Halloween Candy Giveaway

I had no television service all day yesterday, and I didn’t die.

It was so quiet without the television to keep me company that I thought I might die, but I survived by heading down to the Community Room to observe Pizza Tuesday.

We had a cute little costumed visitor spending time with her grannie.

I didn’t stay long in the Community Room because others indicated they too had technical issues with their television sets, but that service had been restored with a simple unplugging and reconnecting.

Of course, I’d already gone through that process several times, with no results, but I thought to head back and give it another go.

No amount of disconnecting/reconnecting, running of online troubleshooting tools, factory resetting brought the television back to life and it looks like I’ll have no service today either.

Putting in a call for a technician yesterday only resulted in being told “There’s an outage in your area. We’ll call you”. 

I did get a call that everything was A-Okay around 4:00, but everything wasn’t A-Okay.

I call again and get “I am showing that there was an issue with the node that cable services are connected for some customers where the cable boxes are getting error messages. We’ll call you”.

Though I do enjoy quiet meditation, can actually sit for hours in group settings, I wasn’t prepared for the all-day silence of no television in the background, so I went down to see how the seniors were doing with the candy giveaway.

The seniors had a nice little table set up outside the complex, with quite a few resident volunteers and music.

Didn’t see signs of any children but, a few minutes later, a family walking past our building, with two little trick-or-treaters, undoubtedly heading for the posh community behind us, stopped by.

That was it with children walking in this direction, but a dad drove into the complex, bringing his kids for grandma to see their costumes.

After that, one of the residents -- dressed as a butterfly, decided to do some creative street advertising.

I couldn’t believe that it worked.

Parents driving by, headed to parts unknown with their costumed children, pulled in.

We never got a lot of little trick or treaters, but what we did get seemed gratifying for the seniors.

As for the saga of the non-functioning television, in the back of my mind I’m thinking the outage may have caused the television to no longer function properly, but I can’t be sure of that and make arrangements to return it until a cable technician comes out and verifies it’s not their equipment.

And since customer service keeps telling me it’s an outage, won’t send a technician, I posted a complaint through the cable provider’s facebook page messenger that I find it difficult to believe that out of 178 units I’m the only one without service and asked why is it so difficult to make an appointment for a technician.

Believe it or not, that got instant results with a reply, “I do not see any area issues being reported at this time. Have you tried the troubleshooting steps”.

So, the continuing outage was a big fat customer servicing with a lie and, as for the standard company line of annoying me with, yet again, instructions to troubleshoot, my reply was, “OH NO, NOT AGAIN! JUST PLEASE SEND A TECHNICIAN!”

The saga continues.

Happy Halloween

That’s a throw pillow I walked up on at Joann’s Crafts. The words being a clever play on pimp talk made me stop in my tracks and lol. I was not amused enough to purchase it though, but only because, since we don’t get any trick-or-treaters, I don’t go to the trouble of decorating for Halloween.

One resident appears to have the spirit, but not enough spirit to throw on a costume and attend the Halloween Potluck.

Being around so many unmotivated people has killed my Halloween spirit. It died a little last year, when I was the only one to wear a costume. Then there was the annual Halloween Spooktacular 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, where I always go as Michonne, not coming to the area this year. And even though I won the costume contest here at the complex this year, the poor showing was the coup de gras. I seriously doubt I’ll ever look forward to this time of year as eagerly as I have in the past.

The Residents Volunteer Activity Committee is asking for volunteers to sit outside the complex tonight and distribute candy to kids from 4:00 to 7:00.

Don’t know if they’ve received any takers, but I’m wondering -- even if volunteers step forward (which I doubt), just where do they expect the kids to come from?

With three elementary schools in the immediate vicinity, there are children in the area, but they live in nice little neighborhoods surrounding us and in the multi-family complex next door. With so much at their doorstep, children have no need to leave and walk in this direction. The volunteers, if there are any, will more than likely sit, chat, eat candy.

This past weekend was quiet and uneventful (except for gut issues as last week's biscuits caught up with me). I mostly rested and recovered from the gut issues and from having tapped into what turned out to be a nephew having a medical crisis.

Being an empath is both a blessing and a curse. One gets a sense of what’s going to happen before it happens, which gives one time to prepare for and accept bad news when it comes; but on the other hand, it’s draining when one actually feels what the other person is feeling, and I’m finding that being around unmotivated old people is draining enough and rubbing off on me.

Receiving emails daily about nearby fun 5Ks this month, next month, next year -- some encouraging costumes, I’ve not been even remotely interested, tempted to register. And right this minute, I’m feeling so unmotivated that I may not follow through with the two turkey trots I’ve already committed to.

Today is not only Halloween but also Pizza Tuesday. I wasn’t planning to head to the Community Room and watch the seniors have at another feeding frenzy but I might as well, since I woke up to no television service. I've got internet (thank the Lord), but Tech Support tells me there’s an outage for television service in the area. When I head out, I’ll check to see if it has something to do with the U-Haul vs Building incident.

In the meantime, as much as I pay for Cable TV ...  witch better restore my service.

Ebb and Flow

Woke up yesterday morning totally exhausted because why?

How does that happen anyway that my energy ebbs and flows in such dramatic fashion? A few days ago, I was shampooing the carpet, cleaning, dusting then, all of a sudden, I’m tired, dizzy, so weak that I barely have the strength to move from room to room or hold the counted cross stitch needle in my hand.

Inasmuch as I’m an empath, it’s difficult to tell if what I sometimes feel is me or if I’m picking up what someone else in the family is experiencing – as other family members are generally who I pick up.

At any rate, yesterday was about staying indoors, relaxing, recovering from whatever that was.

Still a little weak not quite myself this morning, but better than yesterday, I decided I needed sunshine and instant energy, i.e., Starbucks. I also needed more Pokéballs and Starbucks has two PokéStops on the parking lot. 

Problem is, the stops didn’t go with the new drive-thru location. They’re still at the old location, which is being turned into a T-Mobile."

Killing two birds with one stone, I parked at the old location, gathered balls and walked to the new location, knowing that by the time I walked back to the car at the old location, the Pokéstop would have refreshed and I could hit it up a second time.

Inside Starbucks, waiting for my order to be processed, I spotted a familiar face -- Grumpy Neighbor, the woman upstairs across the quad.

She was wiping the table down, so I walked over and jokingly said, “Are you the cleaning lady?”

She laughed, and then got into a spiel about how “I can’t stand this that and the other” on a table.

I can’t fault her for that. If a table doesn’t look clean enough for me, I’ll choose another or wipe it down but she kept complaining about it. Turning it into a federal case.

Tired of listening, I cut her off by asking, “What are you doing here? I thought you always go to the Library”.

“I do, but today is Friday. Library is closed on Friday. What are you doing here?”

“I needed Pokéballs.”

“You needed what?”

Unless you’re in conversation with someone on the same wavelength, a lot of effort is required. Today was not the day for it. Inside my head was telling me, “I don’t want to work this hard”, so I changed the conversation.

“I like this new location. It’s roomy”, said I.

“I don’t like that the door doesn’t open properly and there’s this long wall of windows with no tables that have plug ins. All the plug-in stations are on that (indicating) wall and those (indicating) tables. Why couldn’t they have blocked off this (indicating) and yada yada yada.”

Tired, weak and suddenly feeling the beginning of a headache coming on, I excused myself saying, “Well nice seeing you. My order is about up”.

Next time I run into her, I’ll hide behind a pillar or something.

On another note, inside Starbucks, I saw a sign for Zombie Frappuccino.

I’ve never had a Frappuccino, don’t know what’s in one, but research says it’s green caramel apple powder, a drizzle of dark mocha powder, pinkish whip crème and can be made with non-fat milk.

Other than the fact it’s 54 grams of sugar, I don’t see anything on my not-safe list, so I may try it before the weekend is over, as it's limited-time only.

Guessing Game

Today’s visit to the medical center turned into a guessing game.

Upon checking in, I was given a questionnaire asking questions only a female would be asked, the answers to which would require a phenomenal memory. I’m 73 years old, so the year and age I was when things started and ended was too far back for me to remember. Consequently, there was a lot of guessing and “I don’t recall” entered on the questionnaire, but I did flash back and remember precisely when I’d last had a boobie exam – 1998.

I clearly remember being sent from one building at the Los Angeles facility, to another building across the street. The building didn’t feel right. It wasn’t bright and cheery like the other, and the Radiology Department was an elevator ride down to the basement.

I didn’t like the rickety old elevator and, when I arrived at the basement, I found it dark, gloomy, deserted. No one at the front desk, no other patients. Feeling uncomfortable, I decided not to wait around for someone to assist me. I turned, walked out and that was the last time I subjected myself to that preventative.

Things have changed a lot in twenty years. I’m still with the same medical provider, but the machine is a lot gentler than I recall – not to mention, Radiology is out of the basement and up on a bright cheery 3rd floor, and was fast and efficient.

Doctor will be pleased I finally did at least one of the preventatives she’s been bugging me about.

I’m pretty sure I know what she’s going to want me to do next, and I’m not at all sure I’ll rise to that level of cooperation, even though I learned it’s not about money, not about meeting a dollar quota. In fact, today’s visit was zero dollars. There wasn’t even a co-pay.

In chatting with the technician, as she slung the girls this way and that way, I learned it’s something to do with government regulations because of tax credits for being a “preventative” facility.

Compliance is involved and, when the government sees patients not having preventatives, the medical center is asked, “Why so many patients who haven’t had this that the other preventative?”

“The patients don’t want it. They won’t do it”, says the medical center.

“Well, you have to figure it out and find a way”, says the government.

So now I get why the phone calls, letters, post cards, appointment set up for me without my consent. It’s because the government puts pressure on the medical center, the medical center puts pressure on the doctor, the doctor puts pressure on the patient.

Relying more on holistic rather than conventional, medical coverage is something I have in my back pocket for emergencies (sorta like the renters’ insurance I finally purchased), for things I can’t resolve on my own through eating right and acupuncture – like breaks and the sprained wrist I gave myself a few years back from playing too much candy crush. I’m just not a run-to-the doctor type person for preventatives, especially since, should a preventative fall upon me, I’d just accept it and be out.

But that’s just me and my dharmic fatalistic view – which is not necessarily as depressing as the words “dharmic” and “fatalistic” make my philosophy seem to be. I just believe my purpose is to go with the flow of what the Universe throws my way. However, respecting those who choose to “not go gently into that good night”, those who choose to “rage against the dying of the light”, when I saw the Tree with names of those who struggled and lost the struggle and messages to “survive this … never give up” for those who are struggling now, I added a note to “Have Faith”.

Halloween Potluck

Seems every event around here is geared around food.

The seniors are always eating.

Today it was a deli sandwich platter provided by the Activity Director, the deli potato salad I brought, the Seer made cornbread while the Baker made chili, plus there were chips, sodas, cake, cupcakes.

I played it safe with deviled eggs and potato salad, both of which I made using Walden Farms Amazin’ Sweet & Tangy Mayo -- calorie free, fat free, soybean oil free, some cherry tomatoes, olives, baby carrots.

It turned out I was the only one with deviled eggs because the guy who signed up for them, of course, didn’t show, but that’s on him.

The costume portion wasn’t a total letdown as three others came in costume, but it was a  bit of a letdown in that I’d expected more participation. However, even though the others didn’t bother to dress, they had no problem donning the headbands and masks I provided, which made the event a little more spirit of Halloween for me, but sometimes I think I need to be with a younger more with it crowd.

On the flip-side, I won the best costume contest.

That’s the golden lariat of truth in my hand.

Didn’t expect a win, inasmuch as I generally lose costume contests and because I was up against …

Witch

Bee

Nun

Winner

I would have voted for the Witch, but it was gratifying to finally win one.

Prize was a deluxe pompom throw.

Tomorrow I’m off to the medical center to appease my doctor, who I think is close to firing me from her patient list because she’s not meeting the medical center’s quota with me. I keep popping up in her computer, followed by calls and letters to set up appointments for preventive things I don’t want.

I’ve blocked the medical center from my phone, ignored the letters and the doctor is at the point where I’ve been getting postcards about appointments she’s taken the liberty of scheduling for me.

Since I didn’t ask for those appointments, I’ve had no problem ignoring them as well. However, I owe her for the medical excuse she provided that got me out of jury duty and allowed me to opt out of the system altogether, so I’ll submit to this latest she’s scheduled for me -- a boobie check, to get her bosses off her back and I’ll submit to a follow-up visit with her – to get her off my back, and hopefully that will be the end of it.

Planting Seeds

Today was a good day to get back to work on throw pillow covers, because the Wi-Fi kept cutting out, messing with television viewing and internet browsing. I’d assumed someone was working on the equipment boxes hit by the U-Haul truck, so I turned to the sewing machine.

Following a tutorial found online for an envelope pillow cover, I had one down one to go in no time at all.

Twenty minutes later, the bedroom went from before to after.

Before

After

Actually, I can't believe I lived with those ugly green pillows for five years. They don't look like anything I would have paid money for, so I'm thinking the sales girl threw them in gratis with other purchases from Living Spaces.  I almost threw them away a few weeks ago, but thankfully thought of recovering.

Nothing freshens up the look of a room like new pillow covers.

To that end, next time denim cloth goes on sale, I’ll have to pick up a yard or two to recover the couch’s tired looking throw pillows.

By the time the covers project was finished, the television was back on, but I headed outside anyway to see what was happening with the equipment box.

Saw nothing, but did run into the No. 2 Maintenance Guy.

“Hey, do we still have two Portable A/Cs in your unit?” asks he.

“Yes, of course you do. You know your boy (Head Maintenance Guy, No. 1) is too lazy to have done his job” bashed I.

No. 1’s job being, after taking 19 days to get my A/C back on, and then only because he knew I was trying to contact his boss at corporate. He then thought to punish or inconvenience me by leaving the portables in my unit.

No punishment to me as I used them as nightstands, hoping he’d eventually forget about them altogether, and I could yet bring his surliness and laziness to the attention of corporate when boss lady from corporate did her annual inspection.

I could have lied and replied “no” to No. 2, when he asked if they were still in my unit, but lying is not my thing.

“Well, I’ll have to come and get them” said he.

“You’ll be the one to do it because you seem to be the only one on the crew with any motivation”.

No reaction, but I’m sure I’m not the only one he’s heard bash No. 1. Hopefully No. 2 will relay what I said to No. 1 – not that No. 1 seems to be the type to care what others think. He’s already giving me side eye over forcing him to get the A/C back on through threat of going over the head of the girls in the office and to his big boss at corporate. However, he will have heard what I said, and you never know when the seed of what he heard will sprout, and no matter how strong his ego denial, something will click, he’ll see what a jerk he’s become and grow up.

At any rate, the portables have been sitting here for 34 days. We’ll see how long it takes No. 2 to follow through -- unless No. 1 doesn’t allow him to follow through.