cornerofmadness

today I went to my brother's place to a) see the new appliances b) to learn to use the new appliances and the new tv system because I'll be house/cat sitting.

My brother has a little pool. I spent hours hovering just at the waterline with my head (the rest of me submerged like a manatee) But with the water that hot, it wasn't that refreshing.

I had planned to go to the whiskey rebellion festival tomorrow but it was only friday/Sat. That's weird but oh well (it was too hot for festivals) I wanted to go to the Pittsburgh Pickle festival. (points to the too hot thing)

So what are you all doing this weekend? Anything fun?

So I went through the early fog and rain to see the surgeon (at an hour when I usually am waking up so that was a fun drive). He had me up on the table and as I'm getting there, I said I know I'm supposed to be here for the hernia but I have thyroid tumors and here's the report. Do you do that kind of surgery too or do I need ENT? He does it.

He examines me. The actual hernia is actually very small and not in need of surgery (yay) but the real problem is that collagen disorder of mine (the is it Ehlers Danlos or is it something related debate). The aponeurosis that holds the right and left abdominal muscles together (the linea Alba) has pulled apart, a diastasis. They don't operate on that because it's not a hole. That said if I lie back and tense those muscles you can see my stomach like the xenomorph baby is about to pop out. Guess that's something to get used to.

On the other hand, he was STUNNED at how piss poor the ultrasound was from my local hospital. He was rather angry about it. Me too. I said this is why i'm here. He wants another one now but that means staying here all summer (and I have commitments that won't allow for that) because the new ultrasound can't be scheduled for a couple weeks and then if the surgery isn't soon after the insurance goes 'oops you waited too long.'

The surgery is detailed here He doesn't say I need surgery but I know the answer is very likely because I am having obstructive/compressive issues with my esophagus and evil little dog will concur, I'm starting to get a hoarse voice when I talk.

I'm done by 930 in the morning so I go to the coffee house and start a story I said I wasn't going to write last night (I need to be stopped, ha)

I hit TJMaxx which has everything I wanted, two different bamboo utensil organizers (since the mouse pooped on the ones I have and will be tossing), a dish drainer (I need to toss mine) and wood hangers because omg the current flocked ones (which I used to love) are so cheap and breakable I'm over it.

You know I try to avoid politics (for my own sanity more than anything) this article annoys me while on one hand I hope that he does end anyone who votes for this bill but in reality it's a perfect example of the problem with many political systems. At the end of the day most are plutocracies. Most of us remember when Musk was the darling of the democrats only to have him flip and do so. much. fucking. damage. this year. But he's not wrong about this bill. If it does go through I hope every last one who votes for it is never reelected because their base will be hurt by this as much as the democrats. I knew Musk and Trump would flame out, their egos are far too big. It was faster than I thought it would take but longer than I wanted it to take. Sigh.


And of course it's Music Monday. I'm doing the alphabet again concentrating on the last 5 years but you can share whatever you'd like. We're up to the letter M

( M is for Music )

Things forgotten today a) breakfast b) my hairbrush c) my flashdrive d) a new mop Whee.

I put my new sheets on the bed. In the store they were soft with a nice pine branch print 100% cotton. On my bed, putting them on I was transported back to 1976. This are my great grandmother's sheets in look and feel. I can hear her talking to me in broken English. I can feel them against my skin sleeping upstairs in grandma's house, listening to the ghost train rocket by (that's another story)

I did get to jackson, had a nice new coffee (orange rind sprinkles was surprisingly good) but during coffee time I got an email I was waiting on from work about my travel reimbursement. I needed it in by noon monday. Yikes. I can't even remember where to find the paperwork in the stupid place we store this shit. Finally get it and don't remember if we work on fridays in the summer (we keep changing that) turns out yes I didn't have to run down there today

But since I was rushing to get this paperwork in, I leave my office without my flashdrive. Sigh. I was also busy talking to L who is cleaning out her office (post retirement) So I had to go back to get the flashdrive only to find TH there. Had fun talking to him. Didn't get home until 7 pm. I was supposed to be home at 3.

So much for getting cleaning done today. Doesn't matter because my dumb ass forgot to get a new mop

I do have a community rec for you, this one has to do with political activism in the US communityactionusa

Everything I wanted to do was either rained out or closed INCLUDING the freaking mall. No lie, after giving up on anything I wanted to do I settled for going to a restaurant I wanted to for years (for lunch) I decided to just hit TJ Maxx/Homegoods and turns out they're remodeling and that whole part of the strip mall was closed. You have to be kidding. (and I didn't check the first restaurant I wanted to try and it is only open for dinner. head desk)

I did get some yummy food and coffee at Shouf's and later for dinner I had deep fried pickles and spicy peach wings (those were yummy too) My birthday pie was the same premade bake it yourself pie we've had many times but this fruits of the woods pie must have had the oldest hardest rhubarb in it, so a disappointing end to a disappointing day.


I hope thoughtsbykat, my birthday twin has a good one too.


I did get a cool set of horror comics from Betty, looking forward to reading that. And there are things on the way from other friends.

My kibbeh


My Lebanese coffee


I almost forgot fannish 50's women of fandom (and I accidentally skipped The Owl House) So let's do Prodigal Son

One of the best things about this crime drama was the sheer amount of strong, competent women. I couldn't pick between Dani Powell and Dr. Edrisa Tanaka. Both are capable, intelligent women. Edrisa is my favorite by a thin margin with one major exception.

In reality if I am anyone on this show, it's Edrisa. She's intelligent, talky, sex positive, into threesomes and bondage and cuddle parties and has my original dream job. I loved her. She was funny. She was caring and fiercely protective of her friends.

So the issue with her, the overly flirty nonsense that crossed the boarder into harassment multiple times (and coupled with the fact it's also a negative Asian stereotype, though when the character was conceived she was Irish based on the name change) Even when it was obvious others on the team were uncomfortable with it, she didn't stop (it did lessen somewhat as the season went on) And she is never confronted about it (or sent to HR) That was disappointing.

Dani was much easier for me to write. (I couldn't capture Edrisa's comedy well). Another smart character, tough and also kind going from not enemies to lovers with Malcolm but annoyed to best friends. I wish we had gotten more of her back story. She had some much potential. She didn't require the men to help her but when they had her back she didn't act like she thought it was patriarchal bullshit, just a partner helping another partner. About the only time I was truly annoyed with her was when she tried to interfere with Gil getting together with Jessica (her reasoning was not based entirely in fact) It was meant as her protecting a father figure but it fell short.

I'm still very bitter about this show's early cancellation. I think my injury played into it. I was in the hospital watching Pson, watching Fox bragging it was the #1 show on TV for weeks and then at midterm they suddenly stopped promoting it and a few weeks later it was gone taking the cast by complete shock. I miss these women.




Speaking of women in fandom, this is mostly from spikedluv. Yesterday used_songs brought it to my attention that There is a Jessica Fletcher action figure Had to share that

I almost didn't get to go to the con. Again I tried eating a real dinner and spent from 3-5 losing that dinner. I was tired and still nauseous as hell but I thought, you can sit here feeling sorry for yourself or you can get in the car and go. It's at my university so it's just down the road a few miles.

I get there. ALL of our parking lots are filled. I finally luck into a spot and go on in wearing my lazy cosplay of my new Star trek Next Gen science officer t-shirt, black slacks/shoes and my Vulcan ears (which you can't see) and people lost their damn minds. HA! I was like wow, I spent 5 minutes on my cosplay and you all love it. The cosplay I spend $$$$ on and weeks of my life making I might hear one person say 'good cosplay.'

This is in both of our basketball courts (we have two in our sports center) so plenty of vendors. Most of it was funko and cards/models none of which I collect but I find some cool stuff and vendors I know. One woman had rosie and cherri pins from Hazbin which you almost never see those two ladies. I bought them.

There was one leather D&D shops (tons of dice and accessories) but I don't really cosplay anything like that but it was nice stuff and nicely priced too, enough to respect the work put in but not out of reach. If I played more I might have bought the leather D20 dice pouch.

I did find some holiday gifts and I got myself fun things like two cryptid/UFO tea towels (I'll never use), the pins, a 3 d printed book shelf decoration like a black cat and ghostbuster earrings from a vendor I think I've talked about before, selling everything for 3$ . She is someone I've bought from many times but she was whining to someone else about Tsubasacon and not going (I'll be at that one in October) because they are forcing her into the vendor's room and not the artist alley (which is cheaper). I'm an artist! It's because I buy my own charms and I'm thinking yes, lady that's exactly why. You buy charms and you put a freaking french hook on it. That's not really art. At rathacon I bought something from the person next to you at four times the price of your earrings because they DREW the art, made the acrylic and then the earring. That's art. You're crafts and that means the vendor room. (I do feel for her disappointment but on the other hand I do appreciate that Tsu is trying to keep the artists' alley restricted to people who do make their own stuff.)

I also bought a book, horror from an author who was supposed to be at my library's book fest and he said I wanted to be but my family was homeless for 9 months and we finally got a home that weekend. I took the book just because of that. And he wants to have me on his podcast for horror authors. I will wait a bit and think it over (maybe listen to his podcast first)

I wanted to talk with the old fellow who was connected with The Night of the Living Dead but when I mentioned I'd been to the museum back in PA he got weird about it. Maybe he's just not good with people. It was offputting regardless.

After a little over an hour I was roasting (another reason for my lazy cosplay, I know how hot our gyms are) and I just wasn't up to the panels. I did attempt the food trucks but who the heck booked these? We have six of them and two are shaved ice. Why would you do that? It's not like they're at opposite ends of huge fairs. Oh well. I did learn that there is a Gyro place in Gallipolis. I had their sandwich and after I ate that...I started feeling less nauseous so I guess most of the med is out of my system. I hope so because I'd like to sleep some.

and oh, I FINALLY remembered where I put that art (it was a stupid spot, like seriously stupid)

And then I got my damn real ID. So much for 42 days. It was 5. Now I have no excuse to come back down here. I should be glad I don't have to but I didn't get things cleaned or ordered etc etc. I think I will still come back. It's a lot of driving for nothing I know but...

My lazy cosplay (I hate my hair. I want to shave it off I swear)

My goodies

have a close up

There are only so many hits you can take in one day. Let me sum them up.

1. Starting at midnight I was getting nauseous. It woke me up at 3 AM. Luckily I didn't get sick and it was over by morning.

2. I drag myself to the BMV with the proper paperwork to get my real ID. No one is there and I'm like whoo hoo, gonna sail right through. And I did until I asked the question 'when can I expect this to be mailed to me?' (hoping 10 days because that's how long I have here) FORTY TWO DAYS. Are you fucking kidding me? As calmly as I can, I ask why wasn't that on the BMV's webpage that it takes almost 6 weeks to get a license? She looks at me puzzled. Why are you upset? You have a passport to get on a plane (as that is my form of ID). Um my driver license expires in a month? If I had known this I'd have shown up in April. Oh you can have this. She hands me a print out of my new id pic. I folded it up in my wallet thinking OMFG

So this means yes I DO have to come back here. This is non-forwardable mail (she even cautioned me, it looks like junk mail be sure to open it). Honestly I'm not that mad about it but it's a long way to go but there are things I want to do in Ohio (like Cosi's star Wars exhibit) and I DO feel better that it wouldn't have mattered if I had gone last week like I thought it might

3. I go to my coffee shop, try something new, Rose Cardamon matcha latte, pricey for very little but this was my reward for not setting the BMV on fire. It was a decent matcha latte. Zero cardamon. Zero rose and seriously how do you mess that up? Rose is a strong flavor and I'm a regular, if you're out of a house made flavor, just tell me that (sometimes they do, depends on the barista) So disappointing

4.Picked up two new mother's day plants (manager special) which is the good news for the day

5. CVS missed seeing one of my scripts (my wellbutrin, let's not forget my mental health pills dudes) now I have to go back tomorrow

6. Come home to get a letter telling me that because my ob/gyn oncologist is not a specialist in abdominal things they denied their request for the CT scan for my hernia because 'it's not in their field' (fuck insurance, seriously. You wanna play? Oh I'll play fuckwads. I can go right to a general surgeon but I'll make sure I get the PCP step in there just so you have to pay out more.)

7 Decide to check on my hotel reservation for the conference. Can I tell you how much I LOATHE these 'reservation call centers' that do groups of hotels? The automated system can't help me because they can't find my phone number (either of them) and I don't have my confirmation number (because my work email's search engine is broken and can't find it which is back in January or maybe even December) If you didn't use our service to make your reservation (I didn't because I went thru the HAPS site to get the conference block discount) you can't use us to find your reservation. Call the hotel.

Well, dumbasses, if the hotel's number came up when I googled the hotel I wouldn't have called your dumb asses. I change up my search and come up with the hotel's phone number (wrote that down) and call them. They can't find my reservation either (cue low key panic). She searches around oh are you at this email? Yes that's me and yes that's my cell phone. The problem was when I filled out HAPS reservation form it changed it from Dr Dana E to Doctor as my first name....the reservation is fine and I'm glad I talked to them because I got to ask where my handicapped backside needed to park (because I KNOW that area of Pittsburgh is shit for parking). You could literally hear her wince. You need to use our valet (because the parking garage is down the street a few blocks which I know) parking for 45$. Sold.

8. Rocket is sick, feverish and naturally tomorrow I can NOT take him to the vet because I have to go make sure I don't have an aneurysm in my skull or a brain tumor or something equally horrible. He was a little improved tonight. I naturally worried he'd get infected post operatively because of his FIV. Might be happening.


Did anything good happen? Maybe. On the second day of the conference (as I already threw my hat into the ring for another one on day one) is another sales pitch lunch with 100$ honorarium. Oh yes let me sign up for this one too. If I get them both, I don't have to worry about lunch at all this conference and I'll make 200$ in Amazon money (what can you do?)

Also at Kroger I found out Farm rich now has a mozzarella stick that has a center of Frank's redhot. This is how I die, yinz.

It's music monday. I'm doing songs from 2020-2025 and running the alphabet. I'm up to F let's hear your recs. Here are mine

[Bad username or unknown identity: F, the letter of this day, lemme tell you]

Actually not a lot of them.




I'm very lukewarm about Miley in general (I'm torn between a woman can do whatever she wants and the oversexualization of her stuff does no woman any good) I do like several of her songs though


And two from Abney Park. They love the story telling song and both of these are that.

Even more surprise snow (boy these people are so wrong) that brought a 2 hour delay (this is why I start at 10 AM spring semester)

We got a call from hospice. My uncle is entering the confused stage and they wanted someone to come be with him because it's probably not going to be much longer. Unfortunately everyone but my brother has covid and can't go. (they do not want me to come back. There is not going to be a funeral, probably a celebration of life this summer) Again as terrible as it might sound, I do hope it IS only a few more days. His quality of life is gone. I hate thinking of anyone lingering in a bed, not even control of bowels and bladder. This is not life. My brother has a much stronger belief in an afterlife than I do (I struggle with the concept of paradise but I'm glad at least one of us does not) so I think we're all in the process of letting go.

This is hard. And for me just the beginning when you think about the fact that most of my family is older than me and most of them 75 +

In better news I got my toilet and new floor. YAY. And it's a HIGH toilet, double yay. My old one I swear was 2 inches off the damn floor and everyone struggled to get up from it. This one you barely need to squat. I'm in love with that. The floor is that fake wood stuff that's become popular. It looks great BUT it's much darker.

Then the guy texts and said I didn't realize there was no base trim so I didn't bring that. I'll have to come back. You didn't know? I stood there one day one and pointed it out loudly.


they moved my monthly writers' sprint meet up to Discord. I didn't know this because someone didn't read the newsletter (whistles innocently) until about a half hour before it started. I've been trying to get back into my old discord for almost 2 years. No dice. No password I've ever used works. It will not email or text when you tell it to so I made a new one. I had totally forgotten how to do sprints when I used to do them ALL the time. I am not pleased to have discord back but I will admit it is good for this and we had a great turn out. I wrote a lot.

unlike yesterday, I'm completely symptomatic with the chest pressure that I am still sure is that hiatal hernia. Why couldn't have it done this yesterday? My leg was very symptomatic today too.

I was worried that I'd get a clean up the excess nonsense in your place or get out notice but I'm 100% sure they weren't even IN my apartment today but that's because they were fixing that leak. I'll be honest I was afraid to sleep in my bed last night because the water was flowing so hard (and I was a bit afraid I'd be down there with it because there is 20 years of various water damage to the wood and the ground under it). I nearly slept on the couch because the living room is sturdier and quieter. I didn't though.

It is fixed so I texted to ask when do they think they'll be back for the toilet. The landlord thought that was already done. Side eyes everyone.

I didn't get into the Chuck Palahniuk anthology but that's okay. I didn't expect to but I had to try. I am also lucky because a friend of mine winged another anthology with the exact same theme so I'm sending this in for that.

Also here's me with tears welling up because Cyndi Lauper is going on her farewell tour. I can't tell you how much I loved her in college, how much I kinda wanted to be her (would have helped if I could sing) I should check to see if she's coming anywhere near me. It would be worth the ticket price....seems to be not in America and a lot of the money of the tour is going to girls just want to have FUNdamental rights

So yesterday I spent the day cleaning. And cleaning. And then I found where the mouse was hiding all the cat food it stole...behind my pantry bins. ARGH. I haven't caught him. Rocket hasn't caught him. I haven't heard or seen him in a while but yeah all the food was lined up along the wall. So. Gross.

The landlord was coming today to fix the toilet. I had to get up at 800AM for this and my brain does NOT like if I have to wake up earlier than usual (I work at ten so I get up around 20 after 8) so for that twenty minutes difference (and I'm usually up at 8 before the alarm) my brain keeps me up half the night going, what if you oversleep. Are you KIDDING me? It's 20 frakking minutes chill.

I'm up. I'm waiting. and waiting and I see them in the parking lot doing a hot water tank replacement then they leave. I text them wtf? They don't respond but they come back 20 minutes later and he has gotten my text about how the former landlord never finished the bathroom (my floor is all peeled up as a result) and i think the floorboards are wet and it's leaking into the crawl space because the sump pump keeps coming on. He asks how old is that toilet. I've been here 20 years this august and it was there 1 year longer (as I moved in 1 year after these were built)

Long story short, they are coming back tomorrow or wednesday when I'm NOT here. I'm not keen about this but however he makes sense. They probably going to pull up the flooring and replace the toilet. this is going to take hours and there will be no other bathroom available.

10 minutes later I put soap on my hands and...there's no water. OMFG WHY I call the county water. they don't know. I go out to the car to go to work and see the landlord's people are working in the waterways of this place. Okay you were in my house like just a second ago why wouldn't you say hey we're shutting off the water for a bit to do work.

I spoke to a coworker with a dexcom and hers doesn't bug her. I said mine won't last 10 days, be surprised if it'll last tonight (only 6 days) sure enough my bra strap hit it when I was taking it off and it popped off. FFS.

I came home and I got a book. I don't remember putting in for this one at Goodreads as it's an anthology and I don't usually go for those. Maybe? weird. there was no paperwork in there other than william morris publishing. Okay then

Something new for music monday. When I asked for new themes, cmk418 suggested songs with animals in the titles. I liked that one so let's start with Dogs.

( Bow wow )

It started a couple days ago when mom found my pink and white striped socks hidden under my bed back home. I must have dropped them doing laundry.

Then mom called and said I found that tiny glass jar you got at Christmas and I was so happy. You see, when I came down last thursday, I moved stuff from the car with my wagon and on a return trip to the car I saw a small jewelry box upside down in the snow. It was the one that contained that glass jar. silvrethorn had gathered bits of the holy/cool sites they saw in Scotland and put them in that jar. I was heartbroken. I couldn't see where in the snow it sank (no holes) I thought it must have rolled into a drift and I'd never recover it until the melt and it would be too late for something that delicate. So yes it had fallen out of the bag but it was under my closet door back home.

Then my SiL emails me with a picture. Is THIS the charm you lost last summer? Yes it was! I had lost my Hunter/Willow charm when I was housesitting for them in June. I thought it had fallen off in Leonardo's coffee shop. I'd even gone back to look for it there but instead it had fallen into my brother's recliner.

Today was annoying AF but it had a bright lining I'll deal with that last. I have to get that two in 1 washer. It's getting too hard to walk my laundry to the laundromat in the ice. I also nearly fell on the lake of ice in front of the dumpster (betting I'm canceling on monday)

I had received an email from Express Scripts (the online pharmacy Med Mutual insists I use) you must approve the charge because it's over 500$ but when you follow the link my only option was to cancel the med. Blood boiling, I try their chat (because I like to keep record of the idiocy I'm told during these things) but after a half hour it told me to go away and try again another day. Okay then. I call instead. The person who answered is obviously doing this out of their house and she puts me on hold and then eventually it hangs up.

I'm now ripping and I call again a little later. I get a much more helpful woman (not answering from home I don't think) The problem isn't the cost. It's because it's a 30 day RX instead of a 90 day and they can't be sure my insurance will okay that. Now I go off (but remain calm on the phone. It's not her fault) excuse me, but that 30 day supply was just fucking fine in December (when my insurance would have basically paid two months if I had gotten the 90 day supply that otherwise wouldn't be cover). I was forced to get that 90 day one if you recall but then they filled the 30 day.

I said how can it be good one month when they have to pay but when I have to pay must I get the 90 day supply? If I have to do that I won't be getting it because it's 1800$. Once I said that shockingly I was allowed to get 30 days (let's see if it happens)

By the time I fought all through this, it was late before I put together my computer. The monitor was harder than I thought. Had to find my Phillips screwdriver but it's together. It works. I need to download Microsoft office from work (I get work deals i.e. free) but microsoft insisted I didn't know my password but got it fixed. Then my social media doesn't think I know my password and I'm sitting there with my laptop copying the password and it goes 'you changed that a year ago.' oh no I fucking didn't. screw this I'll deal with it tomorrow.

Put out those mouse traps. One doesn't work. Like at all. You can barely get it to set and the moment it touches a surface it goes off. Where is that Walmart receipt?




But that bright lining? Check the next post! I decided not to put it in the whining post