Day Seventy-three

I've been wondering: Is Columbus Day a Federal Holiday? Will mail be delivered today? (Not that I'm expecting anything, I just don't want to waste the energy going down to the mailboxes if there is no mail).

If Congress won't change the name of Columbus Day (too many Italian-American voters?), perhaps we should at a new holiday:

The hospital bed did relieve all of the swelling in my legs. And, I had a good night's rest. At the moment I am cold. It's 45 F outside and I have just turned the heat on.

Things with the kitty kids seem to be back to normal. Alex slipped outside today for the first time in weeks. He was out about an hour until I called him and he came back inside. Then he got on my desk and had some treats, just as he has done for many years.

Sugar ate lots of treats that I put on top of the printer.

Meanwhile, Little Girl was playing everywhere!

Day Forty-nine

This is a short post:

I ask (and wish that you would ask, too): 

Why does the VA say "Thank you for serving" while at the same time screwing veterans?

Day Forty-two: Altruistic Me

Yep,that altruistic frog is me:I'll help someone even if what it takes to do so will drown me. In the last ten of so years I have given to others tens of thousands of dollars to the point that in the past year I have not had enough money to purchase food for any month, always running out by the second week.

Of course, money isn't the only thing my altruistic lifestyle/philosophy/theology has cost me. Without going into "ancient history" (the past 10 years), last night is an excellent example. 

My neighbor entered my apartment last night just as I was relaxing to watch Chelsea Lately -- i.e., 11:00 p.m. She whined, begging me to again drive her to the VA ER (Veterans Administration Emergency Room) as she has convinced me to do in the wee hours of the morning more than once in the past.  I explained (over and over) that I was ill: weak and painful leg; difficulty walking; labored breathing. 

She heard none of it, so finally my altruistic self kicked in and I drove her to the  VA ER, where is waited (outside on a bench because I didn't want to go inside with her) until after 3:00 a.m. when I informed her I had to go home because the battery of my portable oxygen compressor was running low. Even then she wanted me to stay, suggesting I come into the hospital and have them supply me with bottled oxygen. I didn't and reached my apartment at about 3:45 a.m.

Today I have paid a heavy price for last night and this morning's altruism. I have been exhausted; I have been sick at my stomach; and I have been basically functioning at half-speed, half-mind. There is a side story to this regarding the outcome of my neighbor's VA ER visit that I shall share tomorrow after I learn the rest of it.

With all that my lifestyle/philosophy/theology has cost me, I do not regret helping anyone, even those whose  need was a scam. Four years ago I explained one element that drives my altruism with the story of The Bishop's Candlesticks. Another driver for me is Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan.

The third element (driver) is what I learned in seminary about God's economy (economic system).

Quite simple, God's economy is the theology that in the world God has created enough for everyone to live comfortably. The reason that isn't true is that a few have a much larger portion of the world's resources which creates a scarcity of resources for the majority of others. Therefore, following God's economy informs me to share all that I have. If that sharing causing hardship for me, someone else who follows God's economy with share their wealth with me and so on throughout the world. It rather how many theologians explain the "miracle" of Jesus feeding the five thousand.

So, I continue with my altruistic lifestyle/philosophy/theology lifestyle, even though there are more times these days of my resources being inadequate even for the basic needs of the kitty kids and me. I have faith that at some point someone with share their abundance with us.

Day Twenty-three

Tonight I watched a program on the National Geographic Channel on the disappearing habitat of the koala and the number of the little creatures injured by the encroaching human society. The good part was the koala hospitals, rescue, and rehabilitation being done by caring humans.

I was awakened at 3:00 a.m. with no oxygen because Little Girl had destroyed my second oxygen hose in 12 hours. This time I left the ruined hose on the floor near her food dish so she can play with it and I squirted her with water when she went after the hose I am using now.

This morning Alex awoke, breakfasted, bathed, and went back to sleep. 

There seem to be elements within the U.S. intelligence community (that like spying, not intellectuals) who want to get their hand on Julian Assange because of the embarrassment he caused the U.S. spy community (CIA). At least they are using semi-legal means of doing it (rather than paid assassins): extradite to Sweden from which he can be extradited to the U.S. where he can be tried for exposing classified documents and (they hope) sentenced to die from a lethal injection.

I have had problems staying awake. Perhaps it's because last night I was asleep without oxygen after Little Girl bit my oxygen hose in two.

Today is Bill Clinton's 66th birthday, the same age as me. I wished him a happy birthday at his foundation's website. I believe he was one of the most intelligent presidents. And wise. The  Lewinsky thing was nothing the vast majority (88% is was estimated) had not done. Yet it was exploited by the damned GOP to the detriment of the American people. Damn those bloody fascists. 

Supporters of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, wearing Guy Fawkes masks, stand outisde the Ecuadorian Embassy in London on August 19, 2012. (AFP Photo/Will Oliver)

I concur. The Wikileaks leaks were beneficial to the American 99% and the world as a whole. However, do you even remember the content of what was leaked? Did you read it? I did. And as a form U.S. Army intelligence officer I believe the documents as a whole were highly over classified, probably for political reasons and not to protect national security.

Day Twenty-two

It's a beautiful day outside: 70 F and mostly sunny. I'd love to spend today outside However, I drove down to the mailboxes and came back with severe breathing difficulty. There must be some allergens outside that are causing it. I'm going to try going outside again in a few hours.

At 12:30 p.m. at three of my kitties were napping:

Alex:

Sugar:

Little Girl:

I went outside on the patio to continue reading The Dharma Bums. My eyes watered and burned and I had problems breathing, so I came back inside to the air conditioning. Damn this Ohio  River Valley air pollution. 

I really need to get rid of this care giving agency; I am doing what they refuse to do and that is wearing me down.

I've joined the activists attempting to get Russia to free Pussy Riot.

This is what it's all about. Putin has proved that he is still a KGB ass.

I just created this graphic for an upcoming Graphic Wisdom post on Nick's Bytes:

Damned cats won't eat out their own bowls; they keep moving from bowl to bowl and pushing each other away while there is plenty of food in other bowls. Silly cats.

Day Twenty-one

Sugar has an appointment to be spayed: September 25th was the earliest available. (I must remember to save $12.00 for additional costs) I hope she does not escape and get pregnant before then!

Little Girl has been chewing on my oxygen hose and bit it into 2 pieces. Alex, when younger, would chase and bit holes in the hose, but never cut it in pieces. I have dozens of extra hoses at various lengths. The problem is, I sometimes don't notice that I'm not getting oxygen I need until I'm gasping for it. Little Girl cut off my oxygen while I was napping and by the time I discovered it, my oxygen level was down to almost 80%.

I returned a few minutes ago from a brief shopping trip. When I got out of the car I noticed Alex, Sugar, and Little Girl, each sitting in a different window, watching me.

Tonight Alex napped on top of the printer as he did when he was a kitten. These days it is usually Sugar napping on the printer.

Today I have been remembering what the 1% did to Ferdinando Nicola Sacco (April 22, 1891 – August 23, 1927) and Bartolomeo Vanzetti(June 11, 1888 – August 23, 1927) The 85th anniversary of their executions is 6 days from today.

This morning I contacted B & B medical regarding a malfunctioning part of my portable oxygen compressor; a new part will be delivered to me this morning. WOW! It's great dealing with folks contracted by VA who are so caring and responsive. I really appreciate them.

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.~ Albert Schweitzer

I continue reading The Dharma Bums. At the moment, Jack Kerouac's protagonist and his buddies are walking at trail in the California mountains. I wish I could truly do that right now.