Book Boyfriends

I live life vicariously through what I fondly call “trashy romance novels,” but what others in today’s world call “book boyfriends.” I like the complete life cycle captured between the covers of an afternoon’s read – and it always ends well. Usually it’s a boy meets girl, they hop into bed together, then they find out about each other’s real life and have to find a way to either walk away in one piece or live happily ever after.

Lately, I’ve become addicted to Kaylea Cross’s assorted series of stories, most of which revolve around “superman” male characters and strong, forceful, but loving female characters. No matter the challenges to the relationship, they stay strong and come out the other end of adversity with a smile on their faces. The men are often either active military (such as Special Forces); retired military with special skills (such as piloting aircraft or advanced computer skills); or those who work for private contractors without benefit of military training. They most often work as a tightly-knit team, and the concept of teamwork is wound throughout the stories, emphasizing how a strong team can overcome most adversity.

Now the one part of the whole series that I’m not particularly interested in is the sex scenes. Back in the day there were love scenes, but today—it’s straight-up down and dirty sex for page after page after page. Because I like the stories without the sex scenes, I simply page through that part of the book and begin reading again after the sex is finished. It’s a simple fix to a personal preference, and I don’t try to shove my morality down anyone else’s throat. If you like the graphic sex part of the story, read it: I’ll save my reading time for something else.

I gave one of my friends one of the books to read and was shocked at the reaction she had. She literally pointed her finger and accused me in a rather loud voice of polluting her life with a trashy book. When I told her I enjoyed the story, she went straight for the raunchy sex, which is usually just one scene in any detail. I told her she should do what I do and turn the pages until the story is back: simple problem; simple solution. Well, she wasn’t easily placated and warned me not to give her any more of “those books” to read as she was offended by the content of the book I did give her.

You know, life is too short to be so caught up in such childish things. A simple, calmly-delivered “I didn’t like the sex scenes in the book you gave me” would have been fine. After all, we're all entitled to our own opinions.

Now, you'll have to excuse me: I have another Kaylea Cross to read this afternoon.

Pay Attention!

I think it is respectful to stand and pay attention to the playing of the national anthem, whether at an athletic event, a concert, or any public gathering at which the national anthem is played.

I think it is permissible for those who question their loyalty to the United States to protest the playing of the national anthem; however, not if that protest interferes with others' right to honor the nation by standing respectfully during the playing of the anthem. Athletes taking a knee or standing with their arms intertwined is okay, but not talking during the playing of the anthem and/or disrupting the event for other people participating in it.

What I think is not okay is the President of the United States of America trying to dictate what is correct and what is not when it comes to the national anthem. His comments are rude, inappropriate, and unnecessary, and don't add to the discussion of what taking a knee and/or standing with arms intertwined means to the people who are taking that action.

Twitter should delete the President's account as he obviously is using it as a his personal messaging service to the world, and he doesn't think before he tweets. Think "Rocket Man" and then how such a thoughtless remark could literally lead to world war.

Enough is enough and I cannot imagine another 3 years of this. I'm taking a knee on President Trump.

Immigration Dreamers

It seems to me that there is a simple solution for the Dreamers issue: within the next 12 months, all undocumented immigrants living in the US must apply for and receive American citizenship.

Just because you've lived in a country illegally does not mean that you can continue to do that with impunity because you birthed children during your illegal residence. There are consequences of illegal conduct, including illegally entering a country and staying there at risk of deportation.

If the Dreamers are under age, of course they have to return to their parents' country of origin: we are not going to develop small cities of apartments and care-takers to raise the children of illegal immigrants. When their parents apply for and are granted citizenship, the younger children can come back to the US with them.

Is this a good solution? Of course not, but it's actionable. The US did not create this problem, so it really doesn't have responsibility for fixing it. The law is fairly clear on illegal immigrants: they are deported. The law is fairly clear on legal citizens: born in the USA/stay in the USA.

Medical Issues Updated

The problem with my right upper leg is in the bursa: hence, bursitis, which means swollen and painful bursa. I had a steroid shot directly into the spot that hurts the most, and once that takes effect, I will get relief from the problem.

I also have been prescribed 6 weeks of physical therapy, including massage, which will hurt while I do it, but feel great once I'm through it.

The good news is that I am not in the market for new hips, which is a huge relief. Everyone I know is having either hip or knee surgery, and I don't see that the surgeries make the problems go away in the long run, and in the short run, it's painful and stressful.

So, thankful for the good news and ready to get back into walking the dogs each day.

UPDATE: 3 days since the steroid shot and my bursa still hurts like hell and makes it challenging to walk. First day of physical therapy today, so hope that will help with the over-all issue.

UPDATE 2: 2 weeks of physical therapy, anti-inflammatory aspirin, and babying my hip/leg and I feel better. The physical therapy is nothing compared to the therapies I've had in the past, but I have to complete what's prescribed in order for my insurance to cover the MRI and other dr. visits. Will do -- done next week.

Medical Issues

I have a very sore right leg, especially at the top of the leg. I called my primary care doctor, who was more concerned with an abdominal pain in my left side, so I had x-rays of the left hip that determined I have extensive arthritis in my left hip and may be a candidate for hip replacement surgery ... in the future.

Great to know that, but what about my right leg?

Oh, for that, I should see an ortho doc, so I called the last one I used, the one who redid the right knee surgery that the quack doctor didn't do correctly. The xray didn't show any need to be concerned about the right hip, but that's not my issue: my right leg hurts from hip to toe and I can barely stand the pain some days.

Well, then, let's do an MRI on that area and see what's going on. I'll have the girls in the front office set up an appointment for you and let you know where/when, after which I will have another appointment to find out the results, says the doctor.

Okay. Day 1, didn't hear from the front office. Day 2, I called and left a message. Day 3, I called again and left a message. Day 4, I called again and left another message. Then it was the weekend, so I waited on Monday to hear, but no phone call. Tuesday, I drove to the office and explained that I was frustrated because I was supposed to have an MRI to find out the cause for the pain in my right leg, but no one had contacted me. I finally got the feeling it was going to work out because she typed an email in front of me to the person tasked with contacting both the MRI facility and me with the details.

Nope: no one called me with a date/time/facility. So, we drove back to the doctor office and I again spoke in person to the office staff and told them that this situation was ridiculous -- and I was still in pain on my right leg and getting nowhere with their procedure for getting an appointment for an MRI. That did the trick: I finally got a phone call with the MRI center and got set up for the appointment -- an entire week later! Meanwhile, I'm limping around on a very painful leg that is getting worse, not better.

The good news is that I go in Monday for the MRI; the bad news is that I don't see the doctor for the results conversation for another week after that!

I was told that these things take time.

Yeah, I know.

UPDATING: I've had the MRI and will go to the doctor for the results this coming Monday. My right leg is not doing better, even though I've stayed off it as much as possible for the past 2 weeks.