Adult Diapers

Ray says I smell terrible, in my urine-soaked clothing, and he is going to buy adult diapers today and make me wear them. 

I am incontinent, one of the effects of old age. but I cannot smell myself. 

My Balance Disorder

It took over 10 years for my doctors to understand this. 

It started when I was running downhill in a wilderness area in 1999. All of a sudden, I had no legs, and I fell to the ground. Two men on their b\icycles saw me fall and rode off to notify the ranger. 

I managed to get back on my feet again and staggered off towards the trailhead, where I met a fire engine (In California they are the first responders). They gave me some oxygen that made me feel much better. They called an ambulance, that took me to a hospital. 

I am not sure what happened next, but soon I could not talk, only make strange noises. I passed out and woke up the next day, tied down to a hospital bed. This was frustrating!

But eventually, I could talk and demanded to be released, which they did. I went back to my usual life, which included working out at a fitness center. Where I passed out again. 

They called an ambulance, that took me back to the same hospital. This time, the doctors were determined to find out what was wrong with me, and they did many tests on me. And told me "You have low blood sodium."

I kept falling down but could tell when this was about to happen, and just stopped and rested. 

I moved to Costa Rica, where I kept falling down and going to the hospital in ambulances. 

My doctor told me I was having a TIA (temporary ischemic disorder) and told me to rest. But could not tell me how this happened, or how to cure it. 

This is caused by an insufficient blood supply to the brain. which has several parts. The effect is different depending on the part affected. It took a while for my doctors to understand this. 

My last doctor was a neurologist, who could tell my problems were with my brainstem, and he prescribed some pills (Expansia) to control this.

Google Password Management

Google should get this under control because now it is not.  

I have a Google account with its own password, a huge thing that is tamper-resistant. I have copied it to several paper copies so it will not get lost. Any additional passwords I get should be of this quality: big things the computer makes for me but allows me to view them. 

The way things are done bow is frustrating. I get a notice now if some passwords need to be changed. This is fine with me. Google should then change the passwords for me. Simple as that. 

If an app asks for my Gmail password, as sometimes happens, it should be easy for me to do this. 

A Terrible day in Cartago

Ray has gone to visit his mother in Kentucky. This was supposed to be a two-day visit but, as usual, it is taking longer. 

Ray usually takes me shopping, in his car. But I decided to do it myself, using the bus. Bad decision!

The first stop was at a Walmart store, where I bought some coffee. Then to another store, where I bought a watch, The one I had worked fine, but the strap was broken. They had a cheap watch, without any instructions. I bought it and will let Ray figure out how to use it. The strap does look neat.

The next stop, Aeropost, flies my packages from Miami to Costa Rica - sometimes. Amazon sends all my packages to the Aeropost warehouse in Miami. that is supposed to fly them to Costa Rica. This time, as usual, things are all messed up. But I put what I have in a taxi. and head for my bus ride home. 

It drops me off two blocks from home. But my legs are giving out, and some neighbors have to help me walk home.

Then they call an ambulance, which askes me all kinds of questions, in Spanish. Fortunately. Sandy shows up, who is bilingual. I tell them I have a Balance Disorder, but they don't understand what that is. 

I will have to write a paper sometime, explaining it. 

Games make you Stupid

Games are clever, the cleverest thing on your computer. It knows you want to be entertained, and it is doing its best to entertain you - for free!

It knows if you see "It's free!" on your computer screen, you will probably click on it. Not always, but usually - and that is good enough. It has you hooked, and all it has to is real you in, very carefully. 

How does it make you stupid? Very cleverly, by rewarding you very easily. 

It is telling you "You don't have to be smart to win life's goodies!" All you have to do is click here. 

His poetry was Mid-Western

 With a Westward orientation. 

This was John Neihart, who I was privileged to listen to at the University of Missouri, in 1960. 

When I enrolled, I saw this tiny man, with a huge mane of white hair, and a smile on his face. 

He was looking at his future students, who would listen to him recite his poetry, about the Winning of the West.

He called this Epic Poetry, which meant it was modeled on Ancient Greek poetry. He had read this in its original language, and he was entranced by it. 

He never used a microphone, but he had no trouble being heard. He was like an Opera Singer who could easily overpower a symphony orchestra right in front of her. 

He didn't do much singing, but his poetry had plenty of rhythms.

My Brother's Project is not doing too Well

He went to Lamoni, Iowa to manage his church's historical property there. At least that was the plan.

But the Virus has shut everything down. What to do?

He took a closer look at this property, and was not impressed. How could he sell it? 

It was used for a variety of purposes, over quite a long period. How could he simplify that?

Could he just fold his tent and go home?