arrested no matter how careful I am with my diet and exercise, my attempts at container gardening seem to be going nowhere fast(we are in extreme drought alternating with heavy thunderstorms and its still not helping the veggies at all...) a couple of family drama issues going on aren't helping matters either..and last but not least- not having any vacation days in two years..... I'm pretty sure that is a BIG contributor right up on the list with the mold thing. 

I did do a couple of paintings this weekend for my besties birthday this coming weekend, and that really was helpful- it calmed me down a bit altho my BP numbers didnt lower but one on the bottom number.  I'm just really upset that I couldn't do more with my son on his 44th birthday because I had to stay still and quiet and comfortable to keep my BP from elevating even higher. I was already in prime Stroke territory and I most surely didnt want that disaster added to my list of Sh!+ that's going wrong.

On the upside, I have a quiet celebration up in Easley planned with my two besties this weekend for their birthdays so it's almost like a mini vacation for me.

I'm praying it's the respite I need.

    

Our Ray Of Sunshine .....

 Today I said goodbye to one of my work friends.

Her name is Barbara and she is/soon to be was/ the company nurse.

As long as I have been here, she's always been going about her business with a smile on her face and nothing but good things to say about any situation. She's been a breath of spring to all us around her. I will miss her dearly as she always brightened my day when I was struggling. 

Good Luck with your retirement Ms. Barbara. May you always feel as joyful as you made us feel!!! xxx

AI Mudslinging...

 First of all, I hate AI. 

Second of all, I hate Mudslinging, particularly in Political campaigns.

I have a hard and fast rule- play clean. If you indulge yourself in a mudslinging campaign, you will NOT get my vote. Even if I have to write in Mickey Mouse or Goofy as my choice of candidate.

If you can't win an election on your merits alone- you're not the candidate for me.

So now the hopefuls are REALLY playing dirty by using AI generated Mudslinging. 

It's already hard enough to weed out the facts and it's now doubly  difficult to judge what is REAL and what is AI nonsense.

Why do candidates think it's fair play to Mudsling at all? Now they think it's a good idea to create drama with AI as well? 

Why would I trust anyone to lead the country with that type of mentality? 

Stop it you IDIOTS!