Health | Piss and Moan

National Treasure

Posted on March 17, 2020 by backuphill

Photo by David Bartus on Pexels.com

Tom Hanks.

I’m sure you’ve heard by now. I mean, this is big news. Top Story stuff right here.

How can our national treasure, Tom Hanks, have COVID-19?

There has to be some conspiracy going on here. Aliens. For sure aliens.

Hear me out here. They could easily land in the Australian outback undetected and bring COVID-19 to Tom and his lovely wife (I assume she is lovely. I haven’t met her, but Tom picked her so there must be something to her. Oh, I haven’t met Tom either. I’m just saying.)

Of course, I am kidding. He’s not our only national treasure…

Betty White! What about Betty White?

Apparently she has checked in and is doing just fine. Whew! National crisis averted.

BUT SERIOUSLY….

While I enjoy both of these actors, can we get away from covering the celebrities? Not to be callous or anything, but I am. I don’t care about their status. They don’t actually warrant “top story” headlines or an international outpouring of love and concern (you can count Kobe in on this if you want too).

They are just people and quite frankly they aren’t people we should care about any more than people in our families or our neighbors. Actually, those last two – family and neighbors – should get more care and concern than celebrities and athletes who have money to take care of themselves just fine.

Your family and neighbors need your care and concern. Pay attention to them. Stop and visit. Say, “Hi!” when you walk by. Shop local and support small business who employ the people you should be caring about.

Put your focus back on the people who actually deserve it.

40%

Posted on March 13, 2020 by backuphill

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

We, as in our office (which is in a separate location from the “head office”), got an update on the policies regarding telecommuting during this health crisis, scare, whatever you wanna call it.

Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19, telecommuting policy said that we could telecommute up to 40% of a work week (two days) and that could only be done on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. I have talked about before how my job could literally be done from anywhere in the world with an internet connection, so 40% for my office is a ridiculous restriction.

Now, with COVID-19 being a thing and recommendations from every level of government (techinically I am a public employee) stating that employees should stay home and telecommute if feasible (again, it is totally feasible for my office) the “head boss” has issued new permissions for telecommuting.

Yesterday’s email said, in effect, “we are allowing telecommuting on Mondays and Fridays now, but we are still limiting overall permission to 40% of the work week, per board policy.” In other words, we are still required to go into our office three days a week! So, if I may paraphrase…policy over people. I gotta say, that right right there is some crappy ass leadership.

I have said it before and I will maintain that I am not an alarmist by any means. I am going about my daily life normally. I went out to eat last night and supported a local business near my home.

This issue I have here is that a public institution is going against the recommendations of the government, the one that funds it, and demanding adherence to a policy which they clearly have been given the green light to alter in this extraordinary time. There is no expectation by me or my colleagues that the alteration would adjust regular practice in the future (though we would like to see that). We just want acknowledgement that our government agency is recognizing the recommendations of the government and that isn’t happening.

I am in the office today. Nearly all of us are. But none of us are happy about it.

Mixed messages

Posted on March 12, 2020 by backuphill

Photo by Heorhii Heorhiichuk on Pexels.com

I know for a fact that I don’t need to stock up on TP. That is already clear.

What I am more concerned about is whether or not there will be a shortage of hazmat suits, thus a significant rise in the zombie population.

I don’t feel like the government is addressing this concern. Can we just get some clarification? Do I need a hazmat suit now, or should I wait for demand to overrun the supply so I can pay a price that is in effect equivalent to price gouging?

I mean, I really have an aversion to having zombies and REALLY have an aversion to having my brains eaten (or other body parts – depends on the type of zombie). I know I can start training now to get in physical shape to outrun some zombies, but I am not sure I can social distance myself from all of them, again it depends on the type of zombie.

The government has really fallen down on it’s recommendation here. I am getting mixed messages….

Is there a danger of a zombie apocalypse or not? Do I need a hazmat suit and to begin training to be in top physical condition or not?

I am just trying to determine my next course of action and the mixed messages aren’t helping.

TP

Posted on March 11, 2020 by backuphill

What the heck ya’ll doing?

I hope you aren’t one of those crazy people out there hoarding toilet paper for no damn reason! Seriously! Covid-19 ain’t got nothing to do with your pooper, people. You all are just going “5150” on us.

People fighting in the aisles of stores? Costco limiting purchases and having to hand out the TP? Empty store shelves wherever you go? Good grief people, TP isn’t gonna keep you from getting the virus and it sure as hell isn’t needed if you had the virus. All you really have done is create a black market for TP.

Ya’ll done “wiped” out the stores. I wish I was making this sh*t up. Get your mind “outta the toilet” and wash your hands instead. Let’s “flush” this nonsense asap.

See, now you got me all making puns for funs because people ain’t got the runs.

If you are one of those hoarders, STOP! Ain’t no poop emergency.

We all heard it

Posted on March 10, 2020 by backuphill

man using smartphone while sitting at the table

Photo by bruce mars on Pexels.com

So, my sick note means nothing, apparently.

As it turns out, I have to use another sick day today despite what the superintendent (“head boss”) said in our meeting on Friday.

On Friday, he had a meeting with out entire organization (our division really, because we are completely separate from the main entity) and we all heard that we shouldn’t go to work if we suspect we are sick but that if we could get a doc’s note approving telecommuting then we could amend the regular telecommute schedule as needed. My coworkers heard it, my manager heard it, my director heard it…or at least that is the way we all understood it.

Today, I am told my doc’s note doesn’t apply and only the regular telecommute schedule applies. WTF? According to the head office, there are no policies in place to accommodate this adjustment and until there is we have to stick with it – no matter that the head boss said something completely different.

Yeah, that’s BS – requiring your employees to burn their sick days when there is a major health concern going on when you know full well they can do their jobs from anyplace in the world without impacting the client (and have done so repeatedly). That makes complete sense.

So, I think I’ll binge on TV, and video games….and slowly burn in contempt of the head office.

Sick note

Posted on March 9, 2020 by backuphill

Photo by bongkarn thanyakij on Pexels.com

I’m in WA state and there’s this thing going on. You’ve probably heard about it. So far, I’ve just heard about it too.

But, last night I developed a cough that came from nowhere. And a wheeze at the bottom of my lungs.

I checked in with the doc. At the moment they think it is related to the bronchitis I had two weeks ago. But, with the ongoing situation in WA, work doesn’t want me physically present. So…I have been “quarantined” to telecommute from home.

Can’t complain about that! No morning or afternoon traffic. No early mornings. No late dinners.

Win-win.

Except for the cough…and wheezing…

Exhausted

Posted on March 2, 2020 by backuphill

Photo by Monica Silvestre on Pexels.com

So, I got a good night’s sleep last night. After being up at 3:00am to get to the airport, I waited as long as I could to go to bed so that I didn’t end up getting up too early from going to bed too early.

It worked. I got eight and a half hours of sleep, BUT I am still tired. The last five days have really worn me out! It was packed full of activity and warm, sunny weather.

It is safe to say that was one of my top vacations ever. I couldn’t have asked for much better. And, as you probably have gathered, I am not really the kind of person to “see the bright side” of many things so that is saying a lot.

I am going to lay low today and tomorrow before being back at work (I’m telecommuting) Wednesday and Thursday. Friday will be back to the office.

I’ll pick up with the regularly scheduled Piss and Moan tomorrow. I am sure there will be something to make your eyes roll then.

Cute dealers of addiction

Posted on February 21, 2020 by backuphill

These are not Girl Scout cookies. Photo by Polina Tankilevitch on Pexels.com

It’s that time of year folks!

There are dealers of addiction in front of every store in the evenings and weekends and they are dressed in little brown uniforms with a green vest.

The Girl Scouts are pushing their addictive cookies again.

They stand there looking all cute, or sad, or whatever and ask if you would like to buy a box – or three.

When you finally relent and agree to buy one you somehow end up walking away with more because, you know, they’re only $5 a box (never mind the box is smaller, the cookies are smaller, and there are fewer in the box than there used to be).

Dang dealers of my cookie addiction.

Blind bat

Posted on February 20, 2020 by backuphill

Photo by Miri on Pexels.com

Along with a visit to the regular doc yesterday, I also made a 4th trip to the eye doctor for an original appointment that was back in January.

Why the 4th? Well, it’s partially because I seeming as blind as a bat (I am still developing my echo location skills) and partially due to their incompetence. The outcome of this last appointment? A possible 5th visit…

Due to the power needed for my eyes, I haven’t had the clearest of vision in one eye because technology in the soft contact industry just hadn’t caught up my needed power. So, when I found out that clearer vision was now a possibility for the worst of my two eyes I was kinda happy about that. They ordered trials and I went upon my Piss and Moan way.

When I went back to try on the trials they discovered they ordered the wrong ones and only one that I actually needed was available. So, I tried that one in my eye and it was a significant improvement over the years of partially blurry vision! But, that was only one eye. And while the better of my two eyes didn’t need as extreme an amount of correction, I didn’t have two matching brands in my eyes. So, I left knowing I would have to go back again to pick up the correct lens when it arrived.

I went back, picked it up, and with the trials I noticed that my vision was improved but comfort was down – my eyes felt dry and tired at the end of the day. Hmmm…back to the drawing board.

I also had trials of my current brand in the correct powers, so I put them in. Comfort was fine. But, I really felt the sharpness wasn’t there like the other trial and so I wondered if the prescription was actually correct. If it was, would I have to sacrifice some better vision for comfort?

So, my follow-up yesterday…sacrificing comfort wasn’t an option as I wear my contacts around 16 hours a day. I can’t spend my evenings rubbing my eyes and feeling like I need to take them out the minute I get home in the evening. The comfortable pair, the ones I felt weren’t quite strong enough, well I was right. They weren’t the right prescription. One eye was correct and the other was not.

Seriously.

My Piss and Moan level went up four notches. I know it wasn’t the gal’s fault that was helping me. But I seriously has some issues with the fact that it was the fourth time I had to take time off work, drive 20 minutes one way, just to see if they could get it correct.

I think we have it sorted out now, but I think I may visit a different doctor and office in two years when I have to go through this again.

Walk-in

Posted on February 19, 2020 by backuphill

Photo by Negative Space on Pexels.com

Wish me luck. I’ll probably need it.

I am headed to the walk-in clinic early this afternoon to see if there is anything they can do about the sinuses and deep lung coughing. Sleep last night was tough to come by and with a vacation coming in less than a week I am looking to kick this thing rather quickly.

Why do I need luck? Have you been to a walk-in? LOL

It takes a demonstration of extreme patience and tolerance.

It takes forever (typically) to get seen by a doc and, when you actually do see a doc it typically isn’t even a doc but a PA (physician’s assistant). I have found that care is a little suspect at that point. Plus, add in that a walk-in generally tries to rush you out once you’re in (it seems to take forever to see anyone and then once you do, you wonder why it took so long based on how long you actually got to see someone).

So, I am going to be brave and endure with the hope of some relief.