A few Measly Steps a Day

, I looked up H2O2 generators. They cost a lot less than $8000. On a different note, travelling is a great thing to do when you retire. $$$$$ it can be expensive - obviously - but it's something to do while your body can still do it. Your body does get older, and sometimes it's the idiot doctors, and sometimes it's just old age.
SP, thinking about writing????? Cool. I've self-published on Lulu and on Kindle (Amazon) for free. The last time I tried to use Lulu, the wanted money. That was a few years ago. Maybe they'll do it for free again. If you have any questions, I don't know everything, but I've made a lot of mistakes. Soo if you run into questions, I'll try to help if you want. You mentioned photos and drawings . . . I know you have to go to work, and yes, that does get in the way of creating.
Me - I've finished to-do list number three, and I'm on #4. And of course, tax time is just around the corner.
Sigh! I've been doing physical therapy because my shoulder is stiff, and I can only lift my arm halfway. It improved my mobility in moving my arm towards my middle (as in hugging.), but lifting my arm is no better, and i think it may be getting worse. Again, sigh!

Ok, this me signing off.

Yeah, the machines is $350 or mid $200 depending on brand. It's the water damages and repairing it that runs up the costs. Picture leaks dripping over a sink, soaked drywalls, etc. All this has to be dried out, and the holes to do this patched, then the wall and ceiling repainted. ...

I think SF will cover the repairs on MY unit, but might balk for paying for downstairs. Which doesn't make sense. They have been insuring us for over 30 years, and condos have existed since the ancient Romanss, and so they should know better how condos are stacked and water flows downhill.

The downstairs people had to file their own claim against their own policy at a difference insurance co.

... BS in my opinion, and clearly one reason property insurance premiums are "running out of control." The insurance industry plays they games and everyone wants to be paid but let's not pay the policyholder or make things simple and save everyone time and money.

One of their steps at a time we slog through this.

Oh. It seems clear cut to me. The insurance co. should fork it over. I get than people do try to cheat insurance companies, but this seems like a straightforward claim. Hopefully, they'll pay up, and you can move on.
Me - I'm on to-do list number 4. I had a long stretch of the lazies, but I'm back in action now.

Oh, well, R, the insurance company of the folks downstairs could file a claim against / sue your insurance company I suppose, just like how automotive crash claims are handled. But let's hope not!

Thank you, D. I've been thinking of writing since I was 13 years old! It's been 47 years of thinking...

I only mentioned photos and drawings because that material already is published on my DeviantArt site. The creating part is mostly done. Then again, the creating is the most fun part of it!

Well done on the todo list!

HI,

So, here's a twist: About twenty-five years ago, I put $10,000 into a retirement account. The financial advisor did everything wrong. When I hit 71.5 years old, I had to start taking withdrawals. The advisor didn't notify, or send the forms. When I finally got him to send the forms, I filled them out, sent them to the address on the business card. A few months later, they were returned. His address was wrong. I figured, 'oh well,' and got on with my life. seven months ago, I got a letter from California saying that if I didn't contact them, they'd put the money into the state. Yes, they do that to make sure you're still alive. Unfortunately, I didn't see the letter until a few days ago. But, I got a quarterly form letter telling me from the fund telling me what my investment was worth. I was going to have to deal with the idiot, but that's enough money to put up with him. Anyway, I someone new to deal with. Shock of shocks! This guy was good. He was at home when I called him, and he asked me to call him the next day at ten in the morning. (no robots, no menus. He said, yes, the previous guy did a bad job, notified California, fixed the fund for automatic disbursements. Some of it was eligible to be withdrawn now, did I want it? Oh, yes! I need to spend a fortune on teeth, and Tom's truck is on it's last legs. A week later, I got a check in the mail. Moral: there are good people in the world. Of course, that's the sort of service we should always get. And I'm okay with robots if I can figure out how to deal with them, or if I can get a human when dealing with the robot doesn't work.

Good wishes to you. R, may you get one of the good ones in your insurance company. They do exist.

Hi, Square Peg, I haven't checked your website in a while. I'll go take a look at DevianteArt.

Sorry about all the mistakes. I hope you can figure out what i meant to say.

Hi MSAD readers. Happy you found a capable person, D, who got your money flowing to you again.

Thanks for the support in dealing with this insurance circus.

Got a call last night around 7.30 from the site reviewer from SF. He can't book me till 2/22! Haha. So, I'm back to trying to reach the claims adjuster and get my own set of estimates. Maybe video documentation so a site visit is not needed.

My great experiences, even for me, seldom get a comment. I do make a point to comment on my honest car repair garage. And my very good (read: also expensive) dentist. The Apple genius bar is a 10 minute walk away and they have been great. The free "love offering" meals we get 2 times a week (down from 3) are both tasty and saving our assets.

This site has little downtime, and I enjoy lurking about for time to time. I mostly love gifting stuff on freecycle/trash nothing. Now that one of the moderators told me how to leave negative feedback for flakes (no shows) it should gradually get better.

Spotify, so far, even with ads, has been a good experience.

There are more. Some "self praise" also thrown in.

This has lifted my mood enough to get me ready to put my yuck boots back on and haul myself out to the "barn" for more yuck chores.

Hi D, I had a good experience with American Funds last year when I needed to set up automatic withdrawals so I could pay a student loan.

I'm glad you got your minimum required distributions set up! Did you set it up so that any income tax is also held back? Just curious.

R, there was only one time I ever felt compelled to upload a good review. This was for an auto mechanic.

It was the Friday before Labor Day weekend. I was driving my wife and me to our daughter's college orientation. She had moved in the day before, and we were bringing a few more items for her dorm. The drive usually takes only a little over an hour. But there was a great deal of traffic. We stopped on the way for a bathroom break.

Anyway, when I started up the car again, it ran so sluggishly I could just about make it to the other wide of the parking lot before I decided we were stuck.

AAA sent a tow truck and recommended a garage. But when I called, the guy's wife said, "I don't think he's gonna want to work on a Audi right before Labor Day weekend."

So the tow truck guy takes me to this nice shop that I've noticed in passing. I ask the owner if he could just patch it up and get me back on the road so I can get home that night.

He said he'd try. And he had his mom drive my wife and me to the college and pick us up again when we were done!

He did manage to get the car back in pretty good shape. I'd like to move nearby eventually just so I can be a regular customer!

A few days of quiet. Whew, do I feel the strain & stress this last run-in with poor luck had left. Napping and sleeping. Tho, if I don't exert much energy I shorten my sleep period. Then I get tired mid-day and take a nap. Which means I will have a shorter period that evening. Round & Round.

Reconnected with a buddy I hadn't spoke to for 25 years! 2 hours of ideas and catching up and sharing "I was the hero" stories. So good.

The extreme feelings for a marathon like mine with condo leadership can span from, "I see the finish line, speed up," to "I see the finish line, don't think I'll make it." Say, speed up = 10 and can't last = 1, my score today is about a 4. A vendor wasted her time trying to untangle an issue we have already resolved and wondering if she could get additional documentation than what she has. And we don't have and won't expend any energy confirming what's already resolved. I'm exhausted knowing how hard it can be to overcome false impressions which seem smart to the person.

I've signed up for Pubby. Authors who sign up review my books and post reviews on Amazon, and I review theirs. I guess I'm happy. The Molly Chronicles, and Refuge and Warm Tea are hovering at 4.6 stars. each. I'm redoing Through Unfamiliar Waters now. I don't hate it, which is good. But I found so many things that I could improve on. I guess writing, like life, is a journey not a destination. I've made the major edits on TUW. So fingers crossed that there aren't a whole bunch of problems that I need to fix. I can't wait to work on the cover. I have downloaded some cool shark photos from iStock.

Health issues abound. Not the truly horrible ones, thankfully, but a lot of nitpicky stuff.

My energy level is low right now. I keep hoping that I'll wake up the next morning full of energy (by my standards which are low) but - you know.

Good luck to you guys.

Pubby is just the thing. It's a community way to game the game.

A couple bits of lucky turns. The claims inspector had a surprise opening (I'd relaxed on insisting on a sooner date and prepared to jump if something opened up). Moved the appt from 2/22 to 2/5 ... yesterday!

He came by, took photos, confirmed all was dry, looked at the device we use to treat cold laundry water (and loved it. He said he will check into it for his family). A few hours later he called with his payout calculations to review. They seemed more than agreeable, so we agreed, and got an email that a check to us is on the way. He could not find preferred vendors on his end, so we're free to contract with our own.

Patching, smoothing, resurfacing, painting. They kept the cost of paint, about $10 out of the check till they get pictures of the completed work. Funny.

I spent a lot of time just playing and creating with plaster of paris as a kid, and I know the work is fitting a screen tied with a string through the hole to backstop the plaster, puttying in the plaster, letting it dry, etc.

Still, I'd rather let a carpenter do it, partially to leave my attention free for other stuff, and also to support a relationship with a new vendor. I think he'll work out great ... eager, young, and skilled.

Personally, I'm toying with Rituals that Rank Up my own priorities. I noticed that Other People's demands pulled more on my thoughts than my own desires. Poor order.

One of my rituals uses a kitchen timer. My personal goals can run around 55 minutes for a working block of time. Other people's? Never more than 45 minutes. My own 55 blocks—first thing when I get up (using that time now); all else—later. Better size, better order.

Hi, R. I'm glad you're getting your claim moving forward. fingers crossed.

Me. I figured out how to work my sleep machine. Well, Apria told me how to make it work. Anyway, tonight, I may get a good night's sleep. Again fingers crossed.
I'm rewriting "Through Unfamiliar Waters" I know I probably said that in a previous post. Anyway, I'm find so many things that can be improved. I guess it shows that I'm learning, and that's a good thing. But I so wish I'd get to a point where I know everything. I found some cool shark pictures, so I can't wait to upload my new manuscript (no it's not completed yet) and play with shark pictures. Did I tell you that a friend of mine has a daughter who rebuilds coral reefs in Belize? I'll put a one of her shark pictures on the back cover and give Fragments of Hope a plug. I wish I had a few thousand people who would see it.

Happy days to all of us.

Rebuilding coral reefs -- now there's a worthy pursuit!

A coworker came back from Belize with a botfly larva in his scalp...

A lot to learn. I'm using the sleep machine in the daytime to get used to it. The machine tends to wake me up every few seconds.

Wait, D, a co-effect of a sleep help machine is it wakes you up!?

Day 43 of post-work. No one could tell. The place is filling with boxes for when the right mood strikes and I want to haul some things out of here and organize the rest. That part is going in slow motion.

Then, there's my Pro-Am role as Board Prez supposedly winding down. It's a mystery who will step up to the task. Even my friend seem eager to see me stuck and unable to escape ... what happens if no one else volunteers? Well, the world awaits developments.

About a week into re-setting priorities with a routine 55 minutes for myself, first thing. Ah, it's great.

Beginning to take steps for a Hot Air Ballooning trip to Albuquerque (I'll switch to the airport shorthand: ABQ). This will be about 30 days in October. Someone will have to manage without us. ###

Hot air ballooning - way to go, R.

Re sleep machine. - the machine wakes me up. I think apnea is the first diagnosis they come up with because it's the easiest to treat, and for most people it works great. The one night I slept with the machine on (four hours. couldn't take anymore) was the worst sleep I had in years. I think my problem is that I'm a light sleeper and anything and everything wakes me up. There aren't any good answers for that. Don't eat late at night. (sometimes helps) get exercise (sometimes helps; sometimes adds to pain and makes it worse.) take Tylenol usually helps. Aleve and similar stuff damages my stomach. I'm not ready to take oxycodone and be a junkie. Not worrying (how do you do that?) And apparently, I do have sleep apnea. The first time I was tested, I had a great night sleep - best in years - and the test came out "moderate sleep apnea." The second time I tested, I had a terrible night's sleep and the result was mild sleep apnea. Add to that - as Kenny Rodgers said, "The best that you can hope for is to die in your sleep." Now, I'm not ready for any bucket kicking yet. But this body isn't get any healthier, and when I do take the elevator, hopefully upstairs, I'd rather go sleeping than spend years in a memory unit, or other possible whatevers. I'm using the sleep machine in the daytime to try to get used to it. I watch TV in the evenings with it on until I nod off and the machine wakes me up. I'll call Apria and then my doctor today, and see if they have any good advice.

Meanwhile, editing "Through Unfamiliar Waters" is fun.
For what it's worth, head of condo board sounds like using a sleep machine.

Good luck.

Reading "Through Unfamiliar Waters" is fun, too!

My CPAP is reporting that its motor reached the end of its service life. I've been using it for over 6 years, nearly every day. I've had the fans in air purifiers last only two years before I'd have to service them.

I might be getting used to the CPAP.

I'm glad you're enjoying Unfamiliar Waters, It was fun to write.

I think of you two as I work on it. Yes. I'm improving it (I hope). Every time I hit "control J" I remember that you taught it to me. There are bits and goodies in there that came from Barbara's Boards, but I'm not going to mention them incase you haven't gotten to that part yet.

I never know when my work is "good enough." I wish I'd waited before publishing "Temporary Address" until it was good enough. But if I wait until it's good enough, I may never publish anything.

quandary!

I think I might be getting used to my sleep machine. Fingers crossed.