Unfold

I wrote this last night...or this morning...depending on what you consider 4am.  I ended up going to the doctor today.  She gave me a shot in my butt that's still hurting....two hours later.  I get hormone shots in my butt every other week and it's no big deal.  But this one.....ouch.

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It's 4am and here I am - up typing.  I'm hoping to get back in bed for another hour of sleep.  We'll see if that actually happens.

I don't typically make myself hot tea unless I'm sick, or feel like I might be getting sick.  I had a cup of it before bed, and I'm sipping one now.

I think I mentioned last week that I felt like I might be getting sick but I've been going a good job of keeping it at bay in hopes of fighting it off altogether.  But although I can't point to anything specific I know when my body is "off" and it still is.  My sinuses hurt, my legs sort of ache.  I've got a pressure in my throat and chest.  I don't know if it will all turn itself into something more significant (I hope not) but the threat is there.

I've got couple of unrelated things to chat about today...

I was chit-chatting with a small group of people in an elevator at work Friday.  When we got to my floor a few of us got out and said to the others going to higher floors, "Have a good day!"

Before the elevator doors closed someone said, "Y'all too!"

That simple response struck me as so singularly Carolina.  From what I can tell there's not a verb in it, although one seems to be implied.  I'm not sure it's a sentence, either.  But it conveys the thought effectively and I'll admit that I use y'all too sometimes.  ..but for some reason when it just rolls off someone's tongue like that it's a reminder of where I am.

I uploaded a couple of photos to my Snaplog.   The first is of the Costume contest at the Halloween Party at work.  I mentioned that it's a pretty big deal.  Well, this guy had like a life-size dinosaur costume.  This is a picture of someone helping him to strap himself into it.  It was pretty elaborate, as you can see.  He won "Best Costume".

The other photo is of a church just down the street during sundown Friday night.  I decided to walk to the store for some groceries - it was too nice to drive.  Besides, Charleston at sunset is one of those things I never tire of.  Anyways, the fading light, the pretty steeple, the Palmetto trees, the clear deep blue sky - I only wish my iPhone did is all justice.

I did not go to New Jersey for the Bar Mitzvah this weekend.  The power is still out all around where we'd need to go, and it's still not a good idea to go there.  I'm disappointed at not having the opportunity to see my cousin and some of my extended family.  But in the scheme of things we don't always get what we'd like.

There's a story getting some visibility about a 45-year told trans college student who's making some news in the women's locker room (story here).  It mentions this particular individual as changing into her swimsuit in full view of other women and kids.  The reason it's raising the ruckus is because she's allegedly pre-op.

If - and I say IF - this is all true, then someone needs to take this person aside and explain some things to her.  Just because she's been given the right to use the locker room appropriate to her gender it doesn't give her the right to be insensitive there.  Respecting rights is a two-way street.  And I'm not accepting that anything inappropriate has happened....I'm just sayin'.

When I was pre-op I went to the gym quite a bit.  But I NEVER, and I mean NEVER changed there in view of anyone else.  It wasn't appropriate, and it would have been just as uncomfortable for me as for others.  There are always private places to change in locker rooms - so just be smart.

My mom is a week into her pacemaker, and seems to be doing well.  Thanks to everyone for their good wishes and kind thoughts.  I'll see here in a couple of weeks, but in the meantime I call to check on her every day.  She seems pretty excited about how good she feels, which is probably the most important thing.

The election is tomorrow.  Finally.  I'm still confident of an Obama victory in the electoral college....not by one state but by several states.

But I think all this focus on who will "win" is somewhat misguided.  The fact of the matter is that the country is very deeply divided so regardless of the outcome half the country will be angry, disaffected, and bitter.  As far as I'm concerned, seeing that we're even at this point right now is the real tragedy of these last 4 years.  When I was at the inaugural events 4 years ago I'd never seen more national unity.   Everyone was floating on a cloud of "Believe" - and people really did.  But the bright promise of those days has faded leaving many disillusioned and frustrated.

That is the America that a president will lead.  I sincerely hope that President Obama will be that person.  But I am preparing myself for the prospect that I might be wrong.  All I can do is vote, and I'll be at the polls here in South Carolina when they open at 7am.....with a cup of hot coffee.  The rest will unfold.

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Back to the current.  It's Monday afternoon.  I hope I'm not coming down with something.  I'm going to lay down for a bit, pack, grab a little something to eat, then lay down again.  I hope I can fight it off.  But I suppose that when you push push push yourself sometimes your self pushes back.  :)